Summoning Animal

Ninja Academy life did not affect Kakashi much. For him, it was more about farming online hours just to become a ninja step by step.

Comparing favorably to Itachi Uchiha of the same age, Kakashi used the Shadow Clone Technique starting from the third day of class to handle routine academics.

His true body instead carried out daily training. If White Fang or Orochimaru was in the village and not busy, Kakashi would study different things or engage in sparring under their guidance.

He learned many small ninjutsu application tricks from Orochimaru. No ninja who survived to build a great reputation was simple, and each had their own tricks. Whether it was chakra-saving small moves or survival techniques taught by Orochimaru, they were of immense help to Kakashi.

By this time, having become his student for over a year, their master-disciple relationship might not be deeply profound, but mutual understanding and appreciation had grown significantly.

Kakashi personally felt that Orochimaru was the Shinobi World's number one research fanatic in name and deed. He was energetic and possessed an extremely strong thirst for knowledge. Moreover, once he locked onto a goal, he would spare no effort to achieve it. To raise his importance in Orochimaru's eyes, Kakashi occasionally blurted out theories that did not belong to this world. On occasion, he could also use stones from other mountains to polish jade.

This morning was a boring theory class. Operating on dual tracks as usual, Kakashi stepped into Orochimaru's laboratory located in the Death Forest. This laboratory was public, and the experiments conducted inside were merely routine ones. The research subjects used were mostly animals, ninja beast corpses, and occasionally some dead bodies.

"Teacher, I heard from Father that besides the Wood Release he was proud of, Lord First Hokage also mastered senjutsu. Do you know about this?"

Orochimaru was in the midst of an experiment and did not pay attention to Kakashi. Kakashi had long since grown accustomed to this; precisely because Orochimaru was so focused, he could achieve those astonishing results in the future.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Kakashi silently drafted what he wanted to say today in his mind once again.

After more than half an hour, Orochimaru finally stopped the work at hand. While washing his hands, he answered Kakashi.

"According to the village's records, the First did master senjutsu at the time, but there is no specific account of how much the senjutsu he mastered boosted his own strength. What is it? Are you interested in senjutsu?"

"I am interested in all avenues that can enhance strength." In front of Orochimaru, Kakashi never concealed his desire for formidable strength.

"But given your current chakra reserves, I estimate the difficulty of mastering senjutsu is extremely high." Although he himself had not mastered senjutsu, Orochimaru had researched it. Just as Kakashi said, Orochimaru was also interested in all avenues that could enhance strength. Therefore, he had previously gone to the Ryūchi Cave and sought an audience with the White Snake Sage. Although he failed to master senjutsu, he was crystal clear on the requirements needed to cultivate it.

"No, Teacher. What I want to know now is what the exact relationship is between senjutsu and chakra. Are the two completely different energies that can only coexist, or is senjutsu an advanced version of chakra energy? Or is there some other relationship?" Kakashi stared at Orochimaru with glowing eyes, expecting him to provide an explanation.

Orochimaru was slightly stunned, not expecting Kakashi to ask such a question.

As a cutting-edge scientific researcher, Orochimaru possessed very acute research intuition. The question Kakashi asked seemed to have no practical significance at first glance. But looking deeper, if senjutsu was natural energy, and if it had a completely independent relationship with chakra and could be used independently, it might be possible to develop a third school completely independent of the samurai and ninjas of the present world.

"As far as I know, to master and use senjutsu, one needs to guide natural energy into the body, mix physical energy, chakra, and natural energy, and achieve a certain balance according to a specific ratio. If this ratio becomes unbalanced, it will produce a very severe backlash against oneself."

He paused at that point, thought for a moment, and then Orochimaru spoke again.

"If analyzed from these prerequisites, the natural energy required to use senjutsu and chakra should be two energies that do not interfere with each other, but it cannot be said which one is more advanced than the other."

"Then is it possible to directly draw natural energy into the body and use it without the aid of chakra?" Kakashi pursued.

"No, that is too dangerous. The human body is fragile and cannot withstand the erosion of natural energy. I am very certain of this. Actually, the village has records that a fairly large number of Shikkotsu Forest senjutsu experiments were once conducted. Among them were experimental categories of directly drawing natural energy into the body, and the entire personnel died. The conclusion reached was that natural energy must never be directly introduced into the body for use." Interrupting his disciple's dangerous thought, Orochimaru recalled the files he had read before.

"If I remember correctly, several of the experimental personnel were taijutsu-specialized elite jonin. Even their physical strength could not withstand the erosion of natural energy, so I do not advise you to try this idea."

"Well, since that is the case, then I certainly will not rashly try it." Kakashi nodded, speaking conservative words.

"Haha, Kakashi, what I appreciate about you is precisely this point; once you make up your mind, you won't easily give up. But since I know you can tell the weight of matters, I won't advise you much more. So, do you want to sign a summoning animal? You are still a bit too naive to play mind games in front of me." Orochimaru saw through Kakashi's purpose at a glance.

"It can't be considered a failure, at least Teacher took the initiative to ask, right?" Kakashi spread his hands. "I don't know of any places outside the three sacred lands that have senjutsu cultivation heritage, so I can only brazenly come and beg Teacher for help."

"The summoning scroll can be given to you, but I need to go report it. The village has records of large ninja beast clans like this." Not refusing his disciple's request, Orochimaru gave the reason why he couldn't sign the contract right away. Though signing it immediately wouldn't have much impact either, after all, Orochimaru's summoning beasts were obtained by himself, and he just needed to go through the motions. White Fang's son and his own disciple—such an identity would certainly be completely fine.

Having achieved the purpose of this trip and sensibly perceiving that Orochimaru wanted to continue his research, Kakashi took his leave first.

He was just about to go to the usual back mountain to practice rock climbing when he suddenly sensed that his Shadow Clone at the school had dissipated.

His mind went slightly dazed as he received the information transmitted by the Shadow Clone.

I see.

With a turn of his footsteps, chakra gathered at the soles of his feet as he rushed quickly toward the Ninja Academy.