c28: There Are Hundreds of Millions of Talents
Some people believe Sasuke learned nothing substantial from Orochimaru but they couldn't be more mistaken.
Without Orochimaru's intervention, the gap between Sasuke and Itachi would have remained a chasm as wide as the void between heaven and earth.
Sasuke's overall skill set Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, Senjutsu, Strength, Speed, Chakra (Jing), and Sealing Techniques was completely inferior to Itachi's in every category except Chakra. But raw chakra reserves are meaningless when one's skills in application are lacking.
Take Genjutsu, for example. Sasuke initially had only a rudimentary grasp, having mastered perhaps three techniques, while Itachi an elite prodigy of the Uchiha clan excelled in ten, many of which he wielded as his first resort in battle. Itachi was infamous for his use of Genjutsu, capable of ensnaring opponents in illusions with a mere glance using his Sharingan.
According to the Fourth Databook, Itachi scores a formidable 71 out of 80 in overall stats, while Sasuke, prior to his training with Orochimaru, was rated at a more modest 45. However, during the three years under Orochimaru's tutelage, Sasuke underwent a metamorphosis. Orochimaru's rigorous training emphasizing Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Sealing Jutsu, and esoteric knowledge propelled Sasuke's stats from 45 to 63. That's a jump of nearly 40%, a leap across two full tiers in shinobi standards. His Genjutsu stat, in particular, improved significantly from 3 to 8.
Although the Sharingan provides a natural affinity for Genjutsu through its hypnotic visual prowess, its effectiveness depends not on the evolution of the eye alone, but on the user's mastery of illusion techniques. Without formal Genjutsu training, even the Mangekyō Sharingan cannot realize its full potential.
In the Databook's Battle Records, even though Sasuke had a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan during his first major battle with Naruto at the Valley of the End, he did not once employ Genjutsu. This omission reflected his lack of formal illusionary combat training.
This is the educational legacy Orochimaru left behind. Among the few with top-tier Genjutsu stats, Orochimaru stands out alongside Itachi, Kurenai Yuhi, Tayuya, and Hiruzen Sarutobi as the only ninja in the databooks to achieve a perfect score in this field. That Orochimaru, a Genjutsu expert in his own right, was swiftly defeated by Itachi during their brief encounter is more a testament to Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan and Orochimaru's weakened state post-Body Transfer Jutsu than any inferiority in skill.
Even Kurenai, a Genjutsu specialist, was immediately overwhelmed by Itachi underscoring how deceptive raw stats can be. Numerical data offers an outline, not the essence. Some shinobi, like Itachi, operate at the uppermost limits of their potential. Others, like Sasuke at that stage, still have room to grow.
Thanks to Orochimaru's instruction, Sasuke developed a Genjutsu repertoire sufficient to spar evenly with Itachi during the initial stages of their climactic battle. Though ultimately overwhelmed by the Tsukuyomi and Susanoo, Sasuke showed marked improvement in both Ninjutsu and Speed, rated at 10 and 9 respectively placing him at an elite level.
His signature Ninjutsu, the Chidori and its derivatives, such as Chidori Nagashi and Chidori Senbon, became cornerstones of his arsenal. Though Sasuke had learned Chidori from Kakashi before defecting to Orochimaru, his evolution in manipulating its form and nature owes much to Orochimaru's theoretical guidance and laboratory-like training environment.
A similar precedent exists in Naruto's training during Part II. Despite being tutored by Kakashi and Yamato, Naruto was sent to Asuma for Wind Release consultation. Kakashi contributed conceptual strategy and clone training methodology, while Yamato provided chakra control support using Wood Release to suppress the Nine-Tails.
Likewise, Orochimaru offered Sasuke access to forbidden scrolls, chakra experiments, and dangerous simulations. Orochimaru, praised by the Third Hokage Hiruzen as the most gifted shinobi of his generation, had mastery over all five basic nature transformations and harbored ambitions to master every jutsu. It's ludicrous to suggest that his instruction was less complete than Kakashi and Yamato's.
