Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 173 Ninja World Secrets 6

The annihilation of the Uzumaki clan was undoubtedly a tragedy in the history of the ninja world. And the instigators of this tragedy were, without a doubt, all the ninjas in the ninja world! Especially Konoha Village, which had once signed an alliance agreement with the Land of Whirlpools, was even more heinous.

Back when Konoha was first established, the Uzumaki clan provided them with boundless help and support. It was precisely because of the Uzumaki clan's generous assistance that Konoha was able to rise rapidly in the Land of Fire, becoming a prosperous village. However, as time passed, everything changed.

As the Senju clan gradually faded from the upper echelons of Konoha, a new generation of Konoha leadership, headed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped onto the historical stage. Regrettably, these individuals inherited none of the wisdom and vision of their predecessors. They were narrow-minded, focused only on immediate gains, and completely lost the ability to assess the future development of the ninja world from a macro perspective.

Faced with the countless precious sealing techniques possessed by the Uzumaki clan, the Konoha leadership was blinded by greed and completely forgot their former alliance. They frantically plundered and looted the Uzumaki clan's treasures, leaving this once glorious family with nothing left. Konoha seized everything, and the clan quietly disappeared into the annals of the ninja world.

Ultimately, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as the leader of Konoha, lacked the necessary foresight and vision. Like most ordinary ninjas, he was limited by his own shortsightedness and unable to grasp the bigger picture of the ninja world. This narrow perspective not only led to the destruction of the Uzumaki clan but also sowed the seeds for future turmoil in the ninja world.

Despite the instigation of someone behind the scenes, the high-ranking officials of Konoha Village, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, never considered offering any help to their former ally. Instead, they revealed their even more greedy nature and wiped out the last remaining strength of the Uzumaki clan.

Orochimaru didn't focus on the annihilation of the Uzumaki clan, but rather on Hyuga Kanan's mention of the Uzumaki clan's pioneering training methods that approached physical evolution. The Uzumaki clan was most famous in the ninja world for their sealing techniques, but because of Kushina Uzumaki in Konoha, Orochimaru knew very well that the Uzumaki clan was not only renowned for their sealing techniques; their physical abilities were also exceptional, famous for their enormous chakra reserves far exceeding those of other ninjas.

Orochimaru hadn't paid much attention to this phenomenon before. He believed that having more chakra simply meant being able to use ninjutsu more frequently, or being skilled at using powerful ninjutsu that consumed a lot of chakra. However, in reality, a ninja's true strength didn't depend solely on the amount of chakra they possessed, but rather on the methods they used to unleash their abilities. While ninjas with vast amounts of chakra might have deeper foundations, the Uzumaki clan was an exception. Although their chakra far surpassed that of other ninjas in the ninja world, they lacked the methods and techniques to effectively convert that chakra into actual combat power. Therefore, the Uzumaki clan never became a family renowned for its fighting prowess in the ninja world.

However, at this moment, Orochimaru's inner beliefs underwent a radical change! Ever since he heard from Hyuga Kanan about the unique training method created by the Uzumaki clan—a miraculous method that could continuously evolve the body—he suddenly realized how limited his past thinking had been.

The word "evolution" contains endless possibilities and profound meaning. It signifies transcending the status quo, breaking free from constraints, and moving towards a higher level. Using this word to describe the Uzumaki clan's training methods fully demonstrates that this path of cultivation has surpassed the realm of ordinary ninjas, entering a completely new domain. Only then did Orochimaru realize that he had always been imprisoned by the fixed mindsets of all ninjas in the entire ninja world, trapped in traditional patterns, unable to extricate himself, and unable to truly find the broad road to truth.

The path before him was now fraught with unknowns and challenges, yet it also held limitless possibilities. Perhaps only through this path could he achieve a qualitative leap in his own strength and lead the entire ninja world towards an unprecedentedly glorious future… Thinking this, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with unwavering determination, as if he could see the dawn of hope breaking through the clouds and illuminating the path ahead!

“Interesting, very interesting! Kanan-kun, what you said has opened up a new path for me. It turns out that I have been trapped in the mindset of ninjas all along. No wonder the more I study, the more I feel bound by tradition.”

