The colossal and ferocious dragon head, constructed from earth-attribute chakra, suddenly opened its gaping maw, unleashing concentrated earth-attribute chakra cannonballs, enveloped in the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet, incessantly at Orochimaru, who was mired in the mud.
While the power and temperature of the Fire Dragon Flame Stream were somewhat inferior to the Great Fireball Jutsu that Hiruzen Sarutobi had unleashed earlier, the concentrated chakra cannonballs possessed a greater density than the flames of the Great Fireball Jutsu.
The disciples, witnessing for the first time an attack that utilized two different elemental chakra ninjutsu in a combined ninjutsu, were rendered speechless.
The common knowledge of ninjutsu, taught consistently at the Ninja Academy, was completely overturned by the combined ninjutsu released by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Not only did the different elemental ninjas not negate each other and weaken the attack, but the resulting ninjutsu was even more powerful than that released by a single element!
"How was the combination of two chakra attributes achieved?"
Minato Namikaze stared intently at the mouth of the ferocious dragon head embedded in the ground, his eyes gleaming with contemplation.
"It's probably not just a simple matter of wrapping the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet around the Earth Dragon Bullet. This ninjutsu also involves the chakra nature transformation mentioned by Master Orochimaru."
"Combining shape transformation and nature transformation, can ninjutsu be amplified to this extent?"
"I suddenly understand what Teacher wants me to learn from the Tailed Beast Bomb..."
"Rotation, compression..."
"Wind-attribute chakra's shape and nature transformation..."
The earth dragon bullets, engulfed in raging flames, howled towards Orochimaru, whose expression finally turned a shade more serious.
"Earth Style - Earth Flow City Wall!"
A massive amount of chakra was channeled from Orochimaru's hands into the ground beneath his feet. With a rumbling sound and violent tremors, a rock wall, tens of meters high, rose from the ground at Orochimaru's feet.
"Boom boom!"
The earth dragon flame stream cannonballs slammed into the rock wall beneath Orochimaru's feet, erupting in a series of violent explosions. The sheer power almost instantly blasted a massive hole through the Earth Flow City Wall.
"Orochimaru, to what extent have your current chakra reserves and control capabilities reached?"
"This level of Earth Style ninjutsu, and you can perform it without even forming hand seals?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped forming hand seals, his face filled with surprise as he looked at his disciple standing proudly atop the rock wall, his eyes full of awe.
Prompted by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the few youngsters watching nearby finally came to their senses.
No hand seals?
Can ninjas perform ninjutsu without hand seals?
Then what's the use of our diligent practice in the academy for hand seal speed? No matter how fast your hand seals are, can they be faster than a ninja who doesn't use any?
Orochimaru did not answer Hiruzen Sarutobi's question immediately. After sensing the thoughts of his disciples, he shook his head slightly.
"You few, do not misunderstand the release of ninjutsu because of your teacher's combat methods."
"Until your strength reaches a certain level, hand seals are still an indispensable method for you."
After considering for a moment, Orochimaru's gaze swept over Nawaki and Minato. He slowly raised his arm, preparing for a practical demonstration.
"Of course, since you are now aware of the existence of ninjutsu that can be released without hand seals, you can also consider simplifying hand seals or not using them as future training goals."
"For example, if I want to release a normal Water Style ninjutsu..."
As Orochimaru spoke, he symbolically formed a Boar Seal in front of him, slowly converting the Yin-Yang release power within his body into ordinary elemental chakra.
"The starting hand seal for ninjutsu almost always begins with the Boar Seal, signifying the mobilization of chakra within the ninja's body."
"And depending on the attribute of the ninjutsu to be released, ninjas can influence the attribute and flow of their internal chakra by forming hand seals, finally ending with hand seals representing different elemental chakras."
Orochimaru's Boar Seal in his hand shifted, and he formed a Tiger Seal.
"Watch carefully, the ninjutsu I am about to release is the Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Using the Boar Seal to mobilize water-attribute chakra within the body, the Tiger Seal to determine the desired ninjutsu..."
"Finally, completing the entire hand seal process with the Monkey Seal, commonly used for Water Style."
Orochimaru completed the Monkey Seal, brought his hands together in front of his chest, and exhaled towards Hiruzen Sarutobi below.
"Water Style - Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Nawaki, watching the water dragon surge from his teacher's mouth in the distance, nearly dropped his jaw in astonishment.
"How... how is that possible?"
"I distinctly remember that the Water Dragon Bullet Technique, improved by my second grandfather, requires four hand seals to be released."
