The frozen forest echoed with the rustling of leaves as snow drifted lazily down, dusting the ground in a faint white glow. In the middle of this clearing, Orochimaru stood calmly, his pale fingers weaving through hand signs with practiced precision. Jiraiya and Tsunade stood nearby, watching with anticipation.
"I understand!" Jiraiya exclaimed eagerly, clutching the scroll Orochimaru had just given him. His eyes sparkled with childlike excitement as he carefully unrolled it, hungry to devour the words written within.
"Wind Release specializes in cutting power," Orochimaru explained in his low, deliberate tone. "But it can do more than that. Wind Release: Swift Wind Wall isn't only defensive. It can also be combined with ninja tools to sharpen and amplify them."
He demonstrated without hesitation. His pale hands formed the Chen seal, drawing the chakra inside him and channeling it outward. The air vibrated as chakra condensed, sharpening into a transparent edge that enveloped the steel shuriken in his grasp. Under Orochimaru's command, the chakra expanded further, forming a massive spinning disk of compressed wind more than a meter across.
With a flick of his wrist, the disk shot forward, slicing through the air with a terrifying shriek. It struck a nearby tree, splitting its trunk cleanly in two from top to bottom. The tree groaned before collapsing into the snow with a thunderous crash, sending a cloud of white powder billowing outward.
"This… this is incredible!" Jiraiya gasped. His mouth hung open as he stared at the ruined tree. He had never once imagined ninjutsu could be applied in such a way, merging raw chakra with weapons to create entirely new techniques. He turned back to the scroll, eyes flicking across every line of text, his excitement bubbling over.
"The same ninjutsu," Orochimaru continued, "will always yield different results depending on the user. A person's individual mastery of chakra nature and shape transformation changes everything."
To Jiraiya, it sounded profound, but it wasn't just theory. He recalled the Great Fireball Technique—a staple of the Uchiha clan. Though many of them could perform it, every fireball differed in intensity, shape, or control depending on the shinobi. Subtle variations that revealed how mastery wasn't uniform, even within a single clan.
"Then Orochimaru…" Jiraiya's voice trembled with enthusiasm as he clutched the scroll. "Teach me that move of yours!"
Before Orochimaru could respond, another voice chimed in—sharp, demanding, and undeniably feminine.
"Wait, Orochimaru! I want to learn too!"
Tsunade marched right up to him, her golden hair bouncing as her fists clenched. Her large, bright eyes glared at him with mock outrage. Seeing Orochimaru patiently explain to Jiraiya had roused her competitive streak.
"Teach me how to use Yang Release chakra to reinforce my body," she declared.
Orochimaru raised a brow, suppressing a sigh. His golden eyes studied Tsunade carefully before he spoke, tone faintly teasing. "Isn't your strength already terrifying enough? Do you really need more?"
Tsunade puffed out her cheeks indignantly, glaring at him. "That's not the point! I want to learn. Are you going to teach me or not?"
Her determination made Jiraiya grin nervously. He quietly edged a few steps away, as if sensing where this argument might go.
Orochimaru shook his head faintly. "There isn't much to teach. You already have experience cultivating Lightning Release through Lightning Stimulation techniques. The principle is similar. With Yang Release, you use chakra to stimulate your own cells, reinforcing the body's natural strength."
To demonstrate, Orochimaru calmly rolled up his sleeve, exposing his pale, slender arm. With a breath, he focused his chakra, infusing his cells with Yang Release. White vapor curled off his skin as his arm visibly swelled—muscles bulging, veins pulsing under the surface. Then, with an uncharacteristic burst of force, he drove his fist into the frozen ground.
Boom!
The hardened earth shuddered violently. Spiderweb cracks raced outward in all directions, shattering the frozen soil beneath his feet. Dust and fragments scattered into the air, leaving Jiraiya gaping.
The scroll nearly slipped from his fingers as he stumbled back. "W-woah! If that punch landed on me… I'd be in pieces!"
He swallowed hard, grateful that Orochimaru was normally reserved and calm, unlike the volatile, hot-blooded Tsunade.
Tsunade, however, was practically bouncing with excitement. "Amazing! Now show me again!"
She eagerly tried to channel her own chakra, focusing Yang Release into her arm. But despite her efforts, nothing happened. Her brow furrowed in frustration.
"It's too difficult!" she huffed, stomping a foot into the snow. "I've only ever used Yang Release for medical ninjutsu, like the Mystical Palm Technique. It's not that simple to redirect it into physical strength!"
Orochimaru, sipping calmly from his ever-present thermos, set it aside and approached her. He gently took her wrist in his cold hand. Without hesitation, he sent a surge of his own Yang Release chakra into her body.
"Ah!" Tsunade gasped, her eyes going wide. She clearly felt the cells in her arm respond, swelling with newfound energy. The sensation burned itself into her memory.
"Okay!" she exclaimed, her face brightening with joy. "Now I know what to do!"
Before Orochimaru could step back, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. The scarf wrapped around his neck brushed against her cheek, warming her heart even in the cold winter air.
