Chapter 42: chapter 41:A Discussion About Life With Orochimaru
Chapter 41: Discussing Life with Orochimaru
Toneri's short blade danced up and down, slicing through the large snake. Its massive size actually made it too cumbersome to capture the swiftly moving Toneri.
Blood splattered everywhere.
When Toneri delivered the final blow, the snake couldn't withstand the attack and, with a "pop," vanished in the lab.
Toneri slowly sheathed his short blade, feeling he must have looked quite cool right now—like a true swordsman. However, as the chakra of the Two-Tails receded and he returned to his normal state, Toneri collapsed on the ground.
Looking cool only lasted three seconds. That was how he felt now.
But, regardless, he believed he had passed Orochimaru's test. Only with the cooperation of the Two-Tails could Toneri manage to unleash power beyond his usual level in a short span, while anyone else would likely have ended up as the snake's meal.
It was remarkable; Toneri had only been training as a shinobi for a bit over two weeks. His skills were quite impressive.
Don't underestimate this snake—its strong body could hold its ground even against most chunin. Even Naruto, when he took the chunin exams, had to use the Nine-Tails' chakra to barely fend off Orochimaru's summoned snake.
A slow clap echoed through the lab as Orochimaru applauded, breaking the silence.
"Well done, Toneri-kun."
Toneri, lying on the floor, could barely hold back tears. Auntie, you can save the praise for your precious Sasuke.
"Originally, the old man wanted me to take you as a student, and I was going to be half-hearted about it. But you've surprised me quite a bit," Orochimaru said, licking his lips, openly admiring Toneri.
Toneri, supporting himself on his knees, slowly got up. His gaze toward Orochimaru was filled with awe. Facing just an "ordinary" summon had pushed him to his limits.
It was a stark reminder of the gap in power.
Seeing Orochimaru's overwhelming strength removed any trace of fear in Toneri. The difference in power was too vast for fear; it was pointless to feel frightened when he had no power to resist.
Toneri felt he might now understand what Sasuke would feel in the future. When one pursued strength, fear could be ignored.
Orochimaru possessed that kind of allure.
"Teacher Orochimaru," Toneri said respectfully.
Orochimaru gave him a meaningful look and began rearranging the lab, cleaning up broken containers and samples.
Toneri, though exhausted, immediately joined in, helping Orochimaru organize the lab.
Initially, Orochimaru intended to stop him. Though the lab didn't contain anything too critical, not just anyone could touch these chemicals—mixing some could lead to unintended reactions or even explosions.
But soon, Orochimaru's eyes widened in surprise.
Compared to the previous astonishment of seeing Toneri as the Two-Tails' jinchuriki and his power, Orochimaru was even more shocked by what he was witnessing now.
Orochimaru could see Toneri's familiarity with the equipment; he handled it with skill, clearly someone experienced in a lab setting.
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Toneri, but Toneri pretended not to notice, counting silently in his mind.
One… two… three… turn around.
"Yes, Teacher Orochimaru?"
The look, the expression, the natural attitude… If there were an Oscar for shinobi, Toneri would definitely win!
Orochimaru took a deep look at him and then continued organizing his items.
Toneri: "???"
Something seemed off with the script. Did he grab the wrong one, or did Orochimaru?
A quiet tension grew between the newly acquainted teacher and student. In the silent lab, only the occasional clink of glass or metal could be heard.
After a long silence, Orochimaru broke it with a low, raspy voice, magnetic yet weary.
"Toneri-kun, why do you think, despite life's fragility, people still keep charging forward, knowing they're no match for their opponents?"
Toneri fell silent.
If anyone understood Orochimaru, it was Toneri. He was likely among the top few in this world who could see through Orochimaru's inner struggles.
Orochimaru lost his parents young and, during the recent Second Great Shinobi War, lost his first disciple and his close friend's younger brother.
He knew all too well the fragility of life.
After a pause, Toneri spoke slowly. "Life's fragility is undeniable. It's why so many different professions exist. In the past, there were samurai; now, there are shinobi, and even before them, there were paths for humans to pursue greater strength.
I think it's precisely because of life's fragility that we're compelled to grow stronger."
Orochimaru's question wasn't easy to answer, and understanding his mindset only made it harder to reply.
"So that's why… they seek strength?" Orochimaru's distant gaze started to sharpen.
Now, as the Cold Lord Orochimaru, famed as one of the Legendary Sannin, he was no longer the lost young man he once was.
If life is so fragile, he would make it strong—strong enough to break through the barriers of species.
"Toneri-kun, you seem to know a bit about lab work?" Orochimaru asked, no longer concealing his interest, as if he were eyeing a rare gem.
Toneri's hand froze for a moment, but he nodded honestly. "I've dabbled in it a little."
"In that case, you'll be my assistant from now on. Help me with my work, and I'll teach you ninjutsu," Orochimaru offered, licking his lips, feeling the proposal was quite fitting.
Toneri immediately nodded.
Who in their right mind would refuse? He wanted to learn from Orochimaru!
He had passed today's challenge by the skin of his teeth. The closer he got to Orochimaru, the better he would understand his changing mentality, his research projects, and prepare himself for what was to come.
Besides, wasn't Kabuto always by Orochimaru's side as his assistant and still managed to learn powerful forbidden techniques and even gained access to the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave?
In truth, Toneri was quite interested in Orochimaru's research.
"Have you tested your chakra attributes?"
"I've used chakra paper. They're fire, earth, and water."
