"Have you already mastered Nature Transformation? How impressive."
Seeing the Orange-Red Energy Sphere in Gojo Yoru's hand, Orochimaru's eyes lit up, and he could not help but marvel.
Though he could have easily dodged it, he chose to take Gojo Yoru's attack head-on, wanting to see just how powerful this Rasengan infused with Fire Style Nature Transformation was.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
Orochimaru formed hand seals with both hands, crouched, and slapped the ground.
A massive earthen wall of astonishing height and thickness immediately rose from the ground, blocking Gojo Yoru's attack path.
Boom—
The Orange-Red Energy Sphere struck the earthen wall, erupting with a deafening explosion.
Then, Orochimaru immediately saw an orange-red glow emerge across the wall, forming an enormous spiral pattern.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly, and he leaped aside without hesitation.
The next second, the earthen wall shattered, and the spiral pattern upon it transformed into a massive Fire Tornado that roared forth.
The Fire Tornado struck the spot where Orochimaru had just stood, plowing forward for nearly ten meters before slowly dissipating.
A scorched trench radiating intense heat now lay across the training ground.
Seeing this, Uzumaki Kushina, who had been watching from afar, was utterly dumbfounded.
"So... so amazing. No wonder Yoru had always told me to focus on training Nature Transformation. You could actually add Nature Transformation to the Rasengan!"
"Ha... ha..."
Gojo Yoru panted heavily, completely unsurprised that his attack had failed to hit Orochimaru.
Wiping away the sweat that had appeared from exhausting his Chakra, Gojo Yoru raised a hand toward Orochimaru. "Teacher Orochimaru, I've used up all my Chakra."
"To achieve this much, you're already remarkably impressive," Orochimaru said sincerely.
Even he felt that he would not be able to form many Rasengan like that.
And that was indeed the case.
As the son of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Hinata, Uzumaki Boruto had also been unable to learn the Great Ball Rasengan due to insufficient Chakra. He could only infuse the Rasengan with Lightning Style and Wind Style Nature Transformations.
With Gojo Yoru's current Chakra reserves, being able to use even one Fire Style: Rasengan was already extremely impressive.
As for the Great Ball Rasengan and Rasenshuriken, he did not even dare think about them.
After all, without Chakra on the level of Sage Jiraiya or a Jinchuriki, one could not use those two jutsu even after learning them.
Hearing Orochimaru's praise, Gojo Yoru could not help but smile. "I didn't disappoint your expectations from last year, did I, Teacher Orochimaru?"
"You're even more outstanding than I imagined. At the very least, when I was your age, I was far inferior to you." Orochimaru glanced at Uzumaki Kushina, who was already looking anxious in the distance, and chuckled. "I now have a thorough understanding of your strength. Gather here again tomorrow at nine in the morning. I'll guide your training."
After saying that, Orochimaru vanished with a Body Flicker.
Seeing Orochimaru leave, Uzumaki Kushina immediately jogged over. Looking at Gojo Yoru's pale face and sweaty forehead, she asked worriedly, "Yoru, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. My Chakra just ran out all at once, so I feel a little uncomfortable." Gojo Yoru smiled and reminded her, "Don't try it carelessly. Before your Chakra control and Nature Transformation reach a certain level, forcibly injecting Nature Transformation into it can easily injure you."
"Is that why you never showed me that Rasengan?" Uzumaki Kushina raised her brows and pouted unhappily. "Do you really think I'm that reckless?"
"Who knows if you'd secretly try it at home just to defeat me?" Gojo Yoru rubbed Uzumaki Kushina's head and laughed. "Besides, that kind of Rasengan doesn't suit someone of your tonnage. I've prepared a better Rasengan for you."
"Tonnage?" Uzumaki Kushina's eyes widened, and then she glared at Gojo Yoru indignantly. "Smelly-Mouth Night, are you calling me fat?"
"Ah~~ You girls really have bizarre thought processes. Is that what I meant?"
"Then why did you use tonnage to describe me?"
"It means you're fat. So what? Your face is so round, you look just like a tomato. I bet your monstrous strength comes from weight advantage too!"
"Your Chakra's exhausted. Just watch me beat you to death!"
The familiar scene of one chasing the other appeared on the training ground once more.
This scene also entered Sarutobi Hiruzen's sight.
Puffing on his pipe, Sarutobi Hiruzen lightly brushed his palm across the Crystal Ball.
The Crystal Ball, which had been displaying a surveillance screen, immediately returned to its original appearance.
Knock, knock, knock—
Before long, the door to the Hokage Office was knocked on.
"Come in."
At Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Orochimaru pushed open the door and entered.
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not seem surprised by Orochimaru's arrival. He smiled and asked, "Well?"
"Very outstanding. It's a certainty that his talent for ninjutsu surpasses Sou's," Orochimaru answered truthfully with a smile. "Once his Chakra and overall ninja abilities improve, Konoha will gain another ace combat strength."
"An ace combat strength is not enough. At the very least, it is still far from enough to serve as shackles binding the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled smoke, his gaze beneath the haze seeming somewhat profound. He suddenly asked, "Orochimaru, with his Body Flicker Talent, do you think he has any hope of learning the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly, his face full of surprise.
However, recalling Gojo Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker Technique, which was nearly invincible in close combat, Orochimaru still gave him an extremely high assessment. "If it's him, then perhaps it's very possible. At the very least, he has a better chance than we do."
As a personal disciple of the Third Hokage and one of Konoha's few elite jonin, Orochimaru naturally had the qualifications to study forbidden jutsu.
Although he could not browse the Scroll of Sealing or learn the strictly prohibited Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique was not among them.
Just like Wood Style, Konoha wanted more than anyone to see the Flying Thunder God Technique reappear.
Unfortunately, this super S-Rank ninjutsu was simply far too difficult to learn.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the Professor of Ninjutsu, and Orochimaru, whose talent for ninjutsu was exceptionally outstanding, had been unable to learn it.
This jutsu demanded talent just as much as Fuinjutsu. Without exceptional Body Flicker Talent and an understanding of space, one simply could not cross that threshold.
Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to have expected Orochimaru's answer long ago. He took a red-and-white scroll from his drawer, tossed it to Orochimaru, and said, "This is a separate scroll containing the Flying Thunder God Technique. When you think the time is right, give this jutsu to him and let him try."
Sarutobi Hiruzen of his Ninja Hero days possessed astonishing resolve.
Orochimaru caught the scroll and nodded. "I understand, Teacher Sarutobi."
Before you continue