"Lord Orochimaru, I was wondering if you could personally teach me some ninjutsu. Don't worry, I won't take up much of your time." Bai Lin walked right up to Orochimaru and asked with a smile.
In front of Hiruzen Sarutobi and everyone else, he had once been an ordinary person with no formal training.
His strength came from the Sasuke Uchiha (Snake Sasuke) template. He couldn't just start using ninjutsu out of nowhere; that would draw far too much attention. This was the perfect opportunity to show off his talent in a reasonable way while using Sasuke Uchiha (Snake Sasuke)'s techniques.
"Oh? You're quite confident, Bai Lin. Can you really learn anything in such a short time?" A flicker of surprise crossed Orochimaru's golden, slit-pupiled eyes, quickly giving way to keen interest.
"Haha! I consider myself a genius. Just teach me, Lord Orochimaru. Whether I can learn it—and whether I want to—is up to me." Bai Lin didn't explain, only narrowed his eyes and smiled.
Orochimaru studied Bai Lin for a long while. Feeling that the boy was the same kind of person as him, he said happily, "In that case, I'll teach you all the ninjutsu I know."
Nobody interrupted them. The students watched the lesson unfold with great interest.
"Hiruzen, is there anything special about that boy?" Utatane Koharu couldn't help asking as she watched Bai Lin and Orochimaru teach ninjutsu off to the side.
"So he considers himself a genius? I never expected him to have hidden his talent in the village for so long." Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, somewhat surprised. "You want world peace, but just how far can you go?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't explain. "Let's just watch. Perhaps Konoha really will see another genius emerge."
Half an hour later.
"All right, Bai Lin. There are some techniques I can't teach you, but you've carefully watched everything else. Let's see what you can do with that talent of yours," Orochimaru said.
Bai Lin hadn't expected Orochimaru to teach him the Summoning Technique. That meant he could use even more ninjutsu now.
Aside from Lightning Release, some of the ninjutsu on Sasuke Uchiha (Snake Sasuke)'s panel also required the Summoning Technique.
For example, Summoning: Snake Authority Spell and Summoning: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.
"Then thank you, Lord Orochimaru!" Bai Lin walked into the training ground with a smile and faced Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade, you look especially lovely today!" Bai Lin teased.
"Enough nonsense! You've kept me waiting longer than anyone else. Let's see what useful knowledge you've managed to pick up in such a short time." Tsunade's expression darkened. Chakra erupted around her, and an oppressive presence instantly swept across the training ground.
She couldn't believe that the student chosen by their teacher had asked Orochimaru to teach him ninjutsu. Did he look down on her, Tsunade?
Before the words had even left her mouth, she shot forward like a cannonball, her fist wreathed in enough Super Strength to destroy the world, aimed straight at Bai Lin's face.
She held nothing back. The force of her punch sent Bai Lin's bangs flying and made his white kimono flutter. Tsunade clearly wanted to end the fight quickly and put a stop to the boy's cheeky grin.
The smile faded from Bai Lin's eyes, and his dark gaze sharpened.
He didn't try to block the blow. Instead, he exploded into motion, vanishing from the spot and barely dodging the punch.
Tsunade's fist smashed a deep crater into the ground. As rocks flew, Bai Lin had already circled behind her, his hands forming seals as fast as lightning. "Summoning: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Black snakes suddenly shot from his sleeves, darting like arrows toward Tsunade's ankles.
"Hmph!" Tsunade snorted. She turned and raised a leg, shattering the snakes with her Super Strength, then spun around and struck at Bai Lin's chest with her palm.
"You think you're a genius? Even a genius won't have an easy time against me."
She hadn't expected Bai Lin to use the ninjutsu he'd only just learned so skillfully. She couldn't help taking him more seriously.
The Konoha High Command watching from the sidelines were stunned. Bai Lin really had used Orochimaru's technique, Summoning: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, and his speed was far beyond that of an average Chunin.
Bai Lin didn't want to reveal too much of his strength. He chose not to use his Sharingan or Lightning Release Ninjutsu, and kept his speed just above a Chunin's. Otherwise, Hiruzen Sarutobi might become wary of him, which would do his plans no good.
Seeing Tsunade break through his technique in an instant, Bai Lin wasn't surprised. He quickly retreated, dodging her attack.
"Wow, that's amazing! Is this what a battle between ninja looks like?"
"Lady Tsunade is Lord Hokage's student. There's no way she'll lose."
"If I had strength like that, maybe I wouldn't have done so badly in the exam earlier. Is this what a genius looks like?"
The students chattered among themselves, watching the two fighters display their strength. They couldn't help feeling that the earlier examination had been child's play.
"Brother Lin, go!" Kushina cheered, raising her fist for Bai Lin.
"Boss!" Minato Namikaze didn't shout, but worry showed in his eyes. He was afraid Bai Lin might get hurt.
"Damn it, you naturally evil brat!" Tsunade spotted Kushina cheering Bai Lin on in the crowd. Her face instantly darkened, and the vein at her temple throbbed. "Do you even know who you're eating from and living under? And now you're cheering for him? What about my dignity?"
"Kid, I'm getting serious."
Before the words had even left her mouth, she sprang forward and charged at Bai Lin.
Super Strength wasn't only useful for increasing the force of an attack. It could also provide an explosive burst of speed.
"So fast!" Bai Lin was startled and quickly formed hand seals. "Summoning: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Countless snakes poured from his sleeves, swiftly weaving together into a sturdy wall between him and Tsunade.
"Out of my way!" Tsunade shouted, slamming her fist into the snake wall.
Bang!
The snakes were instantly smashed to pieces, blood spraying everywhere, but the wall's resistance slowed Tsunade's attack for a moment.
Bai Lin swiftly drew the Kusanagi Sword from his waist. His body became a blur as he charged at Tsunade.
Tsunade reacted and slammed a punch into the ground with her Super Strength.
Boom!
The ground split into several spiderweb-like cracks, sending rocks flying. The powerful shock wave made Bai Lin's body falter for an instant.
Using the recoil, Tsunade shot into the air like an arrow, her legs sweeping down with tremendous force toward Bai Lin's head.
This attack was far faster and more powerful than the ones before it. She was clearly fighting for real now.
Bai Lin's gaze sharpened. He didn't try to block the blow, instead rolling to the side with the shock wave's momentum. At the same time, he flicked his wrist, six shuriken appearing in his hand, and hurled them at Tsunade.
"Hmph! Child's play." Tsunade snorted. She dodged with ease and followed through with her right hand, striking at Bai Lin's chest with her palm.
Bai Lin let his guard down for a moment, and Tsunade's palm struck him squarely in the chest.
Pfft!
He spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his white kimono a glaring red.
He flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground and sending up a cloud of dust.
The Kusanagi Sword slipped from his hand and stuck in the dirt nearby, its blade humming.
"If that's all you've got, then you really are a genius. You've already reached Chunin level."
Tsunade stood where she was, looking at Bai Lin on the ground. Her brow furrowed, a complicated feeling crossing her mind.
Although she hadn't used all her strength in that palm strike, it still carried a fair amount of Super Strength—enough to leave an ordinary Chunin seriously injured and unconscious.
But the fact that the boy had held out against her this long had already far exceeded her expectations.
But then Bai Lin's fallen body suddenly turned into a puff of smoke, leaving a wooden log behind.
"Substitution Technique!" Tsunade exclaimed. Then she heard several sharp whistles from behind her.
"Lady Tsunade, you let your guard down!"