Chapter 29: Elevated Status—Yin Seal Training Method
"Why would Lady Mito pay attention to him? Do Satsu and Mio have connections to the Senju clan? Or perhaps their ancestors were wandering Uzumaki or Senju?"
Orochimaru's questions came rapid-fire, a trace of tension and worry appearing in his brow.
After all, Yoru was the disciple he'd chosen at first sight—his greatest future support in becoming Hokage.
If he didn't truly favor him that much, Orochimaru wouldn't have unconditionally gifted Yoru that extremely precious nature transformation scroll containing understanding of both Yin and Yang Release.
He certainly wouldn't have tacitly accepted Yoru's form of address.
He absolutely didn't want this excellent prospect stolen away at the last moment.
Jiraiya stroked his chin with sudden realization: "No wonder that kid's already so tall at this age. If he's related to the Senju and Uzumaki clans, that would explain it."
"He has no connection to the Senju or Uzumaki clans—at least not openly." Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Orochimaru a reassuring pill, puffing on his pipe. "You've both become independent jonin now. During your missions over the years, you should know about tailed beasts and the great villages' jinchuriki, right?"
"Yes."
Orochimaru nodded instinctively, then seemed to realize something. His expression suddenly shifted dramatically, eyes filled with shock as he looked at Hiruzen and pointed at the ceiling like him: "Don't tell me..."
Hiruzen's expression turned grave as he nodded: "Lady Mito can't hold on much longer."
"Sarutobi-sensei, are you planning to transfer the Nine-Tails into Satsu and Mio's child?" Jiraiya suddenly asked mood-killingly.
"..."
Both Orochimaru and Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya speechlessly.
Ignoring the idiot, Orochimaru continued: "If I remember correctly, a Land of Whirlpools survivor is staying at Tsunade's house. She's the next one?"
After Hiruzen nodded, Orochimaru—having vaguely guessed the truth—asked knowingly: "What's her relationship with Satsu and Mio's child?"
"Deskmates. People who mutually saved and treasure each other." Hiruzen didn't hide it. "This morning, she brought the Uzumaki clan's Sealing Scroll to the Gojo household. Lady Mito didn't stop her."
"I understand." Orochimaru nodded, secretly delighted.
So that's why he's receiving such attention. What an unexpected blessing!
At this moment, Yoru's status in Orochimaru's heart rose even higher.
Jiraiya's eyes filled with envy, gnashing his teeth: "Such a scheming brat! If I'm counting right, they've known each other less than a year, right? In such a short time, he already tricked the Uzumaki clan's Sealing Scroll into his hands. Where are these love-struck girls? Why have I never encountered any? Damn it, this cursed face-based world—just perish already!"
Still ignoring the impotently raging Jiraiya, Orochimaru asked: "Sarutobi-sensei, you called us here tonight because you want us to train Satsu and Mio's child?"
"Correct. I originally planned to select one of you. Seems that's unnecessary now." Hiruzen smiled at Orochimaru. "Since he's the disciple you chose, you can train him."
"My pleasure." Orochimaru immediately smiled. This suited him perfectly.
With Hiruzen Sarutobi's guarantee, he no longer feared anyone stealing his prospect midway.
He just hadn't expected the Uzumaki survivor staying at Tsunade's house would happen to be in Yoru's class, and that Yoru would capture her heart and gain eligibility to learn Uzumaki sealing techniques.
Truly a remarkable fellow!
Looks like he'd also need to prepare an especially valuable gift for this future disciple.
...
Yoru had no idea the master-disciple trio of Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently discussing him.
Right now, he was researching the Yin Seal in the basement.
He hadn't dared keep the enormous scroll, only copying several sealing techniques—the Yin Seal among them.
Reading the Yin Seal's annotations, Yoru grew increasingly amazed, thinking internally: "This isn't even a sealing technique—it's practically a castrated miniature version of Yin-Yang Release."
The Yin Seal was a very special technique.
It was a sealing technique, yet classified under medical ninjutsu. It compressed and stored chakra in the forehead, involving Yin Release related to the spiritual realm.
The effect of maintaining youthful appearance related to Yang Release.
Considering this technique was an S-rank secret art of the Uzumaki clan, Yoru strongly suspected it was a product of the Ninja Sect's Yin-Yang Release.
Especially since Tsunade used it as the core to develop the "Strength of a Hundred Technique" and "Creation Rebirth"—that had even more Yin-Yang Release flavor.
Mastering this technique required not only sealing technique talent but also powerful chakra control plus certain understanding of body and spirit—meaning medical knowledge, or comprehension of Yin and Yang Release. None could be lacking.
This was the training difficulty of S-rank secret arts.
Fortunately, Yoru met this technique's training requirements.
And the Yin Seal's training method was written clearly in the annotations. Uzumaki clan predecessors had summarized all their experience.
The first step: condense a diamond mark on the forehead.
How to condense it? Sealing!
This step was the talent threshold.
Chakra flowed constantly. The Yin Seal required intercepting a thread of chakra from the meridians and forming a seal at a body location where both Yang Release chakra and Yin Release chakra inevitably passed, letting this seal continue intercepting threads of chakra flowing through the meridians.
This independent chakra not only fine-tuned overall chakra and improved bodily functions, keeping the body constantly at peak condition...
When needed, one could also unseal this mark, releasing massive chakra to boost combat power.
Even without completing the Yin Seal yet, Yoru felt one hundred percent certain:
The Yin Seal could store Space-Time chakra.
So-called storage scrolls operated on precisely these two principles.
Sealing and Space-Time were a perfect match.
What Yoru currently couldn't determine was whether, after sealing that portion of Space-Time chakra, those "evolved" cells would continue secreting Space-Time power.
If the value locked after sealing, the plan to use the Yin Seal to increase Space-Time chakra capacity would fail.
But if sealing some Space-Time chakra made the cells register it as "consumed" and continue secreting Space-Time power, then this technique would become a divine art at pure-blooded Otsutsuki level for Yoru.
He wouldn't need to wait for those sudden-death-like evolution events to break the Space-Time chakra capacity limit.
Though this required daily accumulation, this trump card would be enough to turn the tables at critical moments.
Thinking this, Yoru wished he could start attempting immediately.
Unfortunately, the Yin Seal wasn't something learnable overnight. It required considerable time investment.
Even testing the cells needed certain time—at least forming one seal.
Speaking of seals, Yoru had actually generated a wildly imaginative idea.
As for what idea... that remained unknown for now.
*****
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