I Became a Demon Sword and Traveled the Anime Worlds

At the same time, Asuramaru's voice sounded in Naruto's mind.

"With your current limit, defeating him with my power is almost impossible."

Naruto pushed himself upright and tightened his grip on Ryūjin Jakka.

"I know."

Asuramaru frowned.

Naruto looked toward Orochimaru in the distance.

"But he still hasn't used his full strength."

His breathing gradually steadied.

"That means he's hiding something."

Naruto's eyes sharpened.

"If he doesn't know what my sword can do, then I still have a chance to catch him off guard."

Asuramaru's lips curved slightly.

"So you want to exploit the difference in information."

That was not entirely unreasonable.

Demonization would drastically strengthen Naruto's physical abilities.

Then there was Ryūjin Jakka itself.

A Zanpakutō did not merely cut flesh.

It could directly wound the soul.

Against someone who knew nothing about such a weapon, a single clean strike could be far more dangerous than Orochimaru expected.

The chance of actually killing him was still small.

But for the first time, Asuramaru felt Naruto's idea was not entirely reckless.

"Fine."

He still gave one final warning.

"But remember what I told you."

"If you draw out more power than your body can endure, you will completely lose yourself."

"You'll become a demon consumed by bloodlust and slaughter."

Naruto smiled.

"I know."

Then he added lightly,

"You're the one nagging this time, Asuramaru."

Asuramaru's expression darkened.

"Shut up."

Naruto laughed under his breath.

Then he drew Ryūjin Jakka.

His breathing changed almost unconsciously.

The lessons Tanjiro had taught him began to influence the rhythm of his body.

Elsewhere, Orochimaru stood on a thick tree branch with Sasuke before him.

Sasuke's Sharingan remained active.

Orochimaru looked into those crimson eyes with undisguised fascination.

"To use the Sharingan this well at your age…"

His smile widened.

"You truly are an Uchiha."

Sasuke glared at him.

Orochimaru continued.

"Perhaps those eyes of yours possess even greater potential than Itachi's."

The name struck Sasuke immediately.

His expression changed.

Orochimaru noticed.

"My name is Orochimaru."

His voice became almost inviting.

"If you desire power, then survive."

"Stand out during these exams."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Before he could respond, Orochimaru's neck stretched.

It shot forward like a serpent.

Sasuke barely had time to react.

Orochimaru's fangs sank into his neck.

"Gah!"

Sasuke's eyes widened.

Two bloody punctures appeared on his skin.

Then an unfamiliar chakra rushed into his body.

A dark pattern began spreading from the bite.

The Cursed Seal.

Sasuke's body convulsed.

His strength vanished.

But before Orochimaru could fully retract his neck, he sensed killing intent behind him.

His pupils shifted.

Several three pronged kunai tore through the forest toward him.

Then came a golden flash.

Naruto.

He moved between his marked kunai in rapid succession.

Flash.

Flash.

Flash.

Orochimaru's eyes widened.

Naruto appeared beside him.

Ryūjin Jakka was already drawn.

"Now!"

Chakra gathered along its edge.

"Fuzan!"

The sword swept toward Orochimaru's exposed neck.

Orochimaru reacted immediately.

His neck was still only halfway retracted.

There was no time to dodge normally.

His mouth opened.

His body began preparing to shed itself through his strange replacement technique.

But Naruto's sword was faster.

Slash!

Ryūjin Jakka passed through Orochimaru's neck.

The flesh offered almost no resistance.

His head separated from his body.

For the briefest instant, it looked like a fatal blow.

Then Orochimaru escaped.

A new body emerged through the mouth of the discarded one.

He landed several metres away.

But this time, he did not emerge unharmed.

"Cough!"

Blood spilled from his mouth.

Orochimaru raised one hand toward his neck.

The wound on his physical body had already been escaped through his replacement technique.

Yet something deeper hurt.

His soul.

For the first time, his expression became truly grim.

His eyes shifted toward Naruto.

More specifically, toward the black sword in his hand.

That weapon had injured him despite his escape.

No.

It had injured the part of him that his replacement could not simply discard.

Orochimaru slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Anger flashed through his eyes.

But beneath it was something stronger.

Curiosity.

His long tongue slid across the remaining blood.

"Interesting."

He stared at Ryūjin Jakka.

"Brat."

Naruto said nothing.

"Where did you get that sword?"

Naruto had no intention of answering.

He flicked his wrist.

Several more three pronged kunai flew outward.

Orochimaru smiled.

"So you won't tell me?"

Naruto vanished.

Flash!

Orochimaru's smile became dangerous.

"Then I'll take it from you and study it myself."

His mouth opened.

A sword emerged from within.

The Kusanagi Sword.

Orochimaru caught it in one hand.

Chakra immediately flowed across the weapon.

Naruto appeared.

Ryūjin Jakka came down.

Orochimaru raised the Kusanagi Sword.

Clang!

The two weapons collided.

The sound rang through the forest.

Even Asuramaru was slightly surprised.

The Kusanagi Sword did not break.

The coating of chakra certainly helped, but the weapon itself was clearly extraordinary.

To withstand a direct collision with Ryūjin Jakka even for a moment proved its durability.

But that moment was all it received.

Ryūjin Jakka cut through the chakra coating.

A small notch appeared along the edge of the Kusanagi Sword.

