Chapter 9: Blade Test and Orochimaru's Interest
"It's not completely incurable," Naraku said with an awkward laugh. "To heal it, the victim must disengage from combat entirely and use physical suturing to seal the wound for at least a week to stop the bleeding. Of course, advanced medical ninjutsu can shorten the bleeding duration."
Nawaki couldn't hold back his curiosity. "So basically, as long as you land even one cut on the enemy and keep the fight going, you can bleed them out passively?"
"That's one way to put it," Naraku replied. "But dragging a strong opponent into prolonged combat without letting them escape isn't easy, Nawaki. In certain situations—like large-scale battlefields or with teammates providing support—it becomes much more feasible."
Orochimaru added calmly, ever the teacher: "Exactly. Sustained pressure requires strategy and control, Nawaki."
Naraku privately admitted he didn't know every nuance of the blade's performance yet. Truthfully, he was just bored and wanted to see rivers of blood.
At his subtle suggestion, Orochimaru and Nawaki agreed to test the weapon properly.
Naraku stepped aside to observe real combat data.
"Be careful, Orochimaru-sensei," Nawaki warned. "I haven't tested this blade myself yet."
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Your concern is unnecessary, Nawaki. Don't you have confidence in your teacher's strength?"
Naraku thought to himself: Even if Konoha exploded, Orochimaru would survive. If the entire village could only have one survivor, it would be him. Legendary life-preservation ability—maxed out.
The two formed the Seal of Opposition and began sparring.
Since the main goal was testing the blade, Orochimaru didn't press the attack. He let Nawaki take the initiative.
When Nawaki channeled Water-attribute chakra into Kirikabe Ichimonji, the entire blade shifted to a deep, vibrant blue. Its appearance instantly became far more impressive.
"The color changed," Orochimaru observed. "Related to chakra nature? Does it have any special effect?"
Nawaki was equally stunned and even more enamored with the sword. Unfortunately, swordsmanship wasn't his main style—he mentally noted that he'd have to commission something more suited to himself from Master Naraku later.
The spar turned into a pure sword exchange. Of course, Orochimaru was clearly holding back. Nawaki had only recently graduated from the academy; his strength was around chūnin level at best. Against an Orochimaru who already surpassed elite jōnin, he stood no real chance.
In their few clashes, Orochimaru noted that in terms of durability and sharpness alone, Nawaki's blade was on par with—if not slightly superior to—his own treasured sword. With chakra infusion, the attack range even extended slightly.
Then Nawaki seized an opening and unleashed the stored Yang-attribute chakra.
An overwhelming force surged from the blade, directly knocking Orochimaru's sword from his grip.
Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. Even accounting for the Senju clan's natural physical strength, that strike had carried far more power than expected—especially given the massive gap in their overall skill levels.
Nawaki pressed the advantage, slashing toward Orochimaru's chest. Orochimaru could have easily evaded—even unarmed—but he deliberately chose not to. He wanted to experience the blade's second ability firsthand.
Nawaki panicked when he saw he'd actually cut his teacher and immediately halted the fight.
Ding... [Senju Nawaki has become the temporary wielder of the weapon and achieved initial mastery of Kirikabe Ichimonji. Talent Replication activated: Forger's chakra increased by 1 Ka.]
Naraku felt the sudden influx of 1 Ka chakra—pure bliss.
"Teacher, are you okay?! I'll go get my sister right now!" Nawaki said frantically.
Orochimaru remained calm. "No need. Give me a moment."
He attempted standard chakra-based sealing and conventional hemostasis methods—but the wound resisted everything. The more he experimented, the more intrigued he became. Blood continued to flow steadily from his chest.
Nawaki, growing more anxious by the second, was about to run for Tsunade when Orochimaru finally stopped the test.
After some thought, Orochimaru realized the blade's effect primarily targeted the skin layer. An idea sparked: snake molting. Perhaps he could develop a technique similar to shedding skin—shedding damaged outer layers to bypass persistent damage like Fire Release burns or, in this case, unhealing blade wounds.
He attempted to forcibly harden and slough off the wounded epidermis. The process was slow.
Eventually, the skin around the cut hardened into a thick scab—but it did not fully shed. With no high-intensity combat for a while, the wound would heal over time.
Naraku never dreamed that the appearance of Kirikabe Ichimonji would inspire Orochimaru to begin developing the Shedding Skin Technique ahead of schedule.
Seeing the bleeding finally stopped, Nawaki breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Naraku stepped forward. "So? How is the blade? Worth 10 million ryō?"
"Mr. Naraku, you truly are a great talent," Orochimaru said with genuine respect. "After testing it myself, I feel this sword surpasses many of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's blades in power. 10 million ryō is nowhere near enough to match its true value."
"Yeah, yeah!" Nawaki echoed like a broken record.
Orochimaru was naturally curious about the forging process—but he understood that such techniques were akin to clan secret arts. They were never shared lightly. He held his tongue.
Naraku responded calmly to the praise: "Lord Orochimaru, just call me Naraku. As for the blade's value—I believe it can only truly shine in the right hands. If possible, please use it to kill many enemies. And if the opportunity arises, I'd appreciate it if you could help spread the word about my work."
Orochimaru noted the first part—killing enemies—was only natural with such a weapon. The second part—promotion—raised a faint red flag. The ninja world was full of people who smiled to your face and robbed you behind your back.
He confirmed carefully: "Are you certain, Naraku?"
Naraku wasn't afraid. In the worst-case scenario, he'd be forced to hand over Vassal Arm forging methods and locked in a dark room to produce endlessly. Even then, captivity would accelerate his growth. He'd make them regret creating a monster.
He answered firmly: "I want to become the strongest forger in the ninja world. This is a necessary step."
Seeing Naraku's resolute expression, Orochimaru nodded seriously. "I promise to protect you to the best of my ability."
Nawaki chimed in with enthusiastic support.
Looking at the two of them, Naraku felt a surge of confidence. Now he could really get started.
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