Rhythm Release

Ritsuton (律遁; meaning "Rhythm Release") Clansmen with this kekkei tōta posses the ability to combine lightning, fire and wind elements into a thermal acoustic fluid, the so-called ritsuton, “rhythm release.” Thermoacoustic waves, or “second sound waves,” are temperature/compression waves that conduct heat and pressure at the speed of sound. Second sound can only exist in a certain type of medium called a superfluid. Clansmen learn to elementally recompose and compress their chakra into a thin membrane that 1)mimics the conditions inside these exotic fluids right above the surface of their skin and 2)produces second sound waves. Both the frequency and the amplitude of these waves remain completely under the control of the clansman from infrasonic waves ranging to ultrasonic vibrations of subtle rhythms all the way to violently intense oscillations.

Abilities:
Ritsuton can destroy physical objects very quickly in two ways. All material objects resonate energetically at a certain frequency unique to the makeup of the material. The first method uses rhythmic vibration synchronized with the resonant frequency of a target object. When a material encounters a vibration in sync with it’s resonant frequency, it will engage in sympathetic vibrations, which gain in intensity with duration of exposure. This is how an opera singer breaks a wine glass by singing at its resonant frequency. Grabbing, striking, or even lightly touching the target object, while injecting resonant ritsuton will cause a portion of the target to crack, rupture, or shatter violently. Any hard material, including the bones of the skeleton, can be instantly destroyed in this manner. Gases, liquids, and soft physical substances like human flesh, respond differently, except at the wavelength of molecular vibration, which would be exceedingly difficult to achieve.

The second method utilizes the thermal properties of second sound. Second sound waves are “superconductors of heat.” In other words they conduct heat without loss of energy similar to how electrical superconductors transmit electricity with zero loss. By hitting or grabbing any object and simultaneously injecting ritsuton into the target, a rapid transfer of heat occurs that will scorch or melt part of the target. Metals can be melted, liquids vaporized, and human flesh charbroiled instantly. Heat can also be rapidly siphoned from any object in which ritsuton has been injected, creating a frostbite or freezer burn effect similar to dry ice, only on a greatly exaggerated scale which can instantly deep freeze small objects.

Since second sound waves require a special medium under intense pressure to exist, they cannot reach past the Kyrgyzishi’s thin superfluid chakra husk. This means the destructive properties of ritsuton remain limited to close proximity to the point of contact, where sympathetic vibrations and heat exchange in the target material are most intense. Clansmen also learn to manipulate the shape and direction of the sympathetic vibration. Precision timing assures that the target material ruptures or explodes away from the clansman to avoid personal injury from shrapnel. This is normally a very short range ability. However, the clan has developed jounin level techniques that expel dense balls of chakra superfluid capable of burning or exploding any object it strikes.

Creation:
Ritsuton is made by manipulating the properties of wind and lightning elements with the fire element. Pressure, temperature, and volume exist as fundamental properties of the wind element. A simple formula expresses the relationship between these 3 properties. The formula is pressure x volume = temperature. Any manipulation of any one of these wind element properties will cause the others to change. If one property remains constant and another is manipulated the third is forced to change. Through shape manipulation the wind chakra of this clan is gathered above the skin and compressed into a thin dense membrane above the skin. The user injects lighting element to ionize the wind chakra, allowing for maximum compression at a constant volume. Fire element is injected into the membrane and combined to regulate the temperature. As the volume remains constant, the pressure of the wind element under the influence of rising temperature must increase. At some critical point of temperature and pressure the chakra membrane becomes a superfluid and can support the generation of second sound waves. Once created the superfluid does not lose energy on it’s own, but vibrates at an arbitrary frequency, which can be modified at will. The only loss of energy is the body heat which must be continually radiated away intentionally in order to prevent the shinobi from cooking inside his own superfluid. This gradually drains the chakra. The ritsuton needs much less chakra to maintain or change it’s frequency than is used in its creation.

