The Resolve of a Ninja Hero

"Already able to incorporate nature transformation? That's truly remarkable."

Watching the Orange-Red Energy Sphere in Gojo Yoru's hand, Orochimaru's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but marvel.

Able to dodge it easily, he chose to take Gojo Yoru's attack head-on, wanting to see just how powerful this Rasengan infused with Fire Style Nature Transformation really was.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"

Orochimaru formed hand seals, crouched, and slapped the ground.

A wall of earth, astonishing in both thickness and height, instantly rose up, blocking Gojo Yoru's attack path.

Boom—

The Orange-Red Energy Sphere struck the earth wall, unleashing a deafening explosion.

Then, on Orochimaru's side, he immediately saw an orange-red glow spread across the wall, forming a massive Spiral Pattern.

Orochimaru's pupils contracted, and he leaped to the side without hesitation.

The next second, the earth wall shattered, and the Spiral Pattern on it transformed into a giant Fire Tornado, roaring forth.

The Fire Tornado landed where Orochimaru had been standing, plowing forward nearly ten meters before slowly dissipating.

A scorched trench, blackened and radiating intense heat, now lay across the training ground.

Seeing this, Uzumaki Kushina, watching from a distance, was left dumbfounded.

"So... so amazing. No wonder Yoru kept telling me to focus on training nature transformation. I never knew the Rasengan could incorporate nature transformation!"

"Ha... ha..."

Gojo Yoru panted heavily, unsurprised that his attack hadn't hit Orochimaru.

Wiping the sweat brought on by his depleted Chakra, Gojo Yoru raised a hand to Orochimaru and said, "Teacher Orochimaru, I've run out of Chakra."

"To have achieved this much, you're already incredibly impressive," Orochimaru said sincerely.

Even he felt he could only form a few of those Rasengan at most.

And indeed, that was the case.

Uzumaki Boruto, as the son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Hinata, also couldn't learn the Great Ball Rasengan due to insufficient Chakra, and could only infuse the Rasengan with Lightning Style and Wind Style nature transformations.

Given Gojo Yoru's current Chakra, being able to unleash one Fire Style: Rasengan was already remarkable.

As for the Great Ball Rasengan and Rasenshuriken, those were out of the question.

After all, without Chakra on the level of Sage Jiraiya or a Jinchuriki, those techniques couldn't be used even if learned.

Hearing Orochimaru's praise, Gojo Yoru couldn't help but smile. "I didn't disappoint your expectations from last year, did I, Teacher Orochimaru?"

"You've exceeded what I imagined. At least when I was your age, I was far inferior to you," Orochimaru said, glancing at Uzumaki Kushina, who was already looking anxious in the distance, and chuckled lightly. "I've fully grasped your strength. Gather here again tomorrow at nine in the morning, and I'll guide your training."

With that, Orochimaru vanished in an instant with a Body Flicker.

Seeing Orochimaru leave, Uzumaki Kushina immediately jogged over. Looking at Gojo Yoru's pale face and sweaty forehead, she asked with concern, "Yoru, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just that my Chakra bottomed out all at once, so it's a bit uncomfortable," Gojo Yoru said with a smile, then warned, "Don't try this lightly. Until your Chakra control and nature transformation reach a certain level, recklessly infusing nature transformation into it can easily hurt you."

"Is that why you never showed me that Rasengan before?" Uzumaki Kushina raised an eyebrow and pouted in dissatisfaction. "Do you really think I'm that reckless in your heart?"

"Who knows if you'd secretly try it at home just to beat me?" Gojo Yoru ruffled Uzumaki Kushina's head and laughed. "Besides, that kind of Rasengan isn't suited for someone of your tonnage. I've prepared a better one for you."

"Tonnage?" Uzumaki Kushina's eyes widened, and she glared at Gojo Yoru angrily. "Smelly-Mouth Night, are you calling me fat?"

"Ah~~ You girls have such weird thought processes. Is that what I meant?"

"Then why did you use 'tonnage' to describe me?"

"I'm saying you're fat, so what? Who told you to have such a round face, looking like a tomato? I bet your monstrous strength is just weight suppression!"

"You've run out of Chakra—see if I don't beat you up!"

The familiar scene of chase and pursuit once again played out on the training ground.

This was also observed by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Puffing on his pipe, Sarutobi Hiruzen gently brushed his hand over the Crystal Ball.

The Crystal Ball, which had been acting as a surveillance screen, immediately returned to its original state.

Knock, knock, knock—

Soon, a knock came at the Hokage's office door.

"Come in."

As Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice sounded, Orochimaru pushed the door open and entered.

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't seem surprised by Orochimaru's arrival and asked with a smile, "How was it?"

"Excellent. His talent in ninjutsu will surely surpass Sou's—that's a certainty," Orochimaru answered honestly, then smiled. "Once his Chakra and ninja fundamentals improve, our Konoha will gain another Ace Combat Strength."

"Ace Combat Strength isn't enough. At least as a shackle to bind the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, it's still far from sufficient."

Sarutobi Hiruzen blew out smoke, his gaze growing somewhat deep through the haze, and suddenly asked, "Orochimaru, with his Body Flicker Talent, do you think there's any hope of him learning the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique?"

Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise on his face.

But thinking of Gojo Yoru's nearly invincible Phantom Body Flicker Technique in close combat, Orochimaru still gave a high evaluation: "If it's him, it's very possible—at least more likely than us."

As a direct disciple of the Third Hokage and one of Konoha's few Elite Jonin, Orochimaru naturally had the qualifications to study forbidden techniques.

Though he couldn't peruse the Scroll of Sealing or learn the strictly prohibited Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique was not among those restrictions.

Just like Wood Style, Konoha hoped more than anyone to see the Flying Thunder God Technique revived.

Unfortunately, this S-Rank jutsu was far too difficult to learn.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the Professor of Jutsu, and Orochimaru, with his exceptional talent in ninjutsu, were equally unable to master it.

This technique, like Fuinjutsu, was heavily dependent on talent—without a powerful Body Flicker Talent and an understanding of space, one simply couldn't cross that threshold.

Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to have anticipated Orochimaru's words. He took a red-and-white scroll from his drawer and tossed it to Orochimaru, saying, "This is the independent scroll for the Flying Thunder God Technique. When you think the time is right, give this technique to him and let him try."

The Sarutobi Hiruzen of his Ninja Hero era possessed astonishing boldness.

Orochimaru caught the scroll, nodded, and said, "I understand, Teacher Sarutobi."