"But Teacher he..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi helplessly shook his head, evading the Water Dragon Bullet. Looking at his disciple, who used one fewer hand seal than the Second Hokage's simplified version when releasing the Water Dragon Bullet Technique, he didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.
He was happy, naturally, that his disciple's mastery of ninjutsu had surpassed his own. He was sad, however, to discover that in the midst of their battle, he had inadvertently become a tool for his disciple to teach others.
"This is outrageous!"
The enraged voice of Enma, the Monkey King, echoed from the Adamantine Staff. The vertical eye on the staff glared furiously at Orochimaru standing on high ground.
"Hiruzen, this brat Orochimaru's strength has probably surpassed yours. Go all out!"
"How dare he toy with us two old men! Even if we can't win, we have to show him some consequences!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled wryly and shook his head at Enma in his hand.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible..."
"From the looks of it, Orochimaru intends to demonstrate several elemental ninjutsu before he stops!"
Upon hearing this, Enma's eyes on the Adamantine Staff went blank.
As expected.
"First, form the Boar Seal, then the Snake Seal, and finally conclude with the Ox Seal, commonly used for Earth Style."
"Earth Style - Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"First, form the Boar Seal, then the Snake Seal, and finally conclude with the Tiger Seal, commonly used for Wind Style."
"Wind Style - Gale Force!"
A fierce wind raged in the center of the forest, stirring up sand and stones.
After demonstrating the simplified hand seal process for two more elemental ninjutsu, Orochimaru stopped under the eager gazes of the disciples.
"Teacher, why aren't you continuing the demonstration?"
Nawaki, the slacker, shed his usual aversion to studying and enthusiastically raised his hand to ask. Three hand seals to release a B-rank ninjutsu? I can do that too!
In the future, when I encounter enemies, I'll first hurl a barrage of high-level ninjutsu from afar, making them mistakenly believe I'm a ninjutsu specialist, and then unleash the Eight Inner Gates on them...
Heh heh heh...
Nawaki's imagination ran wild, making him wish he could immediately grab a notebook and jot down the key points his teacher was explaining. Whether he could learn it later or not, he'd copy it down first.
Orochimaru glared at him, utterly speechless at his senior disciple's increasingly unconventional path. His little schemes were no different from shouting them out loud in front of Orochimaru's dark perception.
Shaking his head slightly, Orochimaru sighed helplessly and said:
"Nawaki, your attributes are Water and Earth. Minato's attribute is primarily Wind."
"As for Nonoyu and Kushina, one walks the path of a medical ninja, and the other takes a shortcut by overwhelming with power."
"Ninjutsu of other attributes hold little significance for you at this moment. If you can grasp even a fraction of what I've just taught, that would be your greatest gain today."
"Besides, Teacher still has an unfinished battle!"
Offering a casual explanation, Orochimaru turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi below.
"Teacher Sarutobi, let's continue!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Freely modifying the release process of various elemental ninjutsu, has your understanding of ninjutsu and chakra reached such profound depths..."
"Orochimaru, it seems Teacher is no longer your opponent."
Hiruzen Sarutobi lamented, then invigorated himself and said,
"However, I still have my ultimate trump card that I haven't used yet. I'd like to see what means you'll use to counter my Five Elemental Great Comboblasting!"
Orochimaru readily nodded and leaped from the rock wall. The green Senjutsu chakra light on his body slowly surfaced, and he landed lightly in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Perfect timing. Disciples also wish for Teacher Sarutobi to help test my strength in Sage Mode."
"Teacher Sarutobi, please begin!"
Looking at his disciple, who was glowing with green natural energy, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly felt a pang in his teeth.
What a filial disciple! Truly a filial disciple!
The last ninja Hiruzen Sarutobi had seen who could instantly enter Sage Mode was the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
And this disciple of his, radiating intense Sage Art chakra, directly asked him, an old man nearing fifty, to help test his power.
Heh heh...
Orochimaru, you're truly making this old man die of filial piety!
"I still have some work to attend to back at the village. Let's not fight today!"
After staring at Orochimaru eye-to-eye for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi gritted out the words, grabbed the Adamantine Staff by his side, and turned to leave.
Orochimaru withdrew from Sage Mode with a look of regret and couldn't help but sigh:
"What a shame!"
"If Teacher Sarutobi won't even help, I probably won't be able to truly test my current strength in Konoha!"
Nine-Tails: ...
Disciples: ...