Training Ground Three
Hiruzen Sarutobi crouched in the bushes, cautiously paying attention to the surrounding movements.
Whoosh--!
The faint sound of a shuriken cutting through the air rang out. Hiruzen Sarutobi leaped out from his hiding spot in the bushes. A shuriken was stuck in the tree trunk. He threw the shuriken, and his hands formed seals at a speed that left afterimages.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
The shuriken multiplied into countless clones, attacking an area in front.
Steel wire?
Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed the shuriken stuck in the tree trunk moved, and several steel wires wrapped around him. Unable to dodge in time, Hiruzen Sarutobi was caught squarely.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!"
The scorching flames spat from Orochimaru's mouth traveled along the steel wires and burned Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Ah ah ah ah!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi struggled in pain in the flames and fell down.
"Hiruzen-sensei, is this fun for you?"
Orochimaru pressed her hand on the ground, leaped onto a tree trunk, and looked down at the ground below.
"You found me!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi emerged from the ground. He had thought his superb acting had fooled Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's figure disappeared from the tree trunk and reappeared beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, throwing a punch.
So fast! No, this is the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Hiruzen Sarutobi blocked Orochimaru's attack with his arm, taking the opportunity to distance himself from Orochimaru, and formed hand seals.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi manipulated the earth to form a surging river of mud.
Orochimaru condensed Earth Release Chakra on her feet to form a rock slab, surfing on the mud flow with the slab.
"Huh?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was slightly stunned at this sight, a hint of disbelief on his face. He hadn't expected Orochimaru's mastery of Chakra nature transformation to reach such a level, actually surfing on the mud flow he created.
"Then, how about this!" Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly formed hand seals, "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The mud flow rose to form a dragon head with an open mouth, spewing mud bullets like projectiles from its mouth.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals, completing them instantly. The water stream spat from her mouth formed a rotating water wall around herself, blocking the Earth Dragon Bullet's attack.
Under the protection of the water wall, Orochimaru's hands became two afterimages, forming seals at the fastest speed. Even so, the 44 seals still took some time to complete.
Who developed the Water Dragon Bullet anyway? Why does it require 44 seals?
Are they sick?!
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The water wall surged and churned, transforming into a water dragon that opened its mouth and lunged at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Oh! It's the Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the water dragon biting at him, a smile on his face, happy for Orochimaru's growth. He had been worried that Orochimaru's long-term immersion in research would cause her strength to decline.
Just as he was thinking about how to counter the Water Dragon Bullet's attack, he saw lightning coiling around the water dragon's body. He looked at Orochimaru and saw her Shadow Clone beside her, its hands flickering with lightning.
Water Release and Lightning Release, is this a Lightning Water Dragon Bullet?
If he got hit by this move, it wouldn't be good.
To maintain his dignity as a teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't let the Lightning Water Dragon Bullet hit him. He moved nimbly through the forest like a monkey, jumping around.
A moment later, the pursuing Lightning Water Dragon Bullet disappeared.
"I'm not fighting anymore, Hiruzen-sensei, you're too good at escaping!"
Orochimaru said, panting, her eyes accusing Hiruzen Sarutobi, who only knew how to run.
"Hahaha! The Lightning Water Dragon Bullet you used just now was too troublesome. It wouldn't be good if I got hit by it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily, patted Orochimaru's head, and said with a smile, "That was quite a close call just now!"
He was sure that if he were hit by the Lightning Water Dragon Bullet, he would be paralyzed by the Lightning Release's effect and unable to move. Orochimaru would then take the opportunity to trap him with the Water Prison Technique to force him to surrender.
"Close call?"
Orochimaru crossed her arms and accused, "Hiruzen-sensei, as the Hokage, is it fun to fool children?"
Are you playing with children?
Orochimaru knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength was more than that, and he had described the combat exercise as so 'close call,' as if she had almost won.
"Your application of Ninjutsu and Chakra nature transformation is very proficient. When you reach my... no, when you grow a bit more, you might even surpass me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was in a very good mood, looking forward to how much Orochimaru would grow in the future. One thing was certain: she would definitely surpass him, right?
"Oh right, Orochimaru, how far have you mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of the Flying Thunder God Technique Orochimaru had used just now.
"I can use it for travel, but I can't apply it very well in combat yet."
Orochimaru thought for a moment and said. She wasn't lying. Using it occasionally in combat was fine, but she couldn't do what Minato Namikaze did, flashing through crowds, at least not yet.
"Orochimaru, it's already amazing that you can learn the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique."
Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered that he, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Utatane Koharu had all studied the Flying Thunder God Technique. Unfortunately, no one learned it. They couldn't even form the most basic Flying Thunder God Technique formula with Chakra.
Because of this, it was already impressive that Orochimaru could use the Flying Thunder God Technique for travel, and currently, she was the only one in the Ninja World who could use it.
