Now We March On from the Beginning

Having regained his freedom, Orochimaru immediately returned to his small workshop.

He first put away an experimental report. These were naturally the data he had kept for himself.

He had only handed part of it over to the Hokage. The portion he retained was far more comprehensive and detailed.

It included not only research data on Hashirama Cells, but also data on the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan, and, of course, the Uzumaki Clan.

This data would remain immensely useful for his future research. In this world where bloodlines ruled everything, only bloodlines were the foundation of the world.

He had now fused Uzumaki Clan cells into himself, transforming his body into one with an Uzumaki Clan constitution.

Hardly any of his original cells remained. Aside from his outward appearance, which had yet to change, his genes were practically no different from those of the Uzumaki Clan.

"Should I call myself Uzumaki Orochimaru from now on?"

After considering the name, Orochimaru smiled and shook his head. Orochimaru still sounded more natural.

"Perfect. Now I have time to study the ninjutsu I recorded in the Sealing Jutsu Forbidden Area!"

Orochimaru had not forgotten about that. After more than half a year of repeated visits, he had recorded no fewer than a thousand powerful ninjutsu.

It could be said that he had gone through every piece of material in the forbidden jutsu area. His knowledge of ninjutsu likely already surpassed that of the so-called Professor of Ninjutsu.

But knowing something was one thing; being able to use it was another. After all, many of them required the corresponding Kekkei Genkai.

For example, the Uzumaki Clan's Adamantine Chains, which he was about to study. Orochimaru was deeply interested in this powerful ninjutsu said to be passed down to daughters but not sons.

He also intended to study the other Sealing Jutsu techniques. Otherwise, wouldn't the Uzumaki Clan's Sage Body be going to waste?

He created more than a dozen Shadow Clones, summoned one ninjutsu scroll after another, and began carefully reading through them.

He had naturally learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique as well, though he could not create hundreds or thousands at once like a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

The Uzumaki Body was strong, but even it could not withstand prolonged expenditure. Besides, more than a dozen people already made the workshop feel cramped.

As for the ninjutsu scrolls, they contained all kinds of Forbidden Jutsu he had recorded. Orochimaru alone had limited ability, but more than a dozen clones with the same Doubled Comprehension as him would make things far more efficient.

He had Naruto to thank for this method in the future. As a genius himself, Orochimaru could use it too.

For a time, the workshop was filled with the rustling of furious writing, like students diligently taking an exam.

Elsewhere, Minato Namikaze.

After two and a half years, plus another half year, of research, he finally formed a blue swirling orb in his hand.

It was the Rasengan of the future, though it was not yet called the Rasengan. Its name was Spiral Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three.

He had drawn inspiration from the Tailed Beast Bomb, compressing and fusing Wind Release with his own Chakra in a certain ratio.

It looked simple enough, but it required extremely precise control over Chakra.

As for the Flying Thunder God, the ninjutsu that would make him famous, he had not learned it yet. According to Orochimaru's memories, Minato gave Kakashi a Flying Thunder God Kunai when Kakashi was promoted to jonin at the age of twelve.

By that estimate, Minato had likely been at least around twenty when he learned the Flying Thunder God. From the Flying Thunder God Technique: Second Step, Flying Thunder God Technique: Guiding Thunder, and Flying Thunder God Technique: Mutual Instantaneous Revolving he later used, it was clear that he was equally formidable at developing and researching ninjutsu.

The talent he displayed was in no way inferior to Orochimaru's, and the Third Great Ninja War would later prove it.

He turned the tide of battle by himself, wiped out more than fifty enemy ninja alone, and had a solo match with Hidden Cloud Village's A-B duo, leaving the Fourth Raikage A only daring to call himself the second-fastest ninja in the Ninja World afterward.

"Minato!"

"Kushina, why are you here?"

Seeing Kushina run over, panting for breath, Minato was pleasantly surprised. He had just invented a new ninjutsu, and Kushina had arrived at the perfect time to see it.

Kushina had naturally snuck out. After Minato showed her the fruits of his efforts over the past three years, she naturally gave him an earful.

In the end, the technique was finally given its proper name: Rasengan.

Just like in the Original Work, while the two were sweetly duo-queueing, the Nine-Tails inside Kushina suddenly went berserk.

Minato then fought the body manifested by the Nine-Tails and successfully forced it back, though Minato himself fainted afterward.

When he woke again, it was already the next day, and he was in Konoha Hospital.

After hearing Jiraiya explain the whole story, Orochimaru could not help sighing inwardly. As expected, every move made by a child of destiny triggered the occurrence of certain events.

Just as Spider-Man encountered the Green Goblin right after gaining his powers, and Tony Stark encountered Ivan right after obtaining his Iron Man armor.

"Sensei, Lady Tsunade, Senior Orochimaru, I made you worry."

Looking at Minato grinning foolishly in his hospital bed, the others were rather speechless. Should they say the kid feared death too little, or that he was simply blessed with incredible luck?

"Orochimaru, I heard your work over there has ended?"

After leaving Konoha Hospital, Tsunade was the first to speak. Orochimaru had stayed in his workshop for the past few days. At first, she thought he had finally learned to take some time off.

But after several consecutive days of not seeing him go back to work, Tsunade casually asked him about it.

"Yes, that work has reached a stopping point. Next, I'll probably drag you back into training."

Orochimaru took the opportunity to voice his thoughts. He had other plans for the future.

"Orochimaru, I'm quite interested in your training too. You don't mind adding one more person, do you?"

Before Tsunade could reply, Jiraiya volunteered himself. He knew what Orochimaru meant by training—it was nothing more than getting beaten up. And Jiraiya was always the most enthusiastic one.

"Suit yourself. I'm just afraid your enthusiasm will only last three minutes."

Orochimaru naturally knew what Jiraiya was thinking, and he did not mind.

His body could no longer be compared to what it once was. Even Tsunade's innate monstrous strength would probably need to hit him for half a day before his body energy was fully charged, much less Jiraiya, whose taijutsu was merely average.

He was only afraid that Jiraiya would collapse from exhaustion before Orochimaru had accumulated enough energy.

"Too bad the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique can't collect energy in my place!"

Taijutsu still had to rely on his own body, with external force being the most important factor.

He could now absorb external magical energy—flames, high temperatures, and the kinetic energy of other objects. If only he could find a volcanic crater.

Unfortunately, this was not the Land of Hot Water. A Tailed Beast would be nice too, but unfortunately, he had neither.

The long pass was truly iron, yet now they marched on anew!

Jiraiya needed to stay behind to look after Minato. After parting with him, Orochimaru and Tsunade walked back while pondering where they could find an endless source of kinetic energy.