Konoha's Forward Base in the Land of Grass.
After annihilating the Sand Ninja's surprise assault force, Kaede had no intention of delving deeper into anything else in the Amegakure. Though Nagato's Rinnegan was something that intrigued him, it wasn't something he could afford to focus on just yet.
After all, Uchiha Madara was still alive, still watching over the ninja world, and Nagato was similarly under constant surveillance. It wouldn't be wise to get too involved with the world's hidden secrets just yet.
"Ah, Kaede, it looks like you've been successful," Orochimaru said, looking up from his work in the tent. When he noticed the Kusanagi sword hanging at Kaede's waist, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Kaede nodded. "Your intel was spot on, Sensei."
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on the Kusanagi sword for several moments before he asked, "Could I take a look at that sword?"
Kaede drew the Kusanagi sword and handed it to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru accepted the sword and inspected it with interest, channeling a bit of chakra into it. He swung it a few times, nodding. "No doubt about it, this is indeed the Tenbu-ryu sword."
Kaede, deep in thought, asked, "How many Kusanagi swords are there?"
The term "Kusanagi sword" didn't refer to just one weapon, but to a collection of swords.
He'd heard of the Tenbu-ryu sword before, he believed it was the same one Sasuke carried. The appearance matched, and Orochimaru's words confirmed his suspicions.
Orochimaru handed the Tenbu-ryu sword back to Kaede and smiled slightly. "Legend has it there are eleven Kusanagi swords, but eight of them were lost, leaving only three. However, this is just a rumor, and the only confirmed ones are these three."
"They are the Amatsu-mikaboshi, Tenbu-ryu, and the Kusanagi sword of the Ten Fists."
Kaede wasn't too surprised by Orochimaru's answer, as it aligned with what he already knew. What caught him off guard was that the three confirmed swords were exactly the same ones that appeared in the original story, with no others existing.
Orochimaru continued with a smile, "The Amatsu-mikaboshi sword is in my possession, as you've seen. It has the ability to change its form and extend in length at will, and it can be controlled by the user's thoughts."
"Your sword is the Tenbu-ryu, known for its extreme durability and sharpness. It's perfect for channeling chakra, adapting to almost any ninjutsu."
"The last one, the Kusanagi sword of the Ten Fists, also known as the Sake-haru Sword, is said to have sealing powers. Anything struck by it can be sealed away..."
Kaede was already familiar with this information.
He gently ran his fingers over the edge of the blade.
Among the three Kusanagi swords, the Kusanagi sword of the Ten Fists posed a certain threat to him with its sealing techniques. The Amatsu-mikaboshi sword was a bit flashy, but the Tenbu-ryu sword in his hand was the one that suited him best.
He'd felt it during his fight with Pakura, the Tenbu-ryu sword had a higher capacity for carrying lightning chakra than even the White Fang's ninja blade!
The so-called "capacity" refers to chakra efficiency.
When chakra is infused into a basic kunai, the poor material of the kunai means only about 20–30% of the chakra's power is effectively used.
The White Fang's ninja sword, however, could channel about 70–80% of the chakra's power, a significant improvement in efficiency, nearly as effective as releasing a ninjutsu directly.
The Tenbu-ryu sword, though, was even better!
It could channel over 90% of the chakra with almost no loss!
This was why, even though his kenjutsu was affected by the sword, his ability to use "Radiant Flash" had remained almost unchanged, the efficiency of chakra utilization had improved, so the overall effect was nearly the same.
"I see..." Kaede responded, though he already knew all of this.
Orochimaru smiled and said, "That sword seems perfect for your style, but you might need to adjust your Kenjutsu a bit."
Kaede nodded. "Yes, going from a short sword to a long sword will take some getting used to. But they are still the same type of weapon, so the changes shouldn't be too hard."
Going from a short sword to a long sword wasn't as drastic as switching to a completely different weapon like a wrist blade or a hammer.
He'd just need to make a few adjustments to his technique, but nothing too difficult. Men were naturally good at adapting to changes in weapon length.
"I'm sure with your talent, you'll adapt quickly," Orochimaru said with a laugh. "Did you encounter anything unusual in the Amegakure?"
It was a casual question. From the speed of Kaede's return, it seemed like the journey had gone smoothly with no unexpected events.
But after the question was asked, Kaede's face showed signs of deep thought, as if he was organizing his words.
After a brief pause, Orochimaru looked at the pile of metal plates on the table, his expression turning to one of shock.
Kaede had tossed the metal plates onto the table and shrugged. "That's the general situation."
The atmosphere in the tent fell silent.
The two Konoha Jōnin standing nearby were stunned. There were nearly a hundred metal plates in total. If these weren't fakes, it meant Kaede had single-handedly taken down almost a hundred Sand Ninja?!
Even if they were all Genin, that number was still pretty impressive.
"...If your assessment is correct, then your achievements this time might even surpass those from your previous battle," Orochimaru said after a few seconds, his voice calm but filled with disbelief.
Single-handedly wiping out a Sand Ninja surprise force that was attempting to bypass the Amegakure to attack Konoha's rear base, just this one feat alone could make him a hero!
Kaede didn't show any pride or arrogance. "It was just a coincidence."
For him, the recognition for his feats on the battlefield wasn't as important as improving his strength.
"By the way, there's also this."
Kaede tossed a scroll toward Orochimaru. "I collected some blood samples from that Pyro-Domination ninja. You might be interested."
Normally, Orochimaru would be highly interested in bloodline samples. But since learning about Kaede's abilities, his interest in other bloodlines had decreased.
However, he had a collection obsession, and the Pyro-Domination bloodline sample was one he was missing.
"Nice work. I'll report this to the village," Orochimaru said, taking the scroll with a smile. "By the way, a day ago, the Third Hokage gave instructions for you to be sent to the front lines in the Land of Wind. You can leave now."
Kaede sighed and shrugged. "No rest, huh? Back to the grind already."
He wasn't surprised by the order.
unless Minato suddenly swept through the Sand Village and defeated them decisively, he knew he'd be sent wherever the situation stagnated.
Actually, part of him wanted to leave the battlefield for a while, find a quiet place, and train. But doing that during a time of war would be tantamount to desertion, and he wasn't ready to leave Konoha yet.
Partly because of Kakashi, Asuma, and the others, but also because the greatest threats to him in the ninja world, aside from the nearly dead Madara, were now Minato and his ability to use the Reaper Death Seal with Flying Thunder God. That was a troublesome combination.
And staying in Konoha also aligned with some of his plans.
"You've wiped out a Sand Ninja surprise force. Take a break and wait for new orders from the village," Orochimaru said with a smile, folding the scroll.
Kaede exhaled, "Alright, I'll go rest for now."
He hadn't slept properly on his journey back, so he was a little tired and needed to get some rest.