Mayuri Kurotsuchi Card Game, starting from Naruto

Chapter 34 Exams and Trivial Matters

Training Course.

Red Bean stood proudly opposite Lu Nie, hands on her hips, and declared, "Lu Nie, I'm sure I'll win this time!"

"Can I admit defeat?" Lu Nie raised one hand weakly.

"Of course not!" Hongdou firmly rejected Lu Nie's request to concede. Her gaze eagerly swept towards Orochimaru outside the training ground.

"Let's begin. There's something else I need to tell you, something that concerns you all." Orochimaru, wearing a Shinnin vest, nodded.

Having received Orochimaru's permission, Anko immediately formed the opposing hand seals, and without waiting for Shikano's response, she flicked her wrist and unleashed several shuriken that whistled through the air.

"Who do you think will win between Anko and Shinobu, Shisui?" Orochimaru asked softly, his gaze falling on Uchiha Shisui beside him.

"Let's say it's a deer's nirvana," Shisui said with a smile.

"Got you!"

The battle on the field quickly entered an extremely intense phase. Hongdou almost danced, her feet stomping the ground at a high frequency as she rapidly turned and moved to launch attacks on Lu Nie.

As a teammate, she knew very well that the best approach against Shika Nie was to maintain distance and use ranged ninjutsu to attack and suppress him. However, this method had been clearly proven in previous battles to be ineffective against Shika Nie.

At least when the opponent is her, it doesn't work on Lu Nie!

She didn't possess many ranged ninjutsu techniques; her only truly effective one was the Dragon Fire Technique. Against Shika Nie, this technique would only allow her to outlast him in a contest of chakra expenditure.

She is actually better at close-quarters combat and has a higher chance of winning.

The only thing to be careful of is not stepping on Lu Nie's shadow. As long as her movements are fast enough, Lu Nie's shadow will have a hard time catching her.

"The battle is about to be decided!"

Shisui's Sharingan was fixed on Shika Nie on the field. He could see that Shika Nie's chakra was rapidly gathering and then exploding.

What followed was that Lu Nie's shadow was suddenly split into more than a dozen tentacle-like lines, which enveloped Hong Dou from all directions like a large net.

The black shadow even detached from the ground, transforming into a black rope that tightly bound Red Bean's limbs together, like a real entity.

"Damn it!" Hongdou's face flushed red as she was bound by this sudden change, but her body was tightly bound by the shadow and she couldn't break free.

"What is that?" This was the first time Shisui had seen Shiro use such a shadow technique. Although he was young, as a member of the Uchiha clan, he had a deep understanding of ninja basics and ninjutsu since childhood. With the insight and assistance of the Sharingan, he was still able to understand the difficulty represented by this technique.

"Shadow Stitching Technique. A secret technique of the Nara clan that allows one to materialize shadows for attacking and capturing enemies. It has a short activation time and a long duration." Orochimaru explained to Shisui.

Upon hearing this, Shisui looked at the two who had just decided the outcome of the battle with some amazement. Unlike some Uchiha clan members who looked down on any other clan or bloodline except for the Senju, he was not like others.

After joining Orochimaru's team, he actually gained a broader understanding of the world from many perspectives.

For example, Shisui couldn't quite see through Lu Nie. Based on his chakra and the strength he displayed in training battles, he should be stronger than Lu Nie now, but a voice inside him kept telling him that if it were a life-or-death battle, the one who would survive might not be the stronger one. Even though this voice had no reason to be heard.

"Alright. That concludes today's training. Now, I have something very important to tell you all." Orochimaru said, watching Anko reluctantly complete the reconciliation seal with Shikanobu.

"Anko and Shisui have both graduated from the Ninja Academy for over a year and have accumulated a lot of mission experience, so I recommend that you participate in this Chunin Exam."

"The Chunin Exams?" Shisui and Anko both looked up at Orochimaru.

"This time the exam is being held in Konoha, which is why I have time to recommend you. If it were held in another village, you would need to find a different teacher to lead your team if you wanted to participate," Orochimaru said.

He is currently immersed in technological development and research, and constantly recruiting suitable assistants and resources from external bases. There is no time to waste.

"Lu Nie hasn't graduated from the Ninja Academy yet, he's not even a genin, right?" Hongdou suddenly leaned down and stared at Lu Nie, who was a head shorter than her, and poked his forehead with a sly smile.

"There's no need to worry about that. If you participate, I can have the Ninja Academy arrange an exam to help you obtain the status of a Genin," Orochimaru said.

With the amount of knowledge and chakra he currently possesses, passing the graduation exam shouldn't be difficult. With Orochimaru's backing, there's no need to maintain six years of schooling before taking the exam again.

"I'm fine with it." Although Lu Nie found it troublesome, he did not object.

"Then get ready. I will recommend the three of you." Orochimaru nodded when he saw that none of the three of them objected.

In fact, Orochimaru didn't value the Chunin Exams much. If needed, he could easily arrange an internal Chunin promotion exam for Shikagure and the others. It's just that this time he was conscripted by his own teacher.

……

"Hiruzen, you should really keep Orochimaru in check!"

Inside the Hokage's office, Danzo and the two Hokage advisors stared grimly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sat opposite them, puffing out smoke and looking worried.

Danzo slammed his cane on the ground, his face cold, and said, "Orochimaru's research to enhance the Uchiha clan must be stopped! All those pills that have been distributed must be recalled! Uchiha who have used these pills must also be subject to supervision and reprimand!"

