Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Pioggia's Contract Successful!
Ao watched as Mangetsu's figure moved away.
"The Hozuki Clan wants to privatize the Seven Ninja Swords to enhance their strength, using the name of Lord Second and their relationship with the Great Blacksmith and Hozuki Clan as reasons."
For a moment, Ao felt a bit regretful.
"I never expected the once-powerful Hozuki Clan under Lord Second's leadership to resort to such methods to enhance their family's strength. Now, if these people from the Hozuki Clan were to see Lord Second again, they would probably feel ashamed."
Ao looked at Soma.
"Speaking of which, they have the opportunity to use such means all thanks to you, Soma. If it weren't for you creating those ninja tools, even if the Hozuki Clan had such intentions, they would never dare to do this, and the other people in the village would not agree."
"Mizukage-sama would not agree either. It's only because of the ninja tools you created, Soma, that the other ninjas in the village don't have to focus solely on those Seven Ninja Swords to reluctantly tolerate the Hozuki Clan's actions like this."
"Though they may harbor dissatisfaction, at most, they'll indirectly target it, rather than directly tearing up the relationship."
Not long after, Mangetsu returned to Forging Island.
In Mangetsu's hands was a small boy.
He was curiously looking around.
"Soma-senpai."
Soma nodded.
"Then let's begin."
As he spoke, Soma took Pioggia out from his pouch and placed it on the table.
"You just need to touch it with your fingers."
"Yes, Soma-senpai."
Mangetsu first put down Suigetsu, then extended his fingers towards Pioggia.
A voice resounded in Soma's mind.
[A contractee compatible with Pioggia has appeared. (Bluebell Approval: Low, Attribute Compatibility: Extremely High) Overall Compatibility: Good. Shall we proceed with the contract?]
Soma uttered a sentence in his mind.
"It's just as I expected. The people of the Hozuki Clan have remarkable talent in Water Release, very high indeed."
"Mangetsu's Water Release talent may even surpass that of Kisame and Juzo."
"I wonder how it compares to my current Perfect level?"
"However, Bluebell's low approval significantly reduces the overall compatibility."
The compatibility at the Good level already meets Soma's requirements, but he had no intention of immediately guiding the contract, instead looking at Mangetsu.
"Mangetsu, let your brother try."
"Yes, Soma-senpai."
Mangetsu withdrew his hand.
Then, guiding Suigetsu, he crawled over to where Pioggia was.
In fact, there was hardly any need for guidance.
As soon as Mangetsu released Suigetsu, the latter showed interest in Pioggia, actively crawling over to it and picking it up.
[A contractee compatible with Pioggia has appeared. (Bluebell Approval: High, Attribute Compatibility: High) Overall Compatibility: Excellent. Shall we proceed with the contract?]
Upon hearing the word "Excellent," Soma smiled.
This time, Soma didn't hesitate.
"Guide!"
The next moment.
[Pioggia contract successful.]
[Match rate, Excellent.]
[Pioggia's abilities have been amplified to a certain extent.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Excellent level Water Release talent.]
[It has been detected that the host already possesses Perfect level Water Release talent, beginning talent synthesis.]
[The host's Water Release talent has been enhanced, but has not yet broken through to the next level. To breakthrough the next level, an Excellent level Water Release talent is still needed.]
Soma felt a stir in his heart.
The possibility of synthesizing talents was something Soma had known about previously.
After all, he had already experienced it once.
Two Excellent-level talents had been synthesized into one Perfect-level talent.
And as for the level of talents, Soma had previously speculated that beyond Perfect, there were even higher levels.
Because in the original plot, there were ninjas who demonstrated abilities more exaggerated than Soma's Perfect-level Water Release talent.
"To reach the next level, I need one more Excellent-level Water Release talent."
"In other words, two Perfect Water Release talents can be synthesized into the next level Water Release talent."
"It's all about pairwise synthesis."
"Two Goods make one Excellent."
"Two Excellents make one Perfect."
Soma lowered his head and looked at his palm.
"A Perfect-level Water Release talent is already very strong; most Water Release techniques can be learned instantly."
"And I can naturally feel the sensation of forming simplified hand seals."
