Chapter 91 : Innate Ninja

"I can't see through it, why can't my eyes penetrate that kid's body? There's only a blurred light in my vision," thought the middle-aged man, standing tall with his hands behind his back, silently gazing at the snow-white wall before him.

He could catch a glimpse of the figure of Orochimaru, who was following Hyuga Masaru from a hundred meters away, yet he couldn't discern Orochimaru's meridian and chakra flow.

It's not that they were absent, rather the power of Byakugan was obstructed or absorbed.

Unbeknownst to him, Orochimaru seemed to flash a concealed and playful smile in his direction, causing a flicker of surprise to cross the face of Hyuga clan leader Hyuga Hisashi.

"Have he discovered it? It shouldn't be..."

"Patriarch, should we approach and apprehend him directly? He's able to shield your detection. There's something peculiar about this kid. We must extract the truth from him!"

"No, this Orochimaru is the Hokage's disciple's disciple after all. We must avoid undue attention."

The two clan members trailing Hyuga clan leader suggested, yet he merely waved his hand. Soon after, a stronger surge of chakra emanated, making his pale eyes shine even brighter.

"Heh, it appears that the one observing me possesses considerable power. This is truly perplexing. Why would anyone be spying on me?" Orochimaru said wryly. Feedback from his Horcrux cloak informed him that the other party remained persistent, but how could one see through a lead box?

"Aren't we there yet? Somehow, this potted plant looks familiar," Orochimaru mused aloud. Before him, Hyuga Masaru froze and mustered an awkward smile. They soon arrived at an open courtyard.

"Clan... Clan Chief, how may I assist you?" Hyuga Masaru inquired, glancing up and spotting Hyuga Hisashi, who was waiting there. He was of Senju Hashirama's generation and commanded the formidable Hyuga family.

"Retrieve the medical records scroll."

With a wave of his hand, Hyuga Hisashi issued the order, and Hyuga Masaru left the scene with discretion. Meanwhile, the two attendants accompanying Hisashi regarded Orochimaru with a touch of displeasure, as though questioning how this young upstart deserved the patriarch's attention.

In truth, with Byakugan, they could observe Orochimaru anywhere, but Hisashi desired deeper insight into Orochimaru's identity and background, hence the direct summons. He aimed to catch Orochimaru off-guard.

"You're Orochimaru, and this is the leader of our esteemed Hyuga clan, Hyuga Hisashi!" One of the attendants introduced, while Hisashi himself offered a slightly sheepish smile.

"I greet Patriarch Hisashi," Orochimaru responded sincerely, harbouring no resentment. He merely displayed respect toward the strong.

"I understand that this invitation might seem sudden, yet there is something I'm eager to discuss. My use of Byakugan to probe you might have caught you off-guard. Please forgive me," Hyuga Hisashi explained amiably. Regardless of his true intentions, he maintained an outward veneer of politeness and candour.

"Boy, how exactly did you block the Patriarch's Byakugan detection? Be honest!" The two attendants were attempting to assert their presence again, but Hisashi silenced them with an unsatisfied glare.

"Oh, is this a classic case of one playing the 'good cop' and the other the 'bad cop'?" Orochimaru sneered, though Hyuga Hisashi was genuinely intrigued.

"It's simply due to the unique properties of the attire I wear. It interferes with external chakra sensing," Orochimaru replied. The Horcrux armour could obstruct detection without adversely affecting Orochimaru himself.

Unfortunately, Horcruxes could only be used by their creators or those with a blood connection.

"Secret technique: Instant Attire Transformation!" Orochimaru snapped his fingers with flair, causing the Horcrux coat to dissipate, revealing an ordinary black short-sleeved shirt underneath.

There you have it, a grand reveal! Not only can you scrutinize meridians and chakra with those eyes, but can you also peer into the DNA of cells and glimpse into my heart?!

"...Young friend, you certainly possess a few tricks up your sleeve!" Hyuga Hisashi offered a slightly embarrassed yet courteous smile, confirming that he had seen through this time.

"Huh!" Hyuga Hisashi gasped, sensing Orochimaru's distinctive cellular structure and bloodline. He now realized that Orochimaru possessed considerable power—likely at least a Jonin-level ninja.

