The Spirit Transformation Jutsu proved far more difficult to master than Yuta had anticipated.
To achieve true proficiency, a user had to completely sever their spiritual energy from their physical form, achieving a total separation of soul and body, then condense that spiritual energy into a tangible spirit capable of interacting with the physical world.
In terms of sheer complexity, it was arguably on par with mastering Sage Mode itself.
Months slipped by. While Yuta could now activate the technique and move in his spiritual form, the duration was frustratingly brief, and his capabilities in that state were severely limited.
This fell drastically short of his initial expectations and was a world away from realizing his ambitious vision of merging Sage Mode with the Spirit Transformation Jutsu.
The only piece of good news was Tsunade's progress. Her innate talent for Medical Ninjutsu was staggering, and her superb chakra control allowed her to grasp its fundamentals with astonishing speed.
Yuta rubbed his temples, releasing a long sigh. He had been so deeply engrossed in his research that his mind felt foggy and overloaded.
He couldn't continue like this. Sometimes, a change of pace was necessary. For example... a life simulation.
[Loading new identity...]
[Loading complete.]
[This life simulation character: Matsu Takame.]
Another civilian ninja. This time, however, Yuta felt no trepidation. After all, even a Konoha civilian had a chance to trigger that hidden "easter egg" and be revealed as a Senju descendant. What if his luck held once more?
[You were born in the waning days of the Second Great Ninja War.]
[Your parents were simple civilians of the Land of Fire. They died in the conflict not long after your birth, and you became an orphan of the Konoha Orphanage.]
[For you, life was bleak. Orphaned and raised in a time of war, you tasted the world's bitterness from a young age. The Konoha Orphanage offered a sliver of warmth, but that comfort was fleeting aswell.]
[The kunoichi who ran the orphanage was a gentle, kind soul, and from her, you felt a mother's love.]
[But she, too, perished on a mission during the Second Great Ninja War.]
[Your world shattered completely.]
[You clawed at the mud, consumed by self-loathing—you were convinced you were a curse, bringing misfortune to everyone you touched.]
[It was then that you encountered your future object of devotion.]
[Orochimaru found you weeping, a pitiful sight. Yet he neither mocked nor ignored you. Instead, he approached and, in a compelling voice, asked what was wrong.]
[Though he was a stranger, you poured out your entire story.]
[You expected him to walk away, but he remained. And he spoke words that would define the rest of your life:]
["There is no such thing as misfortune in this world. Only those who cannot control their own destiny blame their failures on a baseless curse. The weak cannot hope to protect what they hold dear... isn't that right?"]
Having grown accustomed to the six-year-old version of Orochimaru and seeing the cold, mature Orochimaru again felt strangely jarring to Yuta. But he had to admit, the man possessed a uniquely magnetic charisma.
A desperate war orphan would be utterly powerless against such allure. To the simulated Matsu Takame, Orochimaru must have seemed like a demonic savior appearing from the shadows.
Just as Yuta predicted, when Orochimaru extended his offer, Matsu Takame accepted without a moment's hesitation.
[Soon, Orochimaru brought you to his secret laboratory.]
[The successive deaths of Nawaki and Kato Dan had cemented his understanding of life's fragility, and he had begun conducting human experiments on captured war orphans and convicted criminals.]
[Within that base, you witnessed scenes of unimaginable bloodshed and cruelty.]
[Yet you felt no fear. Instead, with unsettling calm, you asked Orochimaru if you were destined to become one of his subjects.]
[Orochimaru, who had initially marked you as his next test subject, was intrigued by this display of preternatural composure. He decided against experimenting on you, choosing instead to train you as his personal assistant.]
'This is... hard to comment on,' Yuta thought, a wry smile touching his lips. 'So this simulation is an immersive tour of what Kabuto Yakushi's life was like?'
Shaking his head, he continued.
[Under Orochimaru's personal tutelage, you advanced with breathtaking speed, quickly acquiring all the skills of a capable shinobi. Strangely, the first advanced ninjutsu he taught you was Medical Ninjutsu.]
[You dared to hope that life might continue on this stable path, but it was not to last. Shortly after the Second Great Ninja War concluded, the Third Great Ninja War erupted.]
[As one of Konoha's legendary Sannin, Orochimaru was dispatched to command a critical front.]
[You pleaded to accompany him to the battlefield.]
[After careful consideration, Orochimaru agreed to take you with him.]
[There, you witnessed the true, grinding horror of war, and in doing so, you finally came to understand Orochimaru's philosophy at its core.]
[Life was indeed terrifyingly fragile.]
[Under Orochimaru's command, Konoha secured victory in that localized conflict. You matured rapidly, becoming his most capable and trusted subordinate.]
[You transformed into his most fervent subordinate and student, regarding his every word with near-pathological trust and unwavering faith.]
Seeing this, Yuta couldn't help but click his tongue. It wasn't surprising. Orochimaru's personal magnetism was legendary. Kabuto Yakushi, Kimimaro, the Sound Four—countless individuals had come to see him as their personal god. It was only natural that the simulated Matsu Takame would follow suit.
Still, the experience of being one of Orochimaru's subordinates felt... peculiar.
[You were certain Orochimaru was destined to become the Fourth Hokage.]
[To your shock, Minato Namikaze bested him for the title. While Orochimaru claimed indifference, you could perceive the disappointment festering within him.]
[Soon, however, you had no time to dwell on such matters.]
[Orochimaru's experiments multiplied. Even with your assistance, he was stretched to his limits.]
[And it was at this critical juncture that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, uncovered Orochimaru's network of human experimentation labs.]
[Confronted with the bloody, horrific scenes, Hiruzen's heart broke. He resolved to put a stop to it, once and for all.]
[Orochimaru's defection from Konoha became an inevitability.]
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