I Became a Demon Sword and Traveled the Anime Worlds

After returning to Konoha, Naruto and the others reported everything that had happened during the mission.

Sai's betrayal.

Orochimaru's escape.

Their reunion with Sasuke after three years.

Nothing was concealed.

Once the report was finished, Tsunade granted them a short period of rest.

That night, Naruto walked alone through Konoha.

The village had already quieted.

Warm yellow light spilled from the streetlamps, stretching long shadows across the road as Naruto wandered without any particular hurry.

Eventually, a familiar glow appeared ahead.

Ichiraku Ramen.

The shop was still open.

Naruto slowed.

Just seeing the curtain hanging across the entrance brought back memories.

He had been away for three years, and even after returning, missions had kept him busy.

It had been far too long since he had eaten here properly.

Naruto smiled.

"Asuramaru."

"What?"

"Want to try Ichiraku Ramen with me?"

Inside Ryūjin Jakka, Asuramaru immediately understood what Naruto was doing.

Again?

Naruto continued.

"I haven't had Uncle Teuchi's ramen in a long time either."

Asuramaru remained silent for a moment.

The temptation was real.

But after recently indulging himself at the Akimichi barbecue restaurant, he managed to resist.

"One meal was enough."

Naruto blinked.

Asuramaru continued.

"If you want ramen, go eat it yourself."

Naruto laughed quietly.

"Alright."

He lifted the curtain.

"Uncle Teuchi!"

Teuchi looked up from behind the counter.

His face immediately brightened.

"Naruto!"

Naruto sat down.

Teuchi smiled broadly.

"It really has been a long time."

"What'll you have?"

Naruto barely needed to think.

"One large miso ramen, please."

"Coming right up!"

Teuchi turned toward the kitchen.

Naruto rested his arms on the counter and looked around the small shop.

Nothing had changed.

That alone was strangely comforting.

Then someone pulled out the seat beside him.

A broad figure sat down.

"Boss."

Naruto turned.

The familiar white hair immediately gave away the newcomer's identity.

Jiraiya grinned.

"Give me the same thing Naruto ordered."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

"Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya leaned against the counter.

"I heard what happened."

Naruto's expression softened.

Jiraiya continued.

"You found Sasuke."

"Then you let him leave again."

Naruto looked down.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Jiraiya had been through something painfully similar.

Years of chasing Orochimaru.

Years of hoping an old friend might return.

And ultimately failing.

He understood Naruto's path better than most.

Jiraiya looked toward him.

"It couldn't be helped."

Naruto remained quiet.

Then Jiraiya smiled.

"But don't forget what you told me three years ago."

Naruto looked up.

The sadness in his eyes eased.

"My Way of Ninja?"

Jiraiya nodded.

Naruto smiled.

"My Way of Ninja is to never go back on my word."

His voice was calm, but completely firm.

"So I'm not giving up."

"Not on Sasuke."

"Not ever."

Jiraiya stared at him.

Then he smiled.

That was the answer he had expected.

Inside, another thought surfaced.

Minato.

You should be proud.

Your son grew into someone remarkable.

Jiraiya had travelled across the Shinobi World.

He had watched generations rise and fall.

He had searched for the person who might one day bring the great change foretold by the Great Toad Sage.

Now, whenever he looked at Naruto, his doubts grew smaller.

Perhaps there truly was no one else.

Naruto might really be the Child of Prophecy.

The person who would change the Shinobi World.

Someone worthy of carrying everything Jiraiya still hoped for.

He snapped out of his thoughts.

Naruto was looking at him curiously.

"What?"

Jiraiya chuckled.

"Nothing."

Then his expression became more thoughtful.

"Actually, your training has reached a pretty good point."

Naruto immediately became interested.

Jiraiya continued.

"Your ninjutsu, chakra control, combat experience, and Flying Thunder God have all progressed far enough."

"So after we settle a few things here…"

His smile widened.

"I'll take you to Mount Myōboku."

Naruto froze.

Jiraiya enjoyed the reaction.

"I'll ask the Two Great Sages to teach you Sage Mode."

Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Seriously?"

Jiraiya nodded.

Naruto leaned forward.

"Finally!"

He had wondered for years why Jiraiya had never taught him Sage Mode during their journey.

Now the opportunity had finally arrived.

"I've been waiting for this."

Jiraiya laughed.

"Don't get too excited."

"Sage training isn't easy."

Before Naruto could respond, Teuchi placed two steaming bowls before them.

"Two large miso ramen!"

Naruto immediately forgot everything else.

"Thanks, Uncle Teuchi!"

Jiraiya grabbed his chopsticks.

The two ate together.

For a little while, there was no Akatsuki.

No Orochimaru.

No Sasuke.

No war waiting somewhere beyond the village walls.

Just ramen.

By the time they finished, the night had grown deeper.

Naruto and Jiraiya stepped outside Ichiraku.

They were about to separate when Naruto suddenly remembered something.

"Pervy Sage."

Jiraiya turned.

Naruto reached into his ninja tool pouch.

He pulled out a three pronged kunai.

The Flying Thunder God formula marked its handle.

"Asuramaru."

Naruto held it out.

"Take this."

Jiraiya looked at the kunai.

"A Flying Thunder God kunai?"

Naruto grinned.

"Think of it as a protective charm."

Jiraiya took it slowly.

Naruto continued.

"If I ever run into danger…"

Jiraiya nodded.

Then Naruto finished.

"I'll come straight to you."

