Naruto: Forbidden Arts and an Immortal Agenda

The next morning, Aozora woke up very early.

As usual, he first practiced the Yang Eye technique, then moved on to tempering his body.

The body was the foundation of everything, so whenever he had time, he never slackened in physical training.

After finishing his morning exercises, Aozora felt his eyes had become slightly sharper, his strength increased a bit more.

He knew it was an illusion—practice brought small improvements daily, but they were imperceptible in the moment.

Still, sweat never went to waste. Like water dripping on stone, day by day, training would eventually bring transformation through accumulation over time.

After eating a simple breakfast and taking a bath, Aozora sat quietly, focused, adjusting himself into the optimal state.

Currently, Aozora's power had hit a bottleneck.

First, although chakra was still increasing rapidly, this quantitative change wouldn't lead to qualitative change within a short period.

The same applied to other ninja techniques, taijutsu, and even mystical abilities—they were all stuck at this awkward stage.

Learning didn't guarantee mastery; mastery didn't ensure skill; and even skill fell short of true mastery.

All skills required daily practice, constant refinement, endurance of loneliness, and endless repetition.

The kind of person who could learn a technique and immediately wipe everyone out only existed in stories. Such individuals didn't exist in reality. If they did, they would have already been overwhelmingly powerful without needing that skill.

In terms of ninjutsu, thanks to his exceptional chakra control ability, Aozora easily learned various techniques such as Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone), Shifting Body Technique, Great Fireball Technique, and even reached a level close to mastery.

As for mystical abilities, due to the Heavenly Book, Aozora directly grasped their true essence and entered the threshold effortlessly. However, advancing further wasn't easy—it meant enduring the bitterest cold and blazing heat, and waiting for time to refine his skills.

Aozora wasn't surprised or anxious about hitting a power bottleneck.

He had given himself four years to reach Kage-level strength. Only over four months had passed, meaning plenty of time remained to break through.

What he needed to do now was ensure stable growth over the next four years.

Watching golden droplets glide over the pages of the Wordless Divine Book, Aozora murmured, "Earth Release or Reverse Summoning?"

These were his future cultivation directions.

You enter the martial world, and your fate is no longer entirely your own.

As a ninja from Konoha, as someone bearing the Uchiha name, he couldn't avoid getting drawn into certain conflicts or assigned missions requiring his personal involvement.

And when those missions called for action, their danger level would definitely be high.

One could survive once, but not necessarily twice. Since becoming a ninja, Aozora had already faced two life-threatening crises.

The near-death experience with Yugito and this recent intense battle against Akai had both been extremely perilous.

He couldn't expect to survive every encounter, so mastering life-saving techniques became essential.

Earth Release Abilities and Reverse Summoning both stood out as potential lifesavers under consideration.

Kids have to choose; grown-ups want it all.

But Aozora thought like an adult—he understood even if choosing both paths, priorities must exist between them.

Both Earth Release Abilities and Reverse Summoning demanded Gongde investment and focus; thus, decisions had to be made.

After pondering for a while, Aozora finally settled upon Reverse Summoning.

One reason was that [Reverse Summoning] had a broader range of application, usable in mountains, rivers, seas, and marshes without restriction.

The other reason was that [Reverse Summoning] allowed for quick and far escapes, capable of fleeing across thousands of mountains and rivers or even into another world.

After making his decision, Aozora summoned his dual souls.

Two golden suns leaped from the sea of clouds and hung in the air, orbiting the Wordless Heavenly Page.

His main soul had fully recovered and, compared to before, was only slightly smaller in size.

His Soul Division, although still small, had a vibrant and flickering soul flame, no longer appearing on the verge of extinction.

At this point, the Soul Division looked like a fully formed fetus—completely developed—and awaited only one final step to awaken independent consciousness and step into the world.

This was the ideal time to establish a soul contract.

If he waited too long, the Soul Division would mature into a free-willed soul. And once that happened, any contract made later would only skim the surface. It wouldn't reach the soul's core—and might even backfire someday.

Aozora first practiced controlling soul energy, then carefully began carving into the Soul Division.

Meanwhile, the high-level meeting in Konoha had ended.

Danzo returned to Root headquarters after attending the meeting.

The dimly lit room was vast and empty, containing only a stone chair positioned against the wall.

Danzo sat upon the stone chair and knocked three times.

In an instant, six ninja clad in black robes and wearing animal masks appeared within the empty space. They knelt on one knee, heads lowered, awaiting Danzo's orders.

"Kinoto, lead a team to scout the border of Iwagakure and monitor the movements of the Rock Ninja..."

"Kin, I need recent intelligence on Iwagakure..."

[Ding]...

As he issued commands, one by one, the ninja accepted their missions and vanished.

Soon, only Danzo remained alone in the chamber.

The dim light flickered as Danzo savored the darkness and silence, pondering Iwagakure's intentions.

Suddenly, his expression changed drastically.

Sensing movement from his right arm beneath his robe, Danzo immediately pressed the hidden mechanism on the stone chair.

"Klang! Klang! Klang!"

The stone wall connected to the chair rotated rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, Danzo emerged into a hidden chamber behind the wall.

By now, he had already unwrapped the bandages covering his right hand, revealing thick sealing ninja tools wrapped tightly around the limb.

Although partially concealed by the [Sealing Technique], the arm beneath was clearly unnatural—no normal human hand could be so pale and lifeless.

Danzo tore off the sealing tools as he strode deeper into the hidden chamber.

He tossed precious sealing artifacts aside without a second thought, his attention fixed solely on his right arm.

Before him lay a grotesque limb—colorless, with six hideous bloodshot eyes embedded in it.

One of the crimson eyes slowly darkened, preparing to shut forever.

As the eye closed, his pale right hand came alive, swelling and writhing as though something were fermenting beneath the skin.

"Worthless piece of trash!"

Muttering a curse, Danzo sped up again, stepping into the pitch-black hidden chamber.

Before long, he staggered out, panting heavily.

His right arm dangled grotesquely, completely motionless now, yet the once-dim bloodshot eye had reignited with a sinister glow.

If someone were close enough to look closely, they'd see subtle changes in the eye's size and shape.

Though still bearing three tomoe, those eyes now burned with seething hatred and venom.

Glancing at the monstrous right arm and feeling the intense life force radiating from it, Danzo silently picked up the sealing ninja tools lying on the ground, slowly put them on, and then tightly wrapped the arm with bandages.

What difference does it make if Root's face is grotesque and horrifying?

When I finally step into the light, all will remember only how quietly I upheld Konoha.

The Sharingan is but a vessel of darkness; that they may wield it to protect Konoha is their fate to bear.

The Uchiha should be thankful for it.

Returning to the hidden chamber, Danzo knocked twice against the stone chair. Before him immediately appeared a ninja wearing a wolf mask.

"Wolf, watch the Jonin who are currently away from the Police Force. Give them no chance to betray Konoha."

"Yes!"

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