Strength of a Hundred

In the meditation chamber of Otogakure's underground base, Neji sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor. The twin white jade horns on his forehead gave off a gentle glow in the dim light. Sage Art Chakra circulated slowly through his body, and with every cycle, the soreness, numbness, and swelling radiating from deep within his bones intensified—an unavoidable stage of Sage Arts reshaping his body. Yet his mind was not on enduring the pain.

The Lightning Release conversion experiment had hit a bottleneck.

The theoretical foundation Orochimaru had provided was solid: use specialized medicinal baths to stimulate the chakra system's affinity for Lightning Release, use high-voltage shocks to simulate the fluctuating properties of Lightning Release chakra, then combine it with chakra control training precise enough to reach the nerve endings. In theory, given enough time, someone with no elemental affinity could indeed awaken a Lightning Release affinity.

But time was the problem.

According to Orochimaru's calculations, at Neji's current pace, completing a stable Lightning Release conversion would take at least eighteen months. And that was only one element. Converting Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind afterward, along with the most difficult Yin-Yang Release, would likely take more than ten years altogether.

Ten years? The Fourth Shinobi World War would have been fought twice over by then.

"I have to find a way to speed this up..." Neji opened his eyes. Through the Byakugan's vision, the Natural Energy drifting through the air flowed slowly like colorful streams. The heightened perception brought by Sage Arts allowed him to "see" every detail of his chakra system more clearly, but it also made him more keenly aware of how difficult the conversion would be.

He needed more "experiment runs."

Just as scientific research required repeated experiments to verify a hypothesis, chakra nature conversion required countless attempts, failures, adjustments, and further attempts. What limited the number of experiments was chakra volume.

Neji called up scenes from the original story in his memory. When Naruto trained in Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku, he had used Shadow Clones to accumulate experience. Later, when developing Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, he had created more than a thousand Shadow Clones to try different approaches simultaneously. Naruto's enormous reserves of Nine-Tails Chakra allowed him to recklessly "brute-force it with quantity"—using massive trial and error to crush difficult problems.

"The difference between an ocean and a river..." Neji smiled bitterly.

His chakra reserves ranked among the best for his age, but compared to a monster like Naruto, he was a tiny creek before a vast sea. Even if he squeezed himself dry, he could create at most twenty Shadow Clones in a day, and he would not dare let each clone last too long—otherwise, if his main body exhausted its chakra, he might simply drop dead.

So was there a way to turn a creek into a reservoir?

A face flashed through Neji's mind: the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. That woman's signature forbidden technique—Yin Seal: Strength of a Hundred.

The principle was not complicated: normally, surplus chakra was stored, compressed, and sealed within a formula on the forehead or another part of the body. When needed, the seal could be released to instantly gain an immense chakra reserve. Sakura had relied on this technique to gain chakra reserves comparable to Tsunade's for a short time, allowing her to perform an S-rank medical ninjutsu like Creation Rebirth.

If he learned the Strength of a Hundred...

Of the chakra generated through daily training, he could store whatever remained after maintaining basic activity and continuing his cultivation. Over time—one month, two months, half a year—when he released the seal, his chakra volume could surge severalfold or even dozens of times over. By then, not to mention twenty Shadow Clones, he might even be able to create two hundred to conduct nature conversion experiments at the same time.

The improvement in efficiency would not be linear. It would be exponential.

But this idea had a fatal problem: Strength of a Hundred was Tsunade's trump card. Apart from her and her direct disciple Sakura Haruno, no third person in the Shinobi World knew it. No matter how extensive Orochimaru's collection was, he could not possibly possess a unique forbidden technique that had only recently been developed and was guarded so closely by its owner.

"I need bargaining chips..." Neji rose to his feet and paced through the cramped meditation chamber.

What could he offer in exchange for the Strength of a Hundred?

Intelligence? He knew Akatsuki's core secrets, knew the true identities of the Six Paths of Pain, knew Obito and Madara's plans—but those were the foundations of his survival, bargaining chips for competing over the Ten-Tails in the future. He could not reveal them lightly. Besides, if Tsunade learned that intelligence, she would likely act ahead of time and disrupt the entire timeline, which would do him more harm than good.

Technology? What technology could he offer? Sage Arts? Research data on the Caged Bird? Orochimaru would not allow him to share those with Konoha. And even if he did, Tsunade might not value them—she had the Slug Sage's inheritance from Shikkotsu Forest and might not be interested in Ryuchi Cave's Sage Arts system.

Then... what if he changed the trading partner to Orochimaru?

What if he had Orochimaru step forward and use his resources and intelligence network to obtain the Strength of a Hundred?

