Night fell.
After returning home, Yami finally opened the scroll Orochimaru had given him.
Dense lines of writing filled his vision. After only a few glances, Yami could not help clicking his tongue in amazement.
"As expected of Orochimaru-sama. He's as generous as he was in the original story."
Yami did not lack training methods for nature transformation.
In this life, his father had been an all-around jōnin. The basic requirement to become that kind of jōnin was mastering at least two nature transformations.
And any family with a surname usually meant their ancestors had once been impressive.
In the scrolls stored in Yami's basement, there were training methods for four different nature transformations.
But those methods were common, the kind you could find anywhere.
The scroll in Yami's hands, however, recorded Orochimaru's personal understanding of nature transformation.
As a rare all-attribute genius in the ninja world, the notes Orochimaru left behind did not only cover the five elements. They even included his understanding of the two hidden attributes, Yin and Yang.
Hidden attributes were not something chakra paper could detect.
But Yami knew he had them too.
His development was far too abnormal. His powerful vitality and chakra clearly had something to do with Yang.
With how strong his soul was, he had already mastered sensory perception and a C-rank genjutsu by the end of last year.
On top of the Fire and Earth revealed by chakra paper, Yami's attributes should be four in total: Yin, Yang, Fire, and Earth.
But how to develop those two hidden attributes, Yami had no clue.
Because knowledge like that was an important inheritance controlled by the village's upper ranks and secret-technique clans.
And now, that kind of knowledge was sitting inside the scroll Orochimaru had given him.
No wonder Yami felt so much emotion.
This might be a huge help for him in mastering space-time chakra.
After all, Yang governed the body, and Yin governed the mind.
Yami's chakra control, boosted by using the Rasengan as a shortcut, had already reached a certain level. If he wanted to take another step forward, he needed either Yang Release knowledge or medical ninjutsu.
Only by controlling chakra perfectly, like the Senju monster strength, the Hyuga Gentle Fist, or the Akimichi Expansion Technique, controlling flow and release and change through every meridian and every chakra point, could Yami further tame space-time chakra and fuse normal chakra with space-time chakra in precise ratios while using jutsu.
Once he succeeded, he could give ordinary techniques a space-time boost while reducing space-time chakra consumption.
He would not be a normal ninja when using regular chakra, only becoming terrifying when he switched to space-time chakra.
And at that point, he might truly be able to inject space-time chakra into the Rasengan, creating a unique ultimate that had never appeared in the original story.
With that thought, Yami immediately used the Shadow Clone Technique, which he had already mastered last year, creating two shadow clones so the three of them could read and absorb the scroll together.
…
While Yami was devouring new knowledge at a crazy pace.
On Central Street in Konoha, inside an izakaya.
"Orochimaru, it's getting harder and harder to see you these days."
"If you really want to see me, go find Hiruzen-sensei and have him transfer you to the border. I'm sure he'd be very happy."
"Haha. No thanks. My dream isn't to become Hokage. I don't need that many achievements to compete. This kind of lazy life is way more comfortable."
"I think you just don't want to leave someone behind."
"Cough, cough…"
The sound of clinking cups and teasing conversation came from behind the noren curtain.
The future Legendary Three Ninja were having a reunion.
They were at the best age of their lives, full of spirit.
Tsunade, still single at this time, was breathtaking. Resting her cheek in one hand and lazily swirling a sake flask with the other, she looked sharp and heroic even while drinking.
Watching the two of them bicker like they always had since childhood, Tsunade simply smiled without saying anything.
Orochimaru using her as a joke to push Jiraiya, making that idiot choke on sake and turn red with embarrassment, did not bother her at all.
She knew Jiraiya's feelings clearly, and she had already said more than once that he was not her type.
Their bond as the three of them would not be broken by romance.
Tsunade tapped cups with Orochimaru, then smoothly changed the subject.
"How many days can you stay this time?"
Orochimaru's faint smile disappeared. His expression turned slightly serious as he shook his head.
"I don't know. The borders have been too quiet lately. The major countries all pulled back at the same time. I can't tell if they've secretly formed an alliance, or if they're plotting something."
"That seems unlikely," Tsunade said. "Unless they're willing to put aside old hatred, they can't repeat a four-nation alliance like the last war."
"Or maybe they've all given up on expansion," Jiraiya added. "With their economies, they can't sustain that kind of consumption forever."
"Let's hope so," Orochimaru said, taking a sip. His eyes were deep. "That atmosphere still makes me uncomfortable."
"You've been on the border too long. Your head's gone weird. Let Tsunade prescribe you something," Jiraiya teased, then sensed the mood shift and quickly steered it away, grinning with excitement. "Speaking of which, I found a really good seedling at the academy not long ago. He just got promoted to fourth year in April, but he already has the strength to graduate early. And the talent he's shown, I don't think it's inferior to ours."
"Oh?" Tsunade smirked. "So you, of all people, want to be a jonin instructor now?"
At the same time, something stirred in her mind. She looked at Orochimaru, about to say something.
But Orochimaru suddenly lifted his gaze and stared at Jiraiya.
"What's his name?"
"Mi… Minato," Jiraiya answered, startled by Orochimaru's eyes. "Is something wrong? Don't tell me he's your person, or you already picked him first."
That would be awkward.
Hearing it was not Yami, Orochimaru relaxed again and let out a small laugh.
"I've also taken interest in someone. He's only nine. If both of them entered at six, they might be in the same year, maybe even the same class."
"Oho?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade were instantly intrigued. Jiraiya sighed in relief, then asked eagerly, "If you noticed him, his talent must be insane. Is he from a major clan?"
"No," Orochimaru said, shaking his head. "And you both know his parents."
Tsunade looked like she remembered something, her expression turning sympathetic.
"Is he one of the orphans from that major mission?"
"First-sama distributed the tailed beasts to keep them balanced, and those villages still dared to send jinchuriki out on missions. Damn them," Jiraiya said, anger flashing.
"Life is fragile," Orochimaru said quietly. "If you choose to be a ninja, you must be prepared for accidents at any time."
"Enough," Tsunade cut in, lifting her cup. "Drink."
Sensing the mood, she interrupted at the right moment, and also quietly extinguished the thought that had just risen in her.
She had been considering asking Orochimaru to take Nawaki as a disciple.
But since Orochimaru already had someone he had his eye on, and that person was even Nawaki's underclassman, there was no need to trouble him.
She would talk with her grandmother instead, and either take Nawaki herself or arrange for a Senju who had already put aside their surname and blended into Konoha to become Nawaki's instructor.
(End of Chapter)
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