After the initial excitement, Yagyu wasted no time in fusing with the Wood Release bloodline. As the red beam flew out from his spatial inventory and merged into his body, the words "Wood Release" immediately appeared in the bloodline section of his virtual panel.
This became Yagyu's fifth bloodline limit, following the Sharingan, Red Eye, Byakugan, and Ice Release.
After fusing with the Wood Release bloodline, Yagyu raised his hand, converting his chakra into Wood Release chakra—a combination of water-style and earth-style chakra. A small green branch quickly sprouted from his palm, growing into a tiny sapling.
Then, Yagyu stomped his foot, infusing the ground with his chakra, now merged with Yang Release, causing a vibrant, life-filled green vine to emerge from the earth. The bright green vine stood in stark contrast to the dull yellow vines produced by Tenzo's Wood Release.
Seeing this, Yagyu smiled slightly, then cut the vine into sections and stored them in his spatial inventory.
After completing this, Yagyu hoisted the unconscious Tenzo over his shoulder, dispelled the wooden vines blocking the hole to the Hokage building, and body flickered back into the corridor.
With both his Red Eye and Kagura's Mind Eye active, Yagyu was fully aware of the layout of the Hokage building. Confidently, he made his way to the Forbidden Jutsu Library, pushing the door open.
Rows of bookshelves filled with scrolls greeted him. In the original story, Orochimaru had obtained the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu and the Impure World Reincarnation technique from this very place.
Such an important location, of course, had a guard. And that guard was none other than the most skilled member of the ANBU—Tenzo.
Yagyu had deliberately come to the Forbidden Jutsu Library to attract Tenzo's attention. His goal was not only to extract the Wood Release bloodline from Tenzo but also to raid the library and expand his arsenal of techniques.
However, Yagyu didn't simply collect the jutsu scrolls into his inventory. These scrolls were part of Konoha's heritage, after all.
Yagyu's plan was to fully embrace his identity as a descendant of the Senju clan. By obtaining Wood Release from Tenzo, he would solidify his status as a legitimate heir of the Senju lineage, allowing him to openly use Wood Release techniques.
Once Yagyu wielded Wood Release, no one would doubt his heritage, even if he denied being a Senju. He would shed his identity as a mere civilian orphan and become a true descendant of Konoha's founding clan.
With that status and position, no obstacle would remain to stop him from being with Hinata and the other girls. The image of the "Santa Claus" figure that had flashed through his mind six years ago would finally come true. He could shout it proudly: "I'll take it all!"
As a legitimate heir of Konoha, once Hiruzen Sarutobi passed and Tsunade took the reins, Yagyu would be the prince of Konoha. Whether it was Tenzo or the various ninja clans, they would all become his supporters.
This was why Yagyu had chosen not to reveal his important abilities or kill Tenzo. He needed the scrolls stored here but wouldn't steal them.
"...Found it."
Using his Red Eye's x-ray vision, Yagyu quickly flipped through the scrolls on the shelf until he found a purple scroll. The seal on the scroll bore a large character: "Wood."
This was the scroll containing Wood Release techniques, the very scroll Danzo had given to Tenzo when he still went by the codename "A."
Placing Tenzo on the ground, Yagyu unrolled the scroll and inspected the Wood Release techniques recorded within.
Wood Clone, Wood Transformation, Wood Substitution...
Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!
Wood Release: Wood Dragon, Wood Golem...
From basic techniques like Wood Clones to high-level jutsu like the Wood Dragon, Wood Golem, and the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees—the iconic "three ultimate techniques" that made Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, invincible against Madara Uchiha.
However, one technique was notably absent: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands, the ultimate Wood Release technique that even Hashirama could only use in Sage Mode.
This jutsu was one of only two officially recognized SSS-rank techniques. The other was Truth-Seeking Orbs, formed from the fusion of Yin-Yang and all five elemental releases. Though not a bloodline limit like the Rinnegan or Tenseigan, it was classified as a super technique.
Yagyu frowned and muttered to himself, "Did they not have time to leave it behind, or was it deliberately left out?"
After a few seconds, Yagyu realized the reason.
No wonder Danzo had only mentioned the Flowering Tree technique in the original story. It turned out that the Wood Golem, Wood Dragon, and Advent of a World of Flowering Trees were the limits of their understanding. Only Madara Uchiha, Black Zetsu, and Kurama truly knew about True Several Thousand Hands.
With this in mind, Yagyu felt at ease.
Taking out his camera and activating his Sharingan, Yagyu quickly snapped photos of all the Wood Release techniques recorded in the scroll.
Once finished, he neatly rolled the scroll back up and returned it to its original place.
Rather than rushing to find the Scroll of Seals, Yagyu continued browsing the shelves, looking for other techniques he desired.
Before long, he found what he was looking for:
Water Release: Water Shockwave, Water Dragon Bullet, Heavenly Weeping, Surging Wave... Water Fang Bullet, and Water Severing Wave!
These were none other than the Water Release techniques of Tobirama Senju.
Like Wood Release, Yagyu considered Water Release to be the most compatible element for the Sage Body.
Kisame Hoshigaki had become a powerhouse using only Water Release techniques and his vast chakra reserves, earning him the nickname "The Tailed Beast Without a Tail."
As a Senju, Tobirama was known as the strongest Water Release user, a man said to have made a contract with the sea itself.
