Chapter 41: Coastal Cleansing
Time flowed like a river, swift and relentless. More than eight months had slipped by since Kagenori began the rigorous new training regimen laid out by Orochimaru. He was thirteen now, his frame taller and leaner, his movements carrying a new economy of motion that spoke of countless hours of brutal practice.
He stood on the coastline of the Land of Fire, the salty sea breeze whipping through his hair. The mission Orochimaru had secured for him was a standard C-rank: clear out a nest of pirates who had been using the rugged coast as a base for raids. A simple task for someone of his skill.
At his feet lay the evidence of its completion—a scattering of headless corpses, the stench of blood and salt thick in the air. But the mission had taken an unexpected turn. Among the ragtag pirates, there had been professionals. Three of them.
A C-rank mission should never involve enemy shinobi. As he fought, Kagenori recognized the telltale signs—the efficient chakra-enhanced movements, the coordinated attacks, the use of ninjutsu. These weren't mere bandits; they were infiltrators, enemy ninja using the pirate cover to sneak into the Land of Fire.
Now, the three remaining shinobi stood a distance away, their postures tense, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and calculation. In the brief, violent clash, this lone Konoha boy had decimated their entire force. Only their own skills and positioning on the periphery had saved them from immediate decapitation.
Knowing they were outmatched, their leader hissed a single command: "Retreat!"
They turned to flee, but Kagenori's bloodthirsty smile was the last thing they saw.
"I can't let you get away," he murmured, his voice a low promise. "You'll make excellent proof of my diligence."
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
A sound like tearing fabric ripped through the air as Kagenori became a bolt of living lightning. He closed the distance to the nearest ninja in an instant. A single, precise swing of his sword—he didn't even use the blade, but the flat of it—slammed into the man's back with crushing force. There was a sickening crack as the ninja's spine shattered. He crumpled to the sand, his body a limp, groaning ruin.
Without pause, Kagenori's hands flew through a sequence of seals. He took a deep, sharp breath, his chest expanding.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Projectile!"
He exhaled, and four roaring dragons of fire erupted from his mouth, streaking toward the second ninja from four distinct angles—high, low, left, and right—sealing off any escape.
The targeted ninja reacted swiftly, slamming his hands onto the ground. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A vertical wall of water surged from the earth, blocking the fire dragons from above and below. But it was not wide enough. The two dragons from the sides slammed into him unimpeded. The twin impacts erupted in a concussive blast of heat and force, hurling the charred and smoking shinobi through the air to land in a broken heap.
Kagenori's gaze, cold and unwavering, locked onto the third and final ninja, who was now sprinting for his life, already putting significant distance between them.
Kagenori raised his sword, the tip aimed directly at the fleeing figure. Crackling arcs of lightning chakra coiled around the blade, gathering and roaring.
"Thunder Breathing, Fifth Form: Heat Lightning!"
A searing, lightning-fast slash of pure energy, superheated to a blinding intensity, shot from his sword. It crossed the distance in the blink of an eye, striking the last ninja square in the back. A brilliant flash illuminated the coastline. The man convulsed violently, his hair standing on end, his entire body seizing as white smoke curled from his clothes and skin.
Kagenori expertly cut the flow of chakra, preventing the electrical feedback from traveling up his blade. The ninja collapsed, twitching, onto the sand.
In moments, all three were neutralized. Kagenori dragged the unconscious forms together, then formed a familiar seal and pressed his bloodied palm to the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke revealed a large, sleek white snake, its scales gleaming like polished bone.
"Lord Kagenori," it greeted, its voice cool and disinterested.
Kagenori gestured to the three prisoners. "White Snake, swallow them. Keep them intact."
The moment the snake heard "swallow," its demeanor transformed. Its body slithered with sudden enthusiasm, coiling affectionately around Kagenori in a conspicuous, heavy loop. "Ah! Lord Kagenori! You are so kind! You knew I was hungry and brought me a fresh meal! I adore you~" it cooed, its voice now syrupy and warm.
Kagenori rolled his eyes. The shift from aloof to gluttonous was always so dramatic. "They are not food. I need them alive. You are temporary storage. You can eat the corpses scattered around, however."
The white snake's enthusiasm deflated instantly. "What? You're playing with my emotions! What's the point if they're not for eating?"
Kagenori grabbed the snake and unceremoniously unwound it from his body. "Are you doing this or not? There are plenty of other snakes in Ryuchi Cave who would be more cooperative."
"Fine, fine! I'll do it! Isn't it just exploitation to summon someone for labor?" it grumbled, but began slithering toward the headless corpses. Its jaw unhinged, and it began consuming the bodies at an astonishing rate. Kagenori watched, intrigued, as the snake's abdomen showed no visible change despite the volume it was ingesting.
Soon, the field was clear of corpses. It was time for the three prisoners.
"Remember," Kagenori warned, "I need these three. Do not digest them."
The white snake let out a huff of indignation. "Lord Kagenori, I have professional ethics, you know!" It then proceeded to swallow the three unconscious ninjas one by one. This time, its belly distended noticeably, becoming large and heavy.
"Why didn't your stomach swell when you ate the corpses?" Kagenori asked, curious.
"My gastric juices corrode flesh almost instantly," the snake explained, its voice slightly strained. "These three are being held in a separate stomach pouch, away from the acids."
"I see. Good. Keep them safe for me. I'll summon you again later." With another puff of smoke, the white snake vanished, returning to the depths of Ryuchi Cave with its unusual cargo.
His work finished, Kagenori turned and began the journey back to Konoha.
Over the past eight months, Orochimaru had arranged a C-rank mission for him nearly every month. Had Kagenori not still held the official rank of genin, his sensei would have undoubtedly assigned him B-ranks. His strength had grown exponentially. His prior mastery of Lightning Nature Transformation had given him the framework to master Fire Nature with startling speed. He had not only learned the Uchiha's prized Fire Release techniques but had also fully mastered the Summoning Jutsu and begun to unravel the secrets within Orochimaru's personal scroll.
The relentless training had also borne another fruit: the single tomoe in his Sharingan had spun and duplicated, evolving into the powerful twin tomoe form.
Yet, his greatest growth was not in technique or dojutsu, but in the raw, foundational power within him. His chakra reserves had swelled, now rivaling that of a seasoned jounin. Kagenori knew the source of this deep well of power—it was the legacy of his Senju bloodline, finally awakening and surging within him, a silent, formidable tide ready to be unleashed.