Orochimaru took three scrolls from his robe and tossed them to Toneri. "Three elements—not bad. Here are ninjutsu scrolls for each attribute. Go study them and come back with questions. I'll answer three per day."
"You can leave now."
Tomorrow was his official start day.
With Shadow Clone Jutsu, he shouldn't be too overwhelmed.
The scrolls Orochimaru provided contained techniques for Fire Style: Flame Bullet, Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu, and Earth Style: Earth Wall—all C-rank jutsu.
Teacher, you're a bit stingy…
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Chapter 43: chapter 42: What Exactly Are You?
Chapter 42: What Exactly Are You?
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After obtaining the three C-rank jutsu scrolls, Toneri left Orochimaru's residence feeling quite satisfied.
By becoming Orochimaru's student, he now had the privilege of freely entering and exiting Orochimaru's lair. This was no small matter, given that the place was crawling with snakes. For most people, barging in uninvited would mean entering upright and leaving horizontal.
Humming a little tune, Toneri decided he didn't have the energy to wander aimlessly around Konoha while being tailed by ANBU. Instead, he "coincidentally" found his way to the Nara clan's compound.
There, under the horrified gazes of Shikaku and his father, Toneri proceeded to devour everything on the dining table like a whirlwind.
Ever since Toneri started staying with the Nara family, his standing in the household had skyrocketed. His cheerful and charming demeanor quickly won over Yoshino Nara, Shikamaru's mother.
This, however, spelled disaster for Shikaku and his father. Dinner was no longer a simple, peaceful affair; it was now a full-blown battle. A battle they consistently lost.
Normally, as the elder, Shikaku's father wouldn't stoop to competing with a child over food. But…
When even the soup was gone, leaving them nothing but empty bowls, exceptions had to be made.
Feeling utterly satisfied, Toneri returned to his room and laid the three jutsu scrolls on the table, unrolling them one by one.
Despite having been in the ninja world for over two weeks now, Toneri still hadn't learned any offensive jutsu.
Although Danzo had given him the Shadow Clone Jutsu (a B-rank technique), it was more of a utility skill than something useful in combat.
In this world, people held jutsu in incredibly high regard—far more so than Toneri had initially expected. It was no exaggeration to say that most clans hoarded their jutsu as precious treasures.
The most coveted, of course, were the secret techniques unique to each clan. The Nara's Shadow Imitation Jutsu, the Yamanaka's Mind Transfer Jutsu, and the Akimichi's Multi-Size Jutsu were all examples of this. For an outsider to attempt to learn these would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
Even basic jutsu weren't given away lightly.
The ninja academy, for instance, focused exclusively on the Three Basic Jutsu (Transformation, Substitution, and Clone Jutsu) over its entire six-year curriculum. Unless a student was exceptionally talented or had a close relationship with their teacher, they wouldn't be taught anything extra.
But the most common way to learn new jutsu was through a master-apprentice relationship. Teachers passing down techniques to their students was the norm. This built bonds and strengthened loyalty.
This was also why Toneri had quickly come to terms with being Orochimaru's student. With someone of Orochimaru's caliber as a teacher, he now had access to a vast array of techniques and resources.
Say what you will about Orochimaru's eccentricities, but he was undeniably a dedicated teacher.
Now back in his room, Toneri unsealed the scrolls to inspect them.
The three jutsu Orochimaru had given him were:
Fire Style: Flame Bullet – A powerful offensive jutsu.
Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu – A versatile control technique.
Earth Style: Earth Wall – A defensive jutsu.
This wasn't some random selection. Orochimaru had clearly chosen these techniques to complement Toneri's chakra nature and fighting potential.
With a Shadow Clone absorbing the contents of the scrolls, Toneri crawled onto his bed. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.
Meanwhile, back at Orochimaru's hideout, the Sannin was preparing for a new experiment.
The recently concluded Second Shinobi World War had left him deeply disillusioned. He couldn't stand Jiraiya's naïve belief in the so-called "Child of Prophecy" or the destiny nonsense spouted by the Great Toad Sage.
Orochimaru believed in one thing: control. Rather than leaving anything to fate, one had to seize power and carve their own path.
However, his musings were interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps.
"Next time you barge into my domain uninvited," Orochimaru's raspy, emotionless voice echoed through the corridor, "you and your men won't be leaving alive."
Emerging from the shadows was Shimura Danzo, flanked by two ROOT operatives.
"Orochimaru," Danzo said calmly, unfazed by the threat. "At this stage, I am the only one in Konoha who truly understands your potential. Sarutobi Hiruzen is too timid to fully support you. Work with me, and I can give you the freedom to pursue your research without restrictions."
Orochimaru remained silent. His gaze, cold and unyielding, bore into Danzo. Suddenly, the figure standing before the experimental table began to "melt."
"Watch out!" one of the ROOT operatives barked.
Dozens of snakes erupted from the ground, slamming the two operatives against the walls with a loud crash.
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru slithered over to Danzo, his golden, snake-like eyes locking onto the elder shinobi.
"Help me?" Orochimaru's voice dripped with mockery. "And just what are you?"
Danzo didn't flinch. Instead, he calmly retrieved a scroll from his robes.
"Take a look at this," he said, handing it over.
A small snake slithered from Orochimaru's sleeve, retrieved the scroll, and brought it back to him.
Upon unsealing it, Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply. For a moment, even his cold, calculating demeanor faltered, replaced by a glint of unrestrained greed.
Licking his lips, his serpentine tongue flicked out, longer than usual.
"Interesting…"
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