Truth-Seeking Ball

Truth-Seeking Balls are spheres of malleable black chakra. They are composed of all five elemental nature transformations and Yin–Yang Release, and are also capable of negating all forms of ninjutsu.

Usage
These orbs appear and generally float in a circular formation behind the user's back. By utilising the power of, the balls can be shaped into a variety of forms, and the many natures comprising them can be combined to produce various effects. Obito Uchiha usually shaped the balls by having them pierce through holes that temporarily formed in his hands, whereas other users forego this process and simply mould them. The balls can serve various offensive, defensive, and supplementary purposes, such as wrapping around the user to act as a defensive shield, or launching toward targets as high-speed projectiles. They are also capable of causing massive explosions by rapidly expanding in size. Each orb is about the size of a fist and hides within enough power to completely obliterate a forest.

According to Minato Namikaze, the balls are a type of technique that is always on standby, rather than activating from nothing. Hiruzen Sarutobi stated that this technique uses attacks that instantly turn their target to dust, similar to Dust Release, but the technique's fluid nature allows it to serve both offensive and defensive purposes, and it can be maintained. Hiruzen also noted that, since the substance is a combination of more than three nature transformations, it is neither a kekkei genkai nor kekkei tōta, but greater than both. Tobirama Senju analysed that this technique can utilise Yin–Yang Release to nullify all ninjutsu the balls touch. As a result, any damage done by this technique to a reincarnated individual who can usually regenerate infinitely cannot be repaired, and said individual could die. However, Obito's Truth-Seeking Balls did not nullify ninjutsu prior to him gaining control over the Ten-Tails' power. The balls can also quickly heal severe injuries through contact, glowing red while doing so in the anime. Naruto's Truth-Seeking Balls were able to utilise the Six Paths Sage Chakra, which could effectively damage Madara's shadows.

The black substance that comprises the balls is highly durable, only taking damage from powerful techniques such as the Evening Elephant and a senjutsu-enhanced Tailed Beast Ball. When Obito produced chakra receivers to use the Six Red Yang Formation, the ball behind his right hand emitted the same red chakra as the receivers and subsequently disappeared. The balls can also be used to create the legendary Sword of Nunoboko. 

Shape Variants
The balls can be manipulated into a variety of shapes for different purposes.

Drawbacks
The user starts with a set amount of balls and can only control them within 70 metres of their location, allowing opponents to separate them from the user by transporting them elsewhere. If they are not retrieved by the user or somehow get destroyed, they are permanently lost. When the balls expand, they are capable of damaging the user's own body if they are not protected by other balls. Hiruzen noted that there is likely a limit to the amount of time that the balls can take on another shape. After seeing the effects of Gamakichi's natural energy-imbued technique on Obito, Naruto and Tobirama discovered that the balls are incapable of negating senjutsu. It was also shown that when the transformed balls come in direct contact with senjutsu chakra, their form becomes disrupted.

In the event that the user's chakra disappears, the balls will disintegrate in the same manner as the black receivers. Any clones produced by the user will not have their own Truth-Seeking Balls. The clones can, however, have the balls passed on to them.

Trivia

 * The term comes from Mahāyāna Buddhism. The Kanji 求 means to wish for, while the  in Mahāyāna doctrine is to find the ultimate truth within one's own mind.
 * When a jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails gains control over the beast, the shakujō variant seems to instinctively form in their hand. Obito and Madara Uchiha each wielded one half of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki's complete shakujō.
 * In the original publication of chapter 689, Black Zetsu lists Wood as one of the component natures of the Truth-Seeking Balls, rather than Water. Masashi Kishimoto confirmed this was an error in Issue #41 of Weekly Shōnen Jump, and stated that it would be corrected in the tankōbon release of the chapter.
 * Despite the fourth databook stating that this technique appears for users of Six Paths Sage Technique, it is not categorised as senjutsu in the fourth databook. Similarly, Kaguya, Obito and Toneri have all used this technique without usage of the Six Paths Sage Technique at one point. Also, despite the databook stating it to be beyond both kekkei genkai and kekkei tōta, it is not categorised as kekkei mōra.