Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 169 Ninja World Secrets 2

When a wisp of dark blue energy emerged from Hyuga Kanan's palm, he stopped what he was doing and gestured for Orochimaru to carefully sense this power. Orochimaru immediately focused his attention and began to meticulously explore the mysterious energy flowing endlessly in Hyuga Kanan's palm.

However, as Orochimaru's perception of this energy deepened, his astonishment intensified, eventually culminating in a look of utter shock. "This...this is definitely not chakra! What kind of energy is this? Why does it feel like it's something far superior to chakra?!" Orochimaru stared wide-eyed at Hyuga Kanan, his face filled with disbelief, yearning for an answer from him.

It's important to understand that chakra has been passed down in the ninja world for over a thousand years. It is precisely because of chakra that ninjas have achieved their current glorious accomplishments and lofty status. Other combat professions have gradually been submerged in the torrent of history, but only ninjas have stood out, becoming the undisputed strongest beings in this world.

But now a completely new energy system that surpasses chakra has emerged. Will the ninjas who once prospered because of chakra eventually be abandoned by the times and buried in the dust of history? Thinking of this, Orochimaru couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Looking at Orochimaru, who was lost in thought, Hyuga Kanan stood there silently for a long time before finally deciding to interrupt him: "Don't worry so much. What you're worried about is absolutely impossible. However... as for the reason, I'm afraid you should first ask yourself if you're mentally prepared. You see, the news I'm about to tell you is quite cruel and merciless! So, I don't think you have a strong enough heart to bear all of this right now. Furthermore, the techniques and abilities I'm showing you so far can't be easily learned and mastered with just chakra. Therefore, it's not too late to discuss the specifics of the deal when you feel that you've truly adjusted your mindset and can face any situation!"

Orochimaru finally came to his senses. He stared at the enigmatic Hyuga Kanan before him, pondering to himself. Then, he couldn't help but murmur to himself, "When did I become so sentimental? Whether ninjas are still the masters of the world or not, what does it matter to me? All I pursue is my own unique path."

Immediately afterward, Orochimaru looked up again, his eyes gleaming with intense light, staring directly at Hyuga Kanan. He thought to himself, "Even if ninjas are eventually replaced by other professions, so what? No profession in this world can exist forever. Ninjas can replace other professions, and naturally, they may also be replaced one day. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be surprised about."

At this moment, Orochimaru was solely focused on exploring his own path. The unique aura emanating from Hyuga Kanan and the things he displayed were precisely what he yearned to understand and pursue. Through these, he believed he could acquire far greater knowledge and further unveil the mysterious veil of the ninja world.

"Kanan-kun, please don't worry about my state of mind. I'm not the kind of person who's easily hurt! On the contrary, the little-known secrets of the ninja world are the treasures I truly want to pursue. I wonder if you know a little about them now?" Orochimaru stared intently at Hyuga Kanan, his eyes revealing endless anticipation and curiosity.

Hyuga Kanan was utterly astonished by Hyuga Orochimaru. This legendary ninja, who had fought countless battles and weathered decades of storms, was not only one of the top ninjas standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world, but also possessed wisdom and insight that were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Yet, faced with such astonishing words, he seemed completely unconcerned.

It should be understood that what he just said contained a profound meaning that could shake the very foundation of the ninja world, and might even cause Orochimaru's peak position, which he had painstakingly climbed over decades, to collapse instantly. But Orochimaru seemed completely unaware of this, without the slightest concern.

"As expected! Orochimaru-senpai, I knew I hadn't misjudged him." Hyuga Kanan looked at Orochimaru with unwavering determination, sparing no praise. It must be understood that in the entire ninja world, a ninja with such a mindset as Orochimaru is extremely rare, practically unparalleled. His obsession and thirst for the unknown surpasses everything else in the world. Even the risk of falling from the peak to the bottom cannot stop his progress.

Hyuga Kanan knew the saying "the more you say, the more mistakes you make," so he didn't say anything more. After all, Orochimaru was a carefully chosen ally. Moreover, he firmly believed that once Orochimaru learned certain key information, he would become his most solid and reliable help.

