Naruto: Mikoto and Tsunade, don't let either of them go.

Page 155

However, Uchiha Kakuzan wasn't in a hurry at the moment. After leisurely eating a skewer of three-colored dumplings, he looked at the remaining dumplings on the platform, shook his head with some regret, and then hurried towards the location of the rope tree.

At this moment, Rope Tree was already traveling alone through the Forest of Death with his quest scroll.

Originally, Nawaki, who did not have a team, was not qualified to participate in this Chunin Exam. The reason he was able to participate was because he begged his sister for a long time and signed a series of unequal treaties before he was able to get this spot.

Therefore, Rope Tree took this competition very seriously. After receiving the scroll, he headed towards the tower alone.

After hearing the rules of the competition, he had already made up his mind.

Although he is very strong now, he cannot be careless. Moreover, he is alone and does not have the advantage in numbers.

So he decided to wait outside the tower in the Death Forest for those who would walk right into his trap.

After all, by the time those people reach the tower, they will likely be exhausted.

But he had already rested well and was able to set traps in advance to defeat the team members one by one and take the scroll from them.

Moreover, if he's lucky, he might even encounter a team that has already collected all the scrolls of heaven and earth. In that case, he wouldn't have to worry about how to determine which type of scroll those people possess.

Nawaki was very fast because he used the Lightning Release Armor right at the start, making him extremely fast and leaving the other contestants behind.

Therefore, he didn't need to be worried about being ambushed while he was on his way.

Wow~~~

Just as Rope Tree was concentrating on his journey, the sound of flowing water reached his ears, which invigorated him. A smile appeared on his face, and he turned and headed towards the direction of the sound.

After running for half a day, Rope Tree wasn't very hungry, but she was a little thirsty. She needed to replenish her water here and rest for a bit so that she could be in better shape for the rest of the day.

Thinking of this, Rope Tree quickened his pace even further.

huh~~

After drinking his fill of the very clear river water, Rope Tree breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was wondering whether to rest or continue on his way, a hoarse voice that sounded very familiar came from behind him.

"Nawaki-kun, it's been a long time. It really is you..."

Upon hearing the voice, Rope Tree immediately turned around, his face filled with excitement, and looked at a figure standing not far behind him. He shouted excitedly:

"Orochimaru-sensei!!"

As for Nawaki, he was quite familiar with Orochimaru. After all, in his memory, he had only not seen Orochimaru for half a year. So when he saw Orochimaru, he was not at all shy and greeted him very familiarly.

Fortunately, Orochimaru's appearance has hardly changed over the years, so Nawaki recognized him quickly.

Orochimaru was also momentarily dazed when he heard Nawaki calling out to him.

After all, Orochimaru wasn't without feelings; when he took Nawaki as his disciple, he was truly sincere.

Moreover, Nawaki's personality is very sunny, like a little sun, which warmed up Orochimaru's gloomy personality.

So even though Orochimaru hadn't seen Nawaki for a long time in his memory, the shouts still stirred up those fond memories.

Orochimaru's eyes glazed over for a moment before he came to his senses, and his gaze towards Nawaki softened slightly as he continued:

"Rope Tree, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki's face lit up with a happy smile. After scratching the back of his head, he said with a laugh:

"Orochimaru-sensei, I'm doing quite well lately, although I was in a deep sleep for quite some time due to my injuries."

Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law, they healed my injuries and allowed me to wake up again.

At this point, Rope Tree seemed to remember something, his expression changed slightly, and then he asked:

"Orochimaru-sensei, I heard from my sister that you betrayed the village many years ago. Is that true? Is there some reason behind it?"

Orochimaru's expression changed slightly upon hearing Nawaki's words, his face turning cold again. Just as he was about to say something, he met Nawaki's concerned and unguarded eyes. After a slight pause, his expression softened somewhat before he shook his head and replied:

“That’s right, Nawaki, I have indeed defected from the village, and I have no particular reason for it, it’s just that we have different goals.”

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki paused slightly, opened his mouth, and after a moment's hesitation, continued:

"Orochimaru-sensei, please go back to the village. My sister is now the Fifth Hokage. I'll go and beg her to revoke your status as a rogue ninja. That way, you won't have to live in fear outside anymore."

Nawaki knew a little about the lives of rogue ninjas; they lived in constant fear and uncertainty, which is why he said those things to Orochimaru.

What Nawaki didn't know was that Orochimaru, this rogue ninja, was different from others. After his defection, he lived a very comfortable life because of the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura. He not only had countless bases, but even his subordinates were fooled into being loyal.

Chapter 460: Methods to Revitalize the Family

Orochimaru's eyes warmed upon hearing Nawaki's words. He wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Just then, as if remembering something, Rope Tree asked with some curiosity:

"Orochimaru-sensei, is there something you need to do upon returning to Konoha?"

Orochimaru remained silent for a long while after hearing Nawaki's words. Just as Nawaki was becoming uneasy, he spoke in a hoarse voice:

“Nawaki-kun, I have some things to take care of when I return to Konoha this time, but those things are still a bit less important than what you need to do.”

