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Under the pitch-black night, four figures were rapidly shuttling through the forest. A moment later, the leader raised a fist, signaling everyone to stop. The group immediately concealed themselves in the shadows, on guard.
Kakashi Hatake looked towards Hyuga Hiashi. Hiashi immediately activated his Byakugan for reconnaissance. After a long pause, he nodded at Kakashi, indicating there was no danger nearby.
Only then did everyone relax slightly.
Kakashi then said, "We're about to reach Tanzaku Quarters. Let's rest for a bit and recover our stamina, in case we suddenly encounter a battle."
Everyone nodded. Hiashi leaned against a tree, Akimichi Choza took out his iron staff and carefully wiped it, while Chen Baojun found a rock and sat down to slowly recover his strength.
He was, after all, an old man in his sixties and had been retired for many years; his stamina was long past its peak.
Kakashi walked over and handed him a water canteen, saying at the same time, "My apologies, Teacher Chen. You've already retired, yet we've made you come out of retirement to travel with us through the night."
Chen Baojun took the canteen, took a swig, then wiped his mouth and said with a smile, "What are you talking about, as if I'm already an old man? When the village needs me, how could I possibly shrink back? However, that form of address... I don't think I ever taught you."
Kakashi replied with a smile, "Have you forgotten? When I was in the Ninja Academy, as Konoha's strongest taijutsu ninja, the Third Hokage once invited you to instruct us in taijutsu a few times."
"Oh, it was from that time," Chen Baojun said, suddenly realizing, but then some memories also surfaced in his mind.
It was also at that time that he discovered his disciple...
His disciple, like Rock Lee, couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu and thus couldn't become a ninja. But Chen Baojun was moved by the other's perseverance and took him in as a disciple, meticulously teaching him and helping him become an excellent ninja.
But at that time, it was the Third Ninja World War, and his disciple stepped onto the battlefield.
However, unlike Guy and Rock Lee, his disciple's weakness of not being able to use ninjutsu was quickly exploited by the enemy, and he was easily killed.
Chen Baojun therefore blamed himself greatly, because it was he who had sent a child, who originally couldn't become a ninja, to the battlefield.
So, from then on, disheartened, he retired and lived in seclusion.
Chen Baojun shook his head, then looked at Kakashi and said with emotion, "It really brings back memories. I didn't expect the little brat from back then to also become a hero of the village."
"A hero, huh." Hearing this, Kakashi also shook his head with a wry smile.
War, ah, it truly leaves scars in everyone's heart that they are unwilling to uncover.
Just then, Hyuga Hiashi suddenly said to Kakashi, "Captain Kakashi, your ninja hound has returned."
Hyuga Hiashi was nearly thirty, in his prime, and a Jonin with rich combat experience and superb sensory abilities, which was why the elders had dispatched him for this mission.
In a short while, from the shadows, a ninja hound with slender limbs, carrying an intelligence scroll in its mouth, ran back like a gust of wind.
Kakashi took the scroll, patted the panting ninja hound that was steaming with heat, then dispelled the summoning and sent it back.
Akimichi Choza walked over and asked Kakashi, "How is it? Have you found any trace of those two Uzumaki?"
Kakashi opened the scroll and quickly scanned it. His brow then furrowed.
"What's wrong?" Choza quickly asked upon seeing his expression. Hiashi and Chen Baojun also came over.
Kakashi handed them the scroll and said, "I don't know if it's good or bad, but in any case, things have become troublesome. The Anbu discovered that those two Uzumaki were actually drinking and partying with the Sannin!"
"All of them!???" Everyone was instantly stunned beyond belief.
"The Sannin!? Which one?"
Kakashi said with a grave expression, "All of them!"
"What were they doing together?"
Choza looked at the scroll and replied, "We don't know. The Anbu said they didn't dare get too close."
Chen Baojun sighed. "After all, it's those three. Let alone getting close, even just keeping an eye on them for a little longer would be detected."
Kakashi frowned and thought for a moment, then made a decision.
"In any case, let's go check the situation first. Orochimaru and Uzumaki are the direct perpetrators of the Chunin Exams tragedy; they are definitely our enemies. Lady Tsunade's stance is unclear, but at least Lord Jiraiya is on our side. Let's find that lord first and ask about the situation. If we can get him to help, our operation can almost be said to be a success already."
The three of them acknowledged Kakashi's judgment. Jiraiya's strength was naturally beyond doubt. The only problem now was Orochimaru and Tsunade, whose stances were unclear.
However, Uzumaki shouldn't have had any connection with them before, so those two had little reason to side with Uzumaki.
Kakashi glanced at the time. If they set off now, they should be able to find Jiraiya and inquire about the situation before midnight.
Then, he said to everyone, "Time waits for no one. Let's set out. We need to clarify the situation first."
"Yes!"
The four of them once again transformed into streaks of light, speeding towards Tanzaku Quarters.
After bidding farewell to Tsunade, Wu Jie and Karin didn't go back to rest either but followed the chakra signature from Kagura's Mind's Eye to find where Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi were staying.
Knock, knock. Wu Jie knocked on the door. Kabuto Yakushi welcomed the two of them in.
