Chapter 187:
What exactly is forbidden jutsu?
Forbidden techniques aren't necessarily the most powerful, but they're those with significant drawbacks, techniques that can easily harm the user, or those that go against moral and ethical codes to the point they must be sealed away. These techniques are not permitted for general learning, and studying them is strictly prohibited unless specifically authorized by the village. For most shinobi, access to these techniques remains out of reach their entire lives.
But Orochimaru was an exception.
Thanks to Danzo's influence and privileges within Konoha, Orochimaru had access to numerous resources that most could only dream of: research permits, specialized equipment, Hashirama's cells, and even the Scroll of Seals itself. These were assets the original Orochimaru had once used, but the current Orochimaru hadn't yet touched. Thus, while these things were both his and not his, the advantage was undeniable.
The partnership with Danzo was fruitful for both. Danzo gained the results he sought, while Orochimaru acquired tools and knowledge he desired. It was a win-win arrangement that satisfied them both.
In the days that followed, Orochimaru turned his attention to a specific endeavor: researching forbidden techniques.
Perfecting the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Reanimation Jutsu would be no small task, as both were still incomplete in many ways. Given the current environment, Reanimation Jutsu, which required living sacrifices, was far riskier to experiment with. Thus, it was a safer bet to focus on mastering and refining the Flying Thunder God first.
This was no ordinary technique. Developed by the Second Hokage, the Flying Thunder God was an S-rank space-time ninjutsu that allowed for instantaneous movement by marking a target with the Flying Thunder God formula. The caster could transport themselves or objects in indirect contact with their chakra across distances in an instant. With sufficient skill and energy, the caster could even redirect something as large as the Nine-Tails Chakra Bomb.
Despite the notoriety of this technique, Orochimaru had long been puzzled. Why, after all this time, had only Minato Namikaze truly mastered it, even though others such as the Third Hokage and Danzo had surely studied it?