Sasuke's explosive rise to a "Super Nine" level wasn't due to talent alone—it stemmed from his Curse Mark of Heaven, Orochimaru's power, and his own obsessive drive for vengeance. At the Valley of the End, Sasuke activated Level Two of the Curse Seal, dramatically amplifying his speed, power, and durability. The seal enhanced his ninjutsu and allowed feats that would otherwise be impossible—such as matching Naruto's tailed-beast-enhanced attacks.
The Curse Seal didn't just empower Sasuke in raw stats. It extended the duration and versatility of his techniques. Though Sasuke couldn't match Itachi in the speed of hand signs, the Curse Mark's sheer chakra output allowed him to compensate through brute-force attacks.
His Taijutsu also improved, rising from a meager 5 to a respectable 7. There's no shortcut to physical combat—only ceaseless sparring and hands-on experience. Orochimaru, through his control of the Hidden Sound Village, arranged for Sasuke to battle opponents ranging from the Sound Four to experimental shinobi, ensuring constant combat exposure. His use of electrical stimulation to enhance muscle fibers—Orochimaru's version of "electrotherapy"—further strengthened his reflexes and striking power. Nevertheless, Sasuke still falls short of taijutsu prodigies like Killer Bee.
In the domain of Summoning Jutsu, Sasuke formed a pact with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave. While not as diverse in technique as Mount Myōboku's toads, the snakes excel in ambush, stealth, and countermeasures. Sasuke's snake summons were crucial in moments like escaping Deidara's surprise suicide explosion. He also demonstrated mastery of the Orochimaru-style Body Replacement Technique, a technique that allowed him to shed his skin like a snake to escape Amaterasu's black flames and other lethal attacks.
When Sasuke unveiled Kirin, his ultimate lightning jutsu, Itachi—despite orchestrating much of their battle—reacted with genuine urgency. The technique, which calls down a lightning strike from the atmosphere itself, was swift and devastating enough that only Itachi's preemptive use of Susanoo spared him from annihilation.
The significant improvement in Sasuke's Genjutsu capabilities—thanks to intense soul cultivation, his natural spiritual fortitude, and the blessing of a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan meant that he was no longer like Kakashi when facing Tsukuyomi.
Kakashi, despite his Sharingan, was immediately overwhelmed by Itachi's Tsukuyomi during their encounter in Part I, suffering immense psychological trauma. Sasuke, on the other hand, after three years of rigorous training under Orochimaru, had acquired sufficient Genjutsu resistance and chakra control to at least put up a mental defense. Though he was still defeated by Tsukuyomi in their final confrontation, the difference in performance is significant.
In summary, Sasuke progressed from someone thoroughly outclassed to a formidable shinobi capable of standing before Itachi without immediate collapse.
The assertion that Susanoo would have instantly killed Sasuke from the outset is simply untenable. Battles in the ninja world typically begin with probing an exchange of reconnaissance, feints, and incremental escalation. It's rare for elite shinobi to go all-out from the start unless forced by circumstance.
Given Itachi's dwindling chakra reserves and terminal illness confirmed in the Databooks and implied throughout the battle—it's reasonable to deduce that a drawn-out confrontation would tax him severely. If Sasuke could avoid the brunt of Itachi's most lethal techniques, he might outlast him by attrition.
Itachi's half-formed Susanoo had a limited range and lacked the full protection of the complete version. Sasuke, with his enhanced speed and reflexes, as well as various escape techniques, possessed numerous tools to avoid direct hits.
The Totsuka Blade, wielded by the Susanoo, is not an omnidirectional, instant-lock weapon. Even if it functioned like a guided attack, Sasuke could theoretically evade or counter it with the Orochimaru-style Body Replacement Technique. Orochimaru himself was only sealed because he attempted to re-emerge dramatically and was intercepted mid-transition before he could fully react or employ a defensive technique.
This growth is the cumulative result of Sasuke's prodigious talent, relentless discipline, and Orochimaru's comprehensive education. Reducing it all to the dismissive terms "Itachi let him win" or "he held back massively" grossly understates the complexity of their final duel.
