A Step Closer

Uchiha Yuan quickly assessed his options.

In the eyes of the Konoha Higher-Ups who had initiated this mission, no ninja could master the Spiritualisation Technique in such a short time.

Orochimaru had judged that, with his current soul strength, even if he could not unleash the Spiritualisation Technique's full power, it would still be enough to shake Isobu's soul.

Taking those two conditions together, Uchiha Yuan was certain that the higher-up leading this Three-Tails sealing mission would never gamble the key to victory or defeat on him. That would be far too unreliable.

In other words, mastering the Spiritualisation Technique could only serve as a backup trump card; it was not part of the main plan at all.

That was also why Orochimaru had dared to promise he would bring Uchiha Yuan back alive.

Moreover, Uchiha Yuan was thinking further ahead.

After fusing with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's genes, his learning aptitude had become monstrously high. Even an S-rank technique like the Spiritualisation Technique could be mastered at an alarming speed.

If he learned the Spiritualisation Technique through this mission, he would not need to worry about exposing himself when using it in front of Hidden Leaf Village ninja in the future.

Not to mention the Forbidden Jutsu Orochimaru had promised to let him choose.

Compared with the risks of facing a tailed beast, Uchiha Yuan was more inclined to accept the mission's rewards.

In truth, Uchiha Yuan was more adventurous by nature than Kurama Shion and Hyuga Ryo.

That was why he had dared to intercept Obito during Nine-Tails Night.

"Teacher, I've made up my mind. I'm willing to accept this mission."

Orochimaru was quite pleased by his student's last-minute change of heart. In his view, obedient students were worth cultivating.

"Very well. While we are on our way to Sea Country, familiarize yourself with the contents recorded on the scroll. As for further training, I will do my best to guide you."

After telling his disciple to acquaint himself with the scroll's contents, Orochimaru left on his own.

With the invisible pressure gone, Uchiha Yuan finally let out a long breath.

He studied the scroll with convincing seriousness, but his emotions remained unsettled for a long while.

The Spiritualisation Technique Orochimaru had given him was similar to the version Old Madara had left behind, except it contained one additional secret technique related to the soul.

As expected of Teacher Orochimaru. He is always at the forefront of ninjutsu development!

Uchiha Yuan read through it as if he had found a priceless treasure.

In truth, after fusing with the Demonic Statue's genes, Uchiha Yuan had greatly underestimated his own learning ability.

Back then, he had mastered Water Style: Water Severing Wave and the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique merely by quickly reviewing the methods for practicing them in his mind.

This time, Uchiha Yuan read the scroll on the Spiritualisation Technique much more carefully.

Before long, it felt as though his body had been drained empty. A tidal wave of exhaustion swept over him, and before he realized it, Uchiha Yuan had already mastered the Spiritualisation Technique.

He felt a strange dislocation within his body, as though the lighter parts of him were floating upward.

His senses had also become extraordinarily sharp. Uchiha Yuan could clearly sense an immensely powerful, chilling chakra on the deck. It belonged to Orochimaru.

Meanwhile, in different rooms, Mitaraishi Anko's chakra was wild and violent, Hyuga Ryo's was deep and restrained, and Kurama Shion's was warm and tranquil.

This was an experience he had never possessed before.

Uchiha Yuan turned his head and saw himself sitting upright on the bed, along with a hazy body floating in midair.

Without realizing it, he had already mastered the Spiritualisation Technique.

This rapid learning ability must be an improvement brought by the Demonic Statue's genes, but isn't this a little too fast? Could it be because the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is the source of all chakra that it can produce this effect?

Uchiha Yuan considered it calmly. The various uses of the Spiritualisation Technique now seemed engraved upon his soul like bodily instinct.

As a Soul Body, Uchiha Yuan could easily analyze the chakra he sensed and even teleport to the location of that chakra.

Without exaggeration, Uchiha Yuan felt that he could effortlessly take control of his teacher Orochimaru's body without encountering any resistance at all.

This was the secret technique attached to the Spiritualisation Technique: Spiritual Possession.

After using Spiritualisation Technique: Spiritual Possession, one could easily invade another person's mental world, interrogate them for information through the soul's absolute superiority, or utterly destroy their spiritual world.

There was also Spiritualisation Technique: Soul Tremor. The Soul Body released a silent roar, triggering a resonant shock in the enemy's soul and causing nearby living creatures to lose consciousness briefly.

Uchiha Yuan had no intention of trying either of these secret techniques. He did not want to reveal that he had already mastered the Spiritualisation Technique.

Before dawn arrived, he focused on reviewing the additional secret technique in the scroll Orochimaru had given him: Reincarnation Technique: Chaotic Souls.

According to the scroll, the souls and bodies of living creatures could coexist only because of a contractual relationship. Once Contract Release Seal was used on a ninja without an external contract—

Their body and soul would briefly separate.

Reincarnation Technique: Chaotic Souls could pull those wandering souls into a soul vortex created by the caster, then shred them, completely killing the enemy on the level of the soul.

It was one of the rare area-of-effect techniques among soul secret techniques.

As he carefully reviewed the Spiritualisation Technique, Uchiha Yuan's lips curled upward.

Aside from the three secret techniques attached to the Spiritualisation Technique, he had also mastered Contract Release Seal during the learning process.

Sealing Technique was a rather fascinating field of study. Techniques such as Contract Seal, Five Elements Seal, and Evil Dissolution Seal could be undone by executing their sealing formulas in reverse.

Uchiha Yuan knew that mastering Contract Release Seal was equivalent to learning Contract Seal.

But this alone is not enough!

Uchiha Yuan had always had his eye on the half of the Yin Nine-Tails sealed within the Shinigami Mask.

However, he only knew that the related Sealing Technique, Dead Demon Consuming Seal, originated from the Uzumaki Clan, who possessed abundant life force and excelled at sealing techniques.

As for whether Dead Demon Consuming Seal could be undone by casting its formula in reverse, like Contract Seal, remained unknown.

Fortunately, the living sacrifice needed to undo Dead Demon Consuming Seal could be supplied by an inferior White Zetsu.

And after mastering the Spiritualisation Technique, Uchiha Yuan had a way to deal with Minato Namikaze's soul, which remained entangled with the Yin Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Yuan knew that all he lacked now were the formula for Dead Demon Consuming Seal and the formula to undo it.

Orochimaru, his Sealing Technique teacher, happened to know the sealing formula. As for the method of release, Uchiha Yuan had some understanding of it and could test it on the captured White Zetsu.

So he could not waste this opportunity.

After taking a short nap and eating a simple breakfast aboard the ship, Uchiha Yuan knocked on the door to Orochimaru's room.

"Oh my, Yuan-kun. What brings you to me so early?"

Orochimaru looked to be in good spirits. A research fanatic like him had likely already found a way to live without sleep or rest.

"Teacher, I've finished reading the scroll. Before formally beginning my training, I would like to learn more about Sealing Technique."

At his student's request, Orochimaru held his forehead and sighed.

His students were good in every way, but why were they all so afraid of death and so timid?

Could they all have been influenced by him?

As Orochimaru doubted himself, he beckoned Uchiha Yuan inside.

He could only sigh inwardly. What can I do? They are my students, after all.