P2W 35 - Hand Seal

Uchiha Yoru felt a sudden tingling sensation coursing through his body, causing him to endure a brief but uncomfortable itchiness. This intense feeling quickly subsided, lasting less than two minutes.

It wasn't that he didn't desire the abilities of the Uzumaki clan; they were just too costly to acquire.

As for the exchange involving the Third Raikage's physical talent, it was more about enhancing his natural abilities rather than accessing bloodline limits. It focused on amplifying a specific talent he possessed, akin to strengthening a particular aspect of his body.

Gasping for breath, Yoru lifted his head and wore a satisfied smile. "Indeed, my assumption was correct. Apart from bloodline exchanges, enhancing one's physique is also a gradual process of exploration. And Kakashi's sealing speed provides a direct method."

Although the Third Raikage only made a few appearances in the series, he left an indelible impression. Yoru had meticulously considered the evaluations of the Third Raikage before making his final decision.

The fact that the Third Raikage could single-handedly battle tailed beasts, even leaving the Eight-Tails exhausted, showcased his physical strength and chakra capacity, putting him on par with the tailed beasts themselves. It was a test of sheer force. In a final battle that lasted three days and nights against tens of thousands of shinobi, he eventually depleted his strength and perished.

Moreover, Yoru's exchange focused on enhancing his own physique and affinity for Lightning Release ninjutsu, based on the Third Raikage's traits.

As Yoru felt his body, a smile formed on his lips. "I can now be considered a genius in chakra control and manipulation. After all, I am in the prime of Kakashi."

During Naruto Shippuden, Kakashi demonstrated astonishing speed on the lake, performing ninjutsu in a blur, as if in a super-fast playback. However, only Yoru knew the changes that had occurred within his body.

Hand seals! It wasn't solely about swift hand movements; hand seals were used to manipulate the chakra within the body. Specific seals could activate chakra flow in the eight major meridians. However, each meridian required precise control of the speed and location of the chakra flow, depending on the different ninjutsu. Therefore, one's chakra control speed determined the speed of executing hand seals.

If your chakra flowed swiftly and you could control it with speed, then naturally your hand seal execution would be sufficient. Otherwise, every shinobi would have prioritized training in hand seal speed.

Initially, the speed of chakra flow was an innate talent, meaning some individuals were naturally faster, surpassing others. There was also the type that developed through postnatal training, achieved by practicing chakra control extensively, eventually reaching a level where they could turn an iron rod into a needle.

A hand seal speed half a second faster could determine life or death. Not to mention, Yoru had skipped over a decade of hard work, achieving a level that countless people could never dream of attaining in their lifetimes.

After all, Kakashi Hatake became a Jonin at the age of twelve, and his hand seal proficiency was said to be perfect. This showcased his exceptional talent in this area. In Naruto Shippuden, Kakashi was already in his thirties, and his hand seal proficiency had reached its prime.

In other words, his talent in hand seals (chakra control and manipulation) had surpassed perfection. He was only fifteen years old now, while Naruto Shippuden Kakashi was already in his thirties.

The crucial aspect was ninjutsu! Ninjutsu was divided into four levels: S, A, B, and C, each with different training difficulties. If one didn't meet the required chakra control standard, no amount of training would lead to success. Additionally, some profound ninjutsu required activation of multiple chakra meridians, which ordinary shinobi couldn't achieve in terms of control.

The image of the Sharingan with its two tomoe patterns flashed in Yoru's mind. In this moment, he couldn't help but smile as he sensed the changes in his body. He muttered to himself, "The awakening of the two tomoe patterns has expedited the transformation of my physique. This sudden change partially explains the increased speed of my chakra flow. The Third Raikage's physique, on the other hand, underwent a gradual process. It's perfect."

In the ninja world, awakening bloodline limits or experiencing bloodline evolution brought about profound changes. Some individuals even transformed from mediocrity to genius overnight, as bloodline limits were difficult to explain.

Therefore, Yoru's evolution into the two tomoe patterns of the Sharingan resulted in a significant boost to his chakra control and manipulation. It made sense, considering that everyone possessed different physical attributes, and the direction of enhancement after a bloodline transformation varied accordingly.

