Magnet Release

Magnet Release is an advanced nature transformation that combines wind and earth chakra to simulate the different properties and usages of magnetic forces.

Unlike most other nature transformations, Magnet Release typically cannot be used to generate physical objects or destructive energies with which to directly attack an opponent, but rather is used to telekinetically move natural materials that do not usually fall under the domain of nature transformation ninjutsu.

There are two known major strains of the kekkei genkai that grants usage of this advanced nature, each independently evolved.

Sand Style Magnet Release

The style of Magnet Release possessed and made famous by the Kazekages of Sunagakure.

That said, the originator of this power was not actually a human but the One Tailed Raccoon, Shukaku. Its usage of Magnet Release is not widely known as it’s commonly misconceived that the Tailed Beast uses Earth Release alone to control its sand, or that it has a unique “Sand Release” advanced nature.

Neither of these is true – sand, being made of natural minerals, technically falls under the domain of Earth Release. However earth natured chakra is designed to control large solid constructs and lacks the fine control necessary to effectively manipulate rocks much smaller than gravel. Instead, Shukaku uses magnet and earth natured chakra simultaneously – like a kekkei touta – to create chakra fields that control fine particles of earth. This is a power only usable by Shukaku and its jinchuuriki.

Shukaku has also developed a method of combining magnet natured chakra with its cursed seal markings, amplifying the binding power of its unique fuuinjutsu.

Humans did not gain this power until Sunagakure studied the abilities that manifested in each of Shukaku’s hosts with the intention of making non-jinchuuriki replicate them, ultimately resulting in the creation of a new kekkei genkai.

These non-jinchuuriki were in fact the descendants of those hosts who were born with the genetic potential to awaken a derivative of Shukaku’s own power. That very heritage would reveal itself whenever they would generate magnet chakra with dark markings appearing around their eyes, reminiscent of the ones Shukaku has itself.

Despite the name, this style of ninjutsu only superficially resembles real magnetic force. Unlike true magnetism which can only effectively move ferromagnetic metals, the chakra fields generated by this bloodline grant direct control over any kind of metal. Due to the artificial nature of this bloodline, however, this control is not instinctive – users must train to attune their chakra to the unique atomic structure of each element of metal they wish to be able to manipulate.

On the other hand, those with this bloodline are able to manipulate this magnetic force without requiring hand-seals much like Shukaku and its hosted when controlling sand. They are able to shape this chakra with their will alone which lends itself well to the speed and unpredictability of their attacks.

The exact limits of the bloodline are unknown, but is believed that all transition metals can fall under its influence. Due to the difficulty of “learning” multiple metals, the unsuitability of many metals for combat usage, and the relative scarcity of most metals, those few Sand Style Magnet Release users chose particular hard metals to specialize in such as iron and gold.

Most Famous Users

Third Kazekage – After studying the Jinchuuriki of Shukaku of the time, he recreated it’s sand-manipulating style by substituting iron powder using his own magnet chakra. This fighting style came to be known as Sand Style Magnet Release, and is widely considered to be the most powerful form of Magnet Release ninjutsu ever created. It was for his legendary iron sand techniques that he was noted as the strongest Kazekage in the  history of Sunagakure.

Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage – Taking control of Sunagakure during a time of great economic depression due to the Wind Daimyo abandoning his nation’s native shinobi village in favour of the cheaper services of Konohagakure, Rasa became the first Magnet Release user to ever successfully gain control over gold. Using this power he kept the village afloat through the export of gold, while he used the proceeds to increase the quality of his ninja through researching new techniques and creating a more powerful jinchuuriki.

Rasa mastered and refined the same Sand Style Magnet Release that was invented by his predecessor, and his unprecedented power and skill with Magnet Release gave him the ability to draw up gold dust from ore deposits deep within the earth, such that he could summon surprisingly large tidal waves of gold dust from seemingly nowhere. Furthermore, the heavier weight of gold dust compared to sand allowed him to even subdue Shukaku whenever it went on a rampage within his village.

Cloud Style Magnet Release

The style of Magnet Release possessed by the Yotsuki Clan in the Land of Lightning. Before the Hidden Village Era, they made their home in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning for generations. The mountainous region was subject to powerful magnetic fields, and over time their chakra adapted to those magnetic fields and eventually developed into a new kekkei genkai.

Cloud Style Magnet Release differs from Sand Style in several important ways due to the fact that it simulates magnetic force more accurately. For one, the Yotsuki can only control ferromagnetic metals but do not need to attune to those metals through extensive training; controlling iron and steel is as natural as breathing for them.

Secondly, they can use their magnetic chakra fields to generate real non-chakra based electrical currents through the principle of electromagnetic induction, which can then be incorporated into Lightning Release ninjutsu to greatly increase their speed and power. In other words, much like how Wind Release can amplify Fire Release, Magnet Release can amplify Lightning Release.

The Yotsuki are a clan of weapon specialists, magnetizing their weapons to accomplish unmatchable feats. Every clan member spends their life mastering a single weapon, much like the samurai and their swords, but are familiar with any weapon well enough to adapt to any situation.

Armed with steel or iron, they wield weapons with their chakra instead of their body in unorthodox fighting styles. They can swing more swords than they have hands, throw shuriken that spin several times faster, toss spears so hard and fast they shatter concrete walls and shoot arrows that can change trajectory without losing any of their momentum. Some of their number have even been known to wear entire sets of heavy plate armour and animate it with magnetic force.

The Yotsuki often aren’t blatant in the display of their skills and most of their enemies don’t truly realize that they possess Magnet Release at all, especially when compared with the Sand Style Magnet Release. In fact, they are better known for their supposed affinity with Lightning Relase as they take advantage of the electromagnetic nature of their style to manipulate true lightning.

Oddly enough, Killer B’s Acrobat fighting style was based on the Yotsuki controlling their swords with magnetic force instead of their limbs. After he was restricted to the village, when he wasn’t practising his jinchuuriki skills B frequently trained his kenjutsu alongside the clan members in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning and started to emulate their skills. He advanced from the two-sword style he had practiced for most of his life and invented a seven-sword style that was thought to be impossible without Magnet Release. The clan, already friendly with him, has held the highest respect for him ever since.

Most Famous Users

Yotsuki Toroi – A ninja from Kumogakure who became famous during the Third Shinobi World War for his unique skill to magnetize non-ferromagnetic materials. Most of his comrades underestimated his technique, as it only worked on objects he could physically touch and the resulting magnetic fields were relatively weak and only lasted for a moment. But by infusing this special magnet chakra into his shuriken, Toroi could transfer the magnetic force to anything that subsequently touched those shuriken.

Any opponent foolish enough to block his initial attack would therefore briefly become magnetized themselves and attract other magnetized shuriken, greatly increase the chances of a successful followup attack. With this deceptively deadly strategy Toroi became widely feared on the battlefield.

Co-written with Altered Nova