MWM Chapter 180

To master the Tandem Explosive Tag technique, one must first learn the techniques for crafting standard explosive tags, the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, and the Summoning Technique.

According to the records in the Book of Seals, the Tandem Explosive Tag technique was actually developed based on these three jutsus.

Ordinary explosive tags are created by continuously splitting into clones and then being summoned, followed by further cloning and summoning, achieving a terrifying effect of infinite multiplication and continuous explosions.

The first challenge is crafting the explosive tags themselves.

Explosive tags are a relatively expensive one-time-use ninja tool, and their learning and crafting process is quite challenging; otherwise, they wouldn’t be sold at such high prices.

The creator must have the ability to perform advanced Fire Release techniques and possess a solid foundation in sealing jutsu to even have a chance to learn to craft them.

Moreover, the learning process is not without danger, as demonstrated by Leo, who frequently found himself blasted away or severely injured.

Fortunately, he met all the requirements: he could use advanced Fire Release thanks to his mastery of all five elemental natures, and he was proficient in Sealing Jutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, and the Summoning Technique. Even the problem of getting frequently injured was manageable for him due to his strong body and his proficiency with healing spells.

However, despite these advantages, he still hadn’t fully mastered the technique, even after studying it for quite some time.

This was mainly because he couldn’t use the Shadow Clone Training Method effectively while learning this technique; any clone that got caught in an explosion would immediately be dispelled.

During his practice, he realized that the Tandem Explosive Tag technique was more complicated than he had initially thought because the most suitable condition for deploying this jutsu was Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation).

Although the Tandem Explosive Tag technique theoretically allows for infinite explosions, it still requires chakra to maintain. Edo Tensei provides infinite chakra, which allows the technique to sustain its explosions indefinitely.

However, if the user is killed by the explosion or can no longer maintain the jutsu, the Tandem Explosive Tag technique will also end.

Otherwise, one could use a Shadow Clone to cast this technique, also without fear of being caught in the explosion, eliminating the need to specifically use a body created by Edo Tensei or to pair it with time-space jutsu like Flying Thunder God.

Because a Shadow Clone dispels immediately upon being caught in an explosion, the perfect execution of this technique requires the use of Edo Tensei and the Flying Thunder God technique together.

Since Leo was still alive, he couldn’t use a body created by Edo Tensei, nor did he know the Flying Thunder God technique.

However, in his second form, his chakra reserves were already quite abundant, and with the ability to teleport instantly using Apparition, he could easily outlast an opponent once the technique was activated.

With his chakra levels, even if he couldn’t achieve an infinite explosion loop, he could sustain it for about ten to fifteen minutes.

Therefore, he had been diligently studying and researching this technique, aiming to master it as soon as possible. He believed that using it to blow up the Chitauri mothership during their invasion would be quite effective.

Approaching noon, Leo dismissed the Shadow Clones scattered across the wardrobe space and, fighting off his fatigue, decided to pause his training.

He couldn’t create as many Shadow Clones as Naruto, nor could he maintain them for as long.

Usually, he would create about twenty clones and have his main body practice the Tandem Explosive Tag technique, while the twenty clones, positioned at a distance, practiced other jutsu.

Once the twenty-minute duration of the Shadow Clones ended, he would summon another twenty clones to continue the training.

This method was more sustainable and efficient compared to creating three hundred clones at once and exhausting all his chakra within twenty minutes, which would also result in all the memories and fatigue of three hundred clones flooding back into his mind and body.

When the accumulated fatigue reached its peak, he would stop training, exit the wardrobe, rest, watch TV with Wanda, enjoy some food, and take a stroll to relax.

Once his chakra and body were fully recovered, he would resume training with his clones.

“Honey, you’re awake. Look who’s here!” 

As Leo walked out of the bedroom, Wanda excitedly pointed to the mature woman in a black dress sitting on the sofa.

Leo raised an eyebrow and then smiled, “Long time no see, Miss Natalie. Just got back from handling business in Russia? How did it go?”

As soon as he stepped out of the wardrobe, he sensed that besides Wanda, there was someone else in the bedroom. He hadn’t expected it to be Natasha Romanoff, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent known as Black Widow.

No need to guess—she was clearly sent over as a messenger because he had hung up on Nick Fury the day before.

After all, if they had sent any other agent, Leo probably wouldn’t have even seen them. Natasha, however, had a good relationship with his wife Wanda; they occasionally chatted online, so he wouldn’t send her away.

“Not too smoothly, but a friend helped, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I came back because there were some issues with work here in New York, but unfortunately, some friends here don’t want to help,” Natasha shrugged, hinting at something.

Leo chuckled, “Sometimes, staying away from things you don’t understand can save you a lot of trouble and problems, so there’s no need to ask others for help.”

He knew Natasha was hinting at his refusal to help S.H.I.E.L.D. against the two aliens. He, in turn, was subtly criticizing S.H.I.E.L.D. for meddling with things they didn’t understand, like the Tesseract, which led to the current mess.

Honestly, in Leo’s view, the value of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s existence wasn’t particularly high, especially under Nick Fury’s leadership, where they frequently interfered with various matters in the name of Earth’s safety.

They couldn’t handle the major crises and weren’t really needed for the minor ones, as local governments could manage those just fine.

Additionally, he didn’t want Nick Fury rallying a bunch of superheroes to fight against the Chitauri army, or even organizing the world’s military to combat them.

To achieve a high completion rate, he needed to personally kill eighty percent of the Chitauri soldiers. If those superheroes and armies intervened and took out more than twenty percent of the Chitauri, his main mission would be a guaranteed failure.

So, no matter who came to persuade him, he wouldn’t interfere or help before the main mission started.

“Wanda, I’m your friend, remember? I’m here to talk about some work issues. Maybe I could use your help?” 

Wanda, unaware of the underlying meanings in Natasha and Leo’s conversation, thought Natasha genuinely had some trouble with her work, and out of concern, asked her.

Natasha was about to reply, but a cold stare from Leo, standing behind Wanda, sent a shiver down her spine, and she quickly changed the words she had been planning to say.

“Oh, it’s just some minor work issues, but I’ve already handled them,” she said instead.

Nick Fury knew that Wanda, known online as the Scarlet Witch, also possessed magical abilities. This was why he had sent Natasha—to first persuade Wanda to join the Avengers, and then indirectly recruit the more powerful Leo.

However, her instincts told her that if she went down that path, both she and Nick Fury might end up in trouble, so she promptly changed her approach.

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