"I wonder how strong the next level will be."
Soma wasn't worried about not being able to reach the next level.
The Hidden Mist Village lacks everything except Water Release Ninjas.
And there are definitely many individuals with Excellent-level Water Release talent.
The Third Mizukage, Terumi Mei, Yagura, and the present Mangetsu in front of Soma.
No, Mangetsu's Water Release talent is even beyond Excellent level.
The compatibility between Pioggia and Suigetsu is high.
Soma obtained Excellent-level Water Release talent from Suigetsu.
While the compatibility between Pioggia and Mangetsu is extremely high.
This proves that Mangetsu's Water Release talent surpasses that of Suigetsu, surpassing Excellent.
Without a change in expression, Soma took Pioggia back from Suigetsu's hand.
Suigetsu's expression changed, becoming somewhat aggrieved.
But Mangetsu didn't suspect anything, thinking that Suigetsu was just unhappy about losing a "toy."
Little did he know, Suigetsu had lost more than just a "toy."
The moment Soma guided the contract between Pioggia and Suigetsu, Suigetsu, like previous contractees with Ninjato, felt a strong sense of affinity with Pioggia.
For Suigetsu, Pioggia wasn't just a "toy," but more like a "companion."
Soma collected Pioggia.
"Mangetsu, you previously mentioned that most members of the Hozuki Clan want to rebuild the family's glory through the Seven Ninja Swords. Is your perspective different from theirs?"
Mangetsu hesitated for a moment.
"My perspective is different from theirs."
"Indeed, the Seven Ninja Swords were crafted during Gengetsu-sama's tenure, and the wife of that Great Blacksmith is also a member of our Hozuki Clan. However, I don't believe that the Seven Ninja Swords belong solely to our Hozuki Clan."
"I believe the Seven Ninja Swords are the property of the village."
"While retrieving the Seven Ninja Swords could indeed enhance the overall strength of the Hozuki Clan and the ninjas who obtain the Ninjato will certainly see an increase in their power."
"However, they may not necessarily be the most suitable users for the Ninjato."
"In the village, there may exist ninjas who are more suitable than them."
"Otherwise, the previous Seven Ninja Swords wouldn't have ended up in the hands of individuals outside the Hozuki Clan."
"This would lead to the village having stronger wielders for the seven Ninjato it rightfully deserves."
"But due to the narrow-mindedness and selfishness of the Hozuki Clan, the village can only have weaker wielders for the seven Ninjato."
"Sacrificing the village for the sake of the Hozuki Clan is not a good choice."
"Moreover, if the Hozuki Clan can only rely on these Ninjato to maintain its strength, it proves that the Hozuki Clan has completely declined and is no longer viable."
"Even the existence of the Ninjato can lead to complacency among the ambitious members of the Hozuki Clan."
"These few Ninjato are like a double-edged sword to the Hozuki Clan."
"At first ingestion, one gains strength."
"But over time, the toxicity exceeds the power initially gained by the Hozuki Clan."
At this moment, the expression on Mangetsu's face seemed familiar to Soma.
It was another expression of struggle between family and village.
Just like Uchiha Shisui.
Just like Kaguya Masui.
"Mangetsu, may I ask you a rather impertinent question? If it's bothersome, and if you don't want to answer, it's okay"
"Please, Soma-senpai, go ahead."
"If one day, the Hozuki Clan and the village were at odds, Mangetsu, which side would you choose?"
This time, Mangetsu remained silent for a long time.
After a long time, Mangetsu finally looked up.
"Soma-senpai, I am a member of the Hozuki Clan. The blood of the Hozuki Clan runs through my veins. Even if the Hozuki Clan does wrong, does poorly, I will bear it together with the Hozuki Clan."
"But, I believe, the Hozuki Clan will never confront the village."
"Even if someone has such intentions, I will not let it happen."
Soma understood Mangetsu's meaning.
That is, between the village and the family, Mangetsu would choose the family.
This is someone who has made a different choice from others within the family and the village.
Uchiha Itachi, Kaguya Neko, chose the village.
Kaguya Masui, Uchiha Shisui, wanted to have both.
But Mangetsu is still too young.
Can he really say such things to "outsiders"?
