"Orochimaru, Assistant Hokage Shimura Danzo is not an easy person to deal with."
Tsunade leaned in and whispered into Orochimaru's ear. As she spoke, she looked around, lowering her voice even further. "I'm telling you, even Grandma Mito doesn't really like him."
Grandma Mito's dislike for Danzo was probably because her good and evil perception could sense some of Danzo's thoughts, right? After all, Grandma Mito was still the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Possessing the ability of good and evil perception, no matter how respectful one appeared on the surface, any ill thoughts in the heart would definitely be perceived.
Orochimaru had an 'I see' expression and calmly said, "Perhaps it's because Lord Danzo is in charge of the Anbu training department? Staying in the dark for too long will inevitably have an effect."
"Tsunade, let's go train."
"Okay, let's go train!"
Tsunade, who was about to say something, cast those thoughts aside after hearing Orochimaru suggest training.
Training Ground
Bang—!
Lightning flashed around Tsunade, her hair slightly standing on end due to the Lightning Release Chakra. Her lightning-infused fist struck the rock, leaving a deep indentation without using her monstrous strength.
Orochimaru held a book, observing Tsunade's training.
Tsunade, who excelled in Medical Ninjutsu, should have some understanding of the human body's acupoints. Even if she couldn't release Chakra like the Hyuga Clan, what if she used Lightning Release Chakra to stimulate certain acupoints?
A scene of Might Guy using the Eight Gates Formation flashed in Orochimaru's mind. The Eight Gates are the eight main acupoints in the human body that control Chakra flow. If she were to stimulate the Eight Gates' acupoints with Lightning Release Chakra, what kind of power could she unleash?
No, stimulating the Eight Gates causes too much damage to the body. Moreover, the Eight Gates Formation is not suitable for Tsunade.
Training the Eight Gates Formation is not that simple. Both Might Guy and Lee possess talent in Taijutsu, and more importantly, they can dedicate all their energy and time to Taijutsu. The continuous opening of the Eight Gates is a reward for their diligent efforts.
With Tsunade's monstrous strength and terrifying destructive power, a full-power attack, aside from a few exceptionally abnormal individuals, would at least cripple if not kill upon impact.
Therefore, stimulating some acupoints in the body to accelerate Chakra flow, though far inferior to the Eight Gates, would be sufficient for Tsunade.
Thinking this, Orochimaru waved at Tsunade. "Tsunade, come here for a moment. I have something to tell you."
"Orochimaru, what's wrong? Did you see something you don't understand?"
Tsunade pulled her fist from the rock, the lightning around her body vanished, and she calmed her breathing. She picked up the towel nearby to wipe the sweat from her face and walked over.
"I have an idea, one for you, who excels in Medical Ninjutsu. Perhaps you could even create your own Lightning Release Ninjutsu."
"My own Lightning Release?"
Tsunade's bright brown eyes sparkled as she looked at Orochimaru. "You mean, you'll help me develop Lightning Release Ninjutsu?!"
"It's not me helping you develop Lightning Release Ninjutsu, but you developing your own Lightning Release Ninjutsu, a Lightning Release Ninjutsu that only you, who excels in Medical Ninjutsu, can use."
Orochimaru smiled, seeing Tsunade so excited. Perhaps because her mental age was so much higher than Tsunade's, she was very patient with the somewhat violent but lively Tsunade.
"My idea is this…"
Orochimaru explained her concept for a Lightning Release suitable for Tsunade.
"Stimulating acupoints within the body with Lightning Release Chakra? That indeed requires a deep understanding of human acupoints. Human acupoints are very special; one wrong move can easily cause irreversible damage to the body."
Tsunade understood Orochimaru's concept and knew why she said it was a Lightning Release Ninjutsu that only she could use.
"This Lightning Release Ninjutsu is very dangerous."
"Therefore, to complete and use this Lightning Release Ninjutsu, only you can do it. I'm only responsible for providing you with the concept; the rest is entirely up to you."
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade with a hint of a smile. "I believe you'll complete this technique very quickly."
In the original story, Tsunade possessed incredibly high skill in Medical Ninjutsu, renowned throughout the Ninja World. Orochimaru believed Tsunade's talent extended beyond just Medical Ninjutsu.
From Tsunade's rapid progress in Lightning Release, it's clear that if she's a genius, then Tsunade, with her Senju bloodline, is a monster.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's teaching standards are beyond doubt, but in his approach to nurturing, he lets his disciples choose what interests them. While this can greatly unleash a disciple's talent, it can also easily bury it.
Tsunade, who clearly could have been a much more powerful Ninja, was just a brawler in the original story.
"Then let's start now!"
Tsunade has always been a person of action, saying and doing. Encouraged by Orochimaru, Tsunade was like a person on fire, feeling almost omnipotent.
"Tsunade! Orochimaru! You're here!"
Jiraiya waved his hand, looking at Tsunade and Orochimaru with a big, happy smile.
"Jiraiya, you're back. How was your training?"
Tsunade looked at the running Jiraiya in a good mood.
"Me? I'm doing great! I'll surprise you and Hiruzen Sarutobi very soon!"
Jiraiya's smile was confident, revealing a set of white teeth, but soon his expression turned troubled, with a rare hint of bewilderment.
"However, the Great Toad Sage hasn't given any prophecy about me yet."
"A prophecy, huh..."
Snap—!
Orochimaru closed the book in her hand and stared at Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, do you really think your future can be decided by a prophecy?"
"..."
Jiraiya fell silent. From Boss Fukasaku, Shima, and the Toads like Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro, he had learned that the Great Toad Sage's prophecies had never been wrong; they were all destined to happen.
Yet, he couldn't answer Orochimaru whether his future could truly be decided by the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
Seeing Jiraiya's silence, Tsunade urged, "Say something, Jiraiya!"
"Can't answer?"
Orochimaru looked at the conflicted Jiraiya, snorted, and said, "You once said that the Great Toad Sage dreamed you would come to Mount Myōboku."
"Yes, that's right."
"Perhaps the Great Toad Sage's prophecies are accurate, but I believe a prophecy is merely one possibility of the future. What your future will be depends on your choices. Your choices determine your future, not the Great Toad Sage's prophecy making you choose. The Great Toad Sage's prophecy can only be used as a reference; you shouldn't let its prophecy dictate your choices."
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya, who was deep in thought. In the original story, Jiraiya was more like a tool manipulated by the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
"What if the Great Toad Sage's prophecy is that you will kill an infant, and that infant will become a villain who destroys the Ninja World in the future? What would you do? Go find that infant and kill him?"
"I..."
Jiraiya found it difficult to answer Orochimaru's hypothetical question.
Orochimaru looked at the silent Jiraiya, frowned, a flicker of displeasure on her face, and asked again, "If you do whatever the prophecy tells you to do, is the path you, Jiraiya, walk one you forged yourself, or a path laid out for you by 'prophecy'?"
"I, I am Lord Jiraiya! Of course, I'll walk my own path!"
Jiraiya practically shouted this, though it sounded a bit lacking in confidence.
"Tch!"
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya with disdain, wondering which fool would throw away his life for a prophecy.