Once again, Yagyu used his Sharingan and camera to record all the Water Release techniques he found.
After putting those scrolls back, Yagyu turned his attention to another category—Sealing Techniques.
Though these were neither elemental techniques nor forbidden jutsu, sealing techniques were notoriously difficult to master, yet could allow users to defeat stronger opponents.
As an ally of the Uzumaki clan, Konoha had inherited the Uzumaki's sealing techniques. Both the First and Fourth Hokage's wives had come from the Uzumaki clan, ensuring that Konoha possessed a complete legacy of Uzumaki sealing techniques.
Yagyu continued photographing these sealing techniques, not only for his own use but also to teach Karin. Even if Tsunade didn't take Karin as a student, Yagyu could secretly teach her these techniques, allowing Karin to pass them on to Ino and share what didn't require Yin chakra with Hinata.
Among the four girls, only Hinata lacked the Yin attribute chakra.
After replacing the film in his camera, Yagyu continued flipping through the scrolls but soon furrowed his brows.
He had noticed something strange—there were no standalone scrolls for forbidden techniques.
In the original story, Orochimaru had obtained the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu and Impure World Reincarnation techniques from here, which suggested that these forbidden jutsu had individual scrolls.
When Minato learned the Flying Thunder God technique, he wouldn't have studied it directly from the Scroll of Seals. Jiraiya had likely given him a separate scroll.
So, why was there not a single standalone scroll for forbidden techniques here?
Had Hiruzen Sarutobi moved them elsewhere after discovering that Orochimaru had taken the Eight-Headed Serpent and Impure World Reincarnation techniques?
Continuing to search the shelves, Yagyu found no standalone scrolls for forbidden techniques.
Finally, he arrived at the section where the Scroll of Seals was stored and located the massive scroll hidden within a compartment.
The scroll, with its distinctive red-and-white design, was marked with a large character: "Seal."
With his Sharingan's x-ray vision, Yagyu could immediately confirm that this was the genuine Scroll of Seals. He also realized that the one Naruto had stolen in the past was a fake, used as part of a scheme by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The reason? Yagyu's Sharingan revealed that the seal character on this scroll was actually a sealing jutsu. Without breaking this seal, it was impossible to read the forbidden techniques within.
Though it made sense, Yagyu couldn't help but let out a small sigh of exasperation.
After all, he hadn't yet developed his proficiency in sealing techniques, and the photos he had taken of the Uzumaki techniques were still undeveloped.
For now, Yagyu had no way of accessing the forbidden techniques within the Scroll of Seals.
For a moment, Yagyu considered taking the Scroll of Seals with him to study later. But in the next instant, he dismissed the idea.
If he didn't kill Tenzo, then once this mysterious intruder was reported to the Konoha higher-ups, they would know someone had entered the Forbidden Jutsu Library.
A quick inspection would reveal that the Scroll of Seals had been stolen.
Whether or not Yagyu returned it, once he used any of the forbidden techniques from the scroll, he would incriminate himself.
However, if he obtained the Scroll of Seals through legitimate means from Tsunade in the future, then he wouldn't need to take it now. He just had to gain her trust as a fellow Senju and ask for access to the scroll later.
Suddenly, an idea struck Yagyu, sending shivers down his spine.
He had thought of a way to not only gain access to the forbidden techniques in the Scroll of Seals but also unlock the legendary True Several Thousand Hands technique that was missing from the Wood Release scroll.
Without another glance at the Scroll of Seals, Yagyu shut the compartment.
Approaching the unconscious Tenzo, Yagyu propped him up against the wall, removed his cat mask, and activated his Sharingan. Placing his hand on Tenzo's head, Yagyu injected Yin Release chakra into Tenzo's brain, manipulating his neural pathways.
Just like how Itachi Uchiha had hypnotized Kabuto, Yagyu used the Sharingan to influence Tenzo's mind.
Before long, Tenzo's eyes opened, but they were vacant, his expression dull.
Now under hypnosis, Yagyu asked, "Did you see what controlled your body earlier?"
"It... It was the Binding Jutsu..." Tenzo replied in a dazed voice.
"Besides the Binding Jutsu, did you notice anything else?"
"N-No... The mist... it was too thick..."
"And do you know what knocked you unconscious?"
"I... I don't know..."
Satisfied with this answer, Yagyu nodded.
Since Tenzo hadn't seen the Shadow Imitation Technique or recognized the nature of his point strike, Yagyu wouldn't implicate the Nara or Hyuga clans.
Yagyu then put Tenzo back into a deep sleep, hoisted him over his shoulder, and returned to the underground base.
After leaving Tenzo's unconscious body there, Yagyu body-flickered out of the base and, using his Red Eye illusion to conceal himself, swiftly left Konoha's central district.
Upon reaching the Naka River near the Uchiha district, Yagyu stored his cloak and mask in his spatial inventory, then jumped into the river to wash off any lingering traces.
This way, even the Inuzuka clan's ninja hounds would lose his scent trail here.
By the time Konoha's higher-ups realized what had happened and mobilized the Inuzuka clan, the scent would have long disappeared.
After all, that single strike from Himawari had knocked Naruto, one of the strongest shinobi in the world, unconscious for a significant time.
Tenzo, having taken a similar blow from Yagyu, would likely remain unconscious for at least a full day.
Yagyu's dip in the river was just a precaution.
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