Neji stopped pacing. This approach might work. Orochimaru's obsession with forbidden techniques was well known. He would definitely be interested in a technique like Strength of a Hundred, one that could drastically increase chakra reserves. And Orochimaru's relationship with Tsunade... though they were enemies, they had once been comrades and understood each other's weaknesses.

More importantly, Orochimaru possessed things Neji did not: an underground network spanning the Shinobi World, infiltration into the upper echelons of various countries, and... a willingness to use any means necessary.

"It is worth trying." Neji made his decision.

He left the meditation chamber, passed through the frigid corridor, and arrived at Orochimaru's main laboratory. He knocked, waited, then pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the laboratory, Orochimaru was observing a cultivation tank. It did not contain a human body, but a constantly shifting chakra aggregate. Five colors of energy tangled, clashed, and tried to merge within it. Orochimaru was conducting a five-element chakra fusion experiment, and the progress was clearly going poorly. The aggregate was extremely unstable and could collapse at any moment.

"Lord Orochimaru." Neji bowed.

"Speak." Orochimaru did not turn around. His golden pupils remained fixed on the unstable mass of energy.

"Regarding the Lightning Release conversion experiment, I need to accelerate the progress." Neji went straight to the point. "The current efficiency is too low. I have thought of a method, but I need your help."

Orochimaru finally turned around. His gaze settled on Neji, lingering for a moment on the twin horns on his forehead. "What method?"

"Strength of a Hundred." Neji spoke the four words.

The laboratory fell silent for several seconds. Orochimaru's lips slowly curved into a meaningful smile. "Tsunade's Yin Seal... You want to use it to store chakra, then use Shadow Clones in bulk to speed up the experiments?"

"Yes." Neji was not surprised that Orochimaru immediately understood his intentions—there had never been any reason to doubt the intelligence of this scientist of the Shinobi World.

"Not a bad idea." Orochimaru walked to the laboratory bench and brought up Neji's chakra data model. "At your current chakra generation rate, combined with the storage efficiency of Strength of a Hundred, releasing the seal after half a year could increase your chakra volume to eight or ten times its current level. The number of Shadow Clones could rise to around one hundred and fifty, and experimental efficiency would increase... by at least thirtyfold."

His fingers glided over the screen as he calculated rapidly. "The Lightning Release conversion time could be compressed from eighteen months to three weeks. The conversion of the other elements afterward would also accelerate substantially. In theory, completing full elemental conversion within two years is indeed possible."

But then Orochimaru changed the subject. "The problem is, how will you obtain Strength of a Hundred? Tsunade developed that technique as her trump card against hemophobia and insufficient chakra. She values it more than her life. Even Shizune never learned it."

"That is why I need your help." Neji spoke calmly. "You have an intelligence network, channels for trade, and..."

"Bargaining chips?" Orochimaru picked up the thread, a teasing gleam flashing in his golden eyes. "Then what do you think I should use in exchange? What bargaining chip could make Tsunade willingly hand over her unique forbidden technique?"

Neji fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking. "Information on Akatsuki."

Orochimaru's smile froze for an instant.

"You used to be an Akatsuki member. Although you defected, you must still possess their core secrets." Neji continued. "For example, the membership list, their operational patterns, even... that organization's true purpose. That information would be priceless to Konoha."

"And what Tsunade lacks most right now is information on Akatsuki." Orochimaru understood Neji's line of thought. "After the Third Hokage's death, Konoha's infiltration of Akatsuki has almost dropped to zero. Itachi Uchiha's position is also ambiguous... If I can provide intelligence with enough weight, I may indeed be able to exchange it for Strength of a Hundred."

He walked to the window—if it could even be called a window—and stood with his back to Neji. His voice grew low. "But Neji, are you certain you want to do this? Akatsuki's intelligence is one of my trump cards. Exposing it to Konoha too early may disrupt many plans."

"Such as?" Neji asked.

"Such as..." Orochimaru turned around, his golden pupils gleaming dangerously in the faint light, "my original plan to use this intelligence as a bargaining chip at the critical moment when Akatsuki gathers the tailed beasts, and take a share from them."

Neji's heart tightened. As expected, Orochimaru had designs on the Ten-Tails as well.

"But if you help me obtain Strength of a Hundred and accelerate the nature conversion experiments, I will reach the strength needed to participate in that plan sooner." Neji did not back down. "When the time comes, if we work together, our odds of success will be greater. And..."

He paused, then cast out the real bait. "If I complete full elemental conversion and fuse Yin-Yang Release as well, my body... may become a better 'vessel' than Sasuke Uchiha's. You should understand what I mean."

The laboratory fell into dead silence.

Orochimaru stared fixedly at Neji. Complex emotions churned in those golden slit pupils: shock, suspicion, calculation, and a trace of barely restrained... greed.

