Chapter 279: Getting His Hand On The Flying Thunder God Technique

In the past, Konoha’s upper echelon conducted the first Hokage cell-transplantation experiments on adults who volunteered as test subjects, aiming to cultivate users capable of wielding Wood Style. However, the experiments repeatedly failed and caused numerous casualties, so the experiment was immediately terminated.

In the latter half of last year, unwilling to give up, he contacted Orochimaru, who was equally filled with desire, planning to secretly restart the first Hokage cell experiments.

This time, they set their sights on purer and more malleable vessels, children. They planned to secretly kidnap neglected homeless children or orphans from towns and villages around Konoha as new experimental materials.

However, with the outbreak of the war, their attention, especially with Orochimaru’s need to head to the front lines as commander-in-chief against the Village Hidden in the Cloud, forced them to temporarily shelve the plan.

And now, there was no longer any need.

The wood of the past should remain in the past, as a monument and symbol of history.

The fire of the present was what they should tightly grasp; the true future belonged to Konoha and to this era.

Hokage Building, inside a certain secret chamber.

The room’s walls, ceiling, and floor were all engraved with densely packed sealing formulas and Barrier ninjutsu. This was Konoha’s highest-class confidential storage chamber, containing a wide range of important scrolls and documents related to critical matters.

Only the Hokage himself and a very small number of authorized high-level officials knew the specific sequence of hand seals required to open the layered techniques protecting this place.

Any intruder rashly entering would not only immediately trigger devastating defensive mechanisms but would also activate preset self-destruction techniques, instantly reducing all documents within to dust and ensuring absolute security.

This was also the reason Shinichi had directly chosen to destroy the Raikage building in the Village Hidden in the Cloud back then. He had no time to search for that room, nor confidence in breaking Village Hidden in the Cloud’s equally strict protective measures, so he simply used the most straightforward and violent method to leave the enemy with nothing.

At this moment, under the gentle lighting of the chamber, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out an ancient scroll from a particular sealed compartment and solemnly handed it to the boy before him.

"Shinichi, this is the complete training scroll of the Flying Thunder God Technique."

"But I must warn you beforehand, the difficulty of learning and mastering this technique ranks among the highest of all Ninjutsu recorded in Konoha’s Scroll of Seals. It can truly be called an insurmountable chasm."

At this point, the third Hokage’s eyes carried some emotion. "Even back then, under teacher Tobirama’s personal guidance, I still failed to successfully begin learning it. Merely understanding its most basic theoretical framework already left me feeling powerless. Later, Orochimaru also attempted to study it. With his talent, he spent several years trying to decipher its mysteries, yet ultimately achieved nothing and could only stop in regret."

"So, Shinichi, if after obtaining the scroll you discover that your progress is slow, or that you remain unable to enter through its introductory level for a long time, you absolutely must not lose heart because of it, nor should you doubt your own talent. This is the normal state of the technique itself, not your fault."

"I understand, third Hokage-sama. I will definitely remember your teachings, do my utmost, and never give up lightly." Shinichi replied solemnly as he respectfully accepted the scroll with both hands.

Hearing this, the third Hokage smiled gently and nodded. "Good that you possess such determination. As for the specific training of the Flying Thunder God Technique, there is little guidance I can provide. However... After some more time, Minato should return to the village. At that time, if you have any questions or confusion, you may seek his advice directly. In my view, Minato’s attainments and usage of this Ninjutsu are already no less than those of teacher Tobirama, who originally created the technique."

No less? He has already surpassed the creator of the technique.

Shinichi silently thought to himself as he nodded heavily. "Yes. When the time comes, I will certainly seek much guidance from senior Minato."

As he spoke, Shinichi also took out a scroll from his waist pouch and handed it over with both hands.

"This is?" The third Hokage slightly raised his brows and reached out to accept it.

Shinichi explained, "Third Hokage-sama, this contains some of my exploration, insights, and conjectures over the past two years regarding the training direction of the Fire Style Nintaijutsus I developed, as well as summaries of the principles and training methods of some techniques that have already taken preliminary form."

"It also includes the lessons from failures and successful experiences during the development process of techniques such as Crimson Heaven Purge and Heaven-Rock Collapse, along with some key nodes and precautions regarding the fusion of change in chakra nature with the body. Although the system is not yet complete, I believe these experiences may serve as a reference for future companions or juniors in the village who wish to explore the path of Nintaijutsus or research change in chakra nature and bodily enhancement."

"Additionally, third Hokage-sama, you are recognized throughout the Shinobi World as the professor of Ninjutsu, possessing vast knowledge and incomparable experience. I hope that after reading it, you can guide me regarding the areas where I am lacking."

Shinichi truly did not care about handing over the things he had painstakingly created. In fact, the more people who learned his Ninjutsu, the better. Ideally, everyone in the world should be learning the things he created.

Shinichi differed from the majority of ninja, who regarded their unique techniques as their lives and did everything possible to keep their information secret. Even that self-proclaimed god, Pain, was the same.

Aside from a few trump cards that absolutely could not be revealed, Shinichi was happy to leak most of his abilities, ideas, and even weaknesses.

In the future, he could even actively publish books and personally tell the world his information with his own mouth and pen.

It would be best if the entire Shinobi World repeatedly studied him, deepening their impressions of him again and again.

In that way, the more his enemies exhausted themselves researching him and formulating tactics against him, the more the cognition and attention they invested would continuously transform into fuel driving the evolution of his talents.

This formed an unsolvable cycle: the more the enemy feared him, the more they would study and analyze him, but because of that, he would instead become even stronger, even more incomprehensible.

At the same time, it could also shape an image of invincibility, even one that could be described as lonely at the top, seeking defeat.

Such an image was also immensely beneficial to him.

"You really put your heart into this." The third Hokage opened his mouth slightly, but in the end, only gently patted Shinichi’s shoulder and sighed.

Although the boy before him spoke lightly of it, the third Hokage knew the value of this scroll, and yet, he had handed it over so naturally.

The third Hokage also did not ask questions like, "What reward do you want?" or "What can the village give you in exchange?"

Because he knew that if Shinichi truly wanted something, he absolutely could, and absolutely had the qualifications to directly ask for it.

As long as it was within his ability, he, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would satisfy him directly.