"Choose. Once you have selected the forbidden ninjutsu you want, I will take you to the secret laboratory of the Second Hokage's teacher. As agreed, we will visit the most important experimental subject he left behind."
Hiroki's gaze slowly settled on the enormous scroll laid out before him.
This was Konoha's greatest treasure—the Scroll of Seals, a record of countless forbidden techniques. It was the very place where Uzumaki Naruto's legend began. Through this scroll, Naruto had learned the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Yet when Hiroki personally opened it, he found that he felt… nothing.
No excitement. No awe. If anything, there was a faint sense of irritation.
Honestly, if the Third Hokage had just reached out and let him directly copy that old man's ninjutsu, this would have been much simpler. Instead, he had to stand here and study the Scroll of Seals like a normal person.
He let out a quiet sigh.
If only the System supported self-upgrades and stat allocation. Then all he would need to do was shout, "Deep Blue, go!" and enjoy freshly optimized ninjutsu born entirely from "hard work and effort."
Hiroki stared silently at the scroll for a moment. Then, after a brief pause, he casually created a new archive in [tt] format and typed a few lines.
[The Deep Blue System is at your service.Ninjutsu detected: Flying Thunder God Technique.Available for learning.Consume 0.0001% power for one-click mastery?]
After amusing himself for a moment, Hiroki refocused and began examining the scroll seriously.
At a glance, this appeared to be more of a catalog than a detailed record. Many ninjutsu names were blacked out entirely, while others were hastily crossed through. Some entries hadn't even fully dried—the original text beneath was still faintly visible.
One name stood out immediately.
Edo Tensei.
It had clearly been erased.
Hiroki inhaled slowly and began reading the scroll line by line, carefully scanning for the forbidden techniques developed by the Second Hokage that interested him most.
Edo Tensei itself was not listed.
However, Mutual Exploding Tag was present. Unfortunately, this technique required Edo Tensei to function properly, and each exploding tag cost two thousand ryō. Hiroki didn't have that kind of money, and it wasn't clear whether the technique included manufacturing the tags themselves.
As he continued downward, the legendary technique he had been anticipating finally appeared.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
The signature skill of Minato Namikaze—the classic top-tier shinobi.
Without question, this was Hiroki's first choice. His current weakness was mobility, and this technique solved that problem perfectly. He could wait until Minato mastered it and copy it later, but who knew how long that would take? Studying it now made far more sense.
Besides, Hiroki was confident he'd have plenty of chances to access the Scroll of Seals again in the future.
Next came Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
It was indeed a forbidden technique, but Hiroki already had the standard Shadow Clone Technique, which was more than enough to help him write code. At the moment, he had no need to create massive applications, and his chakra reserves couldn't support large numbers of clones anyway.
For now, Shadow Clone was sufficient.
Then came Twin Snakes Mutual Death.
A forbidden technique created by a young Orochimaru. It required both users to form hand seals together and resulted in mutual suicide.
Completely useless.
Hiroki skipped past it without hesitation.
As he continued reading, a pattern became clear. Without Edo Tensei, many of the techniques listed here were impractical. That made sense—the truly powerful forbidden techniques were the ones that had shined during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Flying Thunder God.Eight Gates.Edo Tensei.
And beyond those, countless ocular techniques unleashed by the Uchiha clan through their eyes.
Meanwhile, many powerful clan secrets—such as the Eight Branches Technique or Izanami—were absent entirely.
After a long moment, Hiroki raised his head.
"Hokage-sama, I've made my choices."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him calmly, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique," Hiroki said, pointing to the first entry. His finger then slid across the scroll to the opposite end. "Space-Time Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God Technique. And finally—Eight Gates."
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his eyelids twitch.
Each of these techniques represented a path that pushed the limits of human potential.
The Bringer-of-Darkness Technique was a rare genjutsu-type forbidden technique that deprived opponents of their senses entirely, perfectly complementing Hiroki's existing combat style.
Eight Gates was pure, limit-breaking power—yet no one had ever witnessed its complete form, and its true potential remained unknown.
And Flying Thunder God…
A space-time ninjutsu that transcended speed itself. Even Hiruzen, who had mastered nearly every technique in Konoha, could not confidently claim full control over it.
If this boy reached the level of the Second Hokage—
Would Konoha gain another legendary Flicker Ninja?
This child's foresight was frightening.
"Very well," Hiruzen finally said. He studied Hiroki deeply, his expression complex. "Tonight, I will have the cultivation scrolls delivered to your home. Study them carefully, and do not allow their contents to leak."
He paused.
"Every forbidden technique carries severe side effects. Some can even lead to death. Be extremely cautious. If you encounter anything you don't understand, come to me directly."
"Understood."
"Then let us go," Hiruzen said. "To the laboratory of the Second Hokage's teacher."
Hiroki nodded. A bold hypothesis had been forming in his mind—one that demanded immediate confirmation.
They passed through layers of guards and wound through complex underground corridors until they reached a hidden location deep within Konoha.
This was the private laboratory of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
The air was cold, heavy with disinfectant and a faint metallic scent of blood. Massive glass containers lined the walls, each preserving unsettling biological specimens. Complex sealing formulas covered every surface, filling the space with an oppressive, solemn atmosphere.
"This is where Tobirama-sama conducted his most important research," Hiruzen said quietly, nostalgia lacing his voice. "His life was devoted to analyzing chakra and bloodline limits through scientific methods, seeking a path that would allow ordinary people to wield great power."
He led Hiroki to the deepest section of the laboratory.
There stood a massive cylindrical container filled with bubbling green fluid. Thick cables and tubes fed into it, maintaining an intricate life-support system.
Suspended at its center was a fist-sized mass of pale flesh, slowly writhing as if alive.
An overwhelming life force radiated from it. Just standing nearby made every cell in Hiroki's body tremble with excitement.
"This is—" Hiroki's breath caught.
"Yes," Hiruzen said softly. "The living cells of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. The most important experimental subject Tobirama-sama left behind."
Hiroki's heart began to race.
Almost unconsciously, he placed his hand against the container.
Before he could touch the flesh inside, a familiar prompt appeared.
[Ding dong~]
[Detected connectable external computer:Senju Hashirama — Flesh Unit 276.Temporary connection established via Chakra Communication Protocol.]
[Would you like to open and view the files?]