"Hiruzen-sensei, you can rest assured now, right? When I'm doing research, I haven't given up on training."
Orochimaru had already said that her research wouldn't affect her training, but Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe her, which led to the combat exercise in the training ground.
"Cough cough…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face flushed, and he lightly coughed, saying, "I was just worried you'd get too engrossed in your research and forget to cultivate!"
"Alright, Hiruzen-sensei, if you're done, I'm heading back."
Orochimaru turned around and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave.
The fact that she had learned the Flying Thunder God Technique was already known to Konoha's higher-ups, so there was no need to hide it. She simply used it openly for travel.
Laboratory
"Mio, next, I will attempt to remove the Caged Bird Curse Mark on your forehead. It might be a bit painful, so you'll have to endure it."
Orochimaru brought Hyuga Mio to the Laboratory. They were about to begin the experiment to remove the Caged Bird Curse Mark. If successful, it would mean she had completely mastered the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
"I understand."
Hyuga Mio nodded, suppressing her excitement. She couldn't wait to be free from the Caged Bird Curse Mark's restraints.
Orochimaru's hand rested on Hyuga Mio's forehead. The Caged Bird Curse Mark on her forehead seemed to come alive, burning away little by little, turning into ash and disappearing.
Hyuga Mio gritted her teeth, clenching her fists. Unconsciously, she activated her Byakugan, and the veins around her eyes bulged. She could feel the invisible restraint that had always bound her being undone. Her pale blue Byakugan emitted a faint glow.
"It's done."
Orochimaru withdrew her hand from Hyuga Mio's forehead.
Hyuga Mio slumped to the ground, breathing heavily, her slightly trembling hand touching her forehead as if feeling for something.
"It's a success. I've removed the Caged Bird Curse Mark."
Orochimaru extended her hand to the side, and Imu, who had been waiting for a long time, respectfully presented a scroll and a brush.
Orochimaru opened the scroll and, with swift strokes, quickly wrote down the method for removing the Caged Bird Curse Mark. At the end of the scroll, she also wrote down her improved Caged Bird Curse Mark.
The improved Caged Bird Curse Mark could not be activated by members of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family. Its purpose was to protect weaker members of the Hyuga Clan and prevent their Byakugan from being stolen.
"I suggest you memorize it, then destroy it."
Orochimaru tied the scroll with a rope and tossed it to Hyuga Mio, then added, "If the Main Family members find this scroll, you'll be in big trouble."
"Orochimaru, thank you."
Hyuga Mio looked at the scroll in her hand.
"I told you, you don't need to thank me. I'm not interested in your Hyuga Clan's Main Family and Branch Family system. I'm only interested in the Caged Bird Curse Mark."
Orochimaru waved her hand, saying that she was looking forward to learning Sealing Technique from Grandma Mito when she turned 12. Perhaps the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique could give her new inspiration and accelerate the development of the Eye Sealing Curse Mark.
Almost all curse marks are used to bind and restrict the recipient, which is very similar to Sealing Technique.
Of course, the curse marks Orochimaru developed in the original story, using Jugo's cursed power, are not the same as normal curse marks. Rather than curse marks, they are more like mediums used to absorb Natural Energy and assist the recipient in synthesizing Sage Chakra, allowing the recipient to enter a pseudo-Sage Mode by stimulating the curse mark, thereby enhancing their strength.
Jugo's cursed power is essentially Sage Mode. His body automatically absorbs Natural Energy, and once a certain amount of Natural Energy is absorbed, he uncontrollably enters a cursed state, which can also be called Sage Mode.
Orochimaru used Jugo's bodily fluids to develop the curse mark that grants power. As for what kind of bodily fluids, that remains unknown.
Pfft… What am I thinking?!
Could it be that writing too many adult novels has made me abnormal?
Orochimaru slapped her forehead, forcing herself to stop thinking about such random things.
Jugo's cursed power is good. If used well, it could create human batteries that mass-produce Sage Chakra. Sage Chakra is one of the few ways to effectively harm the Ōtsutsuki Clan, making it perfectly suited for weapon development.
But Jugo hasn't even been born yet, has he?
In front of the mirror, Hyuga Mio looked at the curse mark on her forehead, identical to the Caged Bird Curse Mark. This was the improved Caged Bird Curse Mark Orochimaru had placed on her forehead. The Main Family members could no longer force her into submission through the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
"Mio, I should send you back now."
Orochimaru looked at Hyuga Mio, who had rested enough.
"Mm."
Hyuga Mio nodded.
Orochimaru walked to Hyuga Mio's side, placed her hand on her arm, and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Konoha.
Research on the Caged Bird Curse Mark was temporarily put on hold. From now on, besides cultivation, she would dedicate all her time to cloning and genetic research, liquid invisible contact lens research, Chakra Poison research, and Kikaichu genetic experiments.
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