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki felt even more uneasy and asked:

"Orochimaru-sensei, what do you mean by this?"

However, Orochimaru did not answer Nawaki's question. Instead, he stared intently at him and asked:

“Nawaki-kun, I have established many bases outside the Land of Fire. Would you like to come with me for a tour?”

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki's face showed a struggle, but he ultimately shook his head and replied:

"Never mind, Orochimaru-sensei. My sister has already gone through a lot of trouble because of my injury. If I go out with you again, she will worry too much."

Upon hearing Nawaki's words, Orochimaru's vertical pupils, resembling snake eyes, narrowed slightly, and he continued:

“Nawaki-kun, the reason I asked you to visit my base is because one of my experiments is almost complete. It’s an experiment about awakening Wood Release. If you come with me, I can help you awaken Wood Release.”

Orochimaru naturally knew how to manipulate Nawaki, and knew that he deeply admired the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Faced with the temptation of awakening and Hashirama Senju's proficiency in Wood Release, he would absolutely not refuse his offer.

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki's eyes lit up, and he asked with considerable eagerness:

"Orochimaru-sensei, you've already figured out a method to awaken Wood Release? Is that true?"

If someone else had said these things to him, Nawaki would have scoffed and would never have believed them.

What is Wood Release?

Wood Release was the signature technique of his great-grandfather, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. He was the only one in the entire ninja world to awaken it, and no one else in the entire Senju clan could awaken it. How could he possibly have researched and developed a method to awaken Wood Release so easily?

However, if this person were Orochimaru, Nawaki would still be willing to believe it.

In his eyes, Orochimaru was a genius, a genius who surpassed his sister, Jiraiya, and the Third Hokage. The only person who could rival Orochimaru was his exceptionally talented great-grandfather, Tobirama Senju.

That's why Nawaki was so surprised and delighted when he heard Orochimaru's words.

Upon hearing Nawaki's words, Orochimaru simply nodded and then said:

"In that experiment, one child awakened Wood Release and is now working under Tsunade. However, perhaps because that child does not have the bloodline of the Senju clan, the power of his Wood Release is somewhat weak and cannot be compared with that of the First Hokage."

At this point, Orochimaru stared directly at Nawaki and continued:

"Later, I optimized that experiment, and the mortality rate was reduced to the lowest level. I believe that if Nawaki-kun could participate in that experiment, he would not only be able to successfully awaken Wood Release, but the power of Wood Release should also be comparable to that of your great-grandfather."

Orochimaru did not deceive Nawaki. After learning about the Wood Release ninja named Yamato who was under Danzo Shimura's command, he optimized the experiment from back then, not only increasing the success rate but also greatly reducing the mortality rate.

However, due to the availability of experimental materials and the fact that he focused most of his energy on developing forbidden techniques—the Reanimation Jutsu and the Impure World Reanimation Jutsu—the experiment was eventually shelved.

As long as Rope Tree goes back with him, and he finds out the secret of Rope Tree's resurrection, he will conduct that experiment on Rope Tree as compensation and guarantee his safety.

However, just as Orochimaru was looking at Nawaki with some urgency, Nawaki's expression changed several times, but in the end he still shook his head with difficulty and said:

"I'm sorry, Orochimaru-sensei, although I'm very tempted, I can't do this."

At this point, Rope Tree's expression became serious, and he continued:

"Orochimaru-sensei, you probably already know the current state of the Senju clan. The Senju clan is on the verge of extinction. Among the direct descendants of the Senju clan, only my sister and I are left now."

Furthermore, my sister is already married to my brother-in-law, so I'm practically the sole heir of the Senju clan, bearing a very important responsibility. If I were to betray Konoha with you to pursue that Wood Release technique, our Senju clan would truly be doomed. Wood Release is important, but the Senju clan's legacy is even more crucial.

Actually, besides this reason, what Nawaki didn't tell Orochimaru was that his brother-in-law, Uchiha Kakuzan, had already arranged a path for him: to diligently train in Lightning Release Armor and quickly reach its highest level.

When that time comes, he will be able to use the excellent defensive power of his Lightning Release Armor to train in the Sage Mode unique to that place in the Shikkotsu Forest. If he is lucky, he may even be able to activate the Senju clan's Wood Release.

However, this path involves his sister and brother-in-law's secret, and although Orochimaru is his teacher, he wouldn't be foolish enough to reveal all of this.

Upon hearing Nawaki's words, Orochimaru's eyes flashed with a strange light. After a slight pause, he spoke in a low, hoarse voice:

"Nawaki-kun, this is the same Wood Release technique as the First Hokage. If you obtain Wood Release, I believe you will be able to bring glory to the Senju clan and be no less powerful than Hashirama Senju."

