Chapter 84: The Chakra Battery

Aoba had anticipated Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke and was well-prepared. He had given Sasuke a scroll with the Evil Sealing Method as a precaution against losing his combat capability during the exams.

Elsewhere, Karin had hung three Grass-nin on a tree, slowly draining their blood. This act caught the attention of Konoha's higher-ups observing the exams, causing them to reconsider the seemingly cheerful young girl. Hiruzen, in particular, quickly realized that Aoba had likely rescued Karin and her mother from the Grass Village, not bandits. However, considering the timing and Karin's integration into Team 7—and Aoba's reputation—it was best to let the matter be. It was certain the Grass Village wouldn't raise the issue diplomatically, so leaving it unresolved seemed the easiest solution.

This second round of the Chunin Exams was especially bloody. Karin's revenge set a precedent, and the ensuing battles became even more ruthless. By the time Team 7 reached the destination, four other teams had already arrived.

Among them were Kurenai's team, with Shino, Hinata, and Kiba. This exam was a highlight for Shino, as his insects were used to lay traps, which led to an impressive reversal against an ambushing team from the Waterfall Village, allowing them to secure the scrolls needed. With Hinata and Kiba's sensory skills, they avoided danger altogether, arriving at the target point by the end of the first day, even before Gaara's team.

The utility of the Byakugan in practical combat was becoming evident. Unlike the Sharingan, which enhances direct combat abilities, the Byakugan's auxiliary functions in team battles often proved more valuable.

The other teams waiting included Neji, Tenten, and Lee's team, as well as a team from the Sound Village.

This created an interesting situation, as Orochimaru had initially planned for the Sound-nin to provoke Sasuke. However, Sasuke had activated the Evil Sealing Method to suppress the Curse Mark's effects, making Orochimaru wary of Aoba once again. Orochimaru knew that Sasuke couldn't have prepared such a seal himself, especially not a high-level one like the Evil Sealing Method. Clearly, Aoba had anticipated Orochimaru's actions and given Sasuke the seal as a safeguard.

"Interesting," Orochimaru mused. He wasn't surprised that Aoba had foreseen his intentions—Aoba always seemed to possess uncanny intelligence. What intrigued him was that, even knowing Orochimaru's plans, Aoba had chosen not to intervene directly. Instead, he merely provided Sasuke with the scroll as a failsafe. Did Aoba have such confidence in Sasuke's resilience—or perhaps in Orochimaru's intentions?

The Curse Mark was the culmination of years of Orochimaru's research, a creation influenced by an incomplete form of Sage Mode. He couldn't imagine Aoba so easily countering it.

Yet Aoba was relatively unconcerned with Orochimaru's schemes, as he was focused on extreme testing for the second iteration of his chakra battery.

"Keep injecting chakra," Aoba instructed.

After about a minute, the sealing jutsu containing the fleshy orb broke down entirely, and the tissue began to proliferate uncontrollably. Aoba responded with a Fire Release jutsu, incinerating the sample to ash.

"All right, record the results. With chakra compression and sealing jutsu applied, the maximum capacity reached was about one-thirtieth of your chakra level, right?" Aoba confirmed with Yumi.

"Exactly," she replied.

"Good. That should be enough for our purposes."

While one-thirtieth of Yumi's chakra might sound modest, her reserves were close to Hashirama's Sage Body level. During battle, Hashirama never seemed to run out of chakra. Yumi might not match Hashirama, but even one-thirtieth of her reserves amounted to a substantial amount, more than enough for most situations.

"Now, let's move on to the second stage—shaping the battery."

It wouldn't be practical for a person to carry around a fleshy orb; besides being unwieldy, it would also look strange. Additionally, although small, the orb would still be visible.

"Have you thought of any other designs?" Yumi asked.

"I have a few ideas, but they come with complications. The ideal solution would be to mold it into something wearable, like a garment. That way, it wouldn't stand out," Aoba replied.

"That would make it vulnerable during combat, though. A blow to it could cause it to destabilize, right?" Yumi pointed out.

"Exactly. It's too risky. We'll need to reinforce the sealing jutsu to make it more stable—at least resilient enough not to rupture on impact."

The flesh didn't explode per se, but if compromised, it would rapidly proliferate, potentially consuming the user. This made it unsafe for field use. The next version would need further improvements.

However, Aoba wasn't discouraged. He was growing increasingly aware of the power of sealing jutsu. No wonder the Uzumaki Clan had been a target of the major villages. The deeper he delved into sealing techniques, the more he understood their unmatched potential.

As the five major villages were still struggling to master elemental techniques, the Uzumaki Clan had already begun researching ways to summon the Shinigami—an achievement ahead of its time.

He had previously considered investigating the mystery behind the clan's destruction but had chosen not to pursue it, partly due to lack of time and partly because he sensed it might lead to dangerous revelations.

"Chakra Battery Test, Seal Reinforcement Version 1," he noted.

"…Test failed. Record the data and prepare for the second test."

Aoba's experiment continued until he was interrupted by the sounds of a familiar voice—Naruto's.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" he asked loudly.

"Sensei Aoba had me stay here to study."

"Oh, right! You're also one of Sensei Aoba's students! Come on, let's go get some barbecue!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Uh… but…"

"No buts! Just put it on Aoba-sensei's tab! He promised us barbecue, and then he didn't even show up! This time, I'm eating him out of house and home!"

Hearing the group's cheerful voices as they ran off, Aoba shook his head and returned to his experiment.

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Currently on Chapter 124 - The New Member of the Akatsuki