Love of Thirst

The Love of Thirst (渇愛, ) is one of the original techniques that has been developed by Usetsu in correspondence to his acquisition of the Rinnegan. It is a derivative of the Preta Path, and utilizes its abilities to the highest point possible.

Description
The Love of Thirst is a Rinnegan technique that is derived from the Preta Path; the Hungry Ghost. Unlike the Blocking Technique Absorption Seal, which is noted to be limited to the usage of the hands, as well as be actively used, the Love of Thirst is a technique that is passive in its nature. Upon its awakening, Usetsu has never exactly required to exert any actual effort to initiate the abilities of the Preta Path, for they were simply his natural instinct. This natural instinct, prior to his awakening of the Rinnegan, were his driving forces in life - hunger and thirst. An attempt for survival, a simple life function that carried him onward no matter the struggle. The essence of this struggle is demonstrated through this technique.

The functionality of the technique exists by way of simple chakra flow throughout the body. One of the core principles of the Rinnegan is, undoubtedly, balance. Balance within the self and one's own desires in order to attain enlightenment. This balance is reflected by the acquisition of the Yin–Yang Release. Therefore, the body has a perfect chakra network and flow; equal in every aspect. Utilizing this to his advantage, the Love of Thirst technique causes each and every unit of his chakra to activate the Preta Path at any given time, allowing for its absorption capabilities to, quite literally, become nothing more than passive absorption. However, this absorption can only be achieved when the Rinnegan is active, for without the activation of the Rinnegan, the user is unable to secrete the activation of the Preta Path along the body.

However, the effects of the technique are quite astounding. Due to its nature, the Love of Thirst can provide Usetsu with an instantaneous capability to evade potentially lethal attacks by absorbing the excess chakra that makes it up in almost an instant, lowering its offensive capabilities marginally. Furthermore, when combined with the Blocking Technique Absorption Seal, Usetsu may absorb extremely vast and complicated techniques that compose of multiple chakra natures with very little effort behind him.

Drawbacks
Alas, there are drawbacks to the usage of the Love of Thirst. Therefore, while quite common for him to use in a battle situation, he attempts to not rely on it entirely when the situation becomes quite dire. Due to the constant activation of the Preta Path at any given time, the use of other paths - because they are not in other bodies - become weaker. Therefore, utilizing the Animal Path with this technique causes the summoning process to expend more chakra, something which he doesn't exactly have plentiful reserves of.

Trivia

 * The Love of Thirst technique's name is taken directly from the Japanese translation of ; a buddhist term that literally translates to "thirst." . In the first teaching of the Buddha on the, the Buddha identified taṇhā as a principal cause in the arising of (suffering, anxiety, dissatisfaction). Incidentally, Dukkha is considered to be what 's acquisition of the Rinnegan appears to be based around of, hence his philosophy of "peace through suffering." Taṇhā is also identified as the eighth link in the . These links identify to the origin of Dukkha to be in , otherwise translated as ignorance.