Orochimaru

Feeling a foreign object invade his body, the Sand ninja immediately stopped using his ninjutsu and tried to find whoever had attacked him. But before he could move, a violent explosion erupted inside him, right where the Senbon had pierced. After a thunderous blast, the mighty Sand ninja was blown to pieces!

"Beautifully done!"

Water Gate was impressed by the results of Zhou Duan's attack.

"After a few strikes, you figured out the enemy's weakness. I'd thought of attacking from the inside too, but all I came up with was using a Kunai to make a wound, then setting off an Explosive Tag. I never thought to combine a Senbon with an Explosive Tag. I suppose my thinking can still be limited sometimes. Zhou Duan, I've learned something from you. This is a technique I can pass on to my students!"

"This isn't just something you learned! You've invented a whole new way to attack in the Shinobi World!"

Nawaki stared at Zhou Duan, his eyes practically glowing.

"Zhou Duan, whose secret technique is this? You said it was passed down for hundreds of years, so why have I never heard of it?"

"That's not the point!"

Looking at the Sand ninja who'd been "pierced by a foreign object," "blown up on the spot," and "left without a corpse," Hundred Palms felt his backside clench.

"This secret Taijutsu technique passed down for hundreds of years is what you inherited? If you use it where someone can see, they'll laugh at you for the rest of your life!"

"Now you're wrong, Hundred Palms!"

Zhou Duan patted Hundred Palms on the shoulder.

"Only the one who gets blown up will be laughed at for the rest of his life. As for the one who uses the technique... everyone else will be afraid for the rest of theirs!"

"That makes so much sense, I have no reply!"

Hundred Palms stared at Zhou Duan speechlessly, but then his brow furrowed.

"Captain, are you all right?"

First, dodging the attack of a ninja using Forbidden Ninjutsu had caused all the wounds across his body to split open. Although he'd used a dose of medicine to force them shut, medicine like that was bound to have some side effects. On top of that, he'd unleashed several powerful ninjutsu, then used the Senbon Kill ambush, which demanded an explosive burst of power. The wounds all over Zhou Duan's body had split open again, and blood was flowing from them. His face had gone pale. He looked terrifying.

"Ah, I know my body. The wounds just split open again, and I've lost some blood. It's nothing serious. The only trouble is the wound on my back—it's hard to apply medicine there. Hundred Palms, I'll need you to bandage me again."

"That's no problem."

Hearing Zhou Duan's explanation, Hundred Palms visibly relaxed and hurried to tend to his wounds. Water Gate and Nawaki rested nearby.

"Whew, what a tricky opponent. At least I completed the mission. System, what's my reward? When will I get it?"

Zhou Duan was busy applying medicine, but his mind was elsewhere. Hearing his question, the system dutifully performed its function:

Ding! Researcher has completed the system mission—Forbidden Ninjutsu.

The damage dealt to the Sand ninja using Forbidden Ninjutsu by the researcher accounted for 80% of the total attack. System reward bonus applied!

System reward received—two Attribute Fusion Potent Perception Potions!

Potion effects:

1. After use, the potion noticeably enhances the user's perception of the details of Chakra flow within their body, greatly aiding the fusion of two attributes.

2. After use, regardless of whether Attribute Fusion succeeds, the potion further strengthens the user's control over ninjutsu.

3. This potion only works on people who have never used it before. It has no effect if used a second time.

Side effects:

As the potion takes effect, the user's entire body will become severely dehydrated. Thirty percent of the blood in the body will evaporate, thirty percent of the bone marrow will be depleted, thirty percent of the muscles will dissolve, and thirty percent of the bone mass will be lost, leaving the bones at risk of breaking at any moment. Severe dizziness and vomiting will also occur!

Note: Adding Snake Shedding can further enhance the potion's positive effects. The Ninja Snake must be at least fifty years old. The older the snake, the better the effect!

Note: Of all the potions recorded by the system, this one is the most helpful for mastering Kekkei Genkai. More advanced potions have never been developed by other researchers for various reasons, so most research into potions related to Kekkei Genkai remains a blank slate. If the researcher successfully develops a potion in this field, the system will provide an additional reward bonus!

"Now that's a good reward!"

Feeling the two potions that had suddenly appeared in his ninja pouch, Zhou Duan read their detailed descriptions and felt like he was floating. The system's mission rewards were usually quite good, but he'd never expected this potion to be such a generous gift.

"Although the potion has extremely severe side effects, they're just physical injuries, and I can fully recover from them with other medicines. Even during wartime, as long as I'm thoroughly prepared and can endure the pain, I'm confident I could get someone back to basic combat readiness within two days.

"What pleased Zhou Duan most, though, was the potion's value. It was enough to take his research into Kekkei Genkai a major step forward!"

"Is everyone just about ready?"

Zhou Duan slowly calmed himself. Once the final bandage had been tied in place, he stood up.

"I'm fine now. I can move without any trouble. We were chased here from the southwest, so now we need to head back toward the northeast. Form up—we're heading out... Hm? Lord Orochimaru?"

"That was... hm... quite a... hm... good battle!"

Orochimaru stood on a branch high in a tree. He'd intended to praise Zhou Duan's squad for taking down a powerful Sand ninja, but he hadn't yet gained the composure that came with age. Even though he was already infamous on the battlefield as a cold-blooded killer, watching a battle that had ended in a "split backside" made his eye twitch.

"That fellow was my prey, but the Sand ninja was decisive. The moment I landed a hit, he used Forbidden Ninjutsu.

"He swallowed the other three members of his squad and immediately fled. I followed him here, and when I saw you were fighting well, I decided not to intervene. Is everyone all right?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Orochimaru!"

Looking at Orochimaru in the tree, Zhou Duan was full of questions. When he was young, he'd spent plenty of time around Orochimaru in the village, taking advantage of being the son of an official. But Orochimaru had always been indifferent to everyone. He'd never even shown the Third Hokage much respect.

Zhou Duan was sure that if he'd encountered him alone, Orochimaru wouldn't have spared him a glance unless he was on the brink of death. Hundred Palms was a branch-family member of the Hyuga Clan, and Water Gate was a nobody without a clan background. That left Nawaki—and Nawaki...

With that thought, Zhou Duan suddenly understood. His eyes narrowed, and he gave Orochimaru a warm smile.

"Lord Orochimaru, we've just been through a brutal battle, and our combat strength has taken a serious hit. We're in a dangerous situation. As it happens, I have some snacks here. Could you keep watch for us for a while?"