REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!Chapter 36: A Combo More Disgusting Than Garen
The Legendary Sannin were all extremely dedicated teachers.
In the original series, every disciple they trained was exceptional. Even the weakest, Anko Mitarashi, became a tokubetsu jonin.
Orochimaru didn't take Yoru to execute D-rank missions.
Instead, at the abandoned training ground, he guided Yoru and Kushina Uzumaki's training.
Within the forest, Yoru and Kushina were conducting survival exercises, evading Orochimaru's pursuit.
To confuse Orochimaru, Yoru and Kushina not only set numerous traps throughout the area but also had Kushina create shadow clones disguised as Yoru to lure Orochimaru out.
Their real bodies hid using concealment techniques.
Yet Orochimaru saw through all these tricks.
Then battle erupted throughout the forest.
Unfortunately, despite exhausting their methods, they couldn't affect Orochimaru at all. He didn't even use B-rank or higher techniques throughout, easily subduing both Yoru and Kushina.
Yoru fared somewhat better. His powerful Body Flicker let him struggle for some time in Orochimaru's hands.
Kushina felt rather frustrated. Despite her massive chakra reserves and shadow clones all wielding Rasengan, she got instantly defeated by Orochimaru's single Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique—power with nowhere to apply.
"Your shadow clone tactics just now were quite good. Shinobi battles are battles of intelligence."
"However, you must remember one point: what you know, enemies also know."
"Though the Shadow Clone Technique was invented by the Second Hokage, its exceptional espionage capabilities mean it's already spread to all nations' shinobi. It's not exclusive to Konoha ninja."
"Before confirming whether enemies are real bodies, never expose your own real body. Without certainty of one-hit kills, don't waste unnecessary chakra using advanced techniques. Otherwise you'll likely fall into enemy schemes."
"Shinobi are assassination tools. Assassination should always be the first choice!"
"Also, your initial coordination was quite good. However, once one of you fell into disadvantage, you panicked—a major battlefield taboo."
"At such times, you should cover teammates' retreat rather than adding to the chaos."
"..."
During post-battle review, Orochimaru pointed out Yoru and Kushina's deficiencies.
The person receiving the most corrections was Kushina.
Unlike yesterday's one-on-one, today's survival exercise showed Yoru and Kushina the gap between themselves and a jonin.
Not a gap in chakra or combat power!
Regarding chakra, Kushina's personal reserves—not counting the Nine-Tails inside—were many times Orochimaru's.
In combat power, Yoru's Phantom Body Flicker and Rasengan possessed sufficient strength.
Yet Orochimaru merely exploited the forest terrain to restrict Yoru's Body Flicker, then through covert observation identified their mutual dependence and care, easily subduing them.
He hadn't used a single wide-area advanced technique throughout. Yesterday when fighting Yoru, he'd at least used Earth Flow River once.
Thus Yoru humbly requested guidance: "Orochimaru-sensei, which aspect should we strengthen next?"
A transmigrator's knowledge, no matter how extensive, remained theoretical.
Without overwhelming strength superiority, facing stronger enemies would expose all deficiencies.
Orochimaru wanted precisely this lesson today—to guard against arrogance.
Kushina's eyes now shone brightly watching Orochimaru.
Just one survival exercise had made Kushina admire Orochimaru's strength. No wonder he was Yoru's teacher.
"As I said: assassination should always be the first choice."
"To assassinate enemies, you must first locate their real bodies, then infiltrate silently."
"You should strengthen sensory abilities and infiltration techniques next."
Looking at Kushina's hair color, Orochimaru smiled: "The Uzumaki clan's Mind's Eye of Kagura is a sensory technique at the shinobi world's pinnacle. If you awaken this unique ability, even my concealment capabilities would have nowhere to hide before you."
"I've heard the clan leader mention this." Kushina's expression turned troubled. "However, even in Uzushiogakure, only a few could awaken this ability."
"My current sensory abilities aren't even as good as Yoru's. I don't feel I have potential to awaken it."
Orochimaru chuckled softly: "Mind's Eye of Kagura can't be triggered just by learning ordinary sensory techniques. It requires rigorous training."
Kushina's eyes widened, looking at Orochimaru with excitement: "Orochimaru-sensei, do you have methods to help me awaken Mind's Eye of Kagura?"
"We can attempt it. At minimum, we'll discover whether you possess this potential."
If anyone else said this, Yoru absolutely wouldn't believe them.
But if Orochimaru said it? Yoru only felt he was being too modest.
In the original series, Karin only possessed body healing during the Chunin Exams.
But after joining Orochimaru and training for just a few years, she successively awakened both Mind's Eye of Kagura and Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Claiming Orochimaru hadn't helped was impossible.
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei!" Kushina immediately stood and bowed deeply to Orochimaru.
"Sit first."
Orochimaru gestured, then looked at Yoru with a smile: "You also possess Earth affinity. Learn Earth Release from me next to improve your infiltration abilities."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei." Yoru nodded.
Current Orochimaru hadn't yet developed his Orochimaru Style.
With the Hokage as his goal, as the Third Hokage's disciple, his greatest expertise lay in elemental techniques.
Among them, Earth Release ninjutsu usage approached divine mastery.
He'd toyed with Yoru and Kushina entirely using Earth Substitution and Earth Body Flicker, with Earth Concealment for hiding.
His fundamentals were absurdly strong!
The Gojo family inheritance lacked these Earth Release basic extensions. Yoru was quite interested in such fundamental Earth techniques.
Especially Earth Body Flicker—which allowed underground movement—perfectly complemented Yoru's Space-Time intangibility.
Though Yoru no longer needed to maintain continuous hand seals to keep his body intangible...
To maintain intangibility, he still needed to concentrate on controlling Space-Time chakra flowing through his body.
If moving underground, Yoru would still need to maintain hand seal posture. Otherwise, any mistake might leave him stuck inside the earth.
If he learned Earth Body Flicker, he could not only infiltrate underground but also choose between two different approaches depending on circumstances.
First: when facing numerous enemies or enemies with powerful strength and sensory abilities, Yoru could use Space-Time intangibility supplementing Earth Body Flicker, perfectly concealing both his presence and chakra.
Second: when enemies lacked strength and sensory abilities, Yoru could rapidly infiltrate, then execute Space-Time Slash for one-hit kills.
That image would be more disgusting than Garen emerging from bushes!
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