"That's impossible!" Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples in exasperation, rejecting Danzo's suggestion.

"Don't forget the Second Hokage's assessment of the Uchiha! They're a troublesome clan! Having power breeds inappropriate thoughts!" Danzo sternly retorted Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, forcefully reiterating his demands.

"The Uchiha clan really shouldn't have had their power increased! Suppressing the Uchiha was a strategy set by the Second Hokage. Orochimaru did a bad job in this regard." Koharu Utatane chimed in, bringing up their late teacher, Tobirama Senju.

"Hiruzen, the three of us are not forcing you, but the Uchiha clan is just too unpredictable. If they get out of control, our losses will be huge," Mitokado Homura said gently, trying to persuade the Third Hokage.

"The Uchiha clan provided more than half of the funding for the Technology Development Bureau." Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, his face hidden in the rising smoke.

"It's all for the village, and I believe Orochimaru can understand," Danzo said.

"We could try having him try to find other ninja clans to cooperate with," suggested Koharu Utatane.

"Which ninja clan would be willing to provide so much money as the Uchiha? The Hyuga? What do they need the technology development department for?" Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at Koharu Utatane.

"But strengthening the Uchiha clan will ultimately have hidden dangers," Mitokado Homura warned.

"Why don't we hand that technology over to Root, and I'll talk to the Uchiha?" Danzo suddenly spoke up in the silence. "Even if the Uchiha have any complaints, let them come to me."

"Go talk to Orochimaru yourself," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied sullenly.

Danzo and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance, then stopped surrounding Hiruzen Sarutobi and left simultaneously, understanding each other perfectly. They hadn't come expecting a definitive answer from Hiruzen Sarutobi in the first place.

As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't refuse and his attitude remains ambiguous, that's enough for them.

The three knew the Third Hokage's personality all too well; he was no longer the decisive and ruthless ninja hero he once was. Unless explicitly forbidden, Danzo dared to act under the Hokage's banner.

……

Following Orochimaru through the dark underground passages, they finally arrived at a chilling underground storage room filled with coffins. Looking at the rows of frozen coffins, Shikano subconsciously glanced up at Orochimaru.

"What are these?"

"Corpses, huh?" Orochimaru squinted and answered Shikagure softly. "They were all ninjas with a special skill or some kind of bloodline limit."

Upon hearing this, Lu Nie suddenly understood.

Besides being known as the "kindergarten director," Orochimaru also had the reputation of being a corpse thief. Of course, the latter was later popularized by Kabuto Yakushi.

"Didn't you want to research bloodline limits? There are quite a few materials here, although they are all inanimate objects." Orochimaru led Shikagami through the ice coffins, introducing them to him one by one.

Dissolve and escape.

Boiling escape.

Steel Escape.

The Whirlpool Clan.

Uchiha family.

Hyuga clan.

Of course, the eye sockets of the corpses from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans were empty.

"That was a branch family of the Hyuga clan. His eyes were destroyed by a sealing technique. But he was very skilled in taijutsu when he was alive, and his body has some research value."

Seeing Shikane's interest in the Hyuga clan's corpses, Orochimaru added a few more words. For Orochimaru, living materials were always scarce, and as for materials from the dead, only Hashirama cells or other powerful bloodline limits could pique his interest in research.

"You are free to study and use the corpses here. You should know that the corpses of ninjas contain a lot of useful information," Orochimaru said to Shikane.

Lu Nie nodded firmly.

"In addition, you should be careful to use it in moderation. Although shadow clones allow you to multitask and do multiple things at the same time, using this method for a long time will put a great strain on your mind and body."

In severe cases, it can even destroy a person's will. Don't test your limits. You have a long time to grow, Shikane!" Orochimaru reminded Shikane at the end.

It had become a routine for Shikagami's three shadow clones to handle multiple tasks and learn simultaneously. Seeing Shikagami's increasingly pale complexion, Orochimaru worried that Shikagami's mind would be overwhelmed by the strain of ninjutsu.

"I will take care of my body." The shadow beneath Lu Nie's feet extended out, binding the two ice coffins and carrying them away from the icehouse as he spoke.

Orochimaru nodded upon hearing this, but did not say anything more.

It's well known that the Nara clan is exceptionally skilled in maintaining their health in Konoha. After all, their physical condition is generally not very good due to the pressure of Yin Release techniques. As the saying goes, "experience makes one a doctor," and every Nara clan member is a walking medicine cabinet, and a medicine cabinet with an uncertain future.

With Tsunade's guidance and his expertise in pharmacology and medical ninjutsu, there was indeed no need to worry about Shikane in this regard. Orochimaru was merely offering a reminder because he noticed Shikane's increasingly listless demeanor.

"After some time, you can visit Minato." Orochimaru ignored the two ice coffins behind Shikagure. "If you want to systematically learn advanced sealing techniques, there are only a few people in that village who can teach you."

"Old man, Jiraiya's disciple Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki from the Uzumaki clan. I've already spoken with Jiraiya, and after he spoke with Minato, Minato is willing to teach you sealing techniques."

Orochimaru possesses considerable skill in sealing techniques, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to develop the Sage Mode Cursed Seal. However, everyone has their own expertise, and when it comes to truly profound sealing techniques, the Uzumaki clan, who are renowned for their sealing abilities, cannot be ignored.

Orochimaru had already laid a foundation of sealing techniques for Shikane, confirming that he was not without talent in this area, before he approached Jiraiya.

Since I've already asked Tsunade once, asking Jiraiya again won't hurt.

(End of this chapter)