The Failed Cosmic Cube

Sitting before his newly acquired experimental equipment, Orochimaru showed not the slightest hint of joy.

This time, he had taken a huge loss!

After bringing the Second Ninja War to an early end, Orochimaru’s reputation had already spread far and wide throughout the Shinobi World.

As his strength grew and his power and status rose, the power of temporal fantasy in his mind became increasingly stronger. Even after condensing a second item, some still remained.

But!

Although the Cosmic Cube was an incomparably powerful item, he could not use it!

That damned Space Gem only worked in the Marvel Universe. Once it left the Marvel Universe, all the energy inside it vanished completely!

Looking at the blue-glowing fragments scattered across the floor and the Space Gem that had lost its light, Orochimaru felt utterly exhausted.

Those blue-glowing glass-like fragments were the transparent cube that had originally encased the Space Gem when the Cosmic Cube appeared. The Space Gem together with those things made up the complete Cosmic Cube…

Wait!

A thought came to Orochimaru’s mind—why had the Space Gem stopped glowing while these glass-like fragments still did?

Could it be…

With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, Orochimaru picked up a tiny fragment that emitted a faint blue glow, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed it…

There was energy! Not much, but it was definitely there!

Light rekindled in Orochimaru’s eyes.

Orochimaru gathered all the Cosmic Cube Fragments. There were twenty-three in total.

Picking up the smallest one, Orochimaru began his experiment. He intended to gather information through several basic tests.

Time flew by, and Orochimaru’s experiment continued for an entire week.

He did not sleep for that whole week, but he finally managed to organize some preliminary data on the Cosmic Cube Fragments.

Orochimaru ignored the Cosmic Cube Fragment in the container, which had already lost its blue glow, and lowered his head to carefully examine the data he had obtained from the experiment.

Experimental Sample:

Cosmic Cube (Fragment)

Number of Experiments:

7 (The fragment lost all energy after seven experiments.)

Experimental Sample Analysis:

This fragment contained relatively little energy.

After Chakra was injected, it returned an extremely special type of Chakra with spatial properties. This consumed its internal energy. It was presumed that the Chakra had been eroded by the spatial energy within the fragment, thereby gaining spatial properties.

This Chakra provided a tremendous boost to space-related ninja techniques such as the Summoning Technique, while greatly reducing the difficulty of casting them.

Cutting the fragment caused a small amount of energy to disperse. Therefore, cutting it for the sake of conducting more experiments was not recommended.

Injecting Chakra into an energy-depleted fragment did not alter the nature of the Chakra. Fire, electric shocks, kinetic impacts, and other methods were likewise unable to recharge it.

After examining it carefully, Orochimaru wrote down a final usage recommendation. This was essentially for his own use alone.

Usage Recommendation:

Use the spatial energy within the fragment to modify the human body, allowing the Chakra produced within it to acquire spatial properties.

Orochimaru believed that if he obtained this peculiar spatial energy, the Flying Thunder God Technique would pose no difficulty for him.

He was even confident that he could improve the Flying Thunder God Technique, or perhaps create a space-time ninja technique of his own!

But human modification was no simple matter. The difficulty was immense, and the risks were extremely high. Besides, the energy inside the Cosmic Cube Fragments would only diminish with use. He was certainly going to use every last bit of it on himself.

It was just a pity that he had not conducted much research into space-time techniques.

It seemed that he had to obtain the Flying Thunder God Technique. He needed the Second Hokage’s research materials on space-time ninja techniques.

But before that, he needed to get some sleep.

The next day, after sleeping until the afternoon, Orochimaru leisurely fried a few eggs and ate them before heading toward the Hokage Building. To his surprise, he spotted Jiraiya, with the golden-haired sunshine boy Minato Namikaze beside him.

"Yo, Orochimaru. Long time no see."

Jiraiya raised one hand in greeting while pointing at Minato with the other.

"This is my disciple, Minato Namikaze."

Minato, who had been introduced, politely bowed.

"Good afternoon, Senior Orochimaru."

Orochimaru looked at Minato, then at Jiraiya, before saying to Jiraiya,

"Your disciple will achieve great things in the future. He may even surpass you."

"Really? Orochimaru, I think so too."

Jiraiya threw an arm around Orochimaru’s shoulder and laughed heartily.

Minato scratched his head sheepishly.

"As long as he does not pick up your bad habits, surpassing you will only be a matter of time."

"Damn it, Orochimaru! What bad habits does this great man have?"

"Lechery, lechery, and lechery."

"Orochimaru! Do not slander me out of thin air!"

