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Of course, while one could never have too many forbidden jutsu, one couldn't learn them all haphazardly either. At the very least, after learning them, they had to be usable. Therefore, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique held no interest for Orochimaru.
It wasn't that Orochimaru literally lacked the chakra to perform the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique once. On the contrary, performing it once with a manageable number of clones was something even someone like Kagaya, with his relatively low chakra reserves, could manage. However, for both Kagaya and Orochimaru, the jutsu simply wasn't worth it. What could a few dozen shadow clones accomplish? For Kagaya, with that amount of chakra, using the Susano'o was far more valuable than using Multiple Shadow Clones.
Similarly, for Orochimaru, there were far too many jutsu more valuable than Multiple Shadow Clones. There was no need to expend vast amounts of chakra on such a technique. This kind of jutsu was only for those whose chakra seemed limitless.
"So, what do you want?"
Kagaya had no interest in listing jutsu one by one for Orochimaru. Since Orochimaru had brought up the Scroll of Seals himself, he likely already had a target in mind.
Sure enough, in the next moment, Orochimaru spoke.
"The Flying Thunder God."
"Do you really want it?"
"Of course."
"Then the price goes up."
"Is Hashirama's cells not enough, Kagaya-kun?"
"It's enough, but I believe you can offer a bit more."
"This is blatant extortion."
"Yes, it is."
Both smiled as they looked at each other. After a brief silence, Orochimaru spoke.
"What do you want?"
"Mount Myōboku."
Hearing these three words, Orochimaru couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
"You even know about that, Kagaya-kun?"
"So? Will you tell me?"
Orochimaru took a deep breath.
"Very well."
Shortly after, Kagaya left the Hidden Sound Village. He now knew the location of Mount Myōboku and had also obtained the Hashirama cells.
In return, Orochimaru had obtained the Flying Thunder God.
However, Kagaya didn't believe Orochimaru could master it. The Flying Thunder God technique—Kagaya had started training in it almost a year ago. Yet even now, his progress was minimal. It was truly too difficult.
Orochimaru might be a genius in researching jutsu, but he was certainly not a genius in learning them. There was no way Orochimaru could master the Flying Thunder God.
Taking out the vial containing the Hashirama cells given by Orochimaru, Kagaya had not asked Orochimaru to transplant them into his body. He disliked transplanting strange things into himself haphazardly. Moreover, transplantation wasn't necessary. According to the description on the Scroll of Seals, what was required was possessing the powers of both the Uchiha and the Senju. Here, "powers" likely referred to chakra. Therefore, Kagaya only needed to obtain the chakra.
The vial was about the size of a palm, filled with a green liquid. Floating within was a pale lump of flesh—this was the Hashirama cells. Strangely enough, it somewhat resembled the White Zetsu beings cultivated from human bodies using the God Tree.
After all, Hashirama's Wood Release power also originated from the God Tree. That's why none of Hashirama's descendants inherited Wood Release. Although it was a jutsu created by Hashirama, honestly, it was less a creation and more Hashirama, through Asura's power, accidentally discovering a method to utilize the God Tree's power.
That's why Hashirama's Wood Release was so terrifying, unrivaled in his time, while his descendants couldn't inherit it—they couldn't, and had no right to, use the God Tree's power.
Yamato's case was even more ironic. Orochimaru and Danzō, using cells from Hashirama's body—which had once controlled the God Tree's power—literally created a Wood Release user. Strictly speaking, perhaps Yamato's Wood Release was the true Wood Release. Hashirama's Wood Release stemmed from the God Tree, while Yamato's Wood Release was truly his own—even though he obtained it via Hashirama's cells.
Consequently, Yamato's Wood Release was very weak. His Wood Release lacked the God Tree as its power source. He could only use the minuscule trace of God Tree power inherited from the Hashirama cells to suppress tailed beasts and engage in a bit of landscaping.
Through a coincidence, Yamato inherited Wood Release. But ultimately, he was not Asura. If Yamato's Wood Release had been given to Naruto, perhaps it could have recreated Hashirama's former glory. But alas, there were no "ifs."
Setting Yamato aside, the flesh lump in Kagaya's hand was indeed composed of Hashirama's cells. Perhaps much of the God Tree's power had faded from it over time, but there was no doubt that it still contained vast amounts of Asura's chakra, Senju chakra, and potent regenerative power. These were things the God Tree couldn't reclaim; they belonged to Hashirama.
Kagaya reached out and touched the vial, beginning to sense the chakra belonging to Hashirama through the glass.
What he felt was a chakra as vast as the ocean, seemingly infinite.
"Seriously?!"
Across an entire era, Kagaya felt a twinge of despair toward the God of Shinobi for the first time.
What he held in his hand was merely a lump of flesh! Just a lump of flesh!!
Yet this mere lump of flesh contained more chakra than Kagaya's entire body combined!
It was utterly unreasonable, utterly absurd. That such a terrifying comparison could exist—a lump of flesh possessing more chakra than his entire being—filled Kagaya with a sense of despair.
Back when he awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he had thought perhaps he could measure up against Hashirama and Madara. But now, that seemed laughable.
Through the Eternal Mangekyō, Kagaya had glimpsed some of Madara's power. And now, in this moment, he understood Hashirama's power as well.
These two were genuine monsters! Absolute monsters.
With two such monsters appearing in the same era, everyone else might as well just go home.
Kagaya recalled from the original story when the four Hokage were reincarnated. Tobirama merely releasing his chakra had terrified Sasuke, who already possessed the Eternal Mangekyō, and the others. Meanwhile, Hashirama instantly unleashed chakra comparable to Tobirama's, suppressing him.
Kagaya now understood: Hashirama was definitely not using his full power at that time.
From this tiny piece of flesh alone, Kagaya comprehended what "infinite chakra" truly meant. This was it.
If Hashirama were revived now and unleashed his full chakra right in front of Kagaya, Kagaya estimated that the sheer pressure from the chakra release alone would be enough to render him immobile.
Having a large chakra pool didn't necessarily mean one was strong. Currently, within the shinobi world, many possessed more chakra than Kagaya, but he was confident most couldn't defeat him. However, the statement 'having a large chakra pool doesn't mean one is strong' only applied to normal people. For monsters like Hashirama, whose chakra reserves reached such an utterly terrifying level, a large chakra pool did equate to immense strength!
Monsters couldn't be measured by common sense.
For example, it was a given that a single shinobi couldn't defeat a large army of powerful shinobi head-on.
But consider Madara in the original story. After being revived in the later stages, he literally took on an entire army solo! Trying to constrain such monsters with common sense was impossible.
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