Yamata no Orochi Technique

Half an hour later.

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

The air smelled of old paper and preservative incense.

The walls were covered with dense rows of soundproofing and defensive barrier seals.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before a broad table.

The heavy, ancient Book of Seals lay slowly unfurled across it.

"..."

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

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

"Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. It combines a single Explosive Tag with Summoning Jutsu to produce an endless chain of explosions."

"..."

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

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

He closed the scroll.

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

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted the scroll.

"As for the rest, take your pick."

The chamber was so quiet that every breath could be heard.

Orochimaru held his breath.

The sound of Jiraiya swallowing echoed clearly through the basement.

They had only ever 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 stark detail.

The blow to everything they thought they knew

still made their scalps tingle.

An endless chain of exploding tags?

Summoning the gates of hell to withstand attacks?

Any one of them could change the course of a small battle on the front lines!

Even Orochimaru, who had seen more than his share of death, felt his mouth go dry.

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

"The old man's holding out on us~"

She gave a quiet, derisive snort.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled slightly on the scroll.

What about Impure World Reincarnation?

What about the Dead Demon Consuming Seal?

What about Izanagi?

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

The old man had left nearly all of them out.

Hiruzen Sarutobi whipped his head around.

He fixed Tsunade with a stern, oppressive glare.

Its meaning was unmistakable.

Don't cause trouble!

Even if these techniques rot away in the ground, they must never get out!

And they certainly won't come from your mouth!

Tsunade met Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze and pursed her lips, unconcerned.

Then she gave the faintest nod.

She wasn't stupid.

That freak Orochimaru was still researching the reconstruction of matter.

If he got his hands on Impure World Reincarnation now,

he'd dig up every ancestral grave in Konoha before the night was out.

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 and turned to Orochimaru and Jiraiya.

"Make your choice."

"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 jutsu 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 any ordinary summoned beast.

But its most terrifying feature was its secondary effect.

Assimilation Regeneration!

The user became one with Yamata no Orochi. As long as their Chakra held out,

even severed heads and a body pierced through by jutsu could be rebuilt in the space of a breath!

This wasn't some destructive jutsu.

It was the ultimate key to crossing the forbidden boundary of life and attaining immortality!

Orochimaru stared at the scroll, a feverish flush spreading across his pale face.

Greed blazed in his golden slit-pupiled eyes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded silently.

He wasn't surprised.

His student had never been able to resist a jutsu that pushed the limits of the body.

That left Jiraiya to choose.

He clutched his white hair, his face scrunched up in concentration.

His mind raced through the possibilities.

Flying Thunder God?

Forget it.

Those two brats, Minato and Nawaki, might be able to get there with a toss of a kunai.

But if I tried it, I'd barely get one foot in before Spatial Turbulence minced everything below my waist.

Fivefold Rashomon?

The defense is strong, but standing around taking hits isn't my style!

Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags?

Not really interested!

What should I pick?

Jiraiya gritted his teeth.

Maybe... that Multiple Shadow technique. It could help me take a beating 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 jerked his head around.

Tsunade was pointing at the scroll.

She had chosen the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

She picked the same one I did!

The chord marked "destiny" in Jiraiya's mind was plucked into a frenzy.

The indecision vanished from his face, replaced by an irrepressible blush and a goofy grin.

That's the woman I fell for!

Even choosing blindly from all these Forbidden Jutsu, she's completely in sync with me!

What is this?

Our souls are made for each other!

Jiraiya rubbed his hands together, grinned broadly, and took an eager half-step forward.

"Heh, old man, I choose Multiple Shadow—"

"He chooses Dragon Flame Song!"

Tsunade grabbed the back of Jiraiya's collar.

She yanked him so hard he nearly toppled backward.

Jiraiya's goofy grin froze on his face.

The word "Clone" stuck fast in his throat.

His expression turned decidedly strange.