Chapter 73: Showdown with Orochimaru
"What Kushina said makes sense," Minato said, agreeing with his girlfriend's proposal.
Kakashi looked at Genichi.
Genichi also immediately nodded. "Learning by analogy is an excellent method."
"Besides, the Rasengan has a complete set of training steps. If you practice it, Kakashi, it shouldn't take you much time to complete."
"For you, Kakashi, the Lightning Release (Raiton) nature transformation shouldn't be a problem. The key lies in the shape transformation."
"The shape transformation of chakra, while it has countless variations, always returns to the same core principles. It's completely feasible to train your chakra control through other ninjutsu."
Minato smiled at Kakashi. "Kakashi, give the Rasengan a try first!"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes, Minato-sensei!"
After solving Kakashi's problem, Genichi steered the conversation back to sealing techniques. Time passed without them realizing it.
They ate lunch at Minato's house. The head chef was Minato, with Kushina as his assistant. Although Kushina had strongly insisted on being the head chef herself, Minato was afraid of scaring Genichi and Kakashi away and had no choice but to take over himself.
After lunch, the two of them stayed for a while longer before taking their leave. Genichi left a shadow clone behind to guide Kakashi's Rasengan training, while his real body headed home.
However, just as he was about to reach his house, Genichi saw a small, white-scaled snake appear at the corner of his wall. He immediately walked over and bent down, extending his hand. The small snake slithered onto his hand and opened its mouth, spitting out a small paper scroll.
A white snake delivering a message. Orochimaru's way of summoning people was quite unique.
After looking at the contents of the note, Genichi immediately guessed that Orochimaru was likely interested in his Sharingan. Not to steal it, but for information. After all, an Uchiha eye that was outside the clan was practically unheard of. This one of his was a true one-of-a-kind specimen.
Watching the small white snake leave, Genichi thought for a moment, then went home first. When he came out again, he was carrying a backpack.
At Orochimaru's research base, the moment Genichi appeared, Orochimaru's gaze immediately fell on his right eye.
"How does it feel, Genichi-kun?" Orochimaru asked.
Genichi naturally knew he was asking about the Sharingan. He looked around at the various strange things while saying nonchalantly, "It's not easy for a non-Uchiha to control the Sharingan."
"If you had the Byakugan, senpai, you would probably be able to see that my chakra is constantly being consumed."
As he spoke, Genichi pointed to his right eye. "I'm using a cosmetic contact, so it looks normal, but in reality, I can't freely open or close it."
"This kind of consumption is a considerable burden for me."
Orochimaru listened with a thoughtful expression. "So that's how it is..."
Then he smiled. "After all, it is a foreign object. And the Sharingan itself represents a powerful genjutsu ability, which also means powerful Yin Release and spiritual will."
"If I had the Byakugan, the chakra in your right eye would probably also be different from your own chakra."
Hearing this, Genichi was taken aback. He secretly praised him in his heart: As expected of Orochimaru!
"Genichi-kun, are you interested in researching it together?" Orochimaru said with a faint smile. "A foreign chakra is indeed very difficult to assimilate. If you want to freely control the power of the Sharingan, you must devour and assimilate this power that originally did not belong to you."
Genichi believed in Orochimaru's ability. If he cooperated with him, he probably really could do it. But...
After thinking for a moment, Genichi still shook his head and refused. "My apologies, senpai. Although that would indeed allow me to better use this eye, it would also make me gradually forget where this eye came from."
"I need to remind myself how this eye came to me, to prevent it from happening again."
This statement was half-truth, half-lie. Because Genichi was confident he could rely on the Kuji-kiri to master the Sharingan and did not need to go through Orochimaru.
Orochimaru listened and chuckled lightly. "What a pity."
"If you ever need anything, you can come and find me anytime."
Genichi nodded, then said, "Senpai is very interested in the Sharingan."
Orochimaru nodded generously. "Of course. After all, it is one of the Three Great Dōjutsu of the shinobi world."
"The power of the Sharingan has always been very mysterious and powerful."
"By the way, congratulations on becoming 'the genjutsu genius who surpasses the Uchiha.'" The last sentence was said with a hint of teasing.
Genichi was a little helpless. "My meager genjutsu ability is nothing in front of a true Uchiha genjutsu master."
Orochimaru's eyebrow raised. "Oh?"
"A true Uchiha genjutsu master... have you met one, Genichi-kun?"
