What level had Orochimaru's Yang Release power reached?
As is widely known, besides the fundamental Yin and Yang, the chakra natures unique to the ninja world are wind, fire, earth, lightning, and water.
And all five of these elemental chakra natures are divided into both Yin and Yang aspects.
Why is that said to be the case?
Consider the kekkei genkai formed by the combination of two different chakra natures.
Yang-aligned Earth combined with Yang-aligned Water gives birth to the Wood Style kekkei genkai.
Yin-aligned Earth combined with Yin-aligned Water, however, gives birth to the Lava Style kekkei genkai.
Furthermore, there are also kekkei genkai like Lava Style, formed from the same elemental chakra but exhibiting entirely different manifestations.
Yang-aligned Fire combined with Yang-aligned Earth gives rise to the destructive Lava Style seen in Roshi.
Yin-aligned Fire combined with Yin-aligned Earth, on the other hand, produces the gentle, water-like Lava Style of Dodai from the Hidden Cloud Village.
...
It was only after sensing the peculiar transformation within his body's Five Elements, catalyzed by the power of Yang Release, that Orochimaru suddenly realized the fundamental reason behind the same elemental chakra producing such vastly different kekkei genkai.
"So, ordinary ninjas cannot develop their own kekkei genkai independently because they are unable to control the Yin and Yang conversion of their chakra natures?"
"Then..."
Orochimaru's lips curved into a confident smile as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Sage Art: Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"
With a low shout, the water and earth chakra within Orochimaru's body instantly fused under the power of Yang Release. A violent tremor erupted from the ground, and a forest of far greater scale than anything that had previously grown under the influence of the scattered Yang Release power shot up from the earth.
"Rumble!"
Orochimaru, enveloped in Sage Mode power, stood proudly atop the sea of trees, gazing down at the rapidly expanding forest below, his eyes shining with brilliant light.
At this moment, Orochimaru truly saw the essence of the power originating from the Ōtsutsuki clan.
"Yin and Yang together create all things!"
"So this secret has been hidden within the bodies of ninjas all along!"
"My Yang Release chakra has almost reached its pinnacle. With the driving force of Yin-Yang mutual generation, my Yin Release power should also slowly reach the same level as my Yang Release."
"When that time comes..."
"Even without the Sage Eyes and the Sage Body..."
"Six Paths power will be within my grasp!"
Following this, Scorch Style, formed from Yang Wind + Yang Fire, Explosion Style, from Yang Lightning + Yang Earth, and Gale Style, from Yang Lightning + Yang Wind, were successively demonstrated by Orochimaru.
As for the kekkei genkai that required Yin Release power, such as Storm Style, from Yin Lightning + Yin Water, and Shadow Style, from Yin Wind + Yin Water, they would have to wait until his Yin Release power reached its zenith before he could deduce them.
Concurrently, the objective Orochimaru had previously sought – the fusion into the Ketsuryūgan – now had a clear path forward.
Once all Yin and Yang elemental kekkei genkai were completely mastered, would the Ketsuryūgan truly be far away?
...
"What extraordinary talent!"
The Salamander Sage couldn't help but exclaim as he watched the various kekkei genkai manifest from Orochimaru's hands.
"Besides the Sage of Six Paths, who instantly mastered Mount Myōboku's Sage Jutsu, in terms of adapting to new powers, Orochimaru, you are the strongest in the ninja world!"
"You possess eyes that can perceive the essence of power!"
"I look forward to the day you can see through the essence of the world itself!"
Orochimaru bowed respectfully to the Salamander Sage.
"Thank you for your blessings, Great Sage!"
"Mm!"
"I sense you are not here specifically to seek the location of the Shikkotsu Forest, and likely have other matters to attend to."
"As for Sage Jutsu, come back to train when you have the time!"
The Salamander Sage responded lazily, slowly retracting his tentacles into his body, reverting to a sprawling mountain of flesh and blood.
"Go on!"
