Naruto Time Control

Chapter 303

Chapter 303

Naruto Time Control

"You should return to Konoha, Orochimaru-sensei."

Yeruashi addressed Orochimaru with a faint smile. "Focus on your new research in the village. You don't need to waste any more time studying the secrets of immortality, because I... I have already mastered it."

The Rinne Tenseigan—the eyes of life and death.

The concepts of life and death were essentially nothing more than body and soul, Yin and Yang. The Rinne Tenseigan could govern both, allowing the body's cells to break the shackles of mortality and remove the limit on how many times they could divide.

"You have already mastered it?!"

Orochimaru exclaimed in shock, his reaction far more explosive than when Yeruashi had carved a canyon through the earth with a simple punch.

Yeruashi nodded calmly and fixed his gaze on the Sannin.

Whoosh!!

A celestial blue radiance flared within Yeruashi's azure pupils, forming a three-pointed pattern as his ocular power surged forth.

The moment Yeruashi activated his Rinne Tenseigan, Orochimaru felt as though the entire world had been split into two equal halves—one black and one white—and he was standing directly on the line where they met.

As the power of the Rinne Tenseigan flooded into him, the white light expanded rapidly, driving back the darkness until the world before his eyes turned completely white and then vanished without a trace.

"You should be able to feel it now."

Yeruashi spoke to Orochimaru as the heavenly blue glow in his eyes faded, returning them to their usual color.

Orochimaru shuddered and tilted his head. He slowly raised his hands and clenched his fists, beginning to carefully examine the state of his physical form.

As a man with an incredibly potent regeneration factor who had completed exhaustive research on cellular biology, Orochimaru immediately realized that his cells had undergone a staggering transformation.

It seemed... his cells no longer had a division limit!

For a human, the limit on cellular division was the absolute boundary of their lifespan.

Because of this, Orochimaru's research had focused on soul transference and the parasitism of other bodies; by doing so, he could inhabit a young vessel time and again and never grow old.

But now...

His cells had no limit on how many times they could divide, which should allow his body to remain in its current state forever, never succumbing to the process of aging.

Realizing the profound change that had occurred within him, Orochimaru felt a momentary sense of bewilderment. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly he had been doing with his life all these years.

After a long pause, he regained his composure, though his expression became somewhat peculiar.

Yeruashi noticed this and asked, "Is something wrong, sensei?"

"It's nothing..."

Orochimaru mused, shaking his head.

He had already made great progress in his research into soul transference and had recently performed the Living Corpse Reincarnation for the first time. The vessel he occupied now wasn't his original body; it was the body of... a female shinobi.

Apparently, this power that had shattered the boundary between life and death affected both the body and the soul, which meant that Orochimaru was now forced to use this body permanently.

'Forget it.'

'It doesn't matter.'

Pushing the thought aside, Orochimaru looked at Yeruashi with a serious expression and queried, "Yeruashi, you are familiar with the... Otsutsuki Clan, aren't you?"

"I am. Why do you ask?"

Yeruashi looked at the Sannin with interest.

Between Orochimaru's words and his severe injuries, Yeruashi began to vaguely guess what had happened.

Orochimaru's face darkened, and his voice turned heavy. "I recently encountered a very strange shinobi. Perhaps it isn't even right to call him that, as he is nothing like a ninja. He calls himself a celestial being. His name is... Urashiki Otsutsuki."

Yeruashi wasn't particularly surprised by the news. He looked up at the sky and whispered, "So Urashiki Otsutsuki is already here..."

"You know him?" Orochimaru asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes."

Yeruashi nodded. "Orochimaru-sensei, you've likely gathered information about the Sage of Six Paths, but you probably know nothing of his mother—Kaguya Otsutsuki. This Urashiki is an enemy of Kaguya and our entire world."

Hearing Yeruashi's explanation, Orochimaru's expression grew even grimmer. "Then Urashiki must be a formidable opponent. Can you handle him?"

"There shouldn't be any problems."

Yeruashi assured him with a nod and a smile. "I'll go look for him. If I get the chance, I'll try to bring back a piece of him for your research, sensei. Return to Konoha; my shadow clone is there, so I'll return immediately if anything happens."

As he spoke, a celestial blue light flashed in his eyes, and a black spatial rift opened in the air. Yeruashi stepped forward and vanished into it.

A moment later, the portal snapped shut.

Urashiki had arrived just in time. If he could give the body to Orochimaru for study, they might be able to extract something valuable.

An alert seemed to chime in Yeruashi's mind: [Ding! You have a delivery from the Otsutsuki Clan. Please collect it.]

"..."

Orochimaru stared silently at the spot where Yeruashi had disappeared for a long time before letting out a helpless sigh.

Nearby.

Jiraiya had been tense this entire time. He only allowed himself a sigh of relief once Yeruashi had departed.

Haku and Kimimaro, standing nearby, also gradually came to their senses.

Kimimaro took a deep breath, tearing his gaze away from the massive gorge in the ground. With a trembling voice, he turned to Orochimaru. "Lord Orochimaru, who was that man...?"

"He was my student."

Orochimaru looked at Kimimaro and chuckled. "You must have heard of him. He is the Fifth Hokage of Konoha—the God of Shinobi!"

'It was him!'

Haku, standing nearby, took a sharp breath.

Of course, both Kimimaro and Haku had heard of that man countless times, but they never dreamed that the God of Shinobi was actually Orochimaru's disciple!

The two of them looked at Orochimaru with even greater respect and adoration.

It was incredible; Lord Orochimaru had been able to train such a powerful and legendary shinobi!

In the silence that followed.

"Cough, cough..."

Jiraiya coughed and spoke to the toad that was treating his wounds. "Return to Mount Myoboku and find Fukasaku or Shima as soon as possible. Have them use the Reverse Summoning Technique on me."

"Understood."

The toad nodded and vanished in a puff of white smoke.

Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru. "What do you plan to do next?"

"I've gotten what I wanted. I'm going back to Konoha," Orochimaru replied calmly.

Jiraiya nodded. "Then I'll see you later. I'll drop by when I have some free time."

A few seconds later, Jiraiya vanished in a burst of white smoke.

Orochimaru turned to Kimimaro and Haku. "Let's go."