Forbidden Technique

Before the memorial stone.

Nohara Shin's glasses were placed before the memorial stone.

Uchiha Matsuri, Kushina Uzumaki, and Kato Dan took turns placing white flowers in front of Nohara Shin's monument.

In an instant, scenes flashed through Uchiha Matsuri's mind like a movie: from the formation of their team with Nohara Shin, to the desperate battle against Orochimaru, and finally the crisis in Kirigakure...

"Perhaps, in the next second, I will be the one lying here quietly," Uchiha Matsuri said.

"Being a ninja is inherently an extremely dangerous profession. We walk on the edge of life and death every day, living a life of licking blood from the blade. A moment of carelessness during a mission can lead to total destruction," Kato Dan said, his gaze fixed on the calm-faced Uchiha Matsuri, his words heavy with meaning.

"Therefore, from the day you became a ninja, you should have been prepared to die at any moment."

"It is a pity that Nohara Shin reached the Pure Land before us. As for those of us still alive, we should not be overly sorrowful. I believe that even Nohara Shin would not want to see everyone feeling dejected because of his death."

After listening to Kato Dan, Uchiha Matsuri understood. Kato Dan was telling everyone not to be overly affected by Nohara Shin's sacrifice, but rather to pull themselves together, focus their spirits, and continue moving forward on the path of the ninja.

"I understand, Senior Dan," Uchiha Matsuri replied faintly.

"As long as you understand," Kato Dan said, affectionately patting Uchiha Matsuri's head.

"By the way, Senior Dan, can you teach me your 'Spirit Transformation Technique' now?" Uchiha Matsuri asked, emboldened.

"Given your current physical condition, I am afraid I still cannot teach it to you." Kato Dan scrutinized Uchiha Matsuri carefully before shaking his head.

Hearing this, Uchiha Matsuri felt slightly disappointed.

Kushina Uzumaki, standing to the side, spoke up for Uchiha Matsuri: "Senior Dan, I think Matsuri already has the level of a Chunin, so why can't he learn this technique?"

Kushina Uzumaki was right; Uchiha Matsuri had always harbored the same question.

As the strongest of the new generation in Konoha who had once defeated the "genius" Minato Namikaze, Uchiha Matsuri was quite confident in the speed of his own growth. Yet, even so, Kato Dan remained unwilling to pass on this technique that Uchiha Matsuri had coveted for so long.

Could it be that this technique required specific family genes to activate? Or perhaps, Kato Dan simply did not want to teach it at all!

Looking at the puzzled Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki, Kato Dan laughed heartily: "I know you must be suspecting that I am unwilling to pass on this skill."

Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki remained silent. Seeing them quiet, Kato Dan confirmed his suspicions.

"Admittedly, Matsuri, looking at your grades, you are already the top expert of your generation. However, if you were to fight Minato Namikaze now, could you still win?" Kato Dan countered.

Hearing Kato Dan's question, Uchiha Matsuri was momentarily stunned.

That was true.

Although Uchiha Matsuri had defeated the outstanding Minato Namikaze during the Ninja Academy graduation exam, that was a year ago. Moreover, at that time, Minato Namikaze had not yet mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Over the past year, under Jiraiya's guidance, Minato Namikaze had begun to master the S-rank Flying Thunder God Technique, the most difficult of all, and the "Yellow Flash" was already taking shape. Meanwhile, he himself had only learned a few basic medical ninjutsu, the Yin Seal which allowed for the instant release of accumulated chakra, and some limited combat experience.

Compared to Minato Namikaze's rapid progress, Uchiha Matsuri's growth seemed rather dim.

Therefore, if Uchiha Matsuri and Minato Namikaze were to have a duel now, relying on the bug-like Flying Thunder God Technique, even if Minato Namikaze couldn't defeat Uchiha Matsuri, he could still firmly suppress him.

Even though Uchiha Matsuri possessed the two-tomoe Sharingan and the chakra stored in the Yin Seal as a backup, the two-tomoe Sharingan still could not track the movement of the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Yin Seal only provided a limited boost in strength. In contrast, the high-speed, ethereal nature of the Flying Thunder God Technique was far more troublesome to deal with in actual combat.

Watching the deep-in-thought Uchiha Matsuri, Kato Dan smiled helplessly and continued: "The Spirit Transformation Technique not only requires the user to have extreme focus and a vast amount of chakra as support, but also requires immense speed as an auxiliary condition for using the skill."

"These three conditions are indispensable. Once you use the Spirit Transformation Technique, your physical body cannot move. If your body were to be destroyed by an enemy in that state, you would be finished. Therefore, after your soul leaves your body, you must end the battle as quickly as possible."

"Furthermore, as an S-rank forbidden technique developed by the Second Hokage, how could it be taught to others so casually?"

"What? Senior Dan, since it's a forbidden technique, you promised back then that you would teach it to Matsuri later. You're going back on your word!" The outspoken Kushina Uzumaki couldn't help but complain that Kato Dan was being dishonest.

"I am not the type of person to go back on my word. Rest assured, as long as I believe you have the ability to practice the Spirit Transformation Technique, I will petition the Third Hokage. As long as the Third Hokage agrees, I will definitely teach it to you," Kato Dan said with an awkward laugh.

"..."

So, to learn this technique, one had to seek approval from that old stubborn, the Third Hokage.

After being played by Kato Dan, Uchiha Matsuri's mood soured instantly.

It would be a miracle if the Third Hokage agreed to let him learn this technique!

It seems I will have to find another way to obtain this skill, Uchiha Matsuri thought to himself.

The next morning.

The Third Hokage summoned the three members of Team 6 to the Hokage's office.

Looking deeply at the three standing before him, the Third Hokage spoke slowly: "Everyone, I have called you here today to inform you of some unfortunate news. From now on, the designation of Team 6 is being dissolved."

"What?" Uchiha Matsuri and the others blurted out, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Of the three, Kushina Uzumaki was the first to question him: "Lord Hokage, why are you dissolving our team? In the past year, in terms of mission completion, Team 6 has performed far better than other teams of our year. In the end, you choose to dissolve the most excellent team. Lord Hokage, this is..."

"Kushina, don't be mouthy. The Hokage has his reasons for such arrangements," Kato Dan interrupted Kushina Uzumaki's complaint, glaring sternly at the outspoken girl.