Chapter 99 - 29

Chapter 29: Many Wives, Many Blessings! Returning to Orochimaru!The next day, at the training ground.After passing the Ivy secret assessment—specifically, after Kushina used the Heart Resonance Technique to establish a subordinate relationship with Naruto.Guren and Tayuya were formally introduced to all Ivy members."From today on, Guren and Tayuya, you are official members of the ivy project," Kushina stood before them. "Your past identities are completely void. Here, you only need to remember one thing."She looked at everyone:"Members of Ivy are each other's branches, entwining together and growing upward. No matter how strong the wind and rain, as long as the roots remain connected, we will not fall."Guren and Tayuya exchanged a glance.Tayuya nodded slightly.Guren bit her lip and finally whispered, "...Understood.""Then, the training begins. Today's project is a team coordination drill."Naruto, Hinata, and Guren were in one group, against Izumi, Sakura, and Tayuya."Begin!"Izumi took the lead in attacking, her Sharinganlocking onto Naruto as shuriken rained down like a storm.Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan: "Three on the left, five on the right, and there are Chakrathreads in the middle!"Guren formed hand seals: "Crystal Release: Crystal Shuriken!"Pale red crystal shurikens condensed in the air, precisely intercepting Izumi's attack. The crisp sound of crystal collisions rang out.Tayuya raised her flute, and eerie sound waves began to spread.Sakura immediately covered her ears: "Not this again!"Naruto suddenly smiled: "Tayuya, is your flute music missing a bass section?"Tayuya's performance paused for a moment."I've heard before that complete music needs high, middle, and low registers," Naruto said while forming hand seals. "I don't know how to play the flute, but I can do this,""Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"It wasn't an aggressive gale, but a gentle, sustained airflow that fell exactly below the range of Tayuya's flute music, forming a humming sound similar to bass resonance.Tayuya's pupils dilated slightly. She subconsciously adjusted the frequency of her flute, creating a wonderful resonance with Naruto's Wind Release.The effect of the genjutsu increased several times over, but... it also became less "harsh." Instead, it had a strangely harmonious feel.Both Izumi and Sakura were affected, their movements slowing by a beat."Hinata! Guren!""Understood!""Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!""Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Hexagonal Pillars!"Hinata's Gentle Fist sealed Izumi's Chakra points, while Guren's crystals rose from the ground, forming a labyrinth-like structure that trapped Sakura.The battle ended. Naruto's team won.Everyone looked at Naruto and Tayuya in surprise."That just now was..." Ino's mouth hung open, "cooperation?"Tenten's eyes lit up: "Resonance between Wind Release and sound wave genjutsu? How is that possible?"Tayuya lowered her flute and looked at Naruto, real surprise appearing in her eyes for the first time: "You... how did you know to fill in the bass?"Naruto scratched his head and laughed: "I just felt... your flute music sounded a bit 'thin.' Like someone talking in an empty place without an echo. So I thought I'd at least give you some 'echo'."Guren walked over, stared at Naruto for a long time, and then looked away: "...Not bad, dead last.""Have you ever seen such a handsome 'dead last'!?""Your Chakra control is so crude; if you're not a dead last, what are you?""Still better than someone who only knows how to play with crystals!""What did you say?!"The two of them actually started arguing.Tayuya, however, slightly turned up the corners of her mouth—a very, very faint curve, but she was definitely smiling.Izumi walked over, her Sharingan deactivated: "Naruto, your Wind Release control just now... has become much more refined.""Hehe, I've been doing special training lately."Kushina stood by the side of the field, watching it all. She noticed that when Naruto and Guren argued, although Guren was sharp-tongued, her eyes were alive, no longer filled with the dead, sullen vigilance from before.Although Tayuya was still quiet, she had begun to actively observe the other members' training and would occasionally offer suggestions.Orochimaru... those two children you sent indeed have potential.But now, they are my students.She turned to leave the training ground, her mind already made up.The cooperation could begin.But the dominance must be held firmly in her own hands....Three days later, Minato met a special guest at the "Aoi" secret base.When the man with pale skin and golden snake-like pupils entered the room, all the guards in the shadows tensed up."Orochimaru," Minato said calmly."Minato Namikaze," Orochimaru smiled. "Long time no see. You look... more exhausted than I imagined.""Thanks to you," Minato gestured for him to sit. "Tell me straight, what exactly do you want?"Orochimaru sat across from him, his slender fingers interlaced on his knees: "I want to observe 'possibilities.' The future of the Ninja World, the growth of the Child of Prophecy, the evolution of Bloodline Limits, and... the limits of human emotion.""So you sent Guren and Tayuya as test subjects?""They were volunteers," Orochimaru said. "Guren wanted to prove she isn't just an 'experimental subject,' and Tayuya wanted to find the 'complete melody' lost by her clan. And I... want to see to what extent they can grow in your environment."Minato stared at him: "If I find you doing anything harmful to Naruto.""I won't hurt him," Orochimaru interrupted. "On the contrary, I will help him. Because he himself is the greatest 'possibility' of this era. Watching him grow, studying how he influences those around him, how he changes established fate... it's more interesting than any experiment."