After providing Ren Uchiha with a few brief instructions, Orochimaru was swiftly summoned away by Anbu agents sent by the Third Hokage.
The entire process was so smooth it felt pre-planned. In fact, without a pre-existing contingency, Orochimaru couldn't have made such comprehensive arrangements in the short time it took to scribe a single scroll.
Ren realized that since the Uchiha's request to reinforce the Valley of Hell was being channeled through Konoha via Orochimaru's mediation, the Sannin had likely prepared this strategic move long ago. Perhaps he had already mapped out Konoha's four-front war strategy the moment he returned to active duty.
I'm really learning the ropes of high-level manipulation, Ren thought, scratching his head.
Just as he was leaving, Orochimaru turned back, his golden snake pupils narrowing. He pulled a book from the shelf near the door and tossed it to Ren.
"Stay here and wait. No matter what you see, it's best not to run around. Just read."
"?" Ren blinked, confused. He looked down at the cover.
"Introduction to Genetic Engineering"
Ren nearly dropped it as if it were a white-hot coal. Is this really something an Uchiha who only knows how to fight should be reading?
By the time he looked up, Orochimaru's back had already vanished into the night.
The laboratory was situated in a relatively formal area of the village, with a massive tree standing guard outside. The night wind howled, swirling fallen green leaves into the air. Despite it being only April, the air felt strangely heavy and humid, creating an underlying sense of restlessness.
Ren gazed at the thick, moon-obscuring clouds and felt a premonition of a coming storm.
Regardless, he had done what he could. If the higher-ups refused to let him leave, he would have to break out of Konoha by force to save Setsuna Uchiha. With his current skill set—his illusion weakness patched, his combat instincts sharpened, and his sheer speed—as long as Minato wasn't the one sent to stop him, he felt confident. Even Orochimaru would find him a difficult target to pin down now.
With nothing but time on his hands, Ren sat cross-legged in the lab and opened the one scroll he could actually understand: Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo (Wild Lion's Mane).
The principle involved manipulating hair—using Earth-style-like hardening and medical-style cellular regeneration. It was essentially a hybrid technique. What made it a high-end secret art was that the "material" was the user's own body. Shinobi hair has its own chakra pathway system.
Ren recalled Jiraiya's mastery of this. The technique activates the hair follicles, allowing for rapid growth and hardening that can withstand incredible force. Unlike the Eight Inner Gates, which strain the internal organs, hair can be reinforced beyond the body's normal limits without causing self-damage.
It offered high attack power, extreme hardness, and low chakra consumption, all while being able to regenerate constantly. Only extreme heat or Gentle Fist point-sealing could truly counter it.
It's like a constant, regenerating suit of armor, Ren mused. If pushed to its ultimate form, it would be Kaguya Otsutsuki's Rabbit Hair Needle—a jutsu that could pierce even Susanoo.
Fortunately, the basics were easy for Ren to grasp. He formed the Ram sign, channeling chakra into his hair, visualizing the hardening and growth steps from his experience with Earth Spear and the Earth Grudge Fear threads.
Soon, a line appeared before his eyes:
[You have mastered: Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo (B-Rank, Entry Level. Can be fused with Sage Art for evolution).]
"Well... looks like I've accidentally become 'tankier' again."
Ren opened his eyes and looked in a mirror. He manipulated his hair to swirl into a "lazy" style on top of his head. He imagined himself stepping onto a battlefield with black hair wildly dancing like a Demon Lord. Cool and edgy.
He was about to sit back down to grind proficiency when—
BOOM!
CRACK!
A massive shockwave accompanied by a deafening roar shattered the laboratory windows! Ren looked toward the east. A terrifying silhouette of a fox with nine wildly lashing tails loomed over the village!
"That direction... Training Ground Three? Did Kushina go berserk?!"
Ren's pupils shrank. "This is... the plot of the Minato Gaiden, but the timing is wrong! Why now?! And this scale is way beyond the original story!"
Holy crap, the Fourth is in danger!
Ren realized two things instantly. First, the timing was off—the original incident happened during the day. Second, after Ren's own semi-transformation caused millions in damages, Konoha shouldn't have been so lax with Kushina's security. Yet she had broken free.
In the Minato Gaiden, she only manifested up to eight tails. But now? That looked like a full Nine-Tails manifestation!
In the original story, Minato almost died against the eight-tailed form. Against a full manifestation? He'd be swatted like a fly. And if Minato dies now, before he and Kushina have had a chance to conceive Naruto...
If Naruto is never born, where am I going to find another Savior for the world?
Panicked, Ren leapt to his feet, shoved his scroll into his bag, and sprinted for the door.
However, two figures in Anbu gear suddenly dropped in front of the lab. They raised their hands, blocking his path.
"Lord Shura!" one said, sounding troubled. "Please stop! Lord Orochimaru gave strict orders for you to stay here and read!"
Ren skidded to a halt, frowning at the two Root ninjas in patterned masks. A strange sense of familiarity washed over him. I've seen these two somewhere before...
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