Chapter 41: Customized New Ninja Sword

The current allocation of skill bars was designed with one goal in mind: rapidly enhancing escape and teleportation techniques.

This would allow the Great Sage's calculations to proceed at a faster rate.

Two escape techniques, combined with the Breath technique, effectively gave Shigure three escape skills running simultaneously.

The Breath technique could enhance not just his escape capabilities, but also his swordsmanship, speed, reaction time, and even provided a small boost to physical attributes.

Still, the primary improvements lay in his escape skills and kenjutsu.

The Body Flicker Technique refreshed every twenty seconds. His sword technique activated approximately every two minutes. Escape ninjutsu could be triggered once every thirty seconds.

Based on this cycle, the Great Sage had calculated that its processing speed could increase by a certain percentage every hour of continuous operation.

Which meant the entire calculation process would complete in just one hour of accelerated time—roughly four days in real time.

Four days might not seem long, but Shigure was growing impatient.

Graduation from the Ninja Academy was approaching, and he was determined to master all five chakra nature transformations before then.

[Great Sage: Ongoing calculations do not interfere with the use of analytical abilities.]

"…Huh?"

Shigure blinked in surprise.

So, even while calculations were running, he could still analyze skills?

That changed everything.

If that was the case, then he could head to Konoha's training grounds and study the Genin practicing there.

He glanced at the time—it was already evening.

It was probably too late now. The training grounds would be mostly empty by dinner time. He decided to postpone the trip for today.

Still, he wasn't about to waste time while the system calculated in the background.

Even if he couldn't perform calculations himself, he could still update skill statuses.

The status of the Breath technique could be refreshed. He could also continue refining his chakra nature transformations and push for more updates on the Body Flicker Technique.

All of this would help shorten the total calculation time.

Practice was essential.

Over the next few hours, Shigure worked diligently on the Body Flicker Technique and chakra nature change.

He managed to update the skill status for Teleportation 32 times.

His progress in chakra nature transformations led to four updates in skill status.

Even the status for his Breath of the Soul technique was updated once.

Fewer updates were needed now—that in itself was proof of progress. This was likely the best Shigure could do for the time being.

The Next Day

Shigure woke up and checked his chakra reserves.

His chakra capacity had grown to nearly five hundred times that of a regular ninja. The growth had slowed recently, but that level was already absurd.

Even the Third Hokage didn't possess chakra on this scale.

As for his body, there had been some improvements in physical strength, but most of his growth remained focused on speed and reaction time—likely the result of his constant sword practice.

Since he still didn't have a skill bar assigned for genjutsu, mental energy development had to be put on hold for now.

As he stepped out of his house, he noticed a note tucked inside the mailbox.

This was unexpected. Who in all of Konoha would bother sending him a message?

On closer inspection, it wasn't a letter—just a brief note.

Tenten:

Shigure-kun, your custom-made ninja sword is ready. You can come pick it up today!

"Oh! That's right!"

He had nearly forgotten.

Last time he visited Tenten's ninja tool shop, he'd requested a custom sword and left his address with her.

Looks like there would be no time for training after school today.

First priority: pick up his custom-made ninja sword.

What kind of sword would it be?

The thought filled Shigure with anticipation.

So much so that he spent the whole day distracted—something even Ino noticed.

With his skill bar, Shigure was already far ahead of his classmates. The analytical abilities granted by the Great Sage made theoretical lessons trivial.

Subjects that once stumped him were now child's play.

After class, Shigure headed straight to Tenten's shop.

As usual, he waited until the last group of customers left.

Tenten then led him into a small private room in the back of the store. With an air of mystery, she pulled out a cloth-wrapped object.

A ninja sword.

She held it like it was a treasure.

Shigure couldn't hide his curiosity.

"What do you think of this sword?"

Seeing the eager gleam in his eyes, Tenten giggled. "Now you're really starting to look like a kid."

"What's wrong with that?" Shigure replied without missing a beat. "You're a kid too!"

Shigure stared intently at the ninja sword in Tenten's hands, anticipation clear in his eyes.

Tenten smiled and finally dropped the act. "This ninja blade is forged from a special alloy. Since I promised you something unique, I gave it my all."

She glanced at him with a hint of pride. "I hope you like it."

As she spoke, she carefully began unwrapping the cloth around the blade.

The moment the sword was revealed, Shigure was momentarily speechless.

It was stunning.

The blade itself was jet-black, with a faint blue glow shimmering along its patterned edge. It had the proportions of a traditional katana—standard length—but the blade was slightly broader than normal.

The handle was wrapped in black cord, its design simple, but strikingly elegant.

The whole weapon had an austere charm, and that soft blue glint gave it an otherworldly quality.

If not for the glow, Shigure thought, it looked remarkably like Tensa Zangetsu from his previous life.

Not exactly the same, but definitely close.

"What do you think? Like it?" Tenten asked, a little nervous despite herself.

Shigure nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining. "Like it? I love it!"

"Then try it out," she encouraged.

He reached for the sword—and instantly felt the unexpected weight.

"…It's heavy!"

Tenten gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, that's the downside of that alloy. It's denser than standard steel. But it's one of the best materials for forging ninja swords or chakra weapons."

Despite the weight, Shigure didn't struggle when he swung it.

In fact, his movements were smooth and effortless.

It felt natural—balanced.

Tenten blinked in surprise. She already knew Shigure was strong, but she hadn't expected him to wield the blade that easily.

"Looks like it suits you really well," she said softly.

Shigure nodded, giving the sword another few test swings. "It does. It's heavier than I expected, but somehow… it feels like it was made for me."

Tenten's cheeks reddened slightly at his choice of words.

Perfect fit…

"Give it a name," she suggested suddenly. "It's not required, of course, but naming a blade can give it spirit. Some say a named weapon becomes stronger."

"Huh?" Shigure laughed. "You believe in that?"

He hadn't expected superstition like this to exist in the shinobi world too. Apparently, some things were universal.

Still… a name.

Shigure looked down at the black blade, thoughtful. That faint blue sheen, that familiar silhouette…

"Then… I'll call it Zangetsu."

Since it resembled Tensa Zangetsu so much, he might as well borrow the latter part of the name—Zangetsu, the Slaying Moon.

"Zangetsu…" Tenten echoed, then smiled. "Gekkō Shigure… and the ninja sword Zangetsu. Has a nice ring to it."

"Thanks, Tenten," Shigure said earnestly. "This sword… is incredible."

He gave it another light swing.

Even without chakra enhancement, he could hear the faint whistle of wind being cleanly sliced.

The sharpness stunned him.

With this sword, paired with his Breath technique, his offensive power would rise to a whole new level.

It was the perfect blade.

...

TN:

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