Perhaps it was her happiness, or simply the confidence she now felt—but when Tsunade tried again, the chakra coursed correctly. Her arm swelled, veins rising beneath her fair skin as her strength multiplied.
Orochimaru nodded, then quickly formed hand seals. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
The ground before them trembled, a wall of solid stone rising high. He gestured toward it. "Now, Tsunade. Strike it. But suppress that monstrous natural strength of yours. Use only the Yang Release reinforcement."
"Okay, my love!" she chirped teasingly, her eyes sparkling.
With a grin, Tsunade drove her fist forward. Boom! Cracks spread instantly across the wall, and in the next heartbeat, the entire structure collapsed into rubble. Even without her monstrous power, the reinforced punch carried devastating force.
"Yay!" Tsunade exclaimed proudly, placing her hands on her hips and flashing a cheerful V-sign toward Orochimaru.
Jiraiya quietly backed away, muttering under his breath. If she can do that without even trying, I'm doomed if she ever decides to hit me seriously. Better keep my distance if I want to live to see old age…
Orochimaru adjusted his scarf and reminded her gently, "Tsunade, don't overuse it. Maintaining body reinforcement for long periods will strain your cells and shorten your stamina. Use it at the moment of attack, and nowhere else."
She nodded, still glowing with excitement.
From afar, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office, peering through the crystal ball that allowed him to watch his students' progress. A smile tugged at his lips, but there was also a flicker of loneliness.
"They're growing so quickly," he murmured to himself. "Sometimes I feel more like an observer than their teacher…"
His eyes lingered especially on Orochimaru. The boy was not only mastering existing ninjutsu but innovating entirely new techniques, like the Swift Wind Wall. Pride swelled in the Hokage's chest. All three of his disciples—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—were exceptional, and he felt fortunate to guide them.
Suddenly, a loud knock rattled the office door.
"Enter," Hiruzen called, placing the crystal ball aside.
The door creaked open, and Uchiha Hikaji stepped inside, his face taut with frustration. He bowed slightly. "Hokage-sama, please accept my request once again. The Konoha Military Police Force cannot rely solely on Uchiha members. We need fresh blood from outside clans."
Hiruzen sighed, already familiar with this complaint. "Hikaji, I have given my answer before. The Police Force must remain in Uchiha hands. Only your clan can bear this responsibility."
Hikaji clenched his fists, bitterness in his eyes. Many Uchiha had grown restless, more interested in chasing fame through the new wave of movies and television than fulfilling their duty. As captain, all the burden fell on his shoulders.
After long persuasion, Hiruzen's words eventually softened him. Hikaji left the office, stepping into the snowy air outside. Snowflakes drifted silently from the sky, mirroring his mood.
"Perhaps… I should ask Orochimaru for help," he muttered.
The image of the cold, enigmatic young man appeared in his thoughts. Without hesitation, he turned his steps toward Orochimaru's residence.
---
Back at the training grounds, Jiraiya scratched his head as he watched Orochimaru lead Hikaji into the nearby forest. "Hey, wasn't that the Uchiha Police captain? What does he want with Orochimaru?"
"Not sure," Tsunade admitted, her curiosity piqued. "Maybe he's asking for help."
"Want to follow?" Jiraiya asked with a mischievous grin.
"Isn't that… kind of rude?" she hesitated, though her eyes betrayed her own curiosity.
"Come on, Tsunade. Don't you want to know?" Jiraiya pressed, nudging her arm.
"…Fine. Let's go."
They crept after the pair, hiding behind trees as Orochimaru and Hikaji spoke in low voices.
Hikaji explained his plight—the clan's obsession with stardom, their neglect of duty, and his desire to bring them back to responsibility. He hoped Orochimaru, with his ties to White Snake Pharmaceutical, might help dissuade them.
Orochimaru listened patiently, then smiled faintly. "I can help. But only on one condition."
Hikaji narrowed his eyes. "What condition?"
"Blood samples," Orochimaru replied smoothly. "From Uchiha clan members. For research purposes."
To Hikaji, it was trivial. "That's all? Very well. You'll have them."
He departed swiftly, leaving Orochimaru standing in the forest, already aware that Jiraiya and Tsunade had been eavesdropping.
"You two can come out now," he said calmly, glancing toward the tree where they hid.
As expected, the two burst into a noisy argument about whose fault it was. Orochimaru pressed a pale hand to his forehead, exasperated, and stepped forward to stop them before fists started flying.
Snowflakes drifted softly around them, the night falling silent again.
---
Far away, in the Land of Rain, storms still poured endlessly over Amegakure. Hanzō of the Salamander stood at his window, staring out at the ceaseless downpour. Since returning from the Land of Waves, his behavior had grown strange, his mind heavy with worry.
"Hanzō-sama," an Ame-nin knelt before him. "A woman from the Land of Waves has requested an audience."
Hanzō's heart leapt. The gloom that had weighed on him suddenly lifted, replaced with a spark of excitement. "Quickly! Bring her in at once!"
For the first time in weeks, the unbroken rain seemed almost to part, as though even the heavens recognized the change in his spirit.
---
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