"This place is well set up, but it's a pity the equipment is a bit outdated," Daniel remarked after touring Orochimaru's lab, shaking his head in mild disappointment.
Orochimaru's laboratory, despite boasting the most advanced instruments in the Naruto world, was still inferior to Daniel's own. Some devices simply did not exist in this world.
"These are the most advanced instruments available," Orochimaru retorted, his pride stung by Daniel's criticism. Orochimaru might be indifferent about many things, but he took great pride in his expertise. In the world of ninja, there wasn't anyone with more advanced equipment than he had—not even the Five Great Nations, who didn't value technology nearly as much.
Unlike them, Orochimaru funneled nearly all the money he acquired into advancing his technological pursuits. He was even better at making money than Kakuzu, who mostly relied on bounty hunting. Orochimaru, on the other hand, manipulated wealthy patrons like feudal lords.
In the ninja world, feudal lords often went unnoticed, but their influence was substantial. After all, they controlled vast amounts of wealth. The downfall of clans like the Fūma Clan in the Land of Rice Fields, for example, was a direct result of serving the feudal lord in failed conquests of neighboring lands.
Even the Leaf Village's revenue from ninja missions couldn't compare to the funding it received from the Fire Country's feudal lord.
"Looks like you don't believe me. Just wait a moment." Daniel soon produced a microscope, a top-tier one from the Marvel universe.
As Orochimaru inspected it, comparing it to his own equipment, his eyes flashed with excitement. He could instantly tell this microscope was far superior. Accepting the device from Daniel, he eagerly began to examine it.
"This...?" Orochimaru gasped. As a technology enthusiast, he immediately recognized the power of this tool. "Now I believe you really are from beyond the ninja world."
"So you didn't believe me before?"
"Was I supposed to?" Orochimaru shot back.
Orochimaru wasn't wrong to be skeptical. When a complete stranger shows up, claiming to be from beyond the ninja world, of course, someone like Orochimaru would doubt them. The only reason he hadn't been more direct was because of Daniel's overwhelming power.
But now, with the microscope as evidence, Orochimaru's attitude shifted. He understood that nobody in this world could create such an advanced piece of equipment. Convinced of Daniel's origins, Orochimaru's demeanor softened.
From then on, the two engaged in deep discussions about various specimens in the lab. Daniel gained many insights from Orochimaru. Despite the skewed nature of Naruto's technological progress, their understanding of cellular biology was incredibly advanced thanks to chakra. After all, chakra was derived from the body's cells and mental energy.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, was shocked by the vast array of knowledge Daniel possessed. Much of it was unlike anything he had ever encountered, which piqued his interest greatly. If not for Kabuto interrupting them for a meal, Orochimaru might have continued the conversation for hours.
"Alright, let's eat first. We can discuss more later," Daniel said, recognizing Orochimaru's burning curiosity. If Orochimaru had lived in a more technologically advanced society, he would undoubtedly have been a leading scientist. Unfortunately, the ninja world didn't value technology nearly as much.
"By the way, during the events of Boruto, Orochimaru never really got to shine with all that new ninja tech. Maybe his personality really did change and mellow out," Daniel mused to himself.
---
"We don't need to waste time. I want your knowledge—what do you want from me in return?" Orochimaru asked bluntly the next day. The allure of new knowledge had clearly captivated him.
"Fine. I want all the ninjutsu and forbidden techniques you've mastered, along with some of your experimental results," Daniel replied candidly.
"That's too one-sided. While your knowledge is impressive, it's not worth all that," Orochimaru said after a brief pause, shaking his head in refusal.
"What if I offer something you've never seen before? Like this," Daniel said, pulling out a fruit that looked like a banana but with distinct differences.
"What is that?" Orochimaru's curiosity was piqued. He wasn't foolish; he knew that whatever Daniel produced at this moment had to be extraordinary.
"It's called a Devil Fruit, a fruit that grants the consumer extraordinary powers. The one I have here is a Zoan-type, which grants the user the abilities of a specific animal." Daniel briefly explained the basics of Zoan Devil Fruits.
"Incredible. So, which animal's power is this?" Orochimaru asked, his interest growing.
"A tiger—a saber-tooth tiger, to be exact," Daniel answered.
"Fascinating. Can I see it in action?"
"Of course, but this fruit is valuable. I won't just give it away for free. In return, I want the Shadow Clone Jutsu, as well as the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu."
"Just as Kabuto said, you're well-informed," Orochimaru remarked. "Fine. But in exchange, this Devil Fruit will be mine."
"Of course." Daniel tossed the fruit to Orochimaru.
After a brief inspection of the fruit, Orochimaru clapped his hands, summoning Kimimaro, who appeared and kneeled before him.
"Kimimaro, how interesting," Daniel commented with a smile. Having Kimimaro consume a Devil Fruit would certainly be an intriguing experiment.
"Eat it," Orochimaru commanded.
Without hesitation, Kimimaro peeled the fruit and took a bite. Immediately, his face contorted in disgust, but he finished eating the entire thing, remaining as stoic as ever.
"My apologies—Devil Fruits are known to taste awful," Daniel said after Kimimaro had finished eating.
"What happens next?" Orochimaru asked, unfazed by the taste of the fruit.
"Now, we wait. The effects will appear shortly," Daniel explained.
Sure enough, after a few moments, Kimimaro's eyes widened in surprise as he felt the new power coursing through him.