Jiraiya's face stiffened.

He stared at Naruto.

"Wait."

Naruto smiled innocently.

Jiraiya pointed at himself.

"So your idea of a protective charm is to teleport your problems to me?"

Naruto laughed.

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched.

"You really are heartless."

Despite his complaint, he tucked the kunai securely into his robes.

Naruto waved.

"See you later, Pervy Sage."

Jiraiya turned away.

"Don't forget what I told you."

"I won't."

The two walked in opposite directions.

Under the dim yellow lights of Konoha, their figures gradually disappeared into the night.

Inside Ryūjin Jakka, Asuramaru's attention shifted elsewhere.

Far from Konoha.

Toward another Sword Master.

Sasuke.

At the Southern Hideout, darkness filled a secluded chamber.

Sasuke sat alone.

His white clothes were barely visible in the gloom.

Then he opened his eyes.

Scarlet light appeared.

But these were no longer the Three Tomoe Sharingan he had once possessed.

A blood red hexagram pattern filled his eyes.

Mangekyō Sharingan.

Sasuke slowly stood.

"The time has come."

Three years had passed.

The waiting was over.

Orochimaru's restriction on Living Corpse Reincarnation had ended.

He would no longer wait patiently while Orochimaru prepared to steal his body.

Sasuke picked up his sword.

"It ends tonight."

He left the chamber.

Inside the sword, Asuramaru watched silently.

Elsewhere in the base, Orochimaru lay weakly on a bed.

His current body had nearly reached its limit.

The rejection had become increasingly severe.

But Orochimaru was smiling.

"Three years…"

His golden eyes gleamed.

"At last."

Living Corpse Reincarnation could be used again.

Once, all he had wanted was the Sharingan.

That alone had been enough to make Sasuke the perfect vessel.

Now Sasuke offered something even more valuable.

Asuramaru.

If Orochimaru could seize Sasuke's body, perhaps he could inherit Asuramaru's recognition as well.

And through that mysterious sword, Orochimaru hoped to glimpse truths even greater than the secrets of ordinary ninjutsu.

Immortality.

The soul.

Power beyond the Shinobi World.

His smile widened.

He was still considering when to make his move when lightning flashed through the room.

Crack!

A spear of lightning burst through the door.

It pierced both of Orochimaru's arms and drove them into the wall behind him.

The entire room shook.

Orochimaru looked down.

Lightning hissed through the wounds.

Yet there was no panic on his face.

The door split apart.

Sasuke stepped through.

One hand maintained the Chidori Sharp Spear.

The other gripped Ryūjin Jakka.

Orochimaru's lips curled upward.

"So…"

"You couldn't wait either."

Sasuke stared at him.

Orochimaru examined the lightning technique pinning him in place.

"You were hiding this level of chakra shape transformation from me."

His smile remained.

"Though I can't say I'm surprised."

Sasuke's expression was emotionless.

"You have nothing left to teach me."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

Sasuke continued.

"My strength has already surpassed yours."

"So why would I willingly hand my body over to you?"

Orochimaru remained silent.

Sasuke's voice became sharper.

"You were called a genius among the Sannin."

"But that title only means something to ordinary people."

His crimson eyes glowed in the darkness.

"Before the Uchiha…"

"You are nothing special."

Orochimaru laughed.

"A bold claim."

His smile turned mocking.

"You happened to receive Naruto's help."

"You gained Asuramaru's recognition."

"And now you think that makes you superior to everyone?"

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with dangerous amusement.

"What an arrogant little Uchiha."

Sasuke showed no reaction.

Orochimaru continued.

"Very well."

"Show me."

"Show me how far you've come after relying on Asuramaru for three years."

Sasuke released the Chidori Sharp Spear.

His hand moved toward the sword.

"You want my body."

His fingers closed around the hilt.

"You want Asuramaru."

The sword slowly left its sheath.

"If you have the strength…"

"Come and take them."

Orochimaru's smile vanished.

Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan locked onto him.

"Only one of us leaves this room alive."

The sword cleared the sheath.

"And it will be me."

Sasuke vanished.

Body Flicker.

Slash!

A streak of steel crossed the room.

Orochimaru's body split in two.

But before the severed halves even fell, something shot from his mouth.

A dark shape.

Long.

Twisting.

Sasuke turned without surprise.

A huge serpent emerged.

White scales covered its body.

Its face still carried Orochimaru's features, distorted into something far less human.

Sasuke stared at it.

"So this is what you've become."

His expression showed open disgust.

"That technique turned you into something truly ugly."

The White Snake Orochimaru raised its head.

A nearly transparent mist spilled from its mouth.

"Enough."

Its voice remained Orochimaru's.

"Give me your body."

Its eyes shifted toward Ryūjin Jakka.

"And Asuramaru."

The massive serpent moved.

"I will kill Itachi for you."

Sasuke's gaze hardened.

Then countless eyes opened across the white scales.

The body writhed.

Numerous white poisonous snakes detached from it and surged toward Sasuke from every direction.

Fangs opened.

Venom dripped.

The room filled with hissing.

Sasuke watched them approach.

"How disgusting."

His patience was gone.

He stepped backward.

Ryūjin Jakka slid into its sheath.

Orochimaru's serpents rushed closer.

Then Sasuke's chakra erupted.

Lightning exploded around his body.

His breathing changed.

The air itself seemed to tighten.

For three years, he had waited for this moment.

Now the revenge had finally begun.

....