Zanzō

Zanzō (残像, Literally: Afterimage) is a technique developed by Nōsei as a way to expand upon the commonly used Body Flicker Technique with a unique spin of originality. While its parent technique is often employed to close quickly close the gap between combatants in hopes of catching one's opponent off guard, it use has become so common that it effectiveness has declined dramatically. After many long hours of contemplating and creating a technique that would utilize the user's speed most effectively, Nōsei was able to create Zanzō. While the exact method to performing this technique is unknown it is assumed that the user channels chakra through their body to enhance their speed in short bursts. Due to the incredible speed obtainable by this technique it seems that only naturally quick shinobi would be able to benefit from this technique.

While the speed of this technique easily surpasses the Body Flicker Technique when it comes to how fast a user can traverse any given distance, it can also be used to increase the speed of any of the user's movements. While most techniques that increase the user's speed result in their movements being completely invisible or simply a blur, Zanzō is quite different. Instead the speed of this technique creates a natural optical illusion that makes it appear as if the user hasn't moved yet. This is the result of the minds of those who witness this technique not registering that the practitioner of Zanzō has actually moved. Nōsei has shown to use this effect to his advantage to close incredibly large gaps between he and his opponent's before they are actually aware that he has moved. Furthermore, he has shown to use this technique in close range combat to misrepresent his location and movements, adding a unbelievable level of unpredictability and inherently confusion to his fighting style. While this technique isn't heavy on chakra consumption it does appear to strain the user's physical body when used from prolonged periods. As such it is usually not relied upon for an entire fight and is performed in short burts.