"On your way out, do me a favor and deal with that little slug outside who keeps trying to bother me."
"The Sage of Six Paths, honestly, with so many creatures in the ninja world, why did he have to create a Tailed Beast in my image?"
"It's truly preposterous!"
With the lingering echo, the Salamander Sage seemed to fall into a deep slumber, and the Shikkotsu Forest fell silent once more.
Orochimaru dared not utter such a complaint to the Sage of Six Paths like the Salamander Sage. He offered a bitter smile, bowed to the Salamander Sage, and turned to fly back the way he came.
...
"Lord Orochimaru, are we family now?"
"Yes, yes! I feel like Lord Orochimaru has become much more approachable now! Just like the original body!"
"Lord Orochimaru, touch me! I'm so slippery!"
"Touch me, touch me, I'm even slipperier!"
...
The group of small slugs who had been responsible for repairing the barrier had not left. Upon seeing Orochimaru return, they immediately wriggled and crawled to his feet, each clamoring to speak with him.
Orochimaru now felt a sense of closeness towards these slugs.
How could he not feel close?
If one were to truly count, these small slugs were all manifestations of the Salamander Sage himself.
"Alright, alright, I'll touch all of you!"
After patting the slippery heads of the small slugs one by one, they finally, with satisfied contentment, cleared a path from his feet.
"I have some matters to attend to, I'll come see you again when I have time!"
"Goodbye, Lord Orochimaru!"
"Remember to come back!"
"You can summon us out too!"
...
Amidst a chorus of chattering farewells, Orochimaru, with a smile on his face, casually tore open the barrier set by the Salamander Sage using the sage arts of the Shikkotsu Forest and flashed back into the waters of the Sea Country.
"Roar!"
The moment Orochimaru appeared, the Six-Tails, Saiken, let out an excited roar, and its massive body swam frantically towards him.
Orochimaru, who was preparing to subdue the Six-Tails, froze, his facial expression twisting and contorting.
"This guy..."
The power of Void accurately conveyed the emotions contained within the Six-Tails' roar to Orochimaru.
"Wants... to mate..."
A shiver of revulsion ran down Orochimaru's spine. He quickly formed a Snake hand seal in front of him, and his chakra surged wildly.
"Sage Art: Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive wood dragon instantly emerged from the seabed, roaring silently as it coiled tightly around the Six-Tails, Saiken.
Surprisingly, the Six-Tails did not become enraged. Its body, following the coiling force of the wood dragon, rapidly writhed and wrapped around the wood dragon, rubbing against it frantically.
"Life force, like..."
"Mating..."
Orochimaru, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, watched this lewd Tailed Beast.
"You fellow..."
"Are slugs hermaphroditic? Although they can reproduce between different individuals..."
"But if you want to mate, fine, but didn't you like the Salamander Sage before?"
"Why would you have such wicked thoughts towards me after I came out?"
"And now you're doing this to a wood dragon..."
"Six-Tails, Saiken, in terms of being a scumbag, I, Orochimaru, declare you the strongest in the ninja world!"
The rhinoceros dog, having had little interaction with humans for years and being influenced by the various negative energies in the ninja world in its wild state, still possessed some rationality, but not much.
Most of the time, wild Tailed Beasts acted on instinct.
Tailed Beasts like Kurama and Son Goku, who had their mental impurities purged by Orochimaru and became highly rational, were ultimately in the minority.
"It looks like the power of Void will increase a bit more!"
Orochimaru shook his head and sighed, allowing Saiken to continue rubbing against the wood dragon as he slowly mobilized the Void power within him.
"Come on! Scumbag Tailed Beast, join the Leaf Village family!"
"I hope that after you regain your senses, you can still remember the scene of you hugging a piece of wood."
"Tsk tsk!"
Thinking of this, a mischievous idea suddenly popped into Orochimaru's mind.
"Should I summon Kurama over?"
"He should be interested in this kind of scene, right?"