Orochimaru's eyes widened.

He immediately twisted his wrist and redirected Naruto's strike.

The two separated.

Orochimaru landed several metres away.

His gaze dropped toward his weapon.

There was a visible nick in the sword.

His expression changed completely.

"The Kusanagi Sword…"

He looked back at Naruto.

"Even this can't withstand that weapon?"

His eyes shone with growing obsession.

"And your strength has increased enormously."

His gaze moved across Naruto's altered appearance.

The markings.

The horn.

The changed eye.

Then back to Ryūjin Jakka.

"So this transformation is connected to that sword."

His smile returned.

"I'm becoming more curious by the second."

Orochimaru attacked.

This time, he stopped holding back as much as before.

The Kusanagi Sword flashed.

Naruto raised Ryūjin Jakka.

Clang!

Their swords collided.

Naruto slid backward.

Orochimaru followed immediately.

Another slash.

Naruto blocked.

Then countered.

The two exchanged several strikes in rapid succession.

Naruto's Demonized body was vastly stronger than normal, allowing him to keep up for the moment.

But Orochimaru was still Orochimaru.

His experience was on an entirely different level.

While keeping pressure on Naruto with the Kusanagi Sword, Orochimaru raised his free hand.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

His sleeve erupted.

A mass of snakes shot forward.

Their jaws opened.

Naruto immediately disappeared.

Flying Thunder God.

Flash!

He appeared on a nearby tree branch.

His hands formed a seal.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof!

Smoke exploded throughout the forest.

One Naruto became ten.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

The surrounding trees filled with identical blond figures.

Orochimaru's vision was immediately obstructed.

His eyes moved across the mass of Shadow Clones.

Naruto had no intention of defeating him now.

The clones were merely a distraction.

The original Naruto used Body Flicker to reach Sakura.

She was beside Sasuke, whose body had already gone limp from the Cursed Seal.

Naruto's expression tightened when he saw him.

"Sasuke!"

There was no response.

Naruto turned toward Sakura.

"Sakura."

She looked at him anxiously.

"Put Sasuke on your back."

Naruto glanced toward the clones fighting in the distance.

"Then put one hand on my shoulder."

"We're leaving."

Sakura nodded immediately.

"Okay!"

She lifted Sasuke onto her back with some difficulty.

Then she placed one hand firmly on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto closed his eyes for a fraction of a second.

Flying Thunder God was already difficult to use continuously.

Taking two other people with him made the technique far more demanding.

His mind had to lock onto a distant mark with perfect accuracy while also carrying both Sasuke and Sakura through the spatial transition.

But they had no choice.

Behind them, Orochimaru realized what Naruto was doing.

His hands formed seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

He inhaled.

Then unleashed a violent blast of wind.

Boom!

The forest roared.

Branches snapped.

Leaves were ripped from trees.

Naruto's Shadow Clones were hurled aside.

Poof!

Poof!

Poof!

One after another, they vanished into smoke.

The hurricane tore toward Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.

Naruto focused.

There.

A mark.

More than a kilometre away.

He locked onto it.

"Flying Thunder God!"

The world twisted.

Flash!

The hurricane swept through their previous position.

Nothing remained.

More than a kilometre away, deep within another section of the forest, Naruto appeared with Sakura and the unconscious Sasuke.

Nearby, a Shadow Clone holding one of Naruto's marked kunai immediately looked toward him.

The original had arrived.

Poof!

The clone vanished.

Naruto staggered.

The strain hit him all at once.

His Demonization had reached its limit.

Naruto immediately spoke inwardly.

"Asuramaru."

"Yes."

"Deactivate it."

Asuramaru checked his condition.

Then released the power.

The horn disappeared.

The purple markings faded.

Naruto's altered eye returned to normal.

Ryūjin Jakka vanished as well.

Asuramaru sighed.

"Your timing was almost perfect."

Naruto breathed heavily.

"A few more seconds and you would have crossed the limit."

"You would have become a demon permanently."

Naruto barely reacted.

There was a more urgent problem.

Without Demonization increasing his abilities, transporting both Sasuke and Sakura with Flying Thunder God again would be extremely difficult.

His mental exhaustion was already severe.

And one kilometre was not enough to guarantee Orochimaru could not catch them.

Naruto turned toward Sakura.

"Give Sasuke to me."

Sakura blinked.

"What?"

"We have to keep moving."

"O… okay."

She quickly transferred Sasuke onto Naruto's back.

Naruto secured him.

"Run."

The two immediately moved through the forest.

Behind them, Orochimaru finished dispersing the remaining Shadow Clones.

He raised the Kusanagi Sword.

The small nick along its edge remained.

His eyes narrowed.

He brought the weapon closer and slowly ran his tongue across it.

"Do you really think you can escape?"

His smile returned.

Naruto's Flying Thunder God was troublesome.

But Sasuke carried something now.

The Cursed Seal.

Orochimaru could sense it.

As long as that mark remained on Sasuke, following them would not be difficult.

He closed his eyes briefly.

There.

Orochimaru immediately changed direction.

His body accelerated through the forest.

He had already spent more time here than he intended.

And by now, Konoha should have begun noticing that something was wrong inside the Forest of Death.

If he delayed much longer, things could become troublesome.

Orochimaru's smile faded.

He increased his speed.

The hunt was not over yet.

....

[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]

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