Chapter 76: Limits

The Third Hokage's expression turned slightly more serious.

Although they wouldn't be punished for what they had done, there was no way he could praise them either. If he did, they might pull something even more reckless in the future. As Hokage, it was his responsibility to fully understand the situation.

Hearing Hiruzen's question, Orochimaru responded calmly, "There wasn't any grand reason. I just wanted to test our limits."

"Limits?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled. "Haha, I see. So, how was your test?"

"The opponents were too weak to push us to our limits," Orochimaru replied matter-of-factly, without a hint of arrogance just pure truth.

Indeed, among this generation of Genin, apart from Hatake Sakumo, no one was truly on the level to be considered a threat to Orochimaru and his team. Not Inuzuka's squad, nor the Nara clan's. Even the members of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans weren't enough to challenge them.

This wasn't pride speaking just cold, hard facts.

Maybe Orochimaru could face the Uchiha and Hyuga combined without even needing the Sharingan. At most, it would be troublesome, but the gap in chakra, strength, speed, and overall ability was too wide. Even with their special abilities, they wouldn't be able to make up for it.

After all, not every Genin from a prestigious clan could become one of Konoha's elite shinobi.

"The opponents were too weak, huh?" Hiruzen mused, intrigued by Orochimaru's straightforward answer. "Haha, for you, that's probably true. There aren't many Genin in this exam who could truly challenge you. But on that note, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Orochimaru, with your current chakra reserves, are you really able to summon a creature of that size?"

"Yes, sensei," Orochimaru confirmed, his voice calm and confident.

"But as far as I remember, you've mainly focused on physical training…" Hiruzen started, trailing off as he tried to piece things together.

"I'm aware of that, sensei," Orochimaru acknowledged.

Before the Third Hokage could probe further, Jiraiya ever the talkative one interjected eagerly. "Teacher! I know the answer!" he said, clearly excited to chime in.

When Orochimaru revealed the serum to Jiraiya and Tsunade, he knew exactly what he was doing.

The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You know? Then tell me."

"This guy," Jiraiya began, pointing at Orochimaru, "has been conducting some sort of experiment. It's similar to the super recovery potion he developed before, but this one's designed to increase the amount of chakra! But it's still in the experimental phase. Don't you think it's unfair, teacher? I work so hard, and here he is, messing with experiments"

The Third Hokage allowed Jiraiya to ramble, giving him permission to speak freely, while Orochimaru and Tsunade stood quietly by. They didn't feel the need to interrupt; after all, Jiraiya often enjoyed the sound of his own voice. As he continued, the more animated he became, until he started bragging about his own bravery in the Chunin Exams.

However, Hiruzen barely registered anything Jiraiya said after hearing the words "increase the amount of chakra."

Increase chakra? Was that even possible?

A ninja's chakra capacity was typically determined by their training, physique, and innate abilities. Could Orochimaru have found a way to artificially enhance it? He had to be secretly practicing something on his own, right?

But Orochimaru and Tsunade didn't seem the type to lie, and neither was Jiraiya, even if he was a bit of a loudmouth. This could be real.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen made up his mind.

"Tsunade, Jiraiya, you two may leave for now."

"What?" Jiraiya froze, clearly caught off guard by the sudden dismissal. "But sensei, I haven't finished talking yet…"

"Idiot! If the Hokage tells you to leave, then leave. Why are you still babbling?" Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya by the collar and dragged him out of the room, her expression full of disdain.

Clearly, she understood that the Third Hokage wanted to speak privately with Orochimaru. How could Jiraiya be so dense at such a crucial moment?

As the door closed behind them, Hiruzen turned his attention fully back to Orochimaru. Over the years, this disciple had surprised him time and time again. Recently, the shocks had only increased. First, Orochimaru developed a powerful recovery potion. Then, he dominated the Chunin Exams, single-handedly defeating more than fifty teams. And now, he was conducting experiments to increase chakra reserves?

Was this boy really only ten years old?

"Orochimaru," Hiruzen asked, his voice low and careful, "is what Jiraiya said true?"

"Yes, sensei," Orochimaru replied without hesitation. "But the project is still in its experimental stages."

Hiruzen felt a surge of astonishment. Orochimaru had no reason to lie to him, and yet… increasing chakra reserves? Even in an experimental phase, it was an incredible feat.

Orochimaru, for his part, saw nothing remarkable about it. After all, he was using Konoha's resources for his research, so it was only natural for him to contribute something back in return. It was a fair trade. However, since his recovery potion had only been completed six months ago, he didn't plan on revealing this "new experiment" soon.

For now, he would simply mention that it was experimental. After all, he was the sole person running the tests. The progress of the experiment was entirely up to him.

Hearing Orochimaru's straightforward answer, Hiruzen couldn't help but be amazed. His disciple had no reason to lie, but the sheer scope of what he was attempting was mind-boggling.

Was Orochimaru some kind of monster?

Under normal circumstances, a ten-year-old ninja unless they possessed a special physique would struggle to release even a few C-rank jutsu. Even Jiraiya and Tsunade, despite their talent, had chakra reserves far exceeding those of their peers, but even then, they had to undergo intense training to summon their creatures.

Yet here was Orochimaru, casually summoning massive snakes without any special training to increase his chakra reserves.

Could he really be telling the truth?

"It's incredible, even if it's still in the experimental phase," Hiruzen said, finally managing to suppress his surprise. "But… are you using your own body as a test subject?"

Hiruzen was quick to grasp the key issue. If the project was still in the experimental stage, then Orochimaru must have been using himself as the guinea pig to test the effects. That idea didn't sit well with him. After all, Orochimaru was his most gifted disciple. What if the experiment went wrong and harmed him?

"I didn't have any suitable test subjects," Orochimaru replied calmly, stating the truth.

In reality, with the help of his system, he didn't need any other test subjects. But it was true that most of his research was human-focused. The recovery potion could be tested on injured animals, but when it came to altering physique or chakra, animals could only provide limited feedback. The real results would only come from human trials.

So, technically, Orochimaru wasn't lying.

However, Hiruzen's concern deepened. His disciple was extraordinarily talented, but what if these experiments damaged his body?

"You're being reckless, Orochimaru!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone grew sharp. "Do you understand what could happen if this drug has side effects?"