Gojo Yoru VS Orochimaru, Upgraded Phantom Body Flicker Technique

In less than fifteen minutes, Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina arrived at the abandoned training ground.

Seeing the Chakra Blade on Gojo Yoru's back, Teacher Orochimaru said with slight surprise, "You're also skilled in swordsmanship?"

"No, I use the blade because only then can I bring out that technique's full power." Gojo Yoru shook his head.

"Oh? It seems you've developed other techniques besides the Rasengan. Then I'll watch with anticipation." Teacher Orochimaru grew even more appreciative of Gojo Yoru—such talent in ninjutsu made him the perfect candidate to inherit his legacy.

Gojo Yoru signaled Uzumaki Kushina to watch from a distance, then looked at Teacher Orochimaru and asked, "Teacher Orochimaru, are we just going to fight like this?"

"I was originally planning to play a little game with you, but it seems there's no need now." Teacher Orochimaru beckoned to Gojo Yoru. "Use everything you've got. Come at me with the intent to kill."

"Then I won't hold back."

Gojo Yoru grinned, his hands forming seals rapidly to create two Phantom Clones.

Then the original body and the Phantom Clones simultaneously drew the Chakra Blades from their backs and charged at Teacher Orochimaru.

Seeing this, Teacher Orochimaru's gaze held some confusion.

If he wasn't mistaken, the seals Gojo Yoru had just used were for the most basic Clone Technique, weren't they?

He created two Phantom Clones without substance and was attacking him with them?

Was it to confuse him? But his original body was so obvious!

Teacher Orochimaru didn't believe this ninjutsu genius would make such a low-level move, so he became very interested in what Gojo Yoru would do next.

Gojo Yoru and the two Phantom Clones formed a Dance of the Crescent Moon formation.

The Phantom Clones and the original body coordinated from the left, above, and right, striking at Teacher Orochimaru's vital points, with Gojo Yoru's "original body" leaping into the air.

Teacher Orochimaru, who had never seen the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, grew even more puzzled.

So he instinctively took a Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and threw it at Gojo Yoru's original body in the air.

Unable to move in midair, in Teacher Orochimaru's view, Gojo Yoru could only choose to swing his blade and knock the Kunai away.

The next second, however, Teacher Orochimaru's pupils contracted.

The Gojo Yoru in the air didn't swing his blade to deflect the Kunai; instead, he let it land on his body.

But the scene of blood spurting never came.

The Kunai... passed through Gojo Yoru's body.

He wasn't the original body?

Without time to dwell on it, seeing the two Gojo Yorus on the left and right charging with blades, Teacher Orochimaru formed a seal with one hand, gathering a wind vortex in his palm that turned into two invisible Wind Blades, which he threw at the two Gojo Yorus.

The result... they passed through them as well!

This time, Teacher Orochimaru finally showed a look of shock.

Watching Gojo Yoru descending with his blade from above, Teacher Orochimaru formed another seal with his other hand.

Swish—

A flash of the blade, and Teacher Orochimaru's body was split in two from the middle.

But Teacher Orochimaru's body also showed no blood spurting; instead, it turned into two puddles of mud on the ground.

Earth Style: Earth Replacement!

"Incredible. How did you do it?"

Teacher Orochimaru emerged from the ground not far away, looking at Gojo Yoru with utter disbelief.

Such an expression had never appeared even when he saw Gojo Yoru training the Rasengan.

Because Gojo Yoru's technique shattered the common knowledge of the ninja world.

As the most popular of the Three Body Techniques in the ninja world, Phantom Clones have no substance and disperse upon contact—that was common sense.

But now, Gojo Yoru had broken that rule.

Even more incredible was that Teacher Orochimaru had just used his Sensing Technique and couldn't detect any chakra from these three Gojo Yorus.

Yes, not just failing to sense the original body—he couldn't sense any chakra at all.

It was as if these three Gojo Yorus were mere illusions, not even Phantom Clones.