"Orochimaru-senpai, the things I traded with you before mentioned the origin of chakra, which is an extremely important and mysterious topic! What are your thoughts on this? I firmly believe that you must have obtained a lot of valuable information from this. After all, many secrets of the ninja world are hidden in the origin of chakra."

Orochimaru was deeply shocked upon hearing this. He had carefully studied the contents of the document and destroyed it immediately afterward. Furthermore, he had conducted in-depth research on it, even vaguely sensing the authenticity of its contents. However, Hyuga Kanan's revisiting of this past now seemed to hint at a deeper meaning.

"Kanan-kun, what do you mean by that? Could you please explain in more detail? I desperately want to understand its meaning more clearly." Orochimaru's emotions instantly surged with excitement, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope. If the truth was indeed as he secretly suspected, then the entire ninja world might face unprecedented turmoil and collapse.

"Orochimaru-senpai, is chakra truly exclusive to you ninjas? I'm sure you've researched this extensively in private. With your intelligence and experience, you may have already made some discoveries, or even some speculations. However, what I'm about to say will far exceed your imagination. Whether you choose to believe it is up to your own judgment. At the same time, please remember one thing: never leak any related information, otherwise we will both be in extreme danger, and may even lose our lives." Hyuga Kanan solemnly reminded Orochimaru.

In reality, Hyuga Kanan's act of revealing these secrets to Orochimaru at this moment was undoubtedly an extremely risky move. If Orochimaru were to disclose even the slightest bit of information, the risks exposed to Hyuga Kanan would increase exponentially. However, facing the ever-increasing pressure from the world's will, Hyuga Kanan's growth rate was far from meeting its objectives, inevitably leading him to confront a severe crisis. The pressure felt immense, almost unbearable. In this difficult situation, he knew he had to quickly find reliable allies to share this pressure, thereby increasing his leverage in the fight against Orochimaru.

Orochimaru stared intently at the solemn-faced Hyuga Kanan before him, thinking to himself, "Judging from his expression, what he's about to say is definitely no small matter! Even someone of Hyuga Kanan's caliber is so wary; the situation must be quite serious..." He couldn't help but recall the earth-shattering battle where Hyuga Kanan unleashed his Wood Release technique with earth-shattering force, utterly crushing the elite forces of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Since then, the entire shinobi world had regarded this peerless master as the strongest person in the world, and no one dared to question his status—even compared to the once-mighty God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, he might not be much inferior. After all, someone possessing the power to sweep away an entire village was truly terrifying.

At this moment, however, Orochimaru caught a glimpse of deep fear and unease in Hyuga Kanan's eyes, even a hint of panic. This rare change in emotion made Orochimaru's heart tighten, and his usually calm and collected mind began to ripple. What kind of powerful opponent could possibly make the usually composed and unflappable Hyuga Kanan show such an expression? In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Orochimaru's mind, but each guess only made him more uneasy.

"I've already revealed some information about the origin of chakra in this world! I just haven't explained everything clearly. Chakra only began to circulate in the ninja world after the establishment of Ninshu. Orochimaru-senpai, have you ever wondered why the chakra training system only existed after the establishment of Ninshu? And after the chakra training system appeared, hasn't the ninja world been in constant war, with no peace ever again? Even a ninja of Hashirama Senju's strength, after finally maintaining peace for a period, died inexplicably, and then the Fourth Shinobi World War broke out again. Don't you find that strange?"

Orochimaru felt a growing chill, almost freezing his thoughts. He recalled all the historical records kept in Konoha, even those concerning the Senju clan. From the fragments, he knew that the ninja world had always been embroiled in war. Only with the appearance of Hashirama Senju, who, with his terrifying power, overwhelmed the entire ninja world, did true peace return. But Hashirama died from illness after his battle with Madara Uchiha, exhausted from the exertion—the biggest joke of all. After Hashirama's death, his body cells still possessed such vitality; how could he have died from illness or exhaustion?