20 Chapter 20 : Circuits Activated

Another month has gone by. Shirou was currently fishing on the Naka River.

'The Naka river would sure be a nice spot for fishing... if only...' - Shirou.

Right when Shirou was about to catch a fish, a few hundred meters away a huge fireball hit the water causing large waves and huge steam. Even though this happened far away it still scared all the fish away.

'Damn Uchihas and their fire style practice.' - Shirou.

Shirou had to move to another spot. It took some time but he managed to catch a couple of fish.

'Now for today's attempts at completing the nerve transformation. The previous experiments all ended up with the fish dying. Then finally being cooked for lunch and dinner. In fact, I think have not eaten anything besides fish during this month.' - Shirou.

Shirou had caught a rabbit previously for experimenting. But looking at its pitiful and cute appearance Shirou couldn't bear to harm it, so he decided to let it go. But luckily he had no difficulties in experimenting on fish.

'I know... I am a hypocrite.' - Shirou.

'No one is here right... good. Now let's begin.' - Shirou. 

Securing a fish and locking it in place in water using tools, Shirou channeled chakra through its nervous system. This was difficult even with Shirou's chakra control. Firstly living things have some resistance to invading energies like foreign chakra. Secondly, nerves are too small, on the micrometer scale. So chakra control requirements are ridiculously high.

Shirou had practiced his chakra control to further absurd levels during this month. He can now study the cellular structure of a living body using structural grasp. Since his body does not resist his own chakra/mana, Shirou managed to understand a lot more about the functioning of his body. He even made some new discoveries that could revolutionize the medical knowledge in this world. He used the Sword Scribe technique to memorize it all as it could help him immensely in the future.

One such discovery was that Shirou's body is not able to completely extract all the energy from the food he eats. Shirou did not find any issues with his body but instead, he found that the energy content inside food products of this world is higher when compared to his past world. He guessed this is related to natural energy.

As Shirou channeled the chakra to a specific nerve, he carefully started transforming it into a makeshift magic circuit.

It took a few experiments to find out exactly how to convert the nerves into makeshift magic circuits. The basic idea is to form a bridge made of chakra/mana between the nerve's physical side and spiritual side. This allows the nerve which can now be called a makeshift magic circuit or trashy magic circuit to channel chakra/mana just like a Tenketsu.

A magic circuit can draw in the mana generated by the planet or possibly natural energy into the user's body. The circuit refines this energy so it can be used by the user to cast spells.

The fish started to struggle but Shirou had a firm grip on it holding it in place. The original Shirou had to endure the feeling of inserting a hot iron rod into his spine to create a makeshift magic circuit. All previous experiments died at this step, as they couldn't handle the strain.

'Don't die on me. Come on... Focus...' - Shirou.

Shirou focused all his might on chakra control to build the makeshift circuit. Finally, his efforts paid off.

'I did it?... I did it.' - Shirou.

The fish had survived the procedure. Makeshift circuits are temporary and they will stop functioning after some time. So Shirou had to test it fast.

'Ok. Here goes nothing...' - Shirou.

Shirou channeled tiny bits of his chakra through the makeshift circuit. Using structural grasp Shirou could sense that the circuit had been stimulated. He sensed the circuit absorbing and refining trace amounts of natural energy. Shirou was waiting for something he did not want to see happen. As time went on Shirou became more happy as he confirmed that the activation of magic circuits in the Ninja World does absorb mana or natural energy but it does not cause petrification.

'It must be because the energy is refined by the circuits. In that case...' - Shirou.

'In my past life, I have always thought about the practice of sage mode. The first step described in the anime is to sense the natural energy of the world. One day I had an idea that could help absorb natural energy without being able to sense it. But sadly at that time, Naruto was a fictional world. But now...' - Shirou.

Shirou was inspired by the idea of vacuums. The Tenketsu inside the fish are all closed as a fish doesn't know how to use chakra. Shirou wanted to see if he could use his chakra to open one of the Tenketsu points located near the skin surface of the fish. As long as Shirou makes his chakra form a vacuum inside the Tenketsu, then for this vacuum of energy to be filled, the natural energy from the atmosphere should be sucked into the Tenketsu.

