"Really?"
The liquid inside the container began to ripple and swirl, gradually coalescing into a humanoid form.
A boy around fourteen or fifteen emerged, pale-skinned with white hair, shark-like teeth, and distinctive lavender eyes.
"Hey! If you dare materialize your lower body naked, I swear I'll castrate you before your foot hits the ground!" Karin barked, noticing Suigetsu's upper body was bare.
"With your Hydrification Technique, manifesting clothes shouldn't be hard," Kimimaro said coldly.
"Tch. What a pain." With a disgruntled pout, Suigetsu formed a sleeveless purple outfit around his body. "Fine, I'll change properly later. But first—let's get something straight. Can you really help me collect the Seven Ninja Swords?"
"As long as you can tell me where they are, I'll help retrieve them," Kimimaro replied without hesitation.
"Heh. That's more like it. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have fallen apart, but I still want to restore their glory. I won't use all the swords myself—each deserves a proper wielder."
"You know their locations?"
Suigetsu ticked them off on his fingers. "The Kubikiribōchō was last seen with Hoshigaki Kisame, but forget about him for now—he's a monster. The Kiba—twin lightning blades—are probably still with Raiga Kurosuki. His lightning counters my water style, so I'll need help if we go after him."
He paused. "The Hiramekarei was with my brother, Mangetsu, if he's still alive. He also had the Nuibari, Kabutowari, and Shibuki stored in a scroll."
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes. "You said 'if your brother is still alive.' What do you mean?"
Suigetsu's tone softened. "Mangetsu's body was weak. He had a chronic illness and collapsed often. Last I saw him, he could barely stand. He wanted to wield all seven blades, but... that might have been too much."
Kimimaro frowned silently. In Naruto, too many geniuses were burdened with fatal illnesses—himself included.
He recalled fan theories from his past life—some claimed Might Guy had killed Mangetsu, but that was clearly false. Guy had indeed taken down several members of the Seven Swordsmen during the Fourth Great Ninja War, including a Hiramekarei user, but the design and behavior didn't match Mangetsu. Besides, if Mangetsu died young, when did he even have time to collect all those swords?
"So we're starting with the ones your brother collected?"
Suigetsu shook his head. "No, first I want the Kubikiribōchō. After Zabuza died during the Land of Waves mission, it was left behind. If no one claimed it, it should still be recoverable."
Kimimaro mentally sighed. The Kubikiribōchō had the ability to regenerate using iron from absorbed blood, but it was also notorious for constantly breaking. No wonder it was nicknamed the "Decapitating Carving Knife."
"Jugo," Kimimaro said, "let him out."
Without a word, Jugo drew a jagged bone blade from his arm and sliced through the reinforced glass. The container shattered with a splash.
"Ahhh, that's better," Suigetsu stretched, his body still damp. "Orochimaru sealed this tank extra tight. Felt like I was drowning in there."
He took the clothes Karin handed him and began to dress. Noticing Jugo's weapon, he raised a brow. "That blade... it's bone?"
"Kimimaro made it for me," Jugo said, giving it a quick swing.
"I can make you one too," Kimimaro offered. "But bone blades don't carry elemental effects or special abilities."
"Nah, I'll pass. I want real ninja swords," Suigetsu grinned. "But first, let's spar. I need to test your strength."
Before anyone could respond, Suigetsu liquefied again and lunged toward Kimimaro, attempting to envelop him with his Hydrification Technique.
Kimimaro responded instantly. "Earth Release: Earth Flow River."
The ground beneath them suddenly softened into slick, unstable earth, becoming a flowing mud current.
"What the—?!" Suigetsu's voice rose from the sludge. "Since when can you use Earth Release!?"
Kimimaro remained composed. On solid ground, the Hydrification Technique was effective. But on soft, porous terrain like this, water diffused and lost cohesion—especially when mixed with soil.
Suigetsu's form began to lose integrity as his liquified body merged involuntarily with the muddy river.
"I had a good teacher," Kimimaro said calmly. "You're not the only one who adapted."
Although Suigetsu could control his body well enough to avoid being fully absorbed into the ground, doing so required a high degree of chakra control. With his current strength, he couldn't afford the split in focus during combat.
"You're weak to lightning, sure—but don't forget, Earth Release is the true elemental counter to Water Release."
Elemental advantages in the world of shinobi weren't always absolute. Sometimes, understanding the science behind chakra natures made all the difference.
"That's not the point," Suigetsu frowned. "I admit you're smart, but what I asked was—why do you know Earth Release? Last I checked, your kekkei genkai is taijutsu-based."
Kimimaro smirked. "Curious? Then come with me. Maybe I'll teach you a few new tricks along the way."
"You serious?" Suigetsu's eyes lit up. "Alright, I'm in. Let's find the Kubikiribōchō first. Before Orochimaru captured me, I heard Zabuza died in the Land of Waves. That blade should still be there."
"What's the rush? I still have business to handle in the Land of Rice Fields."
"Huh? I thought you came here to rescue me. I figured you were impressed by my strength and wanted me on your team."
"Your abilities are indeed impressive—but rescuing you was just a detour."
"Hey, that's kind of hurtful," Suigetsu grumbled. "I, Hōzuki Suigetsu, am a genius! Our clan's Hydrification Technique may not be a kekkei genkai, but it's a powerful hiden jutsu!"
Unlike kekkei genkai, hiden techniques required both secret training and a compatible bloodline. They were family-guarded arts passed down through generations, often just as potent.
Kimimaro chuckled. "Powerful enough to get you stuck against a few lightning bolts and some Doton jutsu?"
"Ugh… that's just because I'm not at full strength. Doesn't mean the technique itself is weak."
"I know the Hydrification Technique is valuable. If it weren't, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to find you."
"You're not trying to steal our clan's jutsu, are you? Kimimaro, don't think just because you picked up some Earth Release that you can learn the Hōzuki clan's secret Water Release techniques. They require our bloodline. And I'm not teaching you, either—that stuff's confidential! Hey, wait, don't walk away—I'm not done talking!"
Suigetsu hurried to catch up.
"Where are we even going?"
"First, to a prison. There's someone there we might want to bring along. After that, we look for Orochimaru. Though honestly, he might just show up on his own."
"You're picking up more people?" Suigetsu blinked, then paused. "Wait, did you just say Orochimaru? Are you suicidal? You think knowing a little Earth Release is enough to take him on? You have no idea—back when I—"
"I never said I plan to fight him. I'm looking to make a deal. Honestly, Orochimaru isn't in fighting shape right now. He wouldn't risk a confrontation."
It was true—after his failed attempt to take Sasuke's body and being weakened from his experiments, Orochimaru was currently biding his time. While still dangerous, he was unlikely to provoke a direct conflict.
That's exactly the kind of opening Kimimaro was counting on. A weakened Orochimaru was far easier to negotiate with.
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