"This kind of attack feels somewhat familiar!"
Looking at Shisui's weapons and attack style, Kagetsu couldn't help but associate it with a certain race in Bleach World.
But there shouldn't be any real connection with that clan. It seemed more like Shisui's unique traits were strengthened by the Hōgyoku.
In other words, the power was manifested based on the attack characteristics of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Although Shisui had never said it, it was clear he considered the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan to be his strongest ability.
Since it was his strongest ability, it was only natural for him to want to enhance it further.
The Mangekyō Sharingan, along with the various complex bloodline abilities in the ninja world, gave Kagetsu some inspiration.
"This destructive power—it's awe-inspiring every time I see it! This is no less powerful than those so-called forbidden techniques."
Looking at the battlefield, which had been bombarded by a rain of arrows, the entire terrain was pockmarked and drastically altered. Orochimaru's eyes sparkled as if he were looking at a priceless treasure while watching Shisui, who had now stopped.
He could sense the overwhelming power contained in each arrow. Depending on the amount of energy poured into them, the arrows varied in size, and their colors changed based on the properties of the energy used.
To Orochimaru, Shisui in his current state, as long as the Hōgyoku mode could last long enough, could potentially decide the outcome of an entire battlefield on his own!
One person, with offensive power equivalent to a ninja army of over a thousand Chūnin!
This was a devastating weapon!
What's more, while the Hōgyoku experiment still carried considerable risks, if one were willing to push it to its limits and overdraw its power, it could even create a squad of Kage-level combatants!
This kind of power could shift the balance of war.
Of course, the Hōgyoku is still in its incomplete form. Although the Hōgyoku's power, like the Tailed Beasts, could be infinite, it still has limits at the moment.
A large amount of energy consumption in a short period will result in a long recovery period.
Death and souls are the food for this Hōgyoku.
For the Hōgyoku, the souls of ninjas are delicacies and supplements.
Its appearance is due to the war that affected the entire ninja world. If it hadn't seized this war, the next time it would attempt to gather power for a higher-level transformation would have to wait for the next Ninja World War.
"How do you feel?"
The same question, different scenario. Orochimaru looked at Shisui with an expression that seemed to admire his own masterpiece.
Strictly speaking, Shisui hasn't yet left the Anbu, but everyone knows he's still under Orochimaru's control within Konoha Village.
After all, he's still serving as a Jōnin instructor for Shisui!
According to the rules of the Konoha Ninja Academy or the leaders of ninja teams, anyone assigned to your team can be considered a future subordinate.
If there's someone you particularly value, you can solidify your position as a guiding teacher. This means establishing a genuine master-apprentice relationship with the potential for inheritance.
Like the future Seventh Squad, in a true sense, the only one who can be considered Kakashi's true disciple is Uchiha Sasuke. Kakashi poured all his effort into Sasuke, truly nurturing him as his successor.
Similarly, in Orochimaru's current team, it's well-known among the higher-ups of Konoha that only Nara Kagetsu is the true inheritor of Orochimaru's ninjutsu, connections, and status.
Orochimaru's investment of energy and training in Kagetsu will exceed what he once gave to others.
As for Anko, although Orochimaru acknowledged her status as a disciple and treated her equally, teaching her his unique Orochimaru-style ninjutsu without holding anything back. And in terms of combat style, Anko inherited more from Orochimaru than Kagetsu.
However, her daily behavior was quite different from Kagetsu's. She was lively, outgoing, and enjoyed playing pranks, which made her seem out of place compared to the cold, eerie aura of Orochimaru. She also saw Kagetsu as the core of their team, without any competitive mindset or intent.
As for Shisui, in the eyes of Konoha's high-ranking officials, even Anko was regarded higher than him. After all, Anko was still acknowledged as a disciple by Orochimaru.
Although Shisui had been assigned to Orochimaru's team shortly after officially joining the Anbu and had followed him ever since, including the Third Hokage, he was still viewed as one of Orochimaru's subordinates.
"It's a very unique feeling."
Shisui was panting, clearly exhausted from the previous burst of power and display, feeling a deep fatigue throughout his body.
After deactivating his Hogyoku mode, he could feel a dull ache in his muscles and bones, as well as a throbbing pain in his head.
"While in Hogyoku mode, I can perfectly control every bit of power within my body and even forcefully draw natural energy from the surrounding environment to replenish the chakra I've used."
"Can you really do that from the first try? It took Ran multiple attempts before he became skilled at drawing external energy to replenish his chakra."
Upon hearing Shisui's words, Orochimaru instinctively interrupted, his eyes burning with intensity, his expression one of someone wanting to dissect Shisui and study him.
"Yes! As long as I can dynamically adjust the balance between my own strength and the power of Hogyoku, I can use ninjutsu. But if I solely rely on Hogyoku's power, the consumption is too high, and my mind will be quickly affected."
Shisui simply kept his head lowered, reporting his experiences. "Once I fail to maintain the balance, causing the ratio to become unstable, the power of Hogyoku will begin to affect my mental state and soul."
"Is that all? What about your Mangekyo Sharingan?" Orochimaru wasn't concerned about Shisui's experience or feelings, but he wanted to know the difference between the power of the Hogyoku Mode and Mangekyo's abilities.
"If I were to face another pair of Mangekyo Sharingans, I would have an advantage with Hogyoku Mode. Both have incredible destructive power, but Hogyoku Mode comes with a lesser cost. In terms of power amplification, Hogyoku Mode is stronger. However, it also lasts for a shorter time."
"So, you can gain an advantage, but a detailed comparison is difficult?" Orochimaru could understand Shisui's words.
Unexpected things can happen in a battle, and it's not always about who is stronger, but who can control the situation.
However, knowing that Hogyoku Mode can rival the Mangekyo Sharingan, and even surpass it in terms of power amplification, Orochimaru was already satisfied.
On the side, Kagetsu showed a hint of disappointment, though it only appeared on his face for a brief moment.
"Also, I can sense that the power of Hogyoku and the Mangekyo Sharingan don't conflict. If the Mangekyo Sharingan is activated, the power of Hogyoku might elevate the Mangekyo to another level."
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