Manipulation:
Ritsuton is used in conjunction their artificial doujutsu, the Rengetsugan together with the unique taijutsu of the Kyrgyzishi clan, their kegaretate, “blood stained hands” or “red fist.” One effect of the Rengetsugan is the ability to see 3D realtime imagery with sound waves, making the eyes “acoustic lens” and giving color to sound. The Rengetsugan “eye of the lotus moon” allows the wielder to instantly identify the resonant frequencies, structural defects, of objects at a glance by it’s color. The clansman gathers the ritsuton to the necessary body part, usually the hands and feet, hence the name kegaretate. The resonant vibration frequency of the object under attack is identified by their doujutsu. The ritsuton membrane is maintained and manipulated at that resonant frequency, while the target is struck, grabbed, or otherwise touched while the ritsuton is injected into the target material. This causes sympathetic vibrations at the site of the injection. The ritsuton is so efficient at energy transfer that the sympathetic vibrations immediately reach critical amplitude and the portion of the target within a small radius around the injection site is destroyed to varying degrees.

Since superfluid only radiates thermal energy according to the amount deliberately released by the user, ritsuton remains invisible to the normal eye until vibrations at higher level amplitudes are reached. Attacking a living target with ritsuton causes 1st degree burns involving damage only to the epidermis. 2nd degree burns extending through the entire epidermis and part of the dermis. 3rd degree burns damaging the entire skin, that is, all of the dermis and epidermis. Injuries to the tissues underlying the skin, such as the muscles or bones, are characterized as 'fourth-degree burns, with fourth-degree burns the skin is irretrievably lost, in fifth-degree burns the muscle is irretrievably lost, in sixth-degree burns the bone is charred. Without immediate medical attention by a skilled medical nin or some other intervening medicinal jutsu, burns of the 4th degree and higher can be fatal.

Genin:
Low level ninjas can only control the most basic ritsuton in the hands and feet. This is sufficient to break or shatter bone, wood, and stone materials instantly. Using the capabilities of the Rengetsugan, a clansman can locate stress fractures and structural defects in metals and quickly cause small portions of metals and stronger materials to rupture at the site of injection. Genin aren’t skilled at controlling the thermal properties of ritsuton. They can easily cause 1st and 2nd degree burns on a human target. With extended contact they can cause 3rd degree burns and make flammable objects combust.

Chūnin:
Middle level ninjas can control ritsuton’s thermal properties much more efficiently. They can instantly destroy a larger portion of any solid object with a touch and cause stress fractures in the material radiating from the injection site. They can start fires on combustible materials instantly. They can cause immediate 3rd degree burns with a touch. With prolonged exposure they can cause 4th degree burns. They can siphon heat from small objects or portions of larger objects very quickly causing extensive deep tissue frostbite and freezer burn. They can also radiate normal acoustic vibrations in the audible, infra, and ultrasound range. These generally used for communication purposes but certain frequencies can be used to assault opponents.

Jōnin:
High level ninjas have total control over ritsuton’s oscillatory and thermal properties. They can generate 4th, 5th, and 6th degree burns instantaneously with a touch. They can deep freeze a portion of any object instantly. Jounin are capable of generating heat intense enough to melt metals and burn through any substance more rapidly than a blowtorch melting ice. They can instantly disintegrate into rubble man sized solid objects with resonant vibration. They can use ritsuton’s vibratory properties to generate anti-noise to neutralize any sound made by the user and, when situated between a listener and a sound source, any sound crossing their path. Users at this level, can launch high temperature balls of ritsuton at a target synced to its resonant frequency causing it to explode, melt, or burst into flames.

Meijin:
Master level ninjas are capable of generating ultrasound and phonon wavelengths at the molecular level. This can disassociate chemical molecules, like H2O, cracking them into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is called sonolysis, the sonic version of electrolysis. (This is a real phenomenon) They can surround their entire bodies with ritsuton and instantly burn to ash or vaporize solid and liquid objects which touch their bodies. The density and other properties of this ritsuton armor renders their body impervious to harm. However, this state can only be maintained for ten minutes at a time.