Wu Jie put on a business-like expression and said with a smile, "Mr. Orochimaru, although I'd like to say long time no see, unfortunately, we only parted less than an hour ago."
"Hehe, but this one hour has already made me wait very anxiously."
Orochimaru scanned Wu Jie but didn't see the desired unsealing scroll on him, so he urged, "We've pretty much said all that needs to be said. Let's skip the useless pleasantries and get straight to the point. Tell me, what do you want from me in exchange for returning my hands?"
The corners of Wu Jie's mouth curved upwards, and he then said with feigned ease, "Mr. Orochimaru, please rest assured, Uzumaki is not greedy. I also hope to maintain a good relationship with you. After all, in the days to come, we will have many opportunities for cooperation in this war-torn world. Therefore, I only need one ninjutsu. It's the jutsu you used to kill the Third Hokage during the Chunin Exams. As for the rest, please consider it a token of our sincerity."
Wu Jie tried his best to make his goal seem less obvious because he really, really wanted this ninjutsu!
Edo Tensei! This ninjutsu could pull the souls of the dead from the Pure Land. Then, by preparing a living sacrifice and the deceased's DNA, one could perform this jutsu to obtain the ultimate war weapon: a body that was immortal and indestructible, with endless chakra, capable of using all the ninjutsu and kekkei genkai the deceased possessed in life!
How powerful could this jutsu be? Just imagine Might Guy endlessly opening the Gate of Death – he alone could kick the entire ninja world into oblivion!!!
Hearing Wu Jie's words, Orochimaru's heart immediately became vigilant.
He hadn't fully mastered this ninjutsu for long, and the current version was also very outdated, so he didn't yet know that this jutsu could do outrageous things like allowing Madara Uchiha's reincarnations to open Susanoo.
However, even now, he had a vague premonition that the effect of this ninjutsu might not be simple.
If he handed this ninjutsu over to Uzumaki, he would definitely regret it for the rest of his life!
Spiritual power held a pivotal position in this world, so some uniquely gifted individuals could obtain abilities similar to a sixth sense. Just like Kakashi before, he could always perceive the hidden truth behind matters through intuition.
And Orochimaru was clearly such a person.
As soon as the thought of handing over Edo Tensei emerged in his mind, he would feel inexplicably stifled.
So, Orochimaru chuckled and decided to test him. "Do you take me for someone who would take advantage of children? A price of this level doesn't even come close to the value of my hands.
Besides, just look at my current state; that ninjutsu is nothing more than a failure. I'd be embarrassed to use it for a trade. Rest assured, I have many other good things: experimental subjects, inherited secret techniques, kekkei genkai, and even the legendary sage arts. Only these things can match the value of that pair of hands."
Hearing this, Wu Jie immediately explained, "That won't be necessary. Actually, to tell you the truth, I've already reached an agreement with Lady Tsunade, so I also want to help her revive her younger brother and lover. That's why I need that ninjutsu. And you see, even we would like to see our long-departed loved ones."
A faint smile appeared on Orochimaru's lips, and he then said slowly, "Tell me the truth, Uzumaki. What you want most is this ninjutsu, isn't it?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
"Sigh..." After a long pause, Wu Jie shook his head slightly and lamented, "I really don't know what made you so vigilant.
Yes, I do need this jutsu. But this shouldn't be a problem for you, right? The Third Hokage took away all the ninjutsu from your hands. Using those as the price to exchange for one ninjutsu, I don't think there's anything unreasonable about this trade."
"Hehe, more than just reasonable," Orochimaru laughed. "I'd be willing to trade everything I have to get those hands back. However... my intuition tells me that this jutsu, and only this jutsu, absolutely cannot be given to you!"
"I didn't expect Mr. Orochimaru to also believe in such ethereal things."
"Hehe, it has saved me quite a few times, after all."
Wu Jie fell silent for a moment, then spoke again, "I only need that ninjutsu. Additionally, I can tell you the users and effects of the three resurrection techniques I mentioned before."
"My apologies, Uzumaki. The higher your bid, the more my intuition tells me not to."
Wu Jie paused, then stared at Orochimaru and said, "What if I destroy this scroll, making it impossible for your hands to ever heal? Isn't your dream to master all the ninjutsu in the world? But now you can't even form hand seals. You probably can't even use the Three Basic Jutsu taught in the Ninja Academy, right? Are you really content with this?"
Orochimaru's mouth twitched slightly, but in the end, he refused with strong willpower. "Even if you destroy the scroll, I believe I can definitely find a way, either by reincarnating and devouring others' souls to complete myself or by developing hand seal-less ninjutsu to replace the current system. I believe this problem definitely won't stump me!"
This time, it was Wu Jie's turn for his mouth to twitch. He didn't expect that Orochimaru's two casual remarks would both turn out to be the correct answers!
First, he truly did regain the ability to form hand seals and perform ninjutsu after undergoing the Living Corpse Reincarnation.
Second, he wouldn't even need to develop it himself; he just had to patiently wait for the version update, and releasing ninjutsu would no longer require hand seals...
Damn scientist, why is your intuition so sharp!