A better vessel than Sasuke Uchiha? A body with chakra of every element, mastery of Sage Arts, and the potential to fuse Yin-Yang Release? For Orochimaru, who pursued immortality and Living Corpse Reincarnation, the temptation was far too great.

"You are gambling." Orochimaru finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "Gambling that I will abandon my existing plans and expose my trump cards early for a 'possibility.'"

"I am demonstrating value," Neji corrected. "And this is not gambling. It is an investment. You invest in my growth, and I repay you with an unprecedented 'vessel.' A fair trade."

A long silence followed.

The only sounds in the laboratory were the gurgling of bubbles rising in the cultivation tank and the faint hum of machinery. The five-element chakra aggregate finally collapsed, exploding into a chaotic cloud of energy, but Orochimaru did not even glance at it.

All of his attention was on Neji.

"Tsunade will not easily trust my intelligence," Orochimaru finally said. "I need an intermediary—someone she trusts enough, and who can also make contact with me."

"Do you have someone in mind?"

"I do." Orochimaru's smile returned. "Jiraiya. That old pervert has been investigating Akatsuki, and besides... his relationship with Tsunade, you understand."

He took a specially made scroll from his robes, bit his finger, and wrote swiftly across it. Once he finished, he sealed the scroll and handed it to Neji. "This is a letter for Jiraiya. It contains only one sentence: 'If you want to know Akatsuki's true purpose, have Tsunade bring the training method for Strength of a Hundred to the thirty-seventh boundary marker at the border of the Land of Grass for an exchange.'"

Neji accepted the scroll. The thirty-seventh boundary marker—that was the intelligence handoff point he had agreed upon with Konoha. Even Orochimaru knew about it.

"How will you ensure Jiraiya receives this letter?"

"He will." Orochimaru's smile turned cryptic. "Because someone I arranged will 'coincidentally' steal his wallet at the hot spring he frequents three days from now, then 'accidentally' drop the wallet and this letter right in front of him. With Jiraiya's personality, he will definitely open it and take a look."

Neji: "..."

This maneuver was very much Orochimaru's style.

"Then the deal is made?" Neji asked.

"It is made." Orochimaru returned to the laboratory bench and brought up the data for the collapsed chakra mass once more. "I will give you one month to adapt to Sage Arts. In one month, if Tsunade has responded, you will begin learning Strength of a Hundred. If not..."

He turned his head, a chill flashing through his golden pupils. "Then we will have to find another way. For example... another Konoha Crush Plan."

He said that "another" lightly, but Neji heard the bloodshed behind it.

"Understood." Neji bowed and took his leave.

As he reached the door, Orochimaru suddenly called out to him. "Neji."

"Lord Orochimaru?"

"You said just now that your body might become a better vessel than Sasuke's." Orochimaru's voice was calm. "Then if... I truly chose your body, would you resist?"

Neji turned around and looked straight into those golden snake eyes, speaking one word at a time:

"I will become strong enough before you make your move—strong enough that you will not dare entertain that thought."

With that, he pushed open the door and left.

In the laboratory, Orochimaru looked at the closed door and suddenly laughed. It was not an amused laugh, nor a mocking one, but the heartfelt laughter of someone who had discovered an interesting toy.

"Neji Hyuga... you truly are the most extraordinary test subject I have ever seen."

He brought up all of Neji's data and changed the original "Moderate" under "Risk Assessment" to "Extremely High."

Then he wrote in the notes:

**Test Subject 'White': Has mastered Sage Arts; objective is full elemental conversion + Yin-Yang Release fusion. If successful, may produce a perfect vessel surpassing the Uchiha bloodline. However, his independent will is too strong, making him extremely difficult to control. Recommend continued observation; activate the 'Curse Mark safeguard' if necessary.**

After writing that, he turned off the screen and looked toward the other side of the laboratory—where Sasuke Uchiha was on a specially designed electric shock training apparatus, his entire body wrapped in lightning as he gritted his teeth and endured the baptism of high-voltage current.

"Two vessels... two possibilities..." Orochimaru murmured. "This experiment is getting more and more interesting."

Meanwhile, in the corridor, Neji gripped the letter for Jiraiya and hurried toward his stone chamber.

Strength of a Hundred was only the first step.

Next, he would completely adapt to Sage Arts within a month, then begin frenzied nature conversion experiments.

Two years. Within two years, he had to possess the strength to participate in the battle for the Ten-Tails.

The road ahead was still long, but at least he had pushed open the first door.

Now, all he had to do was run forward with everything he had—before the Caged Bird tightened completely, before Orochimaru bared his fangs, before Akatsuki completed its plan.

Run until he reached the place where he could breathe freely.