"Damn it! How did he get away?"
"He took my trophy while I wasn't looking!"
Kazuyama activated Hive Mind, but there was no sign of the opponent anywhere. He couldn't accept this.
He had put in so much effort, captured Mangetsu Hōzuki, and claimed his prize—only for it to disappear! Infuriating!
"I know you can still hear me. You'd better keep your chakra flowing at all times. If you die, it'll be a real hassle for me."
"Things won't be easy for you from now on."
"Hahaha!"
Kazuyama glanced at the massive crystal before him, a playful glint in his eyes.
In the original story, Suigetsu Hōzuki was captured by Orochimaru. Now, with Mangetsu in his grasp, he had an even better research subject. Orochimaru was sure to appreciate this.
The only question was—what could he get in exchange for such a grand gift?
...
[Ding! Detecting that the host has captured Hōzuki Mangetsu, making him a prisoner and an experimental subject, dealing a severe psychological blow to him—reward granted: Ninjutsu: Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes (Summoning Technique version, Beginner Level).]
[Note: Given the host's aversion to spitting snakes from the mouth, the technique has been modified to activate via the Summoning Technique instead. The jutsu has strong growth potential: 5,000 snakes at the beginner level, 10,000 at the intermediate level, and 50,000 at the advanced level. All summoned snakes are venomous.]
...
Oh? Now this was a great reward.
Kazuyama had always liked the Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes, but Orochimaru's method of using it was... well... disgusting.
That was the only reason he had never learned it.
But now, thanks to the system's modifications, the technique retained all of its power while eliminating the repulsive aspects.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
"Alright, next up..."
"Summoning Technique!"
...
By now, the battle had moved far from its original location, deep into the forest, putting some distance between them and the three little ones.
Kazuyama needed to get Mangetsu out of here first. After all, capturing someone and turning them into an experiment was far too cruel—he didn't want his students to witness something like that.
"Kinrin, take this crystal back to Ryūchi Cave and have the snakes notify my sensei."
"That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Kinrin coiled up, her golden eyes filled with reluctance. She was eager for battle, thinking she'd get to fight when summoned.
But looking around at the trees—many of them sliced clean in half—it was obvious the battle had already ended.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. But when are you delivering the snakeberries?"
"You've been stalling for way too long."
Kazuyama nodded. He hadn't forgotten his promise to the snake sisters.
"Relax. I'll be heading to the Daimyō's Manor soon, and when I do, I'll bring the snakeberries to Ryūchi Cave."
"Just make sure to notify my sensei."
"I need to get in touch with him as soon as possible."
Mangetsu was of no use to him personally. Handing him over to Orochimaru in exchange for something valuable was the smarter move.
Might as well make the most of it.
...
As Kinrin carried the crystal away, fatigue suddenly washed over Kazuyama.
Two days of nonstop battle had left him utterly drained.
He made his way out of the forest and back to his students. The three of them were still on high alert, but the moment they saw their sensei emerge, their faces lit up with relief and joy.
"Kazuyama-sensei, you're back!"
"So? What happened to the Kirigakure ninja?"
As usual, Obito was the first to ask.
Meanwhile, Rin hurried over and started treating Kazuyama.
His injuries were already healed—after all, using Tailed Beast chakra had a decent restorative effect.
"The enemy has been eliminated. Kakashi, Obito, Rin, you've all shown clear growth in this mission."
"I'm very satisfied."
Kazuyama looked at the three with relief. Kakashi was already mature beyond his years—he hardly needed guidance.
The real improvement was in Obito and Rin. Their progress was obvious, though he couldn't take credit for it—that was all thanks to Pakura's training.
Still, they were his students.
"Kazuyama-sensei, what is that Kekkei Genkai of yours?"
"It looked amazing."
Obito, ignoring his teacher's words entirely, was far more curious about the Kekkei Genkai he'd displayed.
His question made Kakashi and Rin's eyes light up—they were just as curious.
"Tch, that's my trump card. You know what a trump card is?"
"If I told you, would it still be a trump card?"
Kazuyama smirked at their disappointed expressions but decided to answer anyway.
"I created a completely new Kekkei Genkai by fusing chakra. I call it Crystal Release."
"It's mine alone."
"I'm telling you this, but you must keep it a secret. This is my final trump card as your sensei."
"If anyone spills, watch out for this!"
As he formed the familiar Tiger Seal, Kakashi and Obito shuddered, nodding frantically.
The trauma of One Thousand Years of Death ran too deep.
Rin also promised to stay silent.
"Kazuyama, you're full of it. Your trump card?"
"I still can't figure out how many trump cards you actually have."
"Tch, you're just plain sneaky!"
Chōmei couldn't help but mock him.
Kazuyama, of course, ignored him. What was wrong with having a lot of trump cards? The more, the better—it just meant more security.
"Sensei, is it really possible to create a Kekkei Genkai?"
"I thought it had to be inherited."
But she still asked her question.
"Hmm... Creating one is extremely difficult, but not impossible. It takes talent."
"As for your teacher—me—I spent years developing it."
"Hahaha!"
When it came to shamelessness, no one could match Kazuyama.
The system had given it to him, but he took full credit without hesitation.
"Alright, let's get moving. We need to return to the Daimyō's Manor as soon as possible."
"The Daimyō is waiting. The sooner we complete the mission, the sooner we can go home."
They'd been away for days already. If the Daimyō grew impatient, their mission could be jeopardized.
With that, the group set off for the Daimyō's castle.
...
One day later, at the Daimyō's Manor.
"Daimyō, we have eliminated the Kirigakure ninja who infiltrated the area."
"One managed to escape, but overall, the threat to your manor has been neutralized."
"And here—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Raiga Kurosuki's blade, the Lightning Blades: Kiba. My trophy."
Kazuyama stood before the Daimyō, holding the twin swords as he reported their progress.
The Daimyō's face showed a hint of surprise.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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