"What did you just do, Lord Hokage?"
Orochimaru's eyes were wide with disbelief. He couldn't comprehend the enormous difference in performance between the two throws of the Uru metal.
The first throw had only shattered the outermost Rashomon gate.
The second one, however, broke through all three—and still flew far beyond afterward.
If this had been a real battle instead of a demonstration, he would've been severely injured, if not outright killed, by Senju Haruto's attack.
And the most terrifying part was that Haruto hadn't even infused any chakra into the Uru metal.
That was completely beyond Orochimaru's understanding.
But beneath the shock… came excitement.
A rare, wild gleam flashed in his serpentine eyes.
Every time Senju Haruto returned, he brought something new—something that shattered Orochimaru's preconceptions again and again.
If he hadn't entered the Marvel world, he never would have realized how far technology could advance.
If Haruto hadn't shown him bullets, he would never have imagined something so small and delicate could wield destructive power on par with high-level ninjutsu.
And sniper rifles… their range alone was enough to make any elite jōnin die from a single, unseen shot.
Then there was vibranium—its ability to absorb kinetic energy had opened his eyes even wider.
"This," Haruto said evenly, recalling the Uru metal to his hand with Banshō Ten'in, "is the true nature of Uru metal."
"Enchantment."
"Enchantment?" Orochimaru tilted his head, intrigued but puzzled by the term.
"Couldn't you just use a metal like vibranium for that?" he asked. From the sound of it, any metal should be able to be imbued with what Haruto called 'magic.'
Was Uru somehow… special?
"You could," Haruto replied, shaking his head, "but the results wouldn't be the same."
Injecting magic into ordinary metal was like a shinobi infusing chakra into a kunai to enhance its strength—it worked temporarily, but only while the chakra connection remained. Once the chakra dispersed, the weapon lost its power.
Uru metal, on the other hand, was transformed from the inside out.
Weapons or armor forged from it became magical artifacts—permanently enchanted, requiring no constant input.
"Take Thor's hammer, for example," Haruto continued. "Most of the time, it serves to focus his mind and channel his inner thunder. But in critical moments, Captain Rogers, Jane Foster, even the Black Widow have all lifted it—and drawn power from it. They became gods, even if only for a moment."
"That's the difference—an essential one."
Haruto paused for a moment, then smiled as a new thought came to him.
"To put it simply," he said, "if I were to forge this small piece of Uru metal into a ring and imbue it with the Nine-Tails' power…"
He raised the piece of metal between his fingers.
"Then anyone who wears that ring could become a pseudo–Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—able to enter the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode."
Examples spoke louder than theory.
Orochimaru's pupils dilated, his gaze locking onto the shimmering fragment of Uru in Haruto's hand.
Forging a ring would barely use a gram of material.
That meant, from the remains of the Destroyer Haruto had collected, Orochimaru could easily forge thousands of such rings.
Each one capable of turning its wearer into a pseudo–Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Even if they couldn't reach Naruto's perfect state—even if all they achieved was a single-tailed chakra cloak—that still meant an army of living weapons, each one powerful enough to devastate battlefields.
A Nine-Tails Jinchūriki Corps.
"This… this is terrifying," Orochimaru murmured, swallowing hard. His voice trembled, unable to capture the shock he felt.
"Indeed," Haruto said with a slight nod.
Of course, it was only an example—a metaphor.
The Nine-Tails' chakra was still chakra, not magic. It couldn't be infused into Uru metal.
Otherwise, why stop at the Nine-Tails? Haruto could go straight for the Ten-Tails.
He imagined it: every elite shinobi in the Land of Fire wearing a Ten-Tails Chakra Ring—an entire army of Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
When Thanos and his Black Order descended upon Earth, they'd each fire a Tailed Beast Bomb to clear the skies.
Just the thought made Haruto's blood stir.
Thanos would definitely find it thrilling too.
Extremely thrilling.
But, of course… it would remain only a fantasy.
"Still," Haruto said, a thoughtful glint in his eye, "that gives me an idea."
If Ten-Tails chakra couldn't be used, magic could take its place.
Suddenly, he remembered—before he'd ever crossed worlds, there had been another universe that rivaled Marvel: DC Comics.
Despite being constantly battered by its greatest nemesis, Warner, its influence had remained strong.
And within that universe… there existed the Green Lantern Corps.
Each member wielded a power ring that could manifest anything they imagined, shaping light itself into weapons. The stronger their will, the greater their power.
Using that concept, Haruto could create his own corps.
He'd forge rings from Uru metal, imbue them with magic, and distribute them among his Root operatives—vastly enhancing their combat abilities.
"In short," he said finally, "keep enough Uru to forge a full suit of armor for me. The rest…"
He looked at Orochimaru and gave his order with a calm authority that brooked no question.
"Forge it all into rings."
This kind of assembly-line work was far beneath him, and Orochimaru was nothing if not efficient.
"I understand," Orochimaru hissed, his tongue flicking out briefly as his eyes gleamed with fervent anticipation.
He could hardly wait to fulfill Haruto's command—and to see, with his own eyes, just how powerful the final product would be.
Though deep inside, a small, selfish thought slithered through his mind.
"Lord Hokage," Orochimaru said respectfully, bowing his head low. His voice carried genuine reverence now. "Once the work is done… may I have one of those rings?"
He didn't even try to hide his desire.
Forging the rings would be easy—but only Haruto could complete the enchantment. Without his magic, even a stolen ring would be useless, little more than fancy metal.
To wield it, he needed Haruto's blessing.
And Orochimaru knew better than to take what wasn't given.
If Haruto chose to give, it was his.
If not—he wouldn't dare to covet it.
Because this man… had the power to kill him a thousand times over.
"Of course," Haruto said with an easy smile. He saw no reason to refuse.
...
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