Jiraiya was getting anxious. With so many people coming and going on the street, if word about his lecherous nature spread, where would he, Jiraiya the Toad Sage and one of the Three Ninja, put his face?

As the two legendary ninja argued, Minato shrank back and did not dare interrupt.

"Weren’t you out there teaching that so-called Child of Prophecy? Why did you return to Konoha?"

Orochimaru glanced at Minato before asking.

"Minato is my disciple too. I will not play favorites. I plan to transfer all my military achievements to Minato so he can learn a powerful ninja technique from the Scroll of Seals."

Jiraiya actually felt somewhat guilty. He had indeed been more attentive when teaching Nagato, because he himself believed that Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, was very likely the Child of Prophecy.

So, aside from teaching Minato the Summoning Technique of Mount Myōboku, he planned to transfer his military achievements to Minato as well, allowing him to choose a ninja technique from the Scroll of Seals that suited him.

"The Scroll of Seals, huh? I was also planning to ask Teacher Sarutobi for one of the techniques on it. I wonder whether Minato and I will choose the same technique."

Orochimaru licked his lips and looked toward Minato.

"If that really happens, then I’ll have to ask you to give Minato more guidance, Orochimaru."

Jiraiya had complete faith in Orochimaru’s talent. Ever since childhood, there had never been a ninja technique Orochimaru could not learn.

"I will."

Orochimaru nodded. As they talked, the three had arrived before the Hokage Building. After notifying the Anbu guards at the entrance and receiving permission, the two entered the Hokage’s Office.

"Orochimaru, you’re here… Hm? Jiraiya? Look who’s finally come back!"

The Third Hokage’s words immediately revealed his blatant favoritism.

He was actually somewhat dissatisfied that Jiraiya had gone off to nurture a ninja outside the village. Since the Child of Prophecy had become Jiraiya’s disciple anyway, if Jiraiya only accepted Konoha Ninja as disciples, then the Child of Prophecy would definitely become Konoha’s, wouldn’t he?

The Third Hokage’s thinking had a bit of a loophole-exploiting flavor to it.

"Hehe, Old Man, I plan to transfer my military achievements to Minato so he can choose a suitable ninja technique from the Scroll of Seals."

Jiraiya scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

"I knew it. None of you ever come see this old man unless you need something. What about you, Orochimaru? What do you want?"

"I came specifically to visit you, Teacher Sarutobi. And while I’m here, I would also like to choose a ninja technique from the Scroll of Seals."

Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted. Weren’t he and Jiraiya both only coming to see this old man because they needed something?

His words sure sounded nice.

"Follow me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, strode out of the Hokage’s Office, and led the three toward a secret chamber within the Hokage Building.

The three passed through a corridor guarded layer upon layer by Anbu and arrived before a small room covered in Sealing Formulas.

The seals here had been laid down in succession by the First Hokage, the Second Hokage, Mito Uzumaki, and Hiruzen Sarutobi himself. Without a specialized unsealing formula, no one could enter.

It was obvious that Naruto obtaining the Scroll of Seals had been a trap deliberately arranged by the Third Hokage.

After the Third Hokage performed the unsealing formula and entered, Orochimaru and the others did not immediately follow. Just because the outer seals had been undone did not mean there were no seals inside. What if they were offensive?

"Come in."

Only after the Third Hokage’s voice came from within did the three step into the small room one after another. Dust covered the room, making it clear that no one had visited in a long time. There was little inside; aside from a scroll placed on the table in the center, it was completely empty.

The Third Hokage unrolled the scroll and gestured for them to come forward and choose.

Orochimaru gave it a cursory glance. As expected, a series of Forbidden Jutsu, including the Eight Gates, Impure World Reincarnation, and Mutual Explosion Tag, were all recorded on it.

While Minato was still choosing, Orochimaru selected the Flying Thunder God Technique with a clear purpose.

"Orochimaru, are you certain you want to choose this ninja technique? This is not an ordinary ninja technique. Even among all Forbidden Jutsu, it is one of the most difficult."

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked. As the Second Hokage’s disciple, he had naturally witnessed the Second Hokage’s splendor when using this technique.

For that reason, after becoming Hokage, he had also tried to practice the Flying Thunder God Technique according to the contents of the Scroll of Seals, but he had failed.

Even though Orochimaru was the most naturally gifted young ninja he had ever seen, he would probably find it difficult to learn.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself had once been praised by the Second Hokage and others as a genius ninja.

"I’ll take it." Orochimaru nodded.

"Lord Third Hokage, I also choose the Flying Thunder God Technique," Minato said.