One had to know that Phantom Clones were also made of chakra, and the chakra they contained could be caught by a Sensing Technique.

But Gojo Yoru's Phantom Clones had none.

Without a doubt, this was an Extension Technique unique to Gojo Yoru's Clone Technique.

Just as the Second Hokage had developed the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

"This is the Phantom Body Flicker Technique I developed. Did it disappoint you, Teacher Orochimaru?" Gojo Yoru said with a smug smile.

"Quite remarkable. If you hadn't gathered intel on your opponent beforehand, they'd likely be killed in one blow by you." Teacher Orochimaru gave a very high appraisal.

"Then I'll keep coming, Teacher Orochimaru."

Gojo Yoru and the two Phantom Clones charged at Teacher Orochimaru again.

"Then I'll have to get a bit serious too."

Gojo Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker Technique had successfully piqued a sliver of battle intent in Orochimaru.

To figure out the principle behind this technique, Orochimaru decided to experience it up close once more.

So he formed hand seals, created two shadow clones, and together with his main body, drew kunai, charging toward Gojo Yoru and his phantom clones.

Like everyone else, Orochimaru's main body instinctively chose the Gojo Yoru who had just spoken as his opponent.

When the kunai clashed with the chakra, the kunai passed straight through the chakra blade.

Having anticipated this, Orochimaru was not surprised this time, but he heightened his vigilance.

After passing through Gojo Yoru's body, he immediately turned and used his kunai to block a sweeping strike from Gojo Yoru.

This time, sparks flew, indicating that Gojo Yoru had shifted from phasing to solid.

Seizing the opportunity, Orochimaru raised his other hand, and a long snake shot out from his sleeve, biting at Gojo Yoru.

Yet it passed right through his body.

"Phantom Body Flicker Technique... what a formidable Body Flicker Technique." Orochimaru murmured, his eyes observing the other two shadow clones while remaining wary of the Gojo Yoru in front of him.

Over the next few exchanges, every attack from Orochimaru and his shadow clones passed through Gojo Yoru's body.

If Orochimaru's shadow clones weren't equally powerful, they might have been destroyed like Uzumaki Kushina's shadow clone when Gojo Yoru suddenly shifted from phasing to solid.

After just a few exchanges, Orochimaru had fully grasped the principle of Gojo Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker Technique.

Gojo Yoru's main body was present on the scene, but he used a ghostly, silent Body Flicker Technique to instantly swap positions with those two special phantom clones, creating the effect of shifting from phasing to solid and solid to phasing.

Moreover, Gojo Yoru's main body's chakra wasn't in a constant state of disappearance.

Orochimaru secretly used his Sensing Technique and could sometimes still detect the chakra of Gojo Yoru's main body.

He was using some method to conceal his main body's chakra, and the phantom clones were likely based on the same principle.

Then, under certain circumstances—such as when attacking—this concealed state would vanish.

A secret technique, or a Kekkei Genkai?

Orochimaru couldn't help but speculate inwardly.

After figuring out the principle of the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, Orochimaru stopped engaging Gojo Yoru in close-quarters combat.

Coordinating seamlessly with his shadow clones, he lured Gojo Yoru and his phantom clones into a line, then suddenly, with no regard for martial honor, unleashed a large-scale ninjutsu.

"Earth Style: Earth River Flow!"

The ground turned into mud, binding Gojo Yoru while also surging up into a massive wave, roaring toward him.

Because the rising mud blocked his view, Orochimaru didn't see the flicker of hesitation in Gojo Yoru's eyes.

After weighing his options, Gojo Yoru ultimately chose to abandon that thought. His main body easily broke free from the mud's restraint, and with a light tap of his toes on solid ground, he leaped into the air.

One hand held his blade, while the other palm condensed a blue energy sphere, plummeting toward Orochimaru's main body.

Midway, the energy sphere in Gojo Yoru's hand gradually shifted from blue-white to an orange-red hue.

"Fire Style: Rasengan!"

Gojo Yoru called out the name of this Rasengan.