The Sannin were all extremely dutiful teachers.
In canon, none of the students they raised turned out to be small fry. Even the weakest, Mitarashi Anko, was still a tokubetsu jōnin.
Orochimaru didn't take Gojo Yoru out to run D-rank missions.
Instead, he used the abandoned training ground to guide Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina's training.
In the forest, Yoru and Kushina were doing a survival drill—trying to evade Orochimaru's "pursuit and kill."
To confuse Orochimaru, the two of them not only set up a large number of traps around the area, they also had Kushina create shadow clones that transformed into Yoru's appearance and ran out as bait to lure Orochimaru away.
Meanwhile, their real bodies used the Hiding Technique to conceal themselves.
But all those tricks were seen through by Orochimaru.
And then the "battle" erupted in the forest.
Unfortunately, even after they threw everything they had at him, they still couldn't do a thing to Orochimaru. He even restrained them the whole time without using a single jutsu above B-rank.
Yoru did slightly better—his powerful Body Flicker let him struggle for a while against Orochimaru.
Kushina had it worse. It was downright frustrating: she had enormous chakra, her shadow clones could each carry a Rasengan, yet she got instantly "one-shot" by a single Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique. All that power, nowhere to use it.
"Your shadow-clone tactic just now was very good. A ninja's battle is a battle of information."
"But you must remember one thing: what you know, the enemy may also know."
"Shadow Clone Technique, although invented by the Second Hokage, has long spread throughout shinobi of all nations because of its value in intelligence work. It isn't something only Konoha ninja can use."
"Before you're sure whether the opponent you're facing is the real body, never expose your own real body. And before you have confidence in a one-strike kill, don't waste unnecessary chakra on high-level jutsu—otherwise you may fall into the enemy's trap."
"Ninja are tools of assassination. Assassination is always the first choice!"
"And another thing: your coordination at the start was good, but once one of you fell into a disadvantage, you panicked. That's a battlefield taboo."
"In that situation, you should cover your teammate's retreat—not run in and make it worse."
"…"
In the post-fight review, Orochimaru pointed out Yoru and Kushina's shortcomings.
The one he called out most was Kushina.
Unlike yesterday's one-on-one, today's survival drill let them truly see the gap between themselves and a jōnin.
And it wasn't a simple gap of chakra or raw power.
In chakra terms, even without counting the Nine-Tails inside her, Kushina's own chakra was many times Orochimaru's.
In combat power, Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker and Rasengan were already strong enough.
But Orochimaru had simply used the forest terrain to limit Yoru's Body Flicker, then quietly observed their reliance on—and care for—each other, and subdued them with ease.
He hadn't used any large-area high-level ninjutsu at all. Yesterday, when he fought Yoru, he at least used Earth Flow River once.
So Yoru asked humbly, "Orochimaru-sensei, what do you think we should strengthen next?"
A transmigrator can know all the theory in the world, but it's still just theory.
Unless you can completely crush your opponent, the moment you face someone stronger, all your flaws get exposed.
Orochimaru's point today was precisely to teach him a lesson—keep him from getting arrogant.
Kushina, too, stared at Orochimaru with sparkling eyes.
Just one survival drill, and she was already completely won over by Orochimaru's strength. No wonder he was Yoru's teacher.
"Same answer as always: assassination is the first choice."
"If you want to assassinate an enemy, you must first find their real body, then silently infiltrate and get close."
"So next, you two should strengthen sensing and stealth."
Looking at Kushina's hair color, Orochimaru smiled. "The Uzumaki clan's Mind's Eye of the Kagura is among the shinobi world's highest-tier sensory techniques. If you can awaken that unique ability, even my concealment won't be able to hide from you."
"I've heard the clan head talk about it too," Kushina said with a troubled expression. "But even in Uzushio, only a few people could awaken it."
"My sensing isn't even as good as Yoru's right now. I don't think I have the potential to awaken it."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Mind's Eye of the Kagura isn't something you can draw out just by learning ordinary sensing techniques. You have to guide it out through hard training."
Kushina's eyes widened, excitement surging. "Orochimaru-sensei—do you have a way to help me awaken Mind's Eye of the Kagura?"
"We can try. At the very least, we can find out whether you have the potential."
If anyone else said that, Yoru wouldn't believe it for a second.
But if it was Orochimaru? Yoru only felt he was being modest.
In canon, Karin only had her physical healing ability during the Chūnin Exams.
But after defecting to Orochimaru, within a few years she awakened Mind's Eye of the Kagura and Adamantine Sealing Chains through training, one after another.
To say Orochimaru didn't play a role in that was impossible.
"Orochimaru-sensei, please—thank you!" Kushina immediately stood and bowed deeply.
"Sit down first," Orochimaru said, gesturing with one hand. Then he smiled at Yoru. "And you have an earth affinity. Next, learn Earth Release from me and improve your stealth."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei," Yoru nodded.
At this stage, Orochimaru hadn't developed his own "Eight Branches Technique" yet.
With Hokage as his goal, as the Third Hokage's student, he currently specialized most in the five elemental releases.
And among them, his Earth Release was practically godlike.
What he used to toy with Yoru and Kushina the entire time was Earth Substitute and earth-movement techniques, and his concealment was Hiding Like a Mole Technique.
His fundamentals were absurdly strong.
The Gojo family inheritance didn't include these earth-release "basic extension" techniques, so Yoru was genuinely interested in them.
Especially the earth-movement technique that allowed travel underground—paired with Yoru's space–time intangibility, it was the perfect match.
Even though Yoru no longer needed to keep his hands in seals to enter an intangible state—
To maintain intangibility, he still had to split his focus and control space–time chakra flowing through his body.
If he wanted to burrow underground, he still needed to maintain hand seals. One mistake and he might get stuck inside the earth.
If he could master earth-movement, he'd not only be able to infiltrate underground, he'd also gain two different tactical options depending on the situation:
1. If the enemy was numerous, or had strong strength and sensing, he could use space–time intangibility to assist his underground movement—perfectly hiding both his presence and chakra.
2. If the enemy's strength and sensing weren't strong, he could slip close quickly, then use a space–time slash for a one-hit kill.
That picture…
It would be even more disgusting than a Garen popping out of a bush.
~~~
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