Genichi shook his head. "I haven't met one, but I've heard of them."
Orochimaru said with great interest, "Could you tell me about it?"
Genichi said, "I've heard that above the three-tomoe Sharingan, there is the Mangekyō."
"Madara Uchiha, who left Konoha back then, was a wielder of the Mangekyō." Orochimaru nodded.
Genichi continued, "From a single tomoe to the Mangekyō, the ocular power of the Sharingan continuously increases, and its genjutsu ability also continuously improves." In reality, this wasn't necessarily the case; not all Sharingan specialized in genjutsu. But even if they didn't, the genjutsu ability of the Sharingan was enough to crush most ninja.
"It's said that the genjutsu ability of the Sharingan can easily control a Tailed Beast," Genichi spread his hands. "Although I haven't truly faced a Tailed Beast yet, even a fleeting glimpse was enough to feel its immense power."
"With my genjutsu ability, I am far from being able to control a Tailed Beast."
Orochimaru's relaxed expression turned serious as he listened.
Genichi continued, "If I were to encounter an Uchiha like that, I'm afraid I would be controlled by their genjutsu in a single glance."
Orochimaru was noncommittal. He smiled. "There are no Mangekyō wielders in the Uchiha clan now."
"However, since you put it that way, I am very curious to what extent your genjutsu has been strengthened with the enhancement of the Sharingan."
Genichi tilted his head slightly. "Would you like to try, senpai?"
Orochimaru turned to face Genichi directly. "Come, let me see the genjutsu power of the Sharingan!" He had indeed never experienced it before.
But just as his voice fell, Orochimaru found that his surroundings had rapidly turned into a space of absolute pitch-black.
"Bringer-of-Darkness Technique (Genjutsu: Kokuangyō no Jutsu)..." Orochimaru chuckled lightly, then formed a seal.
But the darkness before him did not dissipate. The smile on Orochimaru's face gradually vanished, and his tongue couldn't help but snake out to lick his lips. "Very good..." This jutsu didn't actually affect his combat power much, but the fact that he couldn't break it already said a lot.
Soon, the darkness disappeared. Genichi was now coiled in the grasp of a giant snake, its forked tongue flicking in and out. Even though his vision had been stolen, it hadn't stopped Orochimaru from finding his position, although Genichi hadn't moved either.
Sploosh!
Genichi's body suddenly collapsed, turning into a splash of water.
Behind Orochimaru, Genichi's figure appeared.
"Using a water clone to cast a genjutsu... interesting. You are not bound by the Sharingan," Orochimaru said without turning around, instead turning his head to look in another direction.
The next moment, the illusion shattered.
Genichi was not surprised that Orochimaru had seen through his newly developed Kyōka Suigetsu. Don't be fooled by the fact that Orochimaru was defeated by Itachi; his own genjutsu ability was also extremely high. His newly formed Kyōka Suigetsu was so new that even En could see its flaws, let alone Orochimaru.
"A very good genjutsu," Orochimaru praised sincerely. For a two-tomoe Sharingan, to be able to reach this level was already astonishing. An ordinary Jonin facing this genjutsu would die at Genichi's hands if they weren't careful.
Orochimaru turned and continued to handle his own affairs. He said, "Your visual genjutsu is already very outstanding, but in other aspects, there is still a lot of room for improvement... hmm?"
His voice stopped. Orochimaru looked up and turned around, only to find that Genichi had vanished without a trace. The entire laboratory was silent.
He then turned his head and saw a piece of paper on a nearby table.
His pupils shrank violently, and a drop of cold sweat couldn't help but form on his head.
Only now did he realize that he was still in a genjutsu.
"I was careless!" Orochimaru's tongue flicked out. He then went over and picked up the piece of paper: I'll be back to bother you again next time, senpai (￣︶￣).
"Interesting..." Orochimaru chuckled lightly. He looked up and saw his own reflection in the glass container of a specimen and instantly understood.
A massive amount of chakra appeared on the surface of his body, and the surrounding scene twisted and shattered.
The genjutsu was dispelled. Orochimaru was standing in his original spot, with a piece of paper resting on the back of his right hand.
From beginning to end, he had never moved.
For Genichi to be able to silently place the note on his hand and then leave meant that he could have also killed him.
"Hehe, as expected of the Sharingan!" Orochimaru whispered in admiration. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand, his eyes burning with fervor.
(End of Chapter)
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