Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, thuds echoed through the jungle as multiple bodies hit the ground. Whether Chunin or Jonin, everyone seemed to be reliving their earliest days as fledgling ninjas.
Orochimaru had summoned twenty shadow clones, each tasked with adjusting the weight for individual tests.
The core of chakra control is the ability to adapt to sudden changes.
For these seasoned ninjas, carrying weight itself was no challenge. The real test was reacting to rapid shifts—going from zero to hundreds of kilograms, or vice versa—in an instant. If they couldn't regulate the chakra at their feet correctly, they'd either crush the tree bark or lose balance and fall.
Since it was the first test, Orochimaru gradually increased the weight, giving them time to adjust. This approach made the results slightly more lenient than a sudden test would, but future tests would reverse that: starting at the current threshold and then slowly reducing the load to get more accurate results.
Boom!
Another fall. Asuma hit the ground awkwardly but quickly stood back up. "I'll try again."
Kurenai had already passed the same test with a weight 20 kilograms heavier. That only spurred Asuma's frustration.
"There are only three tries," Orochimaru said coldly. "Even if you succeed barely next time, a little more weight and you'll fail again. The point of this is self-awareness, not pride."
"…Understood." Asuma backed off, clearly disappointed.
Though Orochimaru had once been a disciple of Asuma's father, the Third Hokage, they weren't close. Asuma had never wanted to rely on his father's name—and didn't plan to start now. He glanced at Kurenai, determination forming in his heart.
If I stay in the village, I'll always just be the Hokage's son. But if I leave… maybe I can be something more.
---
After chakra control, Orochimaru moved on to chakra strength tests.
He used special instruments to measure raw chakra output, and also arranged controlled ninjutsu battles where similarly-ranked shinobi used newly learned techniques. The goal was to assess what most influenced ninjutsu power and casting speed—was it aptitude, control, or chakra strength?
Test after test. Hundreds of ninjas pushed to their limits.
Those present experienced firsthand the obsessive perfectionism of a scientist chasing accurate data and large sample sizes. It was… enlightening, in its own way.
---
"Everyone except the following names is dismissed," Orochimaru finally announced. "You can collect your mission rewards at the mission center."
Shua! Shua! Shua!
The wind rustled as dozens of shinobi vanished into the forest, leaving only a few behind.
"Nara Shikame. Nara Suzaku. You two are in charge of sorting this data."
Orochimaru handed them a thick stack of documents and detailed what he needed done.
"You can do it yourselves or ask someone in your clan to help. Just make sure it gets done."
The two Nara members looked overwhelmed, but their expressions brightened at Orochimaru's permission.
"Of course, Lord Orochimaru. We'll handle it."
As they left, a rare smirk crossed Orochimaru's face. If they can do this well once, they can do it again. I'll have plenty more data-crunching to pass on later.
Orochimaru was fully capable of handling the analysis himself—quickly and precisely. But his time was better spent on training and research. Reliable subordinates were a long-term investment worth making.
---
Now alone with a single person, Orochimaru turned to the silver-haired boy before him: Kakashi Hatake.
Setting standards. Reforming ninjutsu education. Creating a growth system for mid- and high-ranking shinobi. These were all valuable steps.
But Orochimaru hadn't forgotten his true goal.
Out of all the potential candidates for the Spiritualization Technique, Kakashi wasn't the one with the highest raw stats—but he had the best overall potential. And that was enough.
"You're qualified to learn the Spiritualization Technique," Orochimaru said without preamble. "Starting today, I want you to train in this S-rank jutsu."
Kakashi's expression flickered. He knew of the technique—one that let the soul leave the body, capable of traversing space, attacking directly, even invading another's spiritual world.
It was powerful.
But it didn't fit his usual combat style. Learning it would be like stepping into an entirely new discipline. From a personal perspective, it didn't seem worth it.
Yet he recalled Orochimaru's earlier lessons and guidance. Without hesitation, Kakashi nodded. "Understood. When do we begin?"
"Right now."
Orochimaru handed over a scroll containing the jutsu manual. "Don't be intimidated by the S-rank classification. You won't need to master the entire technique."
All Orochimaru needed was for Kakashi to perform one function: allow his soul to briefly leave his body, just long enough to carry a small snake through the spirit plane.
He didn't even need full spiritual control—just a few seconds of disembodiment.
Kakashi read the scroll carefully, quietly impressed. The training manual was extraordinarily well-written, breaking down every step with clarity. It was practically foolproof—like it had been made for children.
Despite the complexity of the jutsu, Kakashi grasped its essence after two careful reads and began meditating to sense his soul.
---
By the end of the day, he had already passed the first major hurdle with surprising ease.
Even Orochimaru was taken aback. Normally, this step alone took at least half a month.
"Must be the result of breathing practice," murmured a voice nearby—Djinn.
_____________________
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