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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