"Show me your new abilities," Orochimaru instructed.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," Kimimaro replied, transforming into a large, bipedal, saber-tooth tiger with razor-sharp fangs.
"How does it feel?"
"My strength has increased significantly," Kimimaro answered as he examined his transformed body. Even someone as dedicated as Kimimaro couldn't help but be intrigued by the newfound power he had gained from a single, awful-tasting fruit.
"If Lee or Gaara faced him now, they'd be in trouble," Daniel mused. Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku already made him a formidable close-combat fighter, and now, with the enhanced physical abilities of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, he was even deadlier.
"Go and get used to your new powers," Orochimaru instructed.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
"I'll agree to your terms, but I want five of these Devil Fruits," Orochimaru said, turning his attention back to Daniel.
"That's impossible. I can only give you two. These fruits are rare, even for me," Daniel countered, knowing full well the fruit was artificial.
"You know the value of my research. Five Devil Fruits, along with the knowledge you possess, in exchange for all of my ninjutsu and research."
"Two. That's my final offer."
"Five. Not a single fruit less. You already know many secrets, so you must understand that I have something you need. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to me," Orochimaru said confidently, wearing a smug smile.
"Whatever you have, the Leaf Village also possesses."
"But they won't make a deal with you."
"So you think you have me trapped? Aren't you afraid I'll just take what I want by force? With my power, you can't stop me."
"If you planned to take it by force, why didn't you do so from the start?"
"Because I'm a man of principle."
"Fine. I'll agree to your terms, but we need to establish a binding oath."
"A binding oath?" Orochimaru's curiosity was piqued.
"Yes. As I mentioned earlier, I know many secrets, including just how dangerous you are. Killing you is no easy task, so this will be no ordinary oath—it's a soul-binding contract. Your usual escape methods won't work. How about it?"
"Fascinating. I'd like to see this contract," Orochimaru said after a moment of contemplation.
"Then let's begin."
Daniel had two options for the oath: the magical contract from the Harry Potter universe or the Nen-based vow and restriction from the Hunter x Hunter world. The latter would work particularly well because, while Nen-based contracts could sometimes be broken by a Nen exorcist, no such specialists existed in the ninja world. Moreover, since both parties were voluntarily agreeing to the terms, it would be impossible to bypass the restriction.
Even the legendary Netero and his son Beyond had entered into such a contract, and though Beyond eventually found a loophole, Daniel had crafted his agreement to leave no room for such manipulation.
"What an intriguing power. I had no idea such a thing was possible. I must visit these other continents someday," Orochimaru remarked, clearly excited by the oath's effects.
"He probably just agreed to the oath to experience it firsthand," Daniel thought, shaking his head. "Too bad for him—there aren't any Devil Fruits or Nen users on those other continents."
Indeed, the Naruto world did have other continents, but they lacked the mystical powers of Devil Fruits and Nen. Instead, they boasted more advanced technology. Naruto himself had once encountered people from beyond the sea.
"Researching Devil Fruits won't be easy," Daniel thought to himself. Orochimaru's ambitions were clear, but Daniel didn't mind. He knew that, even with all of his genius, Orochimaru wouldn't be able to crack the secrets of the Devil Fruits given the current state of Naruto world technology.
"Here's the knowledge you wanted," Daniel said, handing Orochimaru a basic tablet filled with information.
"This device..." Orochimaru quickly became fascinated by the tablet. While he had access to computers in his lab, the tablet was far more advanced than anything he had seen before—like comparing an old cell phone to a modern smartphone.
---
"This Shadow Clone Jutsu is truly fascinating," Daniel thought as he examined the ninjutsu scrolls he had acquired from Orochimaru. Naturally, the first thing he studied was the Shadow Clone Jutsu itself.
"When a clone is voluntarily dispelled, the user recovers some chakra. But if the clone is destroyed by an enemy, there's no such recovery. This clone technique is perfect for training," Daniel mused.
From now on, Daniel could use Shadow Clones to train, freeing up more time for other activities, such as sword practice. After all, while clones were useful for mastering techniques, they didn't contribute to chakra development.
"The exhaustion from clones is mainly mental, not physical. So, if the chakra flow between a clone and its user is disrupted, the feedback would disappear," Daniel noted. To test the limits of the jutsu, he tried banishing a clone to a mirror dimension. As expected, once the clone was isolated, Daniel felt no feedback from its destruction.
"Naruto really hit the jackpot with this jutsu. It's the perfect match for him," Daniel remarked. Naruto had a massive chakra reserve and strong mental resilience, allowing him to maintain hundreds of clones simultaneously—a feat few others could manage.
"Although... in Boruto, Naruto seemed to struggle after using just a few clones. Where did all that energy go? It's a far cry from the days when he could make a thousand clones without breaking a sweat."
---
"Next up: Wood Release."
While the Shadow Clone Jutsu was formidable, Wood Release was even more impressive. Wood clones had several advantages over regular shadow clones, the most notable being their durability. Unlike shadow clones, which dissipated into smoke when destroyed, wood clones reverted to wood, making it harder for enemies to discern which was the original.
Hashirama Senju had used a wood clone to land a fatal blow on Madara Uchiha, deceiving the legendary Uchiha into thinking he had defeated the real Hashirama.
Another advantage of wood clones was their reduced chakra cost. Shadow clones required constant chakra expenditure to maintain, even when idle, but wood clones didn't drain nearly as much energy.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]