"Why was Lady Mito paying attention to him? Could Sa and Mio be related to the Senju Clan? Or were their ancestors Uzumaki or Senju who had ended up scattered abroad?"
Orochimaru fired off question after question, a trace of tension and concern appearing between his brows.
After all, Gojo Yoru was a disciple he had taken a liking to at first sight, and the greatest support for his future bid to become Hokage.
If he had not truly valued him so highly, Orochimaru would never have unconditionally given Gojo Yoru the incredibly precious Nature Transformation Scroll, which contained insights into the nature transformations of Yin-Yang Release.
Nor would he have tacitly allowed Gojo Yoru to address him as he did.
He did not want someone else to snatch away such a promising talent at the final moment.
Jiraiya rubbed his chin and said with sudden realization, "No wonder that kid is already so tall at his age. If he is connected to the Senju Clan and Uzumaki Clan, then it makes sense."
"He has no connection to the Senju Clan or the Uzumaki Clan, at least not openly." Sarutobi Hiruzen gave Orochimaru some reassurance as he smoked his pipe. "You are both now jonin capable of standing on your own. During your missions over the years, you should have learned about the Tailed Beasts and the Jinchuriki of the major shinobi villages, correct?"
"I know."
Orochimaru nodded subconsciously, then seemed to think of something. His expression abruptly changed, and he stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen in shock before mimicking him and pointing at the ceiling. "Could it be..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded gravely. "Lady Mito cannot hold on much longer."
"Teacher Sarutobi, are you planning to transfer the Nine-Tails into Sa and Mio's child?" Jiraiya suddenly asked, ruining the mood.
"..."
Orochimaru and Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya speechlessly.
Ignoring that fool, Orochimaru continued, "If I remember correctly, Tsunade's household is sheltering a survivor from the Land of Whirlpools. Is she the next one?"
After seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen nod, Orochimaru, who had vaguely guessed the truth, knowingly asked, "What is her relationship with Sa and Mio's child?"
"They are desk mates, people who saved each other and cherish each other." Sarutobi Hiruzen did not hide it. "This morning, she brought the Uzumaki Clan's Scroll of Sealing to the Gojo residence. Lady Mito did not stop her."
"I understand." Orochimaru nodded, delight rising in his heart.
So that was why he had drawn such attention. What an unexpected delight!
At that moment, Gojo Yoru's status in Orochimaru's heart rose even higher.
Jiraiya, meanwhile, was filled with envy. Gritting his teeth, he said, "That scheming little brat! If my calculations are right, they have known each other for less than a year, haven't they? And in that short time, he tricked the Uzumaki Clan's Scroll of Sealing out of her! Where did he find such a lovesick girl? Why have I never met one? Damn it, this cursed world that judges by looks should be destroyed!"
Still ignoring Jiraiya's impotent rage, Orochimaru asked, "Teacher Sarutobi, did you summon us tonight because you wanted us to train Sa and Mio's child?"
"Correct. I originally intended to choose one of you, but it seems that will not be necessary now." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled at Orochimaru. "Since he is the disciple you chose, you will train him."
"With pleasure." Orochimaru immediately smiled. It was exactly what he wanted.
With Sarutobi Hiruzen's assurance, he no longer had to worry about someone snatching the boy away halfway through.
He simply had not expected the Uzumaki Clan survivor staying with Tsunade to be in the same class as Gojo Yoru, to have had her heart captured by him, and to have given him the qualification to study the Uzumaki Clan's Fuinjutsu.
What an extraordinary fellow!
It seemed he should prepare an additional valuable gift for this future disciple.
Gojo Yoru had no idea that Sarutobi Hiruzen and his three disciples were discussing him.
At that moment, he was in the basement studying the Yin Seal.
He had not dared to keep the massive scroll, only copying down several Fuinjutsu, including the Yin Seal.
As he read the annotations on the Yin Seal, Gojo Yoru grew increasingly amazed. How was this a Fuinjutsu? It was practically a castrated, miniature version of Yin-Yang Release.
The Yin Seal was a highly unusual technique.
It was Fuinjutsu, yet it was classified as Medical Ninjutsu. It compressed and stored Chakra in the forehead, while also involving Yin Release, which concerned the spirit.
Its effect of preserving a youthful appearance also had something to do with Yang Release.
Considering that this technique was an S-Rank secret art of the Uzumaki Clan, Gojo Yoru could hardly help suspecting that it was a product of Ninshu's Yin-Yang Release.
Especially since Tsunade had used it as the core to develop the Hundred Healings Technique and Creation Rebirth, it carried even more of the flavor of Yin-Yang Release.
To master this technique, one needed not only a talent for Fuinjutsu, but also powerful Chakra control and a certain understanding of the body and spirit—in other words, medical knowledge or an understanding of Yin Release and Yang Release. Not one of these could be lacking.
That was the training difficulty of an S-Rank secret art.
Fortunately, Gojo Yoru met the requirements for training in this technique.
The annotations described the Yin Seal's training method very clearly. The Uzumaki Clan's ancestors had already summarized their experience.
The first step was to form a diamond-shaped mark on the forehead.
How was it formed? Through sealing!
This step was the threshold of talent.
Chakra flowed constantly, but the Yin Seal required one to divert a trace of Chakra from the meridians and form a mark at a point through which both Yang Release Chakra and Yin Release Chakra had to pass, allowing that mark to keep intercepting tiny traces of Chakra flowing through the meridians.
This independent Chakra could not only make minute adjustments to one's Chakra, improve bodily functions, and keep the body in peak condition at all times.
When needed, the mark could also be unsealed to release a massive amount of Chakra and increase combat power.
Before even completing the Yin Seal, Gojo Yoru was already one hundred percent certain.
The Yin Seal could store Space-Time Chakra.
The so-called Storage Scroll operated on the same principles.
Sealing and Space-Time were practically a perfect match.
What Gojo Yoru was uncertain about now was whether, after sealing away this portion of Space-Time Chakra, those "evolution" cells would continue secreting Space-Time Power.
If the amount was locked in place, then his plan to use the Yin Seal to increase his Space-Time Chakra capacity would fail.
But if sealing part of his Space-Time Chakra made the cells judge it as having been consumed, causing them to continue secreting Space-Time Power, then this technique would be a divine art on the level of a pure-blooded Otsutsuki Clan member for Gojo Yoru.
He would not need to wait for that sudden-death-like evolution to arrive before breaking the capacity limit of his Space-Time Chakra.
Although it would require steady accumulation over time, this trump card would be enough to let him turn the tables at a critical moment.
Thinking of this, Gojo Yoru could not wait to begin experimenting.
Unfortunately, the Yin Seal was not a technique one could learn overnight. It required a great investment of time.
Even probing the cells would take time; at the very least, he had to form a mark first.
Speaking of marks, Gojo Yoru suddenly came up with a wildly imaginative idea.
As for what that idea was, it remained unknown for now.
Before you continue