138 An Apprenticeship?

Gai took the schedule, and after a single glance, he could not tear his eyes away.

Endurance training like climbing, speed walking, and swimming; explosive exercises such as sprinting, frog jumps, and weighted squats; and specific movements to relieve physical fatigue during rest intervals...

The training methods, suggested durations, expected results—every single item was explained with meticulous steps and exhaustive data analysis.

Although Gai was a master of taijutsu, specializing in the top-tier "Strong Fist" style—the Eight Inner Gates—he had never seen such a scientific and rigorous training regimen. He had always set his goals based on intuition, relying on the slogan of "youth" to grit his teeth and push through.

It was not that his way was bad; in truth, taijutsu requires sheer willpower to constantly force the body beyond its limits. But to be honest, pushing past one's limits is a form of self-depletion. If not for the rare medicinal herbs he consumed periodically to replenish his vitality, he would likely have been a gaunt shadow of himself long ago.

Because of this, even as a Special Jonin, Gai lived a frugal life, pouring almost all his savings and mission earnings into those supplies. The Eight Inner Gates was not just difficult; it was expensive. This high cost raised the barrier to entry so high that most people were deterred from even attempting it.

Most ninja practiced ninjutsu and taijutsu or took on missions to earn money so they and their families could live well. The Eight Inner Gates simply could not provide that; instead, it offered only negative returns. In all these years, Konoha had only produced two such "rare beasts."

Ever since Gai took up his father’s mantle, he had naturally shouldered the burden of passing on the tradition. While he was in no rush yet, the prospect gave him a persistent headache.

He could not imagine there being a second person in Konoha like him. But now, this highly scientific analysis of exercise gave him a vague glimpse of a possibility.

Gai gripped the schedule tightly, his eyes burning with fervor. "Don't worry, Master Orochimaru. Leave the training to me."

Orochimaru glanced at the somewhat nervous Aoi and instructed Gai, "Do not hold back. Her constitution is excellent. If she cannot persist, it is surely a matter of willpower."

Gai nodded vigorously; looking at him, it was clear he would enforce the requirements on the schedule strictly and without mercy.

"Then you may begin." Orochimaru nodded slightly. "Keep a record of the training details. This schedule is only the first draft and requires further refinement."

As the point in time for completing his soul approached, the development of his physical potential had gradually become a priority. The Strong Fist style, described by the Genie as having extraordinary potential, naturally piqued his interest.

Choosing a training method like Gai's was perfectly acceptable. Orochimaru was not short on money, but he believed in the old adage: "Sharpening the axe does not delay the work of cutting wood." He naturally preferred a more efficient approach.

Aoi was an excellent test subject. With the bloodline of the Uzumaki clan, her vitality was immense. She would surely be able to endure and help him test a complete set of training methods... one would hope.

...

The Hyuga compound.

Welcomed by Hyuga Hizashi, Orochimaru entered the room and sat directly on the cushion behind the low table, which was laden with steaming, fragrant delicacies. Without standing on ceremony, Orochimaru offered a brief greeting and then, without a word, focused entirely on the meal.

This nonchalant, self-absorbed aura made Hizashi hold his tongue; he dared not interrupt and was forced to suppress his own thoughts. He glanced toward the direction of the shoji screens with a bitter smile before joining Orochimaru in the meal.

"Hizashi, I was quite surprised to receive your invitation." After finishing his meal, Orochimaru sipped his tea, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Regarding Neji, I thought you would come to visit in person."

Had he not been occupied with recuperation rather than intensive experiments, he would not have bothered with Hizashi's invitation. As for the task of fulfilling the Genie's wish, it was not too late as long as Neji had not yet been branded with the Caged Bird seal. He preferred to focus on his own affairs for now. Besides, the Genie had not been pressuring him either.

"Neji's matter is not urgent; he is only two years old." Hizashi’s face darkened, and he spoke with difficulty. "The reason I invited you, my lord, is that the Clan Head has a request and asked me to act as an intermediary."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "Hyuga Hiashi?"

Truth be told, while he knew the Hyuga Clan Head, they were not close; they had only met a few times at village meetings recently. After all, he spent most of his time on the battlefield or in his laboratory. As the head of the main house, Hiashi did not go to the battlefield. As for the latter, Orochimaru had recently become quite interested in the Byakugan, a stable dōjutsu bloodline, and would have liked to meet him in the lab, but a single pair of Byakugan was not yet worth such a great effort.

"What does your clan head want with me?" Orochimaru set down his teacup and stared at Hizashi. "Surely he isn't coveting the physical enhancement surgery done for the Uchiha clan? I have already promised the old man that I will not perform it again."

Over the past few months, Uchiha Shinsuke had performed several missions for the Anbu with outstanding results. His strength was clearly a cut above the average Jonin, and he was being hailed as the Uchiha clan's top expert, drawing the eyes of every ninja clan in Konoha. The other, Uchiha Yosuke, was not as prominent, but only in comparison to Shinsuke; he had diligently pushed his physical limits and defeated a large number of his clansmen in the training grounds.

Even Fugaku, who had been tricked by a mere pipe dream, could not help but be tempted, testing the waters several times to see if Orochimaru would set aside his Mangekyo Sharingan research to perform a few more surgeries.

"It is not about that..." Hizashi turned his head, avoiding Orochimaru's gaze. After hesitating for a long time, he sighed. "Lord Orochimaru, you once said that if Neji showed talent, you would take him as a disciple. Does... does the Clan Head's daughter, Hinata, also have this opportunity?"

"Oh?" Orochimaru was genuinely surprised. He looked at Hizashi. "You would share such an opportunity with others?"

The more disciples he had, the less time he could devote to each individual. Moreover, Neji had not even been accepted as a disciple yet.

"My lord, I am, after all, a member of the Hyuga clan." Hizashi spoke the expected platitudes, though his lips tasted bitter.

Secrets were hard to keep, and the "tuition" Orochimaru demanded was a substantial sum. It had been difficult to scrape together, and it was only natural that the main house had discovered it. Once questioned, as a member of a branch family, he could not resist and had to be forthcoming.

Of course, Hizashi did not reveal the deal concerning the "Caged Bird" seal, but even so, he had been reprimanded. In the eyes of the main house elders, even the leader of the branch family was just a branch member; any opportunity to become a disciple of one of the "Sannin" should rightfully be ceded to the Clan Head's daughter. It was only out of consideration for Orochimaru's temperament that Neji was even being allowed this chance at all.