Eight Branches Technique

Half an hour later.

In a secret chamber at the bottom of the Hokage Building.

The air smelled of old paper and preservative spices.

The walls were covered with seals for soundproofing and defensive barriers.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before a broad table.

On it, the heavy, ancient Book of Seals was slowly unrolled.

"..."

"Multiple Shadow Shuriken Technique uses solidified Chakra to multiply shuriken without limit."

"Fivefold Rashomon Technique summons five indestructible gates of hell for absolute defense."

"Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags combines a single Explosive Tag with Summoning Jutsu to create endless, continuous explosions."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi rattled off the names and core effects of the techniques on the scroll.

"All right. Those are all the Forbidden Jutsu in the Book of Seals."

He rolled it shut.

"Of course, several other clans have secret techniques of their own. Those are clan secrets, so I can't tell you about them."

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted the scroll.

"Choose from the rest."

The chamber was quiet enough to hear everyone breathing.

Orochimaru held his breath.

Jiraiya's swallow rang clearly through the basement.

They had only heard that the Book of Seals contained powers capable of laying waste to the world.

But now the principles and destructive force of those techniques lay before them in black and white.

The shock to everything they thought possible

still made their scalps prickle.

Explosive Tags that detonated endlessly?

Gates of hell summoned to take a beating?

Any one of them could turn the tide of a small battle on the front lines!

Even Orochimaru, who had seen plenty of death, felt his mouth go dry.

Tsunade leaned against the cold wall, watching her old man put on his little show.

"The old man isn't being honest."

She gave a quiet, scornful click of her tongue.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled slightly on the scroll.

What about Impure World Reincarnation?

What about Dead Demon Consuming Seal?

What about Izanagi?

Those supreme Forbidden Jutsu could manipulate souls, rewrite reality, and defy the natural cycle of life and death.

The old man had left almost all of them out.

Hiruzen Sarutobi whipped his head around.

He fixed Tsunade with an oppressive stare, stern warning plain in his eyes.

Its meaning was unmistakable.

Don't mess around!

Techniques that toy with life and death must never get out, even if they rot in the ground!

And you're certainly not going to tell them!

Tsunade met Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze and shrugged.

Then she gave the faintest nod.

She wasn't stupid.

That freak Orochimaru was already researching matter reconstruction.

If he got his hands on Impure World Reincarnation now,

the bastard would dig up every grave in Konoha's ancestral cemetery by nightfall.

When Tsunade nodded,

the tension finally left Hiruzen Sarutobi's back.

He let out a long breath of relief.

At least the girl knows better.

"Only one each."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked away, turning to Orochimaru and Jiraiya.

"Make your choices."

"I choose the Eight Branches Technique."

Orochimaru spoke first.

His raspy voice held a fervor he could barely contain.

The Eight Branches Technique.

An S-rank technique that required an immense amount of Chakra.

Once cast, it transformed the user into a White Giant Snake with eight heads and eight tails.

Its physical destructive power far surpassed that of ordinary summoned beasts.

But its most dangerous feature was an additional effect.

Assimilation Regeneration!

The user became one with the eight-headed serpent. As long as his Chakra held out,

even if his heads were severed at the base and his body pierced by ninjutsu, his flesh could rebuild itself in a breath!

This wasn't a destructive technique at all.

It was the ultimate key to the forbidden realm of life—to immortality!

Orochimaru stared at the scroll, a feverish flush rising in his pale face.

Greed burned in his golden, slit-pupiled eyes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded silently.

He wasn't surprised.

His student had never been able to resist a technique that pushed the limits of the flesh.

Now the pressure was on Jiraiya.

He grabbed at his white hair, his face scrunching up.

His mind raced through the options.

Flying Thunder God?

Forget it.

Those two brats, Minato and Nawaki, can get there just by throwing a kunai.

If I tried to learn it, I'd probably put one foot through and have Spatial Turbulence mince the rest of me.

Fivefold Rashomon Technique?

Sure, it's tough, but standing there and taking hits isn't my style!

Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags?

Not interested!

What should I pick?

Jiraiya clenched his back teeth.

Maybe... that multiple-shadow thing that can take hits for me and gather intel...

"I choose the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique."

A clear female voice suddenly rang out beside him.

The words died in Jiraiya's mouth.

He spun around.

Tsunade was pointing at the scroll.

She had chosen the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

She picked the same one as me!

The string marked "fate" in Jiraiya's mind began to thrum wildly.

The indecision vanished from his broad face, replaced by a blush and a goofy grin he couldn't suppress.

That's the woman for me!

Even picking blind from all these Forbidden Jutsu, she thinks exactly like I do!

What else could this be?

Our souls are in sync!

Jiraiya rubbed his hands together, grinned wide, and eagerly stepped forward.

"Heh, old man, I'll choose the Multiple—"

"He chooses Dragon Flame Song!"

Tsunade grabbed the back of Jiraiya's collar.

She yanked him so hard that he reeled backward.

Jiraiya's goofy grin froze.

The word "Shadow" stuck in his throat.

His expression turned distinctly strange.