At least Soma felt that Mangetsu shouldn't say such things to him.
Soma actually mentioned that Mangetsu didn't have to answer anything uncomfortable.
Moreover, Mangetsu's initiative to apologize by coming to Forging Island seemed naive to Soma.
Soma thought that this might be the effect of trying to understand the meaning behind family and village at too young an age, like the Uchiha Itachi next door in Konoha who, at the age of four or five, contemplated the meaning of life and death, the village, family, and war.
At this age, with the brain not yet fully developed, what could one understand?
Experiences and encounters are far too limited.
Therefore, their thinking is inevitably limited.
"I understand."
Soma said, "I'll pretend I didn't hear what you said today. Mangetsu, take your brother home. It's getting late, and it'll be dark soon."
"Okay, Soma-senpai, Ao-san, goodbye."
Soma watched as Mangetsu and Suigetsu walked away.
At the sight of Suigetsu, Soma couldn't help but think of Uchiha Sasuke.
In the original storyline, Suigetsu would become a member of Uchiha Sasuke's Taka (Hawk) Team.
Moreover, like Uchiha Sasuke, he also had an older brother.
So it's inevitable that people would make comparisons.
"They both have older brothers, but the situations are different."
"Uchiha Sasuke can surpass Uchiha Itachi in the future."
"But for Suigetsu, it's basically impossible to surpass Mangetsu in the future."
"There's a huge gap in their talents."
"What level could this Mangetsu reach if he doesn't die?"
Soma didn't know how Mangetsu died in the original storyline.
But now, Soma had a vague guess in his mind.
The Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Swords, some of them have always had users, like Samehada.
In this case, for Mangetsu to be Skilled in using all seven Ninjato, it means he must have had these seven Ninjato for a long time, otherwise, it wouldn't be possible.
Mangetsu didn't demonstrate the ability to be Skilled with the Ninjato right off the bat.
This suggests that in the original storyline, the Hozuki Clan may have also attempted to retrieve the Seven Ninja Swords.
But in the original storyline, the Hidden Mist Village didn't have the Ninjatos crafted by Soma.
If the Hozuki Clan had done that, they would have become targets of criticism.
The Third Mizukage wouldn't have agreed either.
Mangetsu might have died in the conflict between the Hozuki Clan and the village.
It's just that the Hozuki Clan's internal strife wasn't as intense as that of the Kaguya Clan.
And with Suigetsu being captured by Orochimaru.
Being the younger brother of Mangetsu, a genius, Suigetsu undoubtedly received a lot of attention.
If there were no issues with the Hozuki Clan, the likelihood of Orochimaru trying to take Suigetsu would be slim.
It's not that Orochimaru lacks the capability.
Rather, compared to the cost Orochimaru would have to pay to take Suigetsu, he would consider other options from the Hozuki Clan.
Mangetsu's brother is only one.
However, there is more than one young ninja inheriting the Hozuki Clan's Water Release Secret Jutsu.
Orochimaru could have better choices.
"If the original plot is really like this, then the Hozuki Clan should thank my appearance."
"Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to retrieve the Seven Ninja Swords so smoothly."
Although the contract was completed, Soma did not give Pioggia to Suigetsu.
For Soma, it's a decent outcome.
The reward of an Excellent level of compatibility is certainly much higher than that for an Eligible level of compatibility.
...
Afterward, Soma once again immersed himself in the study of the Chakra Smelting Technique.
Using charcoal as an intermediary to infuse Chakra into metal, Soma has become skilled in this process and can achieve relatively high efficiency. However, this is only a transitional state.
It's not the true Chakra Smelting Technique.
There may be impurities invading.
"But, I have mastered this transitional state. So, now I will try to melt without relying on charcoal, directly using Chakra to participate in the smelting process."
Soma took out a piece of metal, as well as the furnace.
Then, he placed his hands above the furnace.
Two clusters of Chakra were condensed on his palms.
With Soma's control, they entered the furnace and advanced like two small snakes.
"Boom!"
A burst of flames appeared, burning fiercely.
Soma steadied his hands and made adjustments.
Gradually, the flames stabilized. Soma began to increase the amount of Chakra and the color of the flames started to change.
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