"How did you know I ca here?" Shin asked with so curiosity. After all, although Orochimaru was quite powerful, he wasn't a sensory-type ninja.
"I recently developed a chakra-sensing barrier and placed it over the entire research facility," Orochimaru said proudly. "Although I haven't yet integrated any defensive functions into it, any chakra fluctuation within the barrier's range cannot escape my detection."
"Is this your way of compensating for not being a sensory ninja?" Shin teased.
"Haha!" Orochimaru laughed heartily. "What do you think?"
"Not much." Shin shook his head. "To , it's nothing but a waste."
Orochimaru was a little annoyed at Shin's showy modesty. But what he said was true. His sensory abilities were ridiculously powerful, he had no need for such a barrier.
That was also why, when he had brought up this concept before, Shin hadn't paid it any attention and just told him to do whatever he wanted with it.
"By the way, Hiruzen ca to see again," Orochimaru said as if he just rembered sothing.
Nowadays, in private, he no longer called Hiruzen "sensei" and simply referred to him by na. In fact, he did love Konoha deeply. He always hoped the village would grow stronger. But ever since he learned about the disgusting things Hiruzen had done, he beca increasingly disappointed in him.
"Haha, what did that guy ask you about this ti?" Shin laughed.
"He wants to report your every move to him, especially your interactions with Tsunade while she's at the research facility," Orochimaru replied with a smirk.
"Looks like he is getting anxious and is preparing to go after Tsunade. He wants to see whether our relationship has changed after her two-month absence. He's planning to use as a pretext to make trouble for her. But he and I really are in sync. I've already prepared a few 'gifts' for him, it won't be long before they're delivered."
"Haven't you given him enough 'gifts' these past few months?" Orochimaru said, speechless. "He's nearly gone mad from all the rumors and gossip."
"A river reveals its true depth only when the water recedes, we're just getting started," Shin said with a smile. "Those were just appetizers, not even real gifts."
"Well, that's true. He is the Hokage after all. The current public opinion isn't enough to shake his position yet," Orochimaru nodded, understanding what Shin ant. He sighed, "He is truly unlucky to have run into you."
He knew that Shin had long ago designed a variety of elaborate and twisted fates for Hiruzen and the others. So of the tactics Shin planned were so extre that even soone like Orochimaru, who wasn't exactly known for his restraint, found them a bit disturbing.
Killing soone? That was far too mild for Shin.
What he aid for was the slow descent into despair, losing everything one held dear, unable to do anything to stop it. That was the ultimate psychological tornt. And now, everything was unfolding exactly as Shin had envisioned.
Ironically, Hiruzen and the others remained completely unaware.
Initially, he hadn't fully agreed with so of Shin's plans. He didn't care about the others, but he did have a bond with Hiruzen as student and teacher. But after discovering what his beloved teacher had truly done, he wholeheartedly sided with Shin.
At this point in ti, Orochimaru still couldn't quite let go of his feelings for Konoha. As long as he didn't have to personally make a move, he didn't really care.
"No, we are who he ran into," Shin corrected him.
"That may be true, but is it really okay to say all this in front of your brother?" Orochimaru asked, glancing at the confused-looking Minato standing to the side.
"Hahaha, don't let this kid fool you," Shin laughed as he ruffled Minato's hair. "He's sharp as a whip."
Minato, even after being exposed, wasn't embarrassed. He just scratched his head and gave a silly smile, as if by habit. With that look and vibe, he was the picture-perfect obedient, boy-next-door type.
"All right then, since you're here, Minato, let give you a tour of our research facility," Shin said with a smile. "Once you've mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, you can co over anyti."
"Okay!" Minato nodded enthusiastically, his face full of anticipation.
"Hehe!" Seeing the interaction between the two brothers, Orochimaru chuckled. "Looks like you haven't hidden anything from Minato either."
"Your improvents to the stealth technique are quite impressive," Shin said as they went upstairs. "I doubt anyone in the entire shinobi world besides could even detect it."
"It's all thanks to your earlier research into chakra concealnt," Orochimaru smiled. "That gave the foundation to continue improving it. Still, the technique has one big flaw, it can't handle large amounts of chakra during stealth. Otherwise, it'll still get noticed. And it doesn't hide the user's physical body, just their chakra signature. At this stage, it's only useful for surveillance. If we want to apply it in combat, there's still more work to be done. But I believe one day, this stealth technique will reach the level of the Second Tsuchikage."
After chatting for a bit, Shin brought Minato to the forbidden jutsu research lab.
"I'll get back to work. The updated stealth technique is in Cabinet 17," Orochimaru said, then smiled at Minato and left first.
"You guys just leave forbidden jutsu out like this?" Minato asked in shock as he casually opened a cabinet and pulled out a scroll.
"You're the fourth person who knows about this place," Shin explained with a smile. "Since no one else knows, what does it matter where we store them? And rember, ninjutsu isn't what matters. What matters is the ninja. So ninjas only master a single technique their entire life, yet they're nearly invincible. Others might know a thousand techniques, but in the end, they're nothing special."
"Yeah, I understand. But how many forbidden techniques are in here?"
"There are about fifty or so," Shin replied. "So were developed by Tobirama, so by Orochimaru and , and others I've gathered from across the shinobi world over the past year or so."
"Can I study these forbidden jutsu?" Minato asked hopefully. Even if ninjutsu wasn't everything, so techniques were still irresistibly tempting.
"You can read all of them," Shin said seriously. "But before you officially begin learning any one of them, you have to ask first. They're forbidden for a reason. So co with heavy risks, and so may cost the user their life. If you can avoid learning them, don't. Even though you've trained in chakra-based body strengthening since you were a kid and your physique far surpasses others your age, your recovery ability still isn't on par with Kushina's. So jutsu just aren't suited for you."
"I get it!" Minato excitedly rubbed his hands together, though he clearly took his brother's words to heart.
"Also, you're still a bit weak. I won't feel comfortable until you've mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique," Shin said. "Tonight, I'm taking you to Shikkotsu Forest to see if you have the potential to train in its Sage Mode."
Hearing the seriousness in his brother's tone, Minato grew curious and asked, "Is Sage Mode really that big of a boost?"
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