"Incredible, Orochimaru, you continue to surprise me. No wonder you could hold your own against Hyuga Shiro!" Hyuga Hisashi, typically neutral and aloof, couldn't help but feel a newfound admiration. However, he refocused on his purpose and gestured to the two attendants.

"Leave us. We need to talk privately."

"Yes, Patriarch!"

Once Orochimaru and Hyuga Hisashi were alone, the patriarch let out a sigh.

"Orochimaru, your current circumstances are perilous," Hyuga Hisashi stated gravely, catching Orochimaru off guard.

"I observed your physical condition earlier, and I must admit, your natural aptitude and strength are exceptional. Among even the most gifted innate ninja, your physical attributes are truly exceptional."

Orochimaru was taken aback. An innate ninja? Could this be related to his bloodline, possibly linked to the White Snake?

"...What are these Innate Ninjas you speak of?" Orochimaru questioned, casting a skeptical look at Hyuga Hisashi.

"As you may know, the founding figure of the ninja world is the legendary Six Paths Sage. He established the ninja tradition, disseminating knowledge about chakra usage to humanity, thus benefiting all."

Hyuga Hisashi gauged Orochimaru's reaction. Orochimaru inwardly scoffed—chakra was imparted by Kaguya Otsutsuki, who even had a child named Hagoromo. Was Kaguya your sage, perhaps?

"Numerous prominent ninjas today possess a trace of the Six Paths Sage's bloodline, granting them remarkable power. Some have even developed advanced chakra manipulation techniques, creating unique secret arts that have left an indelible mark on the ninja world."

These "bloodline power" recipients would be the likes of Senju and Uchiha clans, as well as the Uzumaki and special cases like the Gold and Silver Brothers.

Hyuga Hisashi might also have a vague notion of his family's connection to Hamura and possibly the Sage of Six Paths, but his knowledge of Kaguya Otsutsuki was likely limited.

The "advanced methods" of chakra manipulation might allude to the Akimichi clan's calorie control, or perhaps the Yamanaka's mind transfer techniques, and so forth.

However, the Naruto world operates on the principle of bloodline degeneration, where each generation's bloodline weakens, leading to the division and dilution of their abilities.

From Kaguya Otsutsuki to Hagoromo, the Rinnegan and Byakugan powers bifurcated. From Hagoromo to Ashura and Indra, the Yang Release and Yin Release diverged.

By the time of the Shinobi era, the most powerful ninja might possess both the Yin and Yang natures passed down by Hagoromo, but as the bloodlines intermingled, chakra natures did not strengthen, merely split and scattered.

Today's ninja, therefore, knew fewer chakra natures, with even fewer possessing the Rinnegan or the Mangekyō Sharingan.

In contrast, beasts from the Three Great Hidden Sage Locations could access all chakra natures. They were akin to sorcerers, harnessing magic.

Ninjas wield power inherent to their blood, similar to wizards. Blood purity correlates with strength, so prominent families often intermarry to halt bloodline decay.

Itachi once noted the Uchiha's waning powers.

During Izanami and Izanagi's inception, more Uchiha possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan compared to the present. Even those with diluted bloodline activated the Mangekyou.

In Itachi's time, Uchiha had fewer Mangekyou users, but Indra's chakra impacted the results.

With Asura and Indra's reincarnations, Mangekyou power resurfaced. But with each reincarnation, power diminished.

Contrastingly, toad sages, white snakes, and slugs harnessed natural energy, growing stronger with time. Magic, as with Ether, relied on resource extraction and utilization efficiency.

Orochimaru inferred that Tailed Beasts emitted Chakra to the world, rendering all beasts chakra-infused. Before this, toad sages tapped into natural energy.

"Before chakra's advent, samurai ruled. Many were formidable then. Upon chakra's introduction, some acquired tremendous power despite lacking Six Paths Sage lineage. Chakra triggered mutations, endowing unique abilities—these became ninjas."

The initial awakeners of chakra and its unique abilities formed the Innate Ninja clans.

Orochimaru's thoughts wandered to characters like Gido and Ranmaru, the Blood Prison Family, and the Kurama clan.

These, perhaps, represented Innate Ninjas.

However, Orochimaru noted that he wasn't an Innate Ninja.

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