Master and Disciple

After finishing the training with Namikaze Minato, Senju Genma suddenly recalled an important matter.

That was the fact that while he had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, he lacked the Rasengan, which could significantly enhance the output capacity of his space-time ninjutsu.

In truth, Senju Genma had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Slash, a derivative of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

The Flying Thunder God Slash is a B-rank ninjutsu that involves using space-time movement to reach a blind spot of an enemy marked with a Flying Thunder God seal, followed by a lightning-fast strike to a vital point using a kunai or blade.

It is a decisive technique; Tobirama often caught enemies off guard by launching a sudden, high-speed thrust via the Flying Thunder God's space-time shift.

However, compared to the destructive power of the Rasengan, the Flying Thunder God Slash still fell a bit short, and it proved less effective when facing opponents with formidable ninjutsu or taijutsu.

Based on the novels Senju Genma had read in his past life, if a transmigrator in the early Naruto world couldn't create the Rasengan, they were essentially bringing shame to all transmigrators.

I recall it involves concentrating chakra in the palm, causing it to flow in irregular directions and compressing it into a palm-sized sphere of non-elemental chakra to strike the opponent, Senju Genma pondered.

Recalling the scenes of Naruto training the Rasengan from the original work, he was full of initiative and got straight to work, paying some clansmen to buy a batch of balloons and rubber balls from outside the compound, and began training the Rasengan just as Naruto had in the anime.

The Senju Clan had been adhering to Hiruzen Sarutobi's policy of integrating with the commoners, but at this stage, clansmen with ninja aptitude were still retained, so there were a few available to run errands.

The only issue was that these clansmen were far too enthusiastic, constantly shouting things like, "It is my honor to serve the Young Clan Leader, let the Forest Senju be great again," which gave Senju Genma quite a headache.

Thirty days passed.

Senju Genma's talent for the Sage Body began to manifest.

In just one month, building upon the rough understanding he gained from the anime, he successfully created the Rasengan.

Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade were quite astonished by this; although they had long known of Senju Genma's exceptional talent, the creation of an A-rank ninjutsu still took them by surprise.

Yet, Senju Genma was not satisfied and continued to develop the Rasengan while simultaneously beginning to study more advanced Wood Release ninjutsu.

Two years later.

"Finally, I can relax! I'm exhausted!" Senju Genma sat at the dining table and gave a satisfying stretch.

Tsunade, who had been free of missions recently, had also returned home, looking rather listless.

This sight gave Senju Genma quite a start.

One had to realize that this young lady usually acted completely carefree!

When she wasn't on missions, her days consisted of gambling, eating, and sleeping alongside Senju Genma.

Beyond that, she didn't pay mind to anything else.

Could it be that Nawaki had died?!

But it was only the thirty-fifth year of Konoha; the timeline didn't match, and the Wood Clone seed he had placed on Nawaki for protection hadn't shown any activity!

It couldn't be related to Mito or Kushina either.

Mito possessed formidable combat power; in the current ninja world, unless Madara Uchiha took action, no one could kill her.

The time for Kushina to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was not that early; it would take at least another four years.

Furthermore, she had been at home the entire time.

Senju Genma couldn't help but ask, "Sister Tsunade, has something happened?"

Tsunade suddenly turned ferocious and smashed the dining table with a punch.

"That damn Orochimaru! He actually became Nawaki's master; Nawaki is now his disciple."

Senju Genma asked in confusion, "Is there something wrong with that?"

At this point, Orochimaru had not yet experienced the death of Nawaki and was still a genius ninja who only occasionally pondered the meaning of life and death.

If one were to talk about the number one choice for a master in the Naruto world, Senju Genma felt it had to be Orochimaru.

There were too many benefits to having the current Orochimaru as a master.

First, Orochimaru was a student of Hiruzen Sarutobi. Previously, as Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki was at most only half-affiliated with the Hokage faction.

With Nawaki becoming Orochimaru's disciple, he became a grand-student of Hiruzen Sarutobi, which meant Hiruzen Sarutobi had accepted Nawaki and made him one of his own in the Hokage faction.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently in his prime and had not yet become the weak, easily bullied old man of the future; Konoha was still under his command, and there was nothing wrong with following him.

Secondly, although Orochimaru hadn't started his scientific research yet, his talent for it was monstrous. In the future, he would master the core technology of the ninja world, far ahead of the entire shinobi community.

Finally, he taught his disciples wholeheartedly and never held back. He had deep feelings for Nawaki and his future disciple Anko, and even when teaching Sasuke—whom he viewed as a vessel for his Living Corpse Reincarnation—he still trained him into a powerhouse capable of killing him.

How many teachers like him could one find in the entire ninja world?

"Nonsense! Nawaki is my younger brother. Now that he's become Orochimaru's disciple, doesn't that make me a generation lower than Orochimaru for no reason? I don't know what that old man was thinking; why couldn't he just let me teach Nawaki?" Tsunade raised her fist and said angrily.

"That's it?" Senju Genma was stunned.

She had worried him for half a day over this? Tsunade really needed to be put in her place!

"I need comfort!" Tsunade began to act spoiled and hugged Senju Genma.

The difference in their physiques made their posture look somewhat bizarre.

"I really don't know what to do with you." Senju Genma took off his non-existent glasses and revealed a healthy smile.

Inside the Hokage Office.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was using the Telescope Technique to peer into his crystal ball, nosebleed streaming down his face, a furious shout erupted from outside the door.

"Hiruzen." Danzo Shimura pushed the door open and strode in.

Living up to his reputation as the strongest Hokage, Hiruzen moved with incredible speed, wiping away his nosebleed and concealing the crystal ball in a single instant.

"What has happened, Danzo?"

Danzo stood before the desk, his gaze cold and piercing as he stared at Hiruzen.

"Why did you order me to withdraw the Root members tailing Nawaki? He is the grandson of Lord Hashirama; are you not afraid he might encounter danger?"

Hiruzen couldn't help but mutter to himself: The greatest danger is you!

Without even lifting his head, he began to feign interest in the documents on his desk.

"That child is now Orochimaru's student. Orochimaru will look after him; there is no need for you to interfere."

"And what if I refuse?" Danzo said coldly.

He knew that because Nawaki was the grandson of the First Hokage, he was beloved by the villagers, yet not particularly clever—exactly the type Hiruzen favored.

If Hiruzen intended to groom Nawaki as the next Hokage, it would be a major problem.

Danzo still wanted to be Hokage himself, and Nawaki posed far too great a threat to his ambitions.