So It's Brainwashing for Me

The talent boost from his first evolution had made Gojo Yoru a true genius.

This was also the main reason he had managed to infuse Fire Style nature transformation into the Rasengan in just over a year.

When Teacher Orochimaru began teaching him basic Earth Style extension techniques, Gojo Yoru learned Earth Clone, Earth Substitution, Earth Invisibility, and the Earth Body Flicker he wanted most in only three days.

Seeing this, Orochimaru was satisfied with Gojo Yoru's comprehension but stopped teaching him other Earth Style techniques.

As a qualified teacher, one should formulate a reasonable training plan based on the student's traits and abilities, maximizing their strengths rather than blindly shoring up weaknesses.

Gojo Yoru had already mastered the Rasengan, which dealt devastating single-target damage, and the Fire Style: Rasengan, which could cause wide-area destruction after eruption—he didn't lack powerful offensive methods.

Given his chakra reserves, learning high-level ninjutsu that consumed vast amounts of chakra would only lead him into a dead end.

Gojo Yoru's strengths were his speed and the concealment ability of the Phantom Body Flicker Technique.

He was practically a born assassin!

The only shortcoming was that his normal-state concealment wasn't strong, and his chakra was easily detected by Sensing Techniques.

Now that he had learned the basic Earth Style extension techniques, both his concealment and stealth abilities had improved considerably.

As long as he mastered these extension techniques, or fused them with the concealment ability of the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, only the top-tier Sensing Techniques across the entire ninja world, or those with dojutsu like the Byakugan and Red Eye, would be able to detect Gojo Yoru.

By then, Gojo Yoru would be a first-rate assassin of the ninja world.

With this skill alone, he could easily become an Anbu squad leader or a Special Jonin.

That day, Orochimaru created a Shadow Clone to take Uzumaki Kushina for perception training.

Meanwhile, his main body took Gojo Yoru to carry out missions.

Such was the gap between a disciple and a subordinate.

Other genin had just graduated, and even after passing their Jounin Instructor's test, they needed to slowly earn the instructor's appreciation through missions and long-term interaction before being taught ninjutsu.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, only took Gojo Yoru on missions because he had nothing left to teach him for now.

At the Hokage Building, Gojo Yoru saw the Third Hokage again after many years.

The last time he had seen this Ninja Hero was during the Will of Fire speech in his first year.

As the principal of the Ninja Academy, Sarutobi Hiruzen showed up a few times each year.

Those he interacted with most were always the first-year students, who hadn't yet had seeds planted in them.

"So you're Sa and Mio's child? Not bad, truly as excellent as Orochimaru said." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled warmly as he looked over Gojo Yoru, as if seeing him in person for the first time.

Gojo Yoru immediately put on a flattered expression, bowing to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Teacher Orochimaru flatters me. Thank you, Lord Hokage, for your recognition—not only for approving my early graduation but also for arranging Teacher Orochimaru as my Jounin Instructor."

"Heh, Orochimaru wasn't arranged by me. He asked to take you on himself, even resigning from his border post for it. This is fate between you two. Don't let his expectations down."

Gojo Yoru looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he glanced at the smiling Orochimaru. Then he pressed his lips together and said firmly, "Please rest assured, Lord Hokage. I will not disappoint Teacher Orochimaru!"

Watching Gojo Yoru, who had shed his withdrawn nature after resolving his heart's knot and become someone who valued bonds and was very polite, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt even more satisfied with this disciple's disciple.

Aside from being a bit taller, Gojo Yoru now was just as adorable as a young Orochimaru.

Especially since he was the one the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki relied on most.

As long as Gojo Yoru was on his side, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would be a trump card he could use, not someone lofty like Lady Mito.

If Gojo Yoru could learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, then Sarutobi Hiruzen would hold two killer aces in his hand. Even if clans like the Uchiha and Hyuga united, they couldn't shake his position.

That was precisely why Sarutobi Hiruzen was so eager to bring Gojo Yoru into the Hokage lineage and allowed Orochimaru to train him alone.

He believed his most prized disciple would surely cultivate Gojo Yoru into an inheritor of the Will of Fire.

After a few more casual words, Sarutobi Hiruzen assigned Gojo Yoru a mission.

It was a very ordinary D-Rank Mission—helping a villager with farm work.

Since Gojo Yoru had no teammates and Orochimaru wouldn't step in to help, he could only create two Shadow Clones to assist himself.

When the Shadow Clones were dispelled, Gojo Yoru felt an unusual fatigue.

Since there was still time, Orochimaru took Gojo Yoru to complete two more D-Rank Missions, both helping villagers with trivial matters.

On the way back to the Hokage Building, Orochimaru looked at the slightly dirty Gojo Yoru and asked with a smile, "Do you find these missions boring?"

"A little." Gojo Yoru nodded honestly.

"Then have you ever wondered, since your strength is already so great, why you're still sent on these low-level missions?"

"Is it to cultivate our sense of responsibility as ninjas and basic execution ability, laying the foundation for taking on higher-level missions?"

Hearing Gojo Yoru's answer, Orochimaru was slightly surprised.

He looked at this youth, whose mind was as precocious as his body, and his eyes were filled with admiration. On the surface, he nodded. "That is indeed one reason, but more than that, it's to let you experience the villagers' lives firsthand and reacquaint yourself with this village founded by the First Hokage."

"You haven't left Konoha yet, so you don't know how cruel the outside world is."

"Once you go out and come back, you'll find how wonderful Konoha is. Here, there are no barriers between clans, no class distinctions between strong and ordinary clans. Everyone in the village is family."

Saying this, Orochimaru's golden eyes seemed to shine with a light as dazzling as the sun, and his tone was firm. "We strive to become stronger, not just for ourselves, but also to protect our comrades in the village, to guard this hard-won peace and happiness. This is... the Will of Fire."

Gojo Yoru: "..."

Good grief, so this was brainwashing!

The Orochimaru of this era had a style that was way too wholesome, completely unlike his later self.

Any other kid would have been fired up by Orochimaru's words.

But Gojo Yoru felt not a single ripple in his heart—he even felt a bit like laughing.

Afraid of slipping up, however, he looked at Orochimaru with eyes full of admiration and nodded with feigned realization. "I understand, Teacher Orochimaru!"