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed, his excitement impossible to conceal. He had gained some insights from his exchange with Hyuga Kanan and knew which direction his research should take. He believed that with this information, it was only a matter of time before he discovered the Uzumaki clan's training methods, allowing him to enter the ranks of evolution and break through the limitations of a ninja.

Hyuga Kanan stared at Orochimaru's face, which was contorted with excitement, and knew that he had to pour cold water on this fanatic to bring him back to his senses.

The Uzumaki clan was indeed a group possessing extraordinary talent. With their innate abilities, they successfully pioneered a method to strengthen their bodies using sealing techniques, even approaching the threshold of evolution. Had they not suffered that horrific massacre, they would undoubtedly have embarked on the path of evolution, becoming the first clan in the ninja world to venture into the realm of cultivation. However, after the tragedy of the Uzumaki clan, the forces manipulating everything from the shadows would never tolerate a similar situation again. At the same time, the world's will was no longer able to provide the powerful support it once did.

"Orochimaru-senpai, I think you might be a bit too optimistic right now. You must understand that developing this method of cultivation and evolution is no easy feat, and you seem to lack sufficient attention to that. Furthermore, have you considered that the person hiding behind this, after what happened with the Uzumaki clan, would they so easily allow you to continue researching evolution without any distractions?" Hyuga Kanan bluntly interrupted Orochimaru's excited emotions. His words were like a sharp sword, piercing Orochimaru's weak spot, causing Orochimaru to fall silent instantly.

Yes! The recent massacre of the Uzumaki clan was still fresh in his mind, and continuing research on them would undoubtedly carry enormous risks. Even the powerful Uzumaki clan couldn't escape the enemy's carefully laid trap, so what gave him the confidence to survive? Orochimaru's mind quickly weighed the pros and cons, clearly realizing the immense danger involved; a single misstep could lead to his silent and devastating elimination from some unknown corner. However, none of this could shake his unwavering belief in his research.

Looking into Orochimaru's exceptionally resolute, courageous, and sharp eyes, Hyuga Kanan knew perfectly well that no unknown risks or hardships could shake Orochimaru's unwavering belief in seeking the truth and delving into in-depth research. For someone filled with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, even facing immense crises or life-or-death trials could not deter them from their relentless pursuit of knowledge and their relentless progress.

Without a doubt, Orochimaru is exactly that kind of person! Especially considering Orochimaru's extraordinary survival skills, Hyuga Kanan felt even more at ease. Although the real Orochimaru may not possess the astonishing tenacity described in the original work, he would never die easily in any way.

However, Orochimaru was far too naive. Did he really believe that the Uzumaki clan's ability to research evolutionary cultivation methods relied entirely on so-called talent? Even if they truly possessed extraordinary talent, finding a cultivation path sufficient to achieve human evolution was by no means an easy task!

In fact, the Uzumaki clan was able to reach this threshold thanks to the demands of the world's will. At that time, in order to enable ninjas in the ninja world to fight against the hidden enemies, the world's will bestowed many favorable treatments and provided strong support to the Uzumaki clan. It was under these exceptionally favorable conditions that the Uzumaki clan finally managed to find a clue.

Even now, though Orochimaru can conduct further research and exploration based on the data left behind by the Uzumaki clan, it is clear that the world's will is no longer able to provide him with the same level of assistance as before. Therefore, he can only rely on his own strength, taking one step at a time, to slowly overcome this problem on his own.

However, if he relies solely on his personal talent and hard work, the time required will likely far exceed his original expectations, and he may even end up failing and gaining nothing.

Despite the world's will's desperate attempts to prevent the unbridled spread of his training methods throughout the ninja world, lest more powerful individuals seize the opportunity to usurp the world's will, Hyuga Kanan, after careful consideration, resolved to offer Orochimaru some hints and guidance. After all, Orochimaru was his most crucial and important ally for the future. Allowing Orochimaru to waste precious time painstakingly researching only to gain nothing would be detrimental to Kanan. Not only would he fail to leverage Orochimaru's power against his enemies, but it could also lead to a rift or even a complete breakdown in their relationship. Therefore, he had to find a way to ensure Orochimaru gained something and could realize his value.

"Orochimaru-senpai, successfully researching a cultivation method is not an easy task. Pay more attention to the natural energy in the outside world; it is the true foundation of the ninja world."

Hyuga Kanan spoke up and gave Orochimaru a hint, hoping he would understand!