Shirou immediately went to work. He channeled his chakra and used the structural grasp spell to find a Tenketsu point connected near the skin surface of the fish. After finding one he carefully guided his chakra into the Tenketsu causing it to open. Then using absurd chakra control skills he formed an energy vacuum by clearing the chakra from the centre but still keeping the Tenketsu open.

Shirou sensed as natural energy rushed into the Tenketsu. He watched as the area around the skin started turning into stone as the fish did not know how to balance the energies. The natural energy was really potent. The fish was fully turned to stone after a few seconds.

'Natural energy sure is terrifying... but as long as someone learns to harness it, this terrifying energy is theirs to command.' - Shirou.

Looking at the petrified fish Shirou was in a complicated mood. He threw it into the river. He recalled each and every fish he killed this month.

'I have stepped on countless ants and crushed countless bugs... but they never mattered. I ate countless meat products in both lives. It still never mattered. But once I took the lives of bigger species myself it started mentally affecting me.' - Shirou.

'One day... this is going to escalate to human lives as well.' - Shirou.

Shirou stood at the river shore, not moving.

'I have long known that I would have to kill one day. I thought I was ready...' - Shirou.

'My past world sure was peaceful... no... it's more accurate to say I was just far away from the battlefields. Not only that crimes still happened here and there. I was just lucky. No world is peaceful... As long as beings like us humans exist there will be conflict simply because we can be selfish. Simply because we can choose our way of life. Simply because we have the potential to. Systems will be formed by powerful people to create peace through law and order but no system will be perfect. There will always be people who are different. Those who won't fit in the system.' - Shirou.

'The people of my past world should be sad or angry at me for committing suicide. Heh... They think I choose the coward's way out. From their perspective, sure I admit they are correct.' - Shirou.

'But just because they are correct doesn't mean they are right.' - Shirou.

Shirou sensed no one was near him. He closed his eyes and started channeling chakra through his Tenketsu. He traced the path along his Tenketsu to his brain and then sensed his soul. He sensed the incredibly complex ethereal energy system again. Blue energy waves pulse through astral structures. He sensed the familiar pulling force. He arrived at the epicenter. Sensing the 27 magic circuits, Shirou no longer hesitated.

'I don't care if others don't understand me. To me, my old world was a correctional facility that tried to change me simply because I wasn't what the majority considered normal. My choice to end my life was not giving up on life. It was the first time I totally and fully had control of my life. There might have been other ways but to me, death was not an end, it was the first time I actually lived. If this makes me crazy then so be it.' - Shirou.

Shirou channeled magic energy through all the 27 magic circuits. He started feeling immense pain. His body was burning up. He gritted his teeth. Glowing circuit-like lines started appearing on Shirou's body. Small tendrils of magic energy started flashing like lightning around him. Luckily no one noticed. He felt his circuits activating. They started absorbing mana and refining it. The refined energy seemed to search through his memories. As Shirou saw all the images flashing by he instinctively knew what was happening and what he needed to do. He knew the perfect image. Shirou focused and the images stopped at a particular one. It was the scene of an Iaido quick-draw sword technique. The precise drawing of the sword from its scabbard and immediately executing a strike. The scene seemed to fix itself onto Shirou's soul. The mental image or key to activate his magic circuits has been successfully completed. The magic energies finally calmed down. His body state returned to normal. Shirou slowly relaxed and opened his eyes. He did not have any doubts anymore.

Shirou felt a scene appear in his mind. He was standing on a totally calm sea under a starry night sky without falling into the water. He looked at the sea to see his own spiritual body as a reflection. The reflection was an energy body with glowing blue energy lines inside forming a circulation system.

Words seem to automatically come out of Shirou's mouth.

"I am the core of all swords." - Shirou.

Shirou soon found that he was back in the real world still looking at the Naka river. He smiled and decided to go back home with the remaining fish.