Chapter 72
The Explosive Nature of Fire Release
Orochimaru nodded in agreement upon hearing Uchiha Gen's statement:
"Go on."
"Taking Water Release as an example, in my opinion, the purpose of nature transformation is actually to endow Water Release with a certain special property, whether it is to give water the property of adhesiveness or to change the property of water into oil."
Ultimately, the water created by Water Release is not real water; it is still essentially chakra. However, to make Water Release exhibit different properties, we must have a deep enough understanding of this chakra attribute and a considerable grasp of its manifested nature in order to successfully transform it.
After speaking, Gen Uchiha looked at Orochimaru with a questioning gaze.
"Not entirely correct, but at least the understanding of the nature of change is not biased."
Orochimaru pointed out the error in Uchiha Gen's words:
"It's not enough to have a deep enough understanding of the nature it exhibits to try to transform it. The most important thing is to find the common ground between the nature of Water Release itself and the nature that it changes, so that you can start from this point to make Water Release undergo a qualitative change."
Just like Water Release, the surface of water itself has tension. If it were pure water, this tension couldn't be incorporated into the interior. But we are ninjas. As you said, the essence of Water Release isn't water, but chakra. As long as we understand where this tension comes from, we can think of other ways to incorporate this tension into Water Release, thus changing the nature of the water.
"As for what I'm going to talk about next, it's a nature change of Fire Release. With Gen's current level of Fire Release, he can already start training. Yan Jun can also start preparing for the early stages of training."
Orochimaru took out two clean white sheets of paper and laid them flat on the stone floor.
"Look closely, what's the difference?"
Orochimaru formed a Tiger Hand Seal with one hand and touched two pieces of paper with his finger.
The first image shows a spark, which then begins to burn and spread outwards from the center of the spark.
The second one burst into flames with a "bang" in an instant, turning into ashes.
Uchiha Gen had already activated his Sharingan the moment Orochimaru formed hand seals, witnessing the entire process clearly. He then spoke:
"The burning speed is different."
The latter appears to have been burned to ashes in an instant, but Orochimaru actually only touched it. The initial burning surface was only a small area, and it was only because the burning speed was fast enough that it turned to ash instantly.
"Very good. Controlling the burning speed of Fire Release is the first step in most Fire Release nature transformations. Once you can reduce the burning time to an instant, what do you think would happen if you added something else to it, such as compressing the flames?"
An answer emerged in Gen Uchiha's mind.
"In an extremely short time and confined space, a large amount of heat accumulates, causing the pressure to rise, which in turn leads to... an explosion!"
"That's right, this is the first chakra nature transformation I'm going to teach you: the explosive nature of Fire Release."
Orochimaru nodded slowly and took out a stack of blank documents from the drawer.
"The first step you need to learn is to control the burning speed of Fire Release. When you can burn the paper to ashes in an instant, like I just did, you can start the second stage of training. At that time, the training tool will be changed to wood that has been soaked in water. You are required to char it in one second. This has an absolute requirement for the temperature of your Fire Release. The third step is still a piece of wood like this, but instead of charring it, you will dry it to the state it was in before it was soaked. This requires precise control of Fire Release chakra."
Once you've completed these three steps, you can start actually trying to make the flames explode.
Now... let's begin practicing, Gen.
Gen Uchiha pulled out a piece of paper, mimicking Orochimaru's movements. He formed the Tiger Hand Seal with one hand, channeling his chakra into his fingers until his fingertips felt hot. Only then did he confirm that the Fire Release chakra was fully concentrated. He then tapped the center of the paper and quickly moved it away.
A spark appeared, a wisp of smoke rose, and flames ignited.
It didn't burn very quickly; in fact, towards the end, only half of the paper was burned, leaving the other half curled up under the high temperature, with a burnt mark on the edge that went from charcoal black to scorched yellow.
It failed, but that's normal; at least it was lit.
"During the Second Hokage's time, a statistic was conducted that among all ninjas, the average time required to master the nature transformation of a ninjutsu was two years, while among the Jonin, this time could be shortened to one year."
When I was fourteen, I mastered this property change in a month. That idiot Jiraiya took three months. I don't expect you to surpass me, but at least don't be slower than that idiot Jiraiya; that would be embarrassing.
Orochimaru smiled slightly.
"I will try my best, Orochimaru-sensei."
Gen Uchiha sighed softly to himself.
Orochimaru called Jiraiya an idiot. He also said that it takes an average of two years for a Jonin to master the nature transformation of a ninjutsu, but Jiraiya was able to learn it in three months, which is already an extraordinary genius.
Although his Fire Release skills were sufficient, and Uchiha Gen was confident in his ability to master this nature transformation, he himself was unsure how fast his training would go or whether he could complete it within three months.
However, when he completed this training, it also meant that his Fire Release skill had reached the Jonin level.
His combat power will definitely rise to another level then. As long as he accumulates enough battle merits, with his status as a direct descendant of the Hokage lineage and the title of Special Jonin, it will be a piece of cake.
Moreover, his progress during this period was definitely not limited to simply learning a Fire Release nature transformation.
Don't forget, he also has a gacha system, and he's just reached level 20.
……
……
Orochimaru certainly had plenty of time on this day.
He spent the entire afternoon and half the evening answering the accumulated questions of Uchiha Gen and the other two, and pointing out the direction for their future training.
Uchiha Gen not only learned the explosive nature transformation of Fire Release here, but also gained a lot of experience in Wind Release and Snake Release ninjutsu.
Even though he was only just beginning with sealing techniques and medical ninjutsu, Orochimaru was able to give him some pointers.
In both of these areas, Orochimaru, while not reaching near-master level in ninjutsu, is certainly not weak.
At least his sealing techniques are no worse than most of the sealing squad's ninjas. Before the medical ninja profession truly took center stage in the ninja world, his medical ninjutsu skills were also commendable.