Night fell, and Gojo Yoru returned home before finally opening the scroll Lord Orochimaru had given him.
Dense writing filled his vision. After only a few glances, Gojo Yoru clicked his tongue in amazement. "As expected of Lord Orochimaru. Just like in the Original Work, he's incredibly generous!"
Gojo Yoru did not lack methods for training Nature Transformation.
His father in this life had been an all-round jounin, and the basic requirement for becoming that kind of jounin was mastering at least two Nature Transformations.
Moreover, a family with a surname indicated that its ancestors had once been glorious.
The Gojo Family's basement contained training methods for four different Nature Transformations.
However, those training methods were all commonplace.
The scroll in Gojo Yoru's hand, on the other hand, recorded Orochimaru's understanding of Nature Transformation.
As a rare genius in the Ninja World with all elemental affinities, the scroll Orochimaru had given him recorded not only the Nature Transformations of the Five Elemental Natures, but even his understanding of the two hidden Yin-Yang Natures.
Hidden natures were, naturally, attributes that Chakra test paper could not detect.
However, Gojo Yoru knew that he possessed Yin-Yang Natures as well.
His development was far too abnormal. His powerful vitality and Chakra were both connected to Yang Nature.
With his powerful soul, he had already mastered a Sensing Technique and a C-rank Genjutsu by the end of last year.
Combined with the fire and earth detected by the Chakra test paper, Gojo Yoru should have four natures: yin, yang, fire, and earth.
Yet he had no clue how to develop those two hidden natures.
That was because this kind of knowledge was an important inheritance controlled by the Village Higher-ups and the Secret Jutsu Clans.
And now, this kind of knowledge had actually appeared in the scroll Orochimaru had given him.
That was why Gojo Yoru felt so emotional.
This knowledge might be of enormous help in his mastery of Space-Time Chakra.
After all, Yang Release represented the physical body, while Yin Release represented the spirit.
Having used the Rasengan to cheat his way forward, Gojo Yoru's Chakra control had now reached a certain level. To advance further, he needed the help of Yang Release knowledge or Medical Ninjutsu.
Only by perfectly controlling Chakra as it flowed, released, and changed through every meridian and every acupoint—like the Senju Clan's Monster Strength Fist, the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist, and the Akimichi Clan's Expansion Jutsu—could Gojo Yoru further master Space-Time Chakra and fuse ordinary Chakra with Space-Time Chakra in a certain ratio to perform techniques.
Once he succeeded, he could not only give ordinary ninjutsu a Space-Time buff, but also reduce the consumption of Space-Time Chakra.
When fighting with ordinary Chakra, Gojo Yoru would no longer be merely an ordinary ninja, only possessing terrifying power to challenge stronger opponents when he used Space-Time Chakra.
At that point, he might truly be able to infuse Space-Time Chakra into the Rasengan, transforming it into a sphere secret art that had never appeared in the Original Work and belonged to him alone!
Thinking of this, Gojo Yoru immediately used the Shadow Clone Jutsu he had mastered last year, creating two Shadow Clones to read the scroll alongside him and cheat his way through studying.
Just as Gojo Yoru was frantically absorbing new knowledge,
inside an izakaya on Konoha's Central Street,
"Orochimaru, it's getting harder and harder to meet you these days!"
"If you want to see me, you can ask Teacher Sarutobi to transfer you to the border. I'm sure he'd be delighted."
"Haha... forget it. My dream isn't to become Hokage, so I don't need that many achievements to run for the position. This sort of idle life suits me just fine."
"I think you just don't want to leave someone behind!"
"Cough, cough..."
The sounds of clinking cups and playful banter came from behind the noren curtain.
The future Konoha Sannin were holding a reunion of former classmates.
They were at the finest age of their lives, full of youthful vigor.
Tsunade, still single at this time, was breathtakingly beautiful. With one hand supporting her cheek and the other casually swirling a sake flask, she exuded a valiant charm.
Watching the two men, unchanged from childhood and ready to bicker at the slightest disagreement, Tsunade merely smiled without saying a word.
Orochimaru's teasing had used her to "assist" Jiraiya, causing that guy to choke on his sake and turn red-faced and somewhat bashful, but Tsunade did not care in the slightest.
Tsunade understood Jiraiya's feelings for her very well, and she had told him more than once that he was not her type.
The bond between the three of them would not develop a rift because of romance, either.
Taking the initiative to clink her cup against Orochimaru's, Tsunade changed the subject. "How many days can you stay this time?"
At that, Orochimaru's faint smile suddenly faded. He shook his head with a somewhat solemn expression. "I don't know. The border has been very quiet lately. Those major countries have all withdrawn at the same time. I don't know whether they've secretly joined forces or are plotting something."
"That shouldn't be possible, should it? Unless they're willing to put aside their hatred, they couldn't possibly form an alliance of four nations like they did during the last Ninja World War."
"Perhaps they've all given up on expansion. Given their countries' economies, they simply can't sustain such enormous expenditures."
"I hope so." Orochimaru took a sip of sake, his gaze deep. "But that atmosphere makes me very uncomfortable."
"You've spent too long at the border and gone mental. Let Tsunade prescribe you some medicine." Jiraiya teased him first, then noticed the shift in atmosphere and changed the subject with an excited expression. "By the way, I found a pretty good prospect at the Ninja Academy some time ago. He only entered his fourth year in April, but he already has the strength to graduate early. And from the talent he's displayed, I feel like he's no worse than us."
"What, you lazy bum want to become a Jounin Instructor?" Tsunade could not help mocking him. At the same time, something stirred in her heart. She looked toward Orochimaru again and was just about to say something when—
Orochimaru suddenly raised his eyes and stared at Jiraiya. "What's his name?"
"Na... Namikaze Minato. Why?"
Startled by Orochimaru's gaze, Jiraiya could not help asking uneasily, "Don't tell me he's one of yours, or you already had your eye on him?"
If that were the case, it would be awkward.
Hearing that it was not Gojo Yoru, Orochimaru returned to normal and smiled lightly. "I have indeed taken an interest in another prospect. He's only nine this year. If they both entered school at six, they might even be in the same year, perhaps even the same class."
"Oh?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade were instantly intrigued. While the former sighed in relief, he also asked curiously, "For you to take an interest in him, his talent must be quite impressive. Is he a descendant of one of those Great Ninja Clans?"
"No, and you both know his parents." Orochimaru shook his head. "He is Gojo Sa and Gojo Mio's son."
As though she had remembered something, Tsunade could not help showing a sympathetic expression. "Is he one of the orphans from that major mission?"
"The First Hokage distributed the Tailed Beasts to give them trump cards to keep one another in check, yet those ninja villages actually sent Jinchuriki out on missions. Damn them!" Jiraiya said indignantly.
"Life can be that fragile. Since one has become a ninja, one must be prepared for accidents at any time," Orochimaru said quietly.
"Enough. Let's drink."
Noticing the change in atmosphere, Tsunade promptly raised her cup to interrupt them, while also dismissing the thought that had just arisen in her mind.
She had originally wanted Orochimaru to take Nawaki as his disciple. Since he already had someone in mind, and that person was even her younger brother's junior, there was no need to trouble him.
She would go home and discuss it with her grandmother. Either she would do it herself, or they could arrange for a clansman who had already abandoned their surname and integrated into Konoha to become Nawaki's Jounin Instructor.
Before you continue