Uchiha Gen firmly believed that Itachi was genuinely impressed—if not shaken by Sasuke's development. Even if Itachi's final actions were tempered by sentiment, Sasuke's strength was real. To say that Itachi let him off purely out of mercy is a stretch. The claim that he "released the water" (held back) is already controversial, but the phrase "released the sea" (let everything go) is an even greater distortion. It unjustly erases Sasuke's three years of blood-earned evolution.
Such potent and personalized instruction from Orochimaru cannot be disregarded. Regardless of his personal ambitions, Orochimaru's guidance significantly advanced Sasuke's versatility and power. Who would reject becoming more well-rounded and lethal?
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"I look forward to your performance."
After saying this, Orochimaru suddenly launched a frontal assault. His body lunged forward like a released arrow, fist aimed directly at Gen Uchiha's face.
Gen twisted his body to the side, catching Orochimaru's wrist with his left hand while raising his left knee toward Orochimaru's abdomen.
Orochimaru responded fluidly, pressing down with one hand and coiling his wrist like a snake, reversing the grip to counter-capture Gen's wrist.
Reacting swiftly, Gen raised his right fist and struck at the vulnerable point where Orochimaru's forearm met his upper arm.
Orochimaru released his grip and counterattacked immediately—fists, palms, elbows, knees a maelstrom of unrelenting Taijutsu.
Gen opened his Sharingan mid-fight, the scarlet light tracing Orochimaru's movements with precision.
Their bodies blurred as they pivoted, flipped, and lunged across the room. The rhythm of combat was swift and fluid—two experts exchanging blows with merciless efficiency. The room echoed with the dull thud of fists clashing against flesh and bone.
After three minutes of intense hand-to-hand combat, Gen despite his advanced two-tomoe Sharingan—felt fatigue setting in. Unable to maintain the exchange, he unsheathed the ninja blade from his back and went on the offensive.
Orochimaru responded instantly, evading the incoming strikes. Then, with eerie grace, he opened his mouth wide and regurgitated the Kusanagi no Tsurugi—his trademark sword slimy and gleaming.
Without pause, he gripped the hilt and charged.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The unmistakable sound of steel clashing against steel filled the room. Compared to the earlier Taijutsu exchange, their sword duel was even more intense, each strike sparking light as steel met steel with full intent to kill.
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Feinting with his sword in the right hand, Orochimaru flicked his left wrist. Four venomous snakes sprang forth from his sleeve, aiming to bite Gen's vital points neck, heart, and waist.
Genjutsu won't save me now!
But as Gen's eyes locked onto the incoming serpents, a subtle Genjutsu flared. The snakes veered off course, disoriented, biting air instead of flesh. Gen seized the moment, counterattacking with a thrust toward Orochimaru's chest.
Clang! Orochimaru barely parried the blow, eyes flashing with intrigue.
"Your Taijutsu and Kenjutsu are respectable," Orochimaru acknowledged, "but your Genjutsu—now that impressed me."
"To avoid a fatal blow using only a basic C-rank illusion, cast without hand seals through the Sharingan… Remarkable."
Orochimaru had intentionally concealed the chakra used for the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, distributing it in minute quantities over time. Gen's two-tomoe Sharingan failed to detect the buildup an illusion that likely only a three-tomoe Sharingan or the Byakugan could have seen through in time.
"I really do have 100 million points in Genjutsu talent," Gen quipped with a wry grin.
"Without this talent, and the Sharingan's insight, I would've been hit just now."
"It's clear you can't rely solely on the Sharingan…"
"It's good that you realize that," Orochimaru said firmly. "The Sharingan is powerful but dependence is a weakness."
His voice carried a rare sincerity. Though deeply intrigued by the Sharingan, Orochimaru was no slave to obsession.
"Come now. Show me more of that talent," he added, voice trembling slightly—not with fear, but with anticipation.
"As you wish!"
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