Sword of the Thunder God

Tamura Hiroshi did not accept it and instead advised, "Teacher, just take it. I damaged the blade of your ninja sword before, so this will serve as compensation.

Besides, we will inevitably have to leave the village to carry out missions in the future. If we encounter danger, having a good sword will help you protect me better.

How about this? Just consider it something I'm temporarily lending you as your student. Return it to me when you no longer need it."

Seeing that Fukai remained resolute, Tamura Hiroshi changed his wording and made it a temporary loan instead.

"Take it. We'll probably encounter great danger in the future, and the war isn't far off."

Yozuki A, standing nearby, added a word of persuasion. Fukai hesitated, then finally accepted the ninja sword.

He could tell there was more to Yozuki A's words. Clearly, there might well be a great danger in the future, and it was related to that student. In that case, improving his strength was essential.

"I will protect my student. Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to step over my dead body first!"

Although Fukai still had many questions about this student, the importance that Yozuki A and Lord Raikage had previously shown was enough to prove how important the student was. He could not afford any mishap!

However, those words made Tamura Hiroshi's eyelids twitch. He was reminded of that supreme curse from the neighboring Douluo world—a curse that could stand alongside the Great Dao of "Fellow Daoist, Please Stay Your Step"!

This world happened to possess methods of resurrection as well, such as the Rinnegan. If he happened to die in the future, would his teacher say, "Resurrect, my disciple!"

"Let me borrow this sword for now too. If you need it in the future, just let me know."

Setting aside the person lost in wild thoughts, Yozuki A also accepted the ninja sword and made a hearty promise to Tamura Hiroshi.

Tamura Hiroshi was very satisfied. The favor of the future Fourth Raikage was extremely valuable, and it was nowhere near something a single ninja sword could compare with.

After chatting with Yozuki A and Fukai for a while, Tamura Hiroshi waited until his physical condition improved somewhat before leaning on his cane and limping back.

A fractured bone was not something that healed easily, to say nothing of waiting for the medicinal effects to fuse with the bones on a deeper level.

For now, his bones had only initially healed under the effects of Medical Ninjutsu. Their strength was far inferior to before, so he had to walk with extreme caution.

After returning home, Tamura Hiroshi lay down on the bed, took out the scrolls from Yozuki A and Fukai, and unfurled them. He first studied their cultivation insights regarding Lightning Release Chakra nature transformation and shape transformation. That was exactly what he needed.

The Naruto source material had shown the cultivation of Wind Release nature transformation, but it had never explained how Lightning Release nature transformation should be cultivated.

The Ninja Academy and the library also had no specific methods. He could only feel his way forward through scattered remarks in some books. His efficiency was poor, and he had not even crossed the threshold.

Now that he had the cultivation insights of two specialists in Lightning Style, both of whom were elite jonin with secret techniques passed down to them, it was like receiving a pillow just when he had grown sleepy.

Lightning Release nature transformation was currently the only cultivation path that could rapidly increase his strength. He even wanted to see whether he could use it to develop Hatake Kakashi's future Chidori and Uchiha Sasuke's Chidori system.

Even if he could not use the complete versions because of his Chakra Quantity limitations, a weaker version would do.

This was where the Golden Finger's talent effect could show its value, allowing him to achieve twice the result with half the effort in this area of cultivation.

However, before Tamura Hiroshi could research and master Lightning Release nature transformation, an uninvited guest came knocking.

"Ninja sir, this is the ramen you ordered."

A middle-aged man stood outside the door, holding a large sealed bowl of ramen. At the same time, his other hand discreetly made several gestures.

After seeing those gestures, Tamura Hiroshi understood. It was Shimura Danzō—or rather, Lord Danzo—who had sent him.

"Come in!"

Tamura Hiroshi calmly glanced outside a few times, then stepped aside to indicate that the middle-aged man should enter. He also took the ramen from him.

The middle-aged man said nothing more and stepped into the room. When his foot landed on the carpet, Tamura Hiroshi noticed something unusual.

"A Shadow Clone? He's cautious enough."

The other party's foot had not pressed down on the carpet at all, as though he had no weight. Clearly, he either possessed a ninjutsu that let him fly or hover, or he was not made of flesh and blood. The latter was more likely.

"Lord Danzo has ordered you to investigate the plans and intentions Kumogakure has for the upcoming war with your utmost effort, especially its strategic schemes against the Land of Fire.

"In addition, you must investigate Kumogakure's progress in utilizing the Tailed Beasts. This must be completed."

The middle-aged man wasted no words and relayed the order from above.

"I want the Second Hokage's Sword of the Thunder God."

Tamura Hiroshi was equally direct and stated his condition.

Lightning Release nature transformation was not easy to cultivate. Even Yozuki A and Fukai had taken more than five years to master it.

The future Uzumaki Naruto had also needed countless Shadow Clones and massive amounts of Chakra to cheat his way through the training.

Although he had the Golden Finger enhancing his comprehension, it was not absurdly powerful. After all, it was not the Deep Blue system from the neighboring world, which could solve everything by assigning points. He estimated that he would need at least a year of hard cultivation.

That was still too slow. He wanted to master it faster, so he could only rely on external assistance.

This reminded him of several ninja tools. For example, the Bashosen once possessed by Kinkaku and Ginkaku could transform the user's Chakra into Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, or Earth, which was equivalent to completing nature transformation.

Unfortunately, the Bashosen had been sealed through summoning by Kinkaku and Ginkaku before their deaths. Unless he brought them back through Impure World Reincarnation, the only thing