In an underground chamber.
Danzo, holding a report, his eyes gleaming with excitement, asked eagerly, "Is this intelligence reliable?"
Orochimaru replied, "This came from my spy within the Akatsuki. It should be trustworthy."
"'Kimyaro no Jutsu'!" Danzo's gaze darkened as he muttered, "So Hiruko used this technique to fuse Bloodline Limits."
"Truly impressive!" Orochimaru remarked.
Back in their ninja academy days, the unremarkable Hiruko had always tried to join Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade's circle. Orochimaru still remembered the envy in Hiruko's eyes when he looked at him.
Who would've thought that the overlooked nobody from back then would develop a terrifying forbidden technique capable of fusing Bloodline Limits, propelling him to the pinnacle of the shinobi world?
No doubt about it.
After completing the ritual, Hiruko's high-profile actions had drawn the attention of various powers in the shinobi world.
Fusing Bloodline Limits was a dream for any shinobi, a temptation even the five great shinobi villages couldn't ignore.
Danzo, obsessed with power and authority, and Orochimaru, dedicated to achieving immortality and exploring the unknown, were no exceptions.
Orochimaru's source was, of course, Kabuto Yakushi, operating as a double agent under Sasori.
However, Sasori's arrogance meant Kabuto could only glean limited information. Orochimaru only knew that Hiruko had used a forbidden technique called 'Kimyaro no Jutsu' to absorb and fuse five Bloodline Limits, including the Sharingan.
Danzo's eyes flickered. "No more detailed intelligence on 'Kimyaro no Jutsu'?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "My contact can't get close to Hiruko."
"Find a way to reach him. Let him name his price!" Danzo decided firmly, then added, "You were classmates, right? If you approach him personally, he'd likely agree."
"Who knows?" Orochimaru smiled.
As a fellow researcher, he was reluctant to get involved personally. Plus, having defected from the Akatsuki and now being hunted by them, he wouldn't have considered this if 'Kimyaro no Jutsu' wasn't so enticing.
Danzo's face darkened. "If he refuses, we'll capture him and interrogate the 'Kimyaro no Jutsu' out of him!"
…
Days passed.
Shinji ignored the ongoing ninja village alliance in the village, focusing entirely on fusing the First Hokage's cells and pursuing the Rinnegan.
Occasionally, he visited the hideout to teach Ryuzetsu and Chino medical ninjutsu and check their progress with the 'Twelve Palaces.'
One day, Shinji returned to the hideout.
After finishing a medical ninjutsu lesson, he gathered some small animals from the forest, inflicted various wounds on them, and tested Ryuzetsu and Chino's medical ninjutsu skills.
At the operating table, the two began treating the animals.
They diagnosed the wounds' locations and types, applied the 'Mystical Palm Technique,' and then bandaged them.
The entire process was methodical, flawless.
Shinji nodded. "Well done. You've both mastered basic medical ninjutsu. You can be considered medical shinobi now."
"Really?" Ryuzetsu and Chino exclaimed, thrilled.
"Mm."
Shinji nodded.
Even in the Hidden Leaf, most medical shinobi only reached this level, let alone in smaller villages.
"Come with me."
With that, Shinji headed outside the hideout.
The two exchanged puzzled glances but hurriedly followed.
In the forest outside, Shinji said, "Next, I'll test your taijutsu progress."
The two grew excited.
They usually sparred with each other, and Shinji rarely joined in. The chance to spar with him was thrilling.
"Don't hold back. Attack me with everything you've got!"
Shinji beckoned as he spoke.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Ryuzetsu and Chino attacked from both sides!
Living and training together, their coordination was seamless. A single glance conveyed their intentions, their attacks coming in relentless waves like a storm.
In an instant, the three figures, moving like phantoms, clashed in the forest.
Shinji initially only intended to test their skills, but the more he fought, the more surprised he became.
In speed and strength, Ryuzetsu and Chino, enhanced by 'Blue Higanbana No. 1' and trained in the 'Twelve Palaces,' were now on par with Yakumo. They only lacked combat experience and fine control.
But as a perfectly coordinated duo, their combined taijutsu pressure surpassed Yakumo's.
As the fight intensified, Shinji grew serious.
This intense taijutsu battle set his body ablaze, accelerating the fusion of his Yin Release and Yang Release chakras.
Noticing this, he was elated and shouted to Ryuzetsu and Chino, "Is this all you've got? It's not enough—far from it!"
The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with determination.
Ryuzetsu, raised in the turbulent Hidden Grass Village, and Chino, who had lived under others' roofs, knew they had to prove their worth to gain Shinji's attention.
In an instant, Ryuzetsu activated her Bloodline Limit, 'Ryumei,' her Yang Release chakra surging, boosting her speed and strength.
Whoosh!
Her figure blurred into a straight line, charging at Shinji with a piercing whistle.
Chino, unwilling to be outdone, unleashed her chakra to assist Ryuzetsu in a pincer attack. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes suddenly turned blood-red.
No one expected that, at this moment, Chino would silently awaken her Blood Pool clan's Bloodline Limit, the 'Ketsuryugan.'
With the Ketsuryugan awakened, she could manipulate her blood, accelerating its flow and pushing her stamina to its peak. Whoosh! Her figure also blurred into a line, catching up to Ryuzetsu.
"Well done!"
Seeing the two figures charging with fierce momentum, Shinji, far from alarmed, laughed and met them head-on.