Task Complete

Outside an Iwagakure sentry post.

Goenji fiddled with the chessboard in his hands, occasionally using chakra to experiment with his Mathematical Chakra Form and attempt simple lever tests.

The chessboard had become a test of the lever principle.

Because chakra differed from physical matter, and there were formulas unique to chakra, the world constants differed somewhat from the physics of his previous life.

That was chakra.

It was a constant of the Shinobi World and had to be taken into account.

Fortunately, both Uchiha and Konoha had research in this area, all at the forefront of the world, and Goenji could make full use of it.

The form in his hands shifted constantly, displaying different configurations.

"Hmm... this is... chakra shape transformation? Is he conducting some kind of experiment?"

A figure appeared not far from Goenji. The body that had been about to emerge suddenly stopped, silently watching Goenji manipulate chakra.

Snake-like pupils appeared in his eyes. It was Orochimaru.

His eyes were filled with intense interest as he watched Goenji manipulate the chakra in his hands, changing it into all kinds of forms.

He had originally only wanted to notify Goenji that he could return to Danzo and report the completion of the mission, but he had not expected to witness this scene.

A powerful interest surged within him because he had seen a new concept for chakra.

"Using the lever principle from mathematics, relying on powerful chakra control to create a lever within chakra itself and thereby pry loose immense force... what an excellent idea.

But the difficulty is far from ordinary. Can he pull it off?"

Orochimaru watched the transformations in Goenji's hands, continuously combining them with his own knowledge as he began to understand what Goenji was doing.

Interesting. Far too interesting!

How had he never thought of it? What an interesting subject.

He did not have any especially in-depth thoughts on it yet; he merely found Goenji's idea interesting.

Because according to his estimates, even a medical ninja with chakra control like Tsunade could not integrate the lever principle into it.

This involved not only mathematical knowledge, but also one's spatial awareness.

The form of a ninjutsu was limited. Creating another lever structure within that limited form was simply too difficult.

Orochimaru felt that if the person before him managed to apply this concept, he might be an even more gifted ninja than Minato.

"I wonder if the old man knows about such talent?"

Orochimaru pondered inwardly.

The corners of his lips curled upward. This was becoming more and more interesting.

Then he noticed that Goenji in the distance had stopped moving and turned to look in his direction.

"Oh, he noticed me? His vigilance is quite high."

Orochimaru raised a brow.

His scouting ability was rather good as well.

He had discovered Orochimaru's presence in such a short time.

Then he slowly stepped out and said, "Your vigilance is not bad, and neither is your scouting ability. No wonder Danzo sent you to complete this mission."

"You flatter me, Lord Orochimaru. Did you come here because...?"

Goenji did not ask whether Orochimaru had seen what he was doing just now. Instead, he asked directly.

It did not matter whether Orochimaru had seen it anyway.

Those had only been experiments, a small trial.

No one could accomplish it unless, one day, he developed a ninjutsu that could arrange itself into a lever principle after hand seals were formed.

That was his goal.

When that time came, others would be able to copy it if they saw it.

They could even use it.

There would be no need to specially train chakra control or chakra shape transformation.

Has Orochimaru already completed Danzo's mission?

More than twenty days had already passed.

Danzo had given him half a month.

Now the deadline had been exceeded, and Orochimaru had only just returned. Goenji had no idea whether he had completed it.

He hoped he had, or Danzo might label him incompetent, send someone after him, and turn him into a rogue ninja.

Then, like every webnovel protagonist in the world, he would become a protagonist everyone wanted to beat up.

Boo hoo!

"The mission is complete. You can go back now. Oh, and I hope you do not die on the battlefield. I am very interested in you."

Orochimaru chuckled and informed him.

Then he handed him a scroll from behind his back. "This contains the process of completing the mission. Read it over and just say that you completed it. There is no need to mention me.

That old man Danzo will not forget your negligence just because the mission was completed."

Smack!

Goenji caught the scroll. Hearing Orochimaru's words, he gave him a surprised look.

Was Orochimaru really this nice?

So this was Orochimaru before his defection. Goenji once again felt Orochimaru's charm.

If he did not have his own convictions, he might have fallen at Orochimaru's feet.

He was simply too charming!

How considerate.

Goenji nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Lord Orochimaru. I will not die on the battlefield. I still intend to surpass you someday, Lord Orochimaru. When that time comes, I hope you will not hesitate to guide me."

He was genuinely grateful inside.

He had practically won without lifting a finger!

Not only had Danzo's mission been completed, sparing him from entering Iwagakure to carry out such a dangerous mission, but it had also freed up so much time for him to research his own ninjutsu and such.

It felt incredible.

"Life is fragile. Do not be too confident either. I have seen too many confident people fall on the battlefield... my companions, my disciples..."

Orochimaru reminded him, a trace of nostalgia in his eyes.

Goenji felt that he must have been thinking of Dan Katō, Nawaki, and the others.

After all, Orochimaru had still been a decent person in his early days.

"All right, that is enough. Be careful of Danzo." After saying that, Orochimaru left with a meaningful air, leaving Goenji with only his back.

Goenji scratched his head. Orochimaru was so nice that he did not know what he should do if Orochimaru defected in the future.

"Forget it. I'll just hide and let Orochimaru do what he wants. I can't take him down anyway."

Goenji recalled Orochimaru's earlier threat toward him, that terrifying killing intent, as well as how kindly he was treating him now—helping complete the mission and providing the mission details so he could return and report in.

He shook his head.

Those were matters for the future. As long as he became strong enough, he could decide what to do when the time came.

Right now, the most important thing was still to complete his own mission.

He could return and report in, and then it would be about time to head back to the village or go to another battlefield to provide support.

"Ah, I forgot to ask. What has the situation on the battlefield been like lately?"

Goenji suddenly remembered that he had not contacted anyone else for over twenty days.

Since he had previously been in contact with Orochimaru, he had not dared to use Danzo's code signals again. Now, he had lost his source of intelligence.

[She made a group chat and asked me to teach her mother how to write novels? I'm just a failed author—how am I supposed to teach anyone? Seriously!]