22That's all work, Run!AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 22: Out of Tricks, Run!
"Got it."
As the book of evil successfully recorded the technique, a massive influx of knowledge, understanding, and insights regarding the Cursed Seal Technique flooded into Naruto's mind.
Previously, at the very moment before being swallowed by the summoned giant snake, he had activated the Technique of the Paper God.
He left behind a paper Clone that wouldn't dissipate and couldn't be detected.
His true body, meanwhile, quickly changed its appearance and returned to the scene.
It wasn't until he witnessed Orochimaru applying the Cursed Seal to Sasuke that this entire setup was officially complete.
The Cursed Seal Technique—
Its core originated from Jugo's innate Sage Transformation Physique.
This Sage Transformation Physique is similar to Sage Mode; the host achieves a multi-fold increase in Chakra, strength, and speed by absorbing natural energy.
However, its drawbacks are equally obvious.
For one, the process of absorbing natural energy is uncontrollable.
Using Jugo as an example, once he is in an area rich in natural energy, he undergoes physical and mental changes that lead to a violent loss of control.
Over time, the frequency of the host's rampages increases, eventually leading to a total loss of self.
Secondly, it differs from the 1:1:1 balanced state of natural energy, mental energy, and physical energy found in Sage Mode.
The innate Sage Body simply grants the host the ability to absorb natural energy.
In essence, there is still a significant gap before reaching true Sage Mode.
But Orochimaru's brilliance lay in the fact that through experimentation, he transplanted Jugo's ability.
He condensed it into the Cursed Seal Technique, allowing this incomplete Sage Transformation to be widely popularized.
Although initially, the survival rate for those transplanted with the Cursed Seal was extremely low.
Later, he developed the Cursed Seal of Earth, which significantly increased the survival rate once again.
The complete Cursed Seal mode is known as the Cursed Seal of Heaven.
In the original story, only Sasuke and Anko Mitarashi were successfully inoculated with the Cursed Seal of Heaven.
Whereas Kimimaro, the Sound Four, and others were inoculated with the Cursed Seal of Earth.
Not only was the effect greatly reduced, but they also needed to take a drug called the mind awakening pill to enter the second stage of the Cursed Seal transformation.
The reason Naruto chose the Cursed Seal Technique as the first Ninjutsu to copy with the book of evil wasn't to plant a seal on himself to increase his power.
What he truly cared about was the ability to absorb natural energy after Sage Transformation.
If he developed it further and used it properly... he could even achieve a fourth type of Sage Mode that belonged only to him, outside of the Three Great Holy Lands!
Although this Sage Mode would be incomplete and have many shortcomings.
It was the optimal solution for him to maximize his personal combat power in the short term.
Soon, he noticed that he had been targeted by Orochimaru.
But Naruto did not back down.
Instead, he met the other's gaze directly.
Old man... it's time to drop some loot!
Coincidentally, he also wanted to test exactly what level his current strength had reached.
With a Body Flicker Technique, Orochimaruappeared in front of Naruto.
He sized up this youth wearing a boar head mask, and a trace of inexplicable wariness suddenly rose in his heart.
"...Who are you?"
"Let's end the games here, Orochimaru. Let me see what you're capable of."
"Oh? You certainly talk big."
Orochimaru stuck out his tongue and licked the corner of his mouth, his mind calculating rapidly.
Could it be the Anbu?
Impossible.
Setting aside the intelligence he possessed, there was no such young figure in the current Anbu.
If it really were the Anbu, they wouldn't have come alone to face him.
One must know that the Anbu always maintains a coordinated action of at least three people, let alone when facing an S-rank Rogue Ninja like himself.
Root?
He and Danzo were still in a cooperative relationship; the other was even less likely to send someone.
Could it be a Ninja from another Village?
The more Orochimaru thought about it, the more clueless he felt.
"Since you know who I am, you still dare to..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his pupils suddenly constricted.
In the next second, the tree trunk he was standing on suddenly emitted a blinding light and exploded violently.
Boom—!
The shockwave instantly overturned the spot where Orochimaru had just been standing.
This sudden attack caught him completely off guard.
An exploding tag?
How is that possible?
Setting aside that an exploding tag needs a certain amount of time from ignition to explosion.
With his strength, if there were an exploding tagunder his feet, how could he have not noticed at all?
At the moment before the explosion occurred, Orochimaru's body leaned back like a tensed bowstring, avoiding the center of the blast with an incredible posture.
Even so, he sustained some external injuries.
Using the tree trunk for leverage, he retreated rapidly and landed on another branch.
For the first time, genuine shock and suspicion flickered in his slitted pupils.
Just as he stabilized his stance, a Kunai tore through the air, heading straight for his face.
Orochimaru gave a cold snort.
His body tilted slightly, and the Kunai grazed his cheek, taking a few strands of hair with it as it embedded itself deep into the tree trunk behind him.
"Interesting, kid..."
Orochimaru was about to speak.
A strange Chakra fluctuation suddenly erupted from the tail of the Kunai that was deeply embedded in the tree trunk.
In that instant, his instinct from years of walking on the edge of life and death screamed a powerful warning at him.
"This mark is...?"
There was no time to think deeply.
Because at the same time that Chakra fluctuation erupted.
The figure of the Boar-headed Youth, who should have been dozens of meters away, vanished into thin air!
The next instant, he appeared behind him.
Flying Thunder God?!
Since the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze passed away, this forbidden technique should have been lost!
Currently, in the entire Konoha, only the Shiranui Genma squad, who once served as Minato's guards, could jointly use a simplified version called the Flying Thunder Formation Technique.
Who exactly was this Boar-headed Youth?
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Orochimaru's reaction was fast to the extreme!
The moment the Boar-headed Youth's figure appeared, he activated his Ninjutsu almost instinctively.
Countless white snakes shot out like chains, aiming straight for the youth's heart.
However—
Just as the snake fangs pierced through the youth's body, there was a soft "poof"!
The other's body instantly turned into a cloud of white smoke.
A Shadow Clone?!
At the same time, the boar head mask did not dissipate along with the Clone.
Instead, carrying its momentum, it flew toward his face along the path where the snakes were retracting.
"Not good!"
Orochimaru instantly realized that this was a chain trap!
He violently pulled back and to the side, while simultaneously concentrating the Chakra within his body on his surface, attempting to form a defense!
Boom—!
The boar head mask exploded violently less than a meter in front of him!
The massive impact and burning sensation made his internal organs churn.
When the firelight faded, Orochimaru's body surface was charred black.
At the same time.
Naruto's original body, hiding in the shadows, couldn't help but feel emotional.
"The combination of the Technique of the Paper God with a Flying Thunder God suicide bomber is really useful..."
The Technique of the Paper God perfectly resolved the drawback of the exploding tag needing time to detonate, while also being able to disguise itself as items on a Shadow Clone.
Even a Kage-level Expert like Orochimaru would suffer a setback when encountering it for the first time.
It was just a pity that the gap in their strength was still too large.
The Shadow Clone was instantly killed the moment it appeared with Flying Thunder God: Level 2.
Otherwise, if he could have left a Flying Thunder God Mark on Orochimaru, the situational advantage could have been further expanded.
"However, it's enough."
As a "ding" notification sounded in his mind, another 100 evil points were steadily acquired.
[Detected host ambushing the model scientist, evil points +100]
It was the same amount Danzo had provided last time.
By now, Orochimaru had gained sufficient intelligence.
From the look of it, he seemed to be starting to get serious.
His only two current trump cards—Flying Thunder God and the Technique of the Paper God—had all been revealed.
Out of tricks.
Run!