Talent

It took only a week for Ye Zi to recover from near-fatal injuries to a full recovery. This terrifying resilience entered people's eyes at that moment, causing the medical ninja at the ninja hospital to marvel. Higher-ups, however, would have more complex thoughts, or rather, they would consider the value Ye Zi's existence could bring.

On the night of his discharge, Ye Zi received a short sword from Orochimaru.

"This is..." Ye Zi looked at the short sword. Its hilt was as black as ink jade, and the blade was about two feet long, gleaming sharply with an almost flowing luster. Just looking at it, he could feel its sharpness. How could he forget that this was the very sword that had pierced his chest, and it was also Jiu Xiao's personal blade.

Orochimaru looked at him and said plainly, "This is your spoils of war."

Ye Zi silently accepted the short sword and nodded, "I was just looking for a sword."

During his fight with Jiu Xiao, he had deeply felt the disadvantage of lacking a suitable weapon. The specifications of this short sword were perfect for a ninja to use – lightweight, sharp, and a convenient size for carrying. It could be considered a ninja's standard-issue blade, and it could even be infused with chakra, making it a veritable killing tool.

They didn't speak for a moment, and silence filled the room.

After a long while, Orochimaru's distinctive hoarse voice broke the silence.

"Tell me about the specific events that night."

Many people wanted to know how Ye Zi managed to kill Jiu Xiao, a renowned Cloud ninja. Orochimaru was among them because the feat itself was illogical.

If the opponent's mastery of taijutsu and swordsmanship wasn't so formidable, many people could have accepted it. But the opponent was precisely Cloud ninja Jiu Xiao, who was already skilled in taijutsu and swordsmanship, and could even use Lightning Release to enhance his body.

Facing such an enemy, how did Ye Zi, who had only been a Genin for a little over a year despite his excellent performance, manage to kill him?

Orochimaru was curious; he knew Ye Zi's strength.

Meeting Orochimaru's probing gaze, Ye Zi remained silent for a moment before faint sparks of lightning suddenly erupted from his body. He extended his palm, looking at the dancing lightning coiled around it, and said calmly, "At the time, I thought it would be a mutual kill. I didn't expect to survive. Ultimately, I have to thank this body."

Orochimaru stared at the lightning, his expression slowly changing as if he had a guess, but he remained silent, waiting for Ye Zi to continue.

Ye Zi shifted his gaze from his palm to Orochimaru's face and continued, "By using chakra nature transformation to convert it into electrical stimulation for the body, I achieved body activation, making my movements faster and more agile. I didn't know about this application at first; I just saw that person use it, so I tried it, and it worked. It was precisely because of this that I had the capital to fight him to the death."

Ye Zi didn't elaborate further, as Orochimaru was aware of his body's peculiarities, including his heart being on the right side.

Orochimaru's expression rippled slightly. He knew Ye Zi learned everything quickly. He could even memorize hand seals after seeing them only once. If it weren't for the absence of the Sharingan in Ye Zi's eyes, he would have suspected Ye Zi possessed it, which would explain his ability to see and remember the speed and steps of his hand seals.

Even so, he hadn't expected Ye Zi's talent to reach such a terrifying level.

The unknown was one of the roots of hindering human progress, like a thick fog. To move further, one could only grope their way forward slowly.

However, Ye Zi, in the face of the unknown, was like a blazing sun, violently tearing through the thick fog. Without the prerequisite of theory or practice, he learned to use Lightning Release to increase speed just by observing Jiu Xiao, and immediately put it into practice. Involuntarily, the self-important Orochimaru felt a flicker of jealousy.

Jiu Xiao's defeat was not unjust...

Such talent was one of the reasons for victory. Another reason was Ye Zi's unusual body. Generally, when a sword pierces the heart, the body has a brief moment to do other things, like a dying counterattack. But if that sword was wrapped in lightning, it would be different.

However, Jiu Xiao didn't know Ye Zi's heart was on the right side. From the moment the sword pierced his chest, Jiu Xiao had lost. Even so, Jiu Xiao naively believed Ye Zi would also die from the wound, unaware that Ye Zi's cellular activity was comparable to that of the Senju clan.

Orochimaru looked at Ye Zi intently. He suddenly realized that his previous assessment of Ye Zi's importance was far from sufficient.

"Can you carry out a mission tomorrow?"

"Yes," Ye Zi replied calmly.

Orochimaru nodded and said, "Rest."

He then stood up and walked towards the corridor. He had already decided to increase the intensity of the missions; only by doing so could Ye Zi grow faster.

Ye Zi watched Orochimaru leave the room, slowly reined in his chakra, took out the short sword, and stared at it silently, his eyes completely dark, lost in thought.