A Wonderful Misunderstanding

"That Lightning Release Chakra is astonishing!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara was secretly shocked.

Uchiha Shinsui instinctively activated his Sharingan and was even more stunned than Sarutobi Kazuhara. "To compress such an enormous amount of lightning into a single palm... Gengetsu's Chakra control is incredibly strong!"

"But isn't this a little too forced...?"

Kanzuki Chiba turned to Sarutobi Kazuhara beside her and asked, "Kazuhara-sensei, what Lightning Release ninjutsu is that?"

"I don't know. I've never seen it before!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara shook his head, though he already had a few guesses. Uchiha Shinsui immediately understood. "Is it a self-created ninjutsu? Like that Wind Release: Rasenshuriken from before!"

"Self-created... Gengetsu is amazing!"

Kanzuki Chiba could not help crying out.

Meanwhile, Gengetsu was already drenched in sweat. The lightning in his hand gradually faded, and the sound of birds chirping vanished with it.

"Relying solely on Chakra control to restrain it is still too forced. I have to use hand seals!"

Gengetsu wiped away his sweat, feeling admiration for Kakashi, who had developed Chidori on his own. He himself knew the principle behind it, which was why he had managed to get started so quickly. Unfortunately, he could not remember this technique's hand seals. Otherwise, he would not have needed to work so hard!

Closing his eyes to reflect and summarize his experience, Gengetsu opened them ten minutes later and formed hand seals again. This time, however, the seals differed from those of Lightning Release: Ground Chase. He added several more seals.

Once the seals were complete, lightning gathered in his right hand once more, and the same birdlike chirping rang out again.

"It worked!"

Gengetsu clearly felt much more relaxed.

He dispersed the ninjutsu, adjusted the hand seals again, and tested it once more. He made four consecutive revisions before finally feeling satisfied.

Forming the seals again, Gengetsu gathered lightning in his right hand as Chidori cried out. He turned, raised his hand, and struck the trunk of the large tree beside him. A crackling explosion immediately rang out. When he withdrew his hand, the bark where he had touched was shattered, and the wood beneath was scorched black. Looking at the other side of the trunk, he found the same thing. Clearly, the electric current had passed straight through it.

"So it only has Lightning Release damage?"

Gengetsu fell into thought as Sarutobi Kazuhara, the other two, and the Shadow Clone all walked over.

Kanzuki Chiba was the most eager. She could not wait to ask, "Gengetsu, did you develop this new technique? What is it called?"

"I did. It's called Chidori."

Gengetsu had no intention of hiding it.

"Chidori, a very fitting name!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara said, "It possesses both Chakra nature transformation and shape transformation. Judging by its power and difficulty, it is an A-Rank Technique!"

"It is an A-Rank Technique, but it still has room for improvement, and it also has a flaw!"

As Gengetsu spoke, he had the Shadow Clone practicing the Water Body Flicker Technique dispel itself.

Sarutobi Kazuhara and the other two looked puzzled. "A flaw?"

"Yes, a flaw!"

Gengetsu nodded, then brought his hands together and spat out an enormous column of water, turning the entire Training Ground into a watery expanse.

The next moment, he shot forward, using the Water Body Flicker Technique to race across the water's surface.

"What incredible speed. He mastered it so quickly, and at such speed that my eyes can barely keep up!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara was shocked. Then the cry of Chidori sounded beside his ears, and brilliant lightning lit up in Gengetsu's right hand as he sped ahead.

"So that's what he meant!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara instantly understood the meaning behind Gengetsu's earlier words.

Kanzuki Chiba could no longer clearly see Gengetsu's movements, but Uchiha Shinsui, with his Sharingan active, could see everything. Gengetsu's right hand swept across the trunks of three large trees in succession, encountering no resistance at all.

"He cut straight through the trunks! It doesn't just have Lightning Release Chakra damage—it also has physical damage!"

"This is an S-Rank Technique!"

Uchiha Shinsui was utterly stunned. He also felt an urge to learn this technique; he thought it suited him perfectly.

At the same time, Sarutobi Kazuhara looked thoughtfully at Uchiha Shinsui.

Looking back at the three fallen trees, Gengetsu could not help feeling somewhat regretful. After all, people were not motionless trees. On a chaotic battlefield, while moving at high speed, he could very likely fail to see the enemy clearly and be counterattacked instead.

Of course, if he mastered Lightning Release Chakra Mode, that flaw would no longer exist!

Returning to the group, Gengetsu looked at Uchiha Shinsui and said, "Shinsui, you should have seen it. I call this technique Raikiri. High-speed charges give Chidori powerful cutting ability. But when the speed is too fast, an ordinary person's eyes and neural reactions cannot keep up, making it possible to fail to lock onto and hit the enemy—and be counterattacked instead. On a chaotic battlefield, you might even hurt your own allies!"

"But with the Sharingan's dynamic vision, none of those problems exist!"

Gengetsu pointed at Uchiha Shinsui's eyes.

"Thank you, Gengetsu. I'll definitely work hard to master Lightning Release Chakra. I won't let you down!"

Uchiha Shinsui tried hard to suppress his excitement as he looked at Gengetsu with gratitude.

However, seeing Uchiha Shinsui's expression, Gengetsu suddenly had a bad feeling. He doesn't think I developed Raikiri specifically for him, does he?

At the same time, in another of Orochimaru's Laboratory Bases, Gengetsu's Shadow Clone stared at the specimens one after another, his heart pounding.

This place was conducting experiments on Hashirama Cells!

He had not expected Orochimaru to suddenly let him in on such a secret.

"Gengetsu-kun, do you know what these are?"

Orochimaru pointed at the specimens growing saplings.

Gengetsu nodded. "Yes. Wood Release... or rather, Cells infused with those of Lord Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage!"

"Unfortunately, they all failed. The First Hokage's Cells are simply too powerful. As expected of the God of Shinobi!"

Orochimaru smiled, with no disappointment or dejection visible on his face. His snake-like eyes fixed on Gengetsu's Shadow Clone, burning with fervor and madness. "Gengetsu-kun, are you interested in trying it? In obtaining the power of the God of Shinobi?"

Gengetsu was indeed tempted, but he did not agree. Instead, he looked at the Hashirama Cells inside the cultivation chambers and asked, "Lord Orochimaru, are these people all Konoha ninja or civilians from the Land of Fire?"

Orochimaru's gaze sharpened. He flicked out his tongue and smiled. "Indeed. But does Gengetsu-kun intend to tell the Third Hokage about this?"

Was Orochimaru already this deranged at this point? In other words, the Third Hokage had no idea about Yamato's experiment. It was something Orochimaru and Danzo did on their own!

Gengetsu's heart tightened, and his wariness and vigilance toward Orochimaru multiplied. By bringing him here, Orochimaru had likely already set his sights on him.

Taking a deep breath, Gengetsu turned back to face Orochimaru. "Although I do not approve of your actions, Lord Orochimaru, I currently have neither the qualifications nor the standing to oppose you, much less betray you!"

"Betray?"

Orochimaru laughed. "Interesting..."

"Betray your trust!"

Gengetsu emphasized, then asked in return, "Lord Orochimaru, how much do you know about the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan?"

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