[Host: Uchiha Yoru (Two Tomoe)]

[Chakra Level: Elite Chunin]

[Chakra Attributes: Fire (LV3), Lightning (LV4), Earth (LV1)]

[Swordsmanship (Taijutsu): LV4, Medical Ninjutsu: LV4]

[Gold: 350,000]

Observing his attributes, Yoru noticed minimal changes, except for the addition of the Earth attribute. He understood that it represented an enhancement resulting from the strengthening of his physique. According to the original information, the Third Raikage possessed the attributes of Fire, Lightning, and Earth.

Nevertheless, Uchiha Yoru wore a satisfied smile. With his natural talent resembling the physique of the Third Raikage, he had the potential to become a formidable ninja even without the Sharingan. Currently, only the Sharingan had evolved, and he was the sole individual aware of the changes within his body.

Kakashi's hand seal speed in Naruto Shippuden was astonishing, but according to the information, both Kakashi and Itachi had full stars in "Seals."

Overall, Yoru's strength had already reached the level of a special Jōnin. Moreover, it wouldn't arouse suspicion from others, especially his teacher, Orochimaru. Furthermore, his current state of genius allowed him to learn advanced ninjutsu taught by Orochimaru.

"Hehe, Orochimaru-sensei, with these changes in my body, you shouldn't notice anything for now. After all, the Third Raikage's physique talent requires persistent effort. It's perfect."

At this moment, Uchiha Yoru's smile grew wider. Even with Orochimaru's betrayal, given his current physical foundation, he would become an elite Jōnin within three years. With the Third Raikage's physique and Kakashi's talent in chakra control, he was undoubtedly destined for greatness.

…

After Orochimaru's return to Konoha, it didn't cause much commotion, except for news about intense battles on the front lines.

Under Shinzo's supervision, Konoha had made progress in stabilizing the border. The Hyūga and Uchiha clans, situated on the border with the Land of Water, had also settled down.

Following the Nine-Tails incident last October, Konoha had experienced turmoil, but it seemed to be gradually stabilizing under the leadership of the long-serving Third Hokage. Another contributing factor was the diminishing presence of the Sannin.

Tsunade and Jiraiya were no longer in the village, and hardly anyone mentioned them. Instead, rumors of the Third Hokage's achievements in stabilizing Konoha during the turbulent times circulated in the village.

Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, had become a low-profile figure, seemingly insignificant. The reputation that was growing day by day within the village now belonged to the Third Hokage.

Particularly during the recent turmoil in Konoha, the Third Hokage played a decisive role in stabilizing the situation. Coupled with manipulations behind the scenes, all the credit seemed to be attributed to the Third Hokage.

Even the students at the ninja academy, influenced by the environment, began to blindly idolize the Third Hokage. Some even spread rumors that he was the strongest Hokage of all time.

In the ninja academy, a chūnin teacher on the podium passionately recounted the Third Hokage's achievements, and the students below listened with excitement, their enthusiasm ignited.

However, amidst the countless enthusiastic students and teachers in his class, only one boy stood out. Uchiha Itachi, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt embroidered with the Uchiha clan fan, observed the scene. At the age of six, he began to contemplate deeply.

Having been to the front lines and learned from his older brother, Shisui, that Orochimaru was the commander-in-chief there, Itachi couldn't help but question why all the credit now belonged to the Third Hokage. Where had Orochimaru gone?

Itachi, intellectually mature beyond his years, didn't realize that his thoughts exceeded what a child his age should ponder. With deep doubts in his heart, he knew he had to explore this issue on his own.

Perhaps even Uchiha Shisui himself couldn't have anticipated these changes. Itachi had already embarked on a different path, straying from his original destiny.

"Itachi-kun!"

A weak voice interrupted his thoughts. Itachi glanced sideways and saw a petite girl with delicate features and a gentle demeanor. She appeared hesitant but gathered her courage to speak.

"Um, Itachi-kun, now that the front lines are stabilizing, is Yoru-niisan going to come back too?"

Yoru! As one of the legendary shinobi, Orochimaru's disciple, Uchiha Yoru's reputation was at its peak. Itachi instantly understood. He nodded lightly and replied, "Yoru-niisan has already returned."

The little girl smiled upon hearing this. Sunlight poured into the classroom, illuminating the emblem of the Uchiha clan on the back of her short-sleeved shirt.