Tsunade stood in Ashura's specially prepared training chamber, frustration evident on her young face. Before her, a seemingly simple bowl of water refused to ripple despite her intense concentration.
"I don't understand, Elder," she muttered. "I can manipulate chakra easily, but this..."
"Because you're trying to use chakra," Ashura explained patiently. "Close your eyes. Feel deeper. There's an energy more fundamental than chakra—something that flows through all living things."
In the chamber's corner, Dan had already managed to create tiny ripples in his bowl. His civilian background, ironically, made it easier to sense pure spiritual energy without chakra habits interfering.
A commotion outside interrupted the lesson. Ashura's Divine Sense detected Hiruzen dragging two boys toward the academy—one white-haired and enthusiastically resistant, the other pale-skinned and quietly observant.
"Continue practicing," he instructed his special students. "Remember: feel, don't force."
In the academy's front courtyard, he found an interesting scene. Young Hiruzen, already showing signs of his future leadership, had caught two orphans attempting to steal medical supplies from the academy's garden.
"Elder Ashura," Hiruzen bowed. "I found these two studying our medical herbs. The white-haired one was trying to make medicine for kids in the orphanage."
"Is that so?" Ashura's Reincarnation Eyes activated briefly. The spiritual roots he saw in both boys were remarkable—different, but equally potent.
The white-haired boy—Jiraiya, his Divine Sense supplied—stood defiantly. "They needed help! And you've got all these fancy medicines while the orphanage gets nothing!"
The other boy, Orochimaru, remained silent but watched everything with unnervingly intelligent eyes. His spiritual core showed signs of exceptional yin affinity.
"And how did you know which herbs to choose?" Ashura asked mildly.
"He didn't," Orochimaru spoke for the first time. "I told him which ones had healing properties. I've been... observing your lessons from outside."
"Stealing and spying," Hiruzen sighed. "Elder, I apologize for—"
"No need." Ashura raised a hand. "Tell me, boys. Would you rather learn properly than steal?"
Both orphans stared at him with poorly concealed hope. Ashura led them to his Spirit Testing Array, still active from earlier lessons.
"Stand here," he instructed. As they complied, the array's invisible light blazed brilliantly. Jiraiya showed powerful yang spiritual roots—rough but pure. Orochimaru's yin affinity was the strongest he'd seen since Izuna.
"Hiruzen, thank you for bringing them. Please inform the orphanage that these two will be studying here." He turned to the boys. "Though we'll need to discuss proper ways of acquiring knowledge."
Later that afternoon, Ashura had four students in his special training chamber. Tsunade and Dan worked on spiritual energy sensing, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru began the basics.
"Like this," Dan demonstrated for Jiraiya, showing how to feel spiritual essence without using chakra. The white-haired boy's natural yang energy made the water in his bowl splash enthusiastically, if uncontrolled.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, grasped the concepts with frightening speed. His bowl's water moved with serpentine precision.
"Good," Ashura praised. "Now, watch carefully."
He demonstrated a "basic healing technique" that subtly incorporated cultivation principles. By disguising spiritual energy cultivation as chakra control exercises, he could train their foundations without raising suspicion.
"Elder," Orochimaru spoke suddenly, "this energy... it's not just for healing, is it?"
"Perceptive." Ashura smiled slightly. "But healing is its purest application. Remember that."
As his students practiced, Ashura reflected on their potential. Tsunade's spiritual roots resonated with life force itself—perfect for advanced healing arts. Dan's balanced spiritual essence would complement hers well. Jiraiya's powerful yang spiritual core could rival Hashirama's life force with proper cultivation. And Orochimaru...
*His talent nearly matches Izuna's*, Ashura thought. *Though I'll need to guide that curiosity carefully.*
"Again," he instructed them. "Feel the energy flow through the formation arrays—what you might mistake for simple room decorations. Let it guide your understanding."
Each formation secretly strengthened their spiritual cores while appearing to be mere training aids. The "chakra control exercises" slowly attuned them to spiritual energy. Even their breathing exercises laid foundation for future cultivation techniques.
That evening, after the students left, Ashura contacted Izuna through their connection.
"Found some interesting talents?"
"Four with exceptional potential," Ashura confirmed. "Particularly the Senju girl and that pale orphan boy. Their spiritual roots..."
"Strong enough to notice my cultivation from up here?" Izuna asked, surprised. "I felt their practicing earlier."
"Indeed. We'll need to strengthen the concealment formations." Ashura began adjusting the arrays. "Their sensitivity is developing faster than expected."
As night fell over Konoha, Ashura reviewed his plans. Four students with true cultivation potential, each uniquely gifted. Tsunade's healing affinity, Dan's balanced essence, Jiraiya's powerful yang spirit, and Orochimaru's perfect yin cultivation roots.
*The next generation of legends*, he mused, *walking a path none here have seen before.*
He spent the night preparing special "soldier pills" that were actually basic Spirit Gathering Pills, and "healing seals" that contained hidden cultivation support formations. Each tool carefully disguised to look like standard ninja equipment while building their spiritual foundations.
Above, Izuna neared his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Below, four young students unknowingly began their journey toward power beyond normal chakra arts.
*Now*, Ashura thought, sensing Orochimaru secretly returning to study the formation arrays at night, *to ensure their power grows alongside their wisdom.*
The spirit veins pulsed with approval as another piece of his grand design aligned perfectly.