This time, Nawaki seemed to have made up his mind. After hearing Orochimaru's words, he shook his head and said:

"Orochimaru-sensei, actually, we've all been wrong. My brother-in-law once told me a principle that I think is very true: in our ninja world with its extremely high mortality rate, if you want to revitalize a clan, it's not about having a top-tier expert who can bring the clan to its peak."

Instead, we must find ways to increase the number of our clansmen. For example, in our Senju clan, I am the only male member left. If I die, the Senju clan will truly be finished.

So, my main task now is to grow up safely, and then get married and have children.

Chapter 461 Bamboo Stick

As Rope Tree finished speaking, his eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he raised his hands in a gesture of respect, continuing:

"Orochimaru-sensei, think about it. If I marry and have more than ten children in my lifetime, that would be more than ten direct descendants of the Senju clan. That's equivalent to the number of people in a medium-sized clan."

Then, after they grow up, they marry and have children, perhaps more than ten, and then our Thousand Hands clan will have one or two hundred members. Only then can we be considered to have the foundation for a prosperous clan.

At this point, Rope Tree paused slightly, a blush appearing on her face, before continuing:

"Our Senju clan has no shortage of money, no shortage of ninjutsu, and no shortage of places to live; what we lack are clan members."

"And if we follow the method I just described, our Senju clan will begin to revive within forty years. And by the time the third generation grows up, it will only be fifty or sixty years. By then, I will be in my sixties or seventies, and I will still be able to witness this."

Orochimaru was slightly stunned upon hearing Nawaki's words. He had not expected that his usually honest and unassuming disciple would say something so contrary to his understanding.

However, although Orochimaru sensed something was wrong, he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a rebuttal.

After all, if what Nawaki just said were actually put into practice, there really wouldn't be any problem, especially since he had the Fifth Hokage's sister protecting him, plus the Senju clan's resources, so there really wouldn't be much of a problem.

However, Orochimaru's purpose in coming here was not to discuss with Nawaki how to make the Senju clan prosper.

Therefore, just as Nawaki finished speaking, Orochimaru's expression darkened. As Nawaki looked at him uneasily, Orochimaru stuck out his long tongue, licked it, and then said with a sinister smile:

"Fine, since Nawaki-kun doesn't want to come with me, I'll have to use some other methods. I'm sorry, Nawaki-kun, your method for bringing prosperity to the Senju clan is destined to fail."

To avoid any unforeseen complications, after saying these words, Orochimaru disregarded Nawaki's completely changed expression, unleashed a powerful aura, and charged directly at him.

呲~~

In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru rushed in front of Nawaki, a determined look flashing in his eyes. Looking at Nawaki, he reached out and pressed down on his shoulder.

"In the end, he's just a teenager. Even if he comes from the Senju clan, at that age, his strength is at most slightly stronger than a genin. Faced with this murderous suppression, he wouldn't even be able to move, let alone resist."

Just as Orochimaru was about to put his hand on Nawaki's shoulder, a smile creeping across his face,

"呲~~"

With a barely audible thud, Nawaki, who was standing right in front of Orochimaru, vanished from his sight, causing Orochimaru to widen his eyes in disbelief as if he had witnessed something incredible.

Orochimaru stood there stunned for a while before turning to look at Nawaki not far away, and said with great certainty:

"The Flying Thunder God Technique of the Fourth Hokage! You actually learned it."

At this moment, Nawaki was panting heavily. At his feet was an inconspicuous Flying Thunder God kunai. Although he had learned this simplified version of the Flying Thunder God technique, it was still quite difficult for him to use it under Orochimaru's pressure.

Seeing the lingering shock on Orochimaru's face, Nawaki's own face lit up with smugness, and he nodded in reply:

"No, that's right. It's the Flying Thunder God Technique, which the Fourth Hokage was most skilled at. I only recently learned it myself."

Looking at Nawaki, who was still panting, Orochimaru's eyes showed great appreciation, and he nodded, saying:

“Not bad, not bad at all, Nawaki-kun. You actually managed to learn the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. Your talent is truly beyond my expectations. If I didn't really need you to perfect my forbidden technique, I really wouldn't have the heart to hurt you.”

Orochimaru always cherished geniuses, especially since this genius was his former disciple.

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Nawaki's expression also turned serious. He gripped his kunai tightly, the tip pointing towards Orochimaru not far away, and said in a solemn tone:

"Orochimaru-sensei, this is the last time I will call you 'sensei'. Although I don't know why you attacked me, since you have already done it, I have no choice but to fight back."

Orochimaru smiled slightly upon hearing Nawaki's words and said with a smile:

"Rope Tree, just resist. Let me see where your potential lies."

As Orochimaru spoke, he lunged at Nawaki once again.

Orochimaru, as the Third Hokage's prized disciple, and later secretly cooperating with Danzo Shimura, naturally collected most of Konoha's ninjutsu and secret techniques, including the Flying Thunder God Technique recorded in the Scroll of Seals.

Therefore, he was certainly aware of the weaknesses of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Especially this Nawaki, who had just mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, became a weak point in Orochimaru's eyes after using it.