Chapter 333: Learning Makes Me Progress
"My Great Shaolin's Arhat Fist is indeed extraordinary." Masahiko patted his stomach.
Masahiko found this Arhat Fist quite interesting. Jirobo's fist was actually enveloped in chakra, and the force behind the punch far exceeded what a boy of this age should have. It was somewhat like a weakened version of the Chakra Enhanced Strength. It seemed... it could be a small technique popularized on a large scale?
The melodious sound of a flute ahead interrupted Masahiko's train of thought.
The chubby little Jirobo took a hard fall and hadn't gotten up yet. Tayuya, her face full of vigilance, blew the flute in her hand. The flute's sound wasn't offensive; it was used to call for companions. Half a minute later, over a dozen Sound Village ninjas surrounded them.
"Sound Ninjutsu, a little trick Orochimaru came up with." Masahiko gently shook his head. "Hmm? I think I know it too."
Masahiko waved his hand, placing a defensive barrier over Kimimaro's trio. He turned to the group of Sound Village ninjas closing in on him and smiled. "You've tried the One Yang Finger, now come taste my Lion's Roar."
Infusing chakra into his throat, Masahiko shouted with all his might, "Orochimaru, get out here!"
Heaven and earth fell silent.
Two minutes later, Orochimaru appeared in front of Masahiko via Body Flicker.
He looked helplessly at the newly built Sound Village, which had once again become dilapidated, and then at the Sound Village ninjas knocked unconscious all over the ground. "Senior, what are you doing?"
Masahiko waved his hand, dispelling the defensive barrier around Kimimaro's trio. "I have some business with you regarding that child."
Orochimaru swept a glance over Kimimaro, sticking out his long tongue to lick his lips. "Oh, it's this child of the Kaguya clan."
Karin shivered and muttered softly, "This guy is so disgusting. Can he really cure Kimimaro-kun?"
Masahiko turned his head. "His hearing is no worse than mine. If you say things like that, you might be taken away by him for research, Karin."
"How could I dare? Senior, please follow me." Orochimaru licked his lips again and cast a sinister sidelong glance at Karin.
Karin's face instantly turned pale.
...
On the other side of the Sound Village, Masahiko walked side by side with Orochimaru into his underground laboratory. Behind them, Karin and Haku, supporting Kimimaro, followed closely.
The group first walked through a long corridor. The stone slabs on both sides of the corridor were adorned with a mural depicting a mythological story—a warrior wielding a divine sword, slaying an eight-headed serpent.
"Yamata no Orochi?" Masahiko was startled.
Orochimaru turned his head to explain. "Senior, this was an unexpected harvest when I was searching for the divine artifact, the Kusanagi Sword. It's a very interesting mural."
Masahiko didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "A hero slaying a serpent, what's so interesting about it? You're practically jinxing yourself, Orochimaru."
Past the long corridor was the entrance to Orochimaru's laboratory.
Masahiko seemed to suddenly remember something. He turned back and instructed, "Haku, wait for us here for a bit, don't go in."
Thinking for a moment, he added, "Karin, you stay and keep Haku company too."
"In... in this kind of dark and gloomy place?" Karin's face grew even paler.
Masahiko hoisted Kimimaro onto his back. "What are you afraid of? There's a boy right next to you to protect you."
Karin quietly curled her lip, while Haku nodded seriously.
"Senior, you've gone soft," Orochimaru pointed out meaningfully.
Masahiko smiled indifferently. "They are still young, and they are both kind-hearted children."
Orochimaru said no more. Walking straight ahead, he pushed open a heavy door, and the smell of blood hit their faces.
Masahiko frowned and waved his hand to dispel the smell. "Orochimaru, couldn't you ventilate the place? Or do you actually like this smell?"
"Senior, I thought someone like you, who has lived from the Warring States period until now, wouldn't dislike the smell of blood."
"Familiarity doesn't mean habituation, and it certainly doesn't mean I like it. Moreover, don't fumigate this child." Masahiko gently patted Kimimaro on his back.
Kimimaro lay on Masahiko's back with a look of intoxication, showing no other reaction, making Masahiko's mouth twitch slightly.
"Children who lived in the Mist Village are tougher than you imagine."
Orochimaru took a few steps forward, fumbled out a test tube, his snake pupils narrowing into slits. "I need some of this child's blood."
Masahiko sighed softly. This was the very reason he hadn't come to Orochimaru in the first place. "Here, here. You are not allowed to use it for anything else."
...
Examining Kimimaro wasn't something that could be done overnight. Masahiko couldn't understand it anyway. In any case, Orochimaru was busy back and forth for five or six days before giving him a result. Masahiko even had time to build another three-story Wood Release building in a remote corner of the Sound Village.
"A genetic defect, excessively high levels of a certain element in the blood, leading to muscle weakness..." Masahiko scratched his head. Never mind that he didn't study medicine in his past life, even if he did, it would be a stretch to remember professional knowledge now.
"Not only that," Orochimaru added from the side. "When he uses his Kekkei Genkai, the concentration of that element in the blood near the area where bone growth is needed will instantly increase by more than tenfold."
Masahiko's mouth twitched. "In other words, he should try his best not to use Shikotsumyaku?"
Orochimaru nodded, and Masahiko sighed. "He'll always end up using it during self-discipline training... And my tonic might also supplement that element. It's my fault again, damn it."
"Do you have a solution?"
"There are two," Orochimaru replied.
Masahiko was startled. He only asked tentatively, but Orochimaru actually had a solution?
"One is to let that child switch to another body..."
"Cut the crap!" Masahiko interrupted. "Tell me the second one."
Orochimaru licked his lips. "Do you remember the Jashin cult we visited when we went to capture that immortal ninja from the Akatsuki organization?"
Masahiko's eyes widened. "You... restored that cursing formation?"
"So that's what the legendary curse is." Orochimaru nodded. "That child has strong faith, it will probably succeed."
"Strong faith? He believes in me, right?" Masahiko smiled bitterly. "Then as this God, I absolutely cannot let him become something that is neither human nor ghost."
Masahiko was silent for a moment, suddenly remembering another matter. "By the way, did you dismantle Danzo Shimura?"
Orochimaru was stunned. "Senior, I haven't seen him in a long time."
"It wasn't you?" Masahiko pondered slightly. "Other ninja villages, or... Akatsuki?"
"Senior, which method do you plan to adopt? Or will you try looking for Tsunade?" Orochimaru didn't care about Danzo at all.
"Tsunade probably wouldn't be able to do it either." Masahiko shook his head. "I'll treat him myself."
"Orochimaru, give me all your research results on cells, blood, and whatever else, as well as on medical ninjutsu... Actually, just give me a copy of your entire collection. I will pay you a satisfactory reward!"
You only regret having read too little when you need it. Masahiko was determined to study, progress, activate the medical skill, and no longer be a quack doctor!
...
April 17th, Masahiko: "Books are the stepping stones of human progress."
April 18th, Masahiko: "Diligence is the path up the mountain of knowledge."
April 19th, Masahiko: "Kimimaro, don't rush. Let God study for another two days."
April 20th, Masahiko looked at the hundreds of books remaining in the room: "What the hell, is Orochimaru's collection really this extensive?"
April 21st, Masahiko: "Why hasn't the skill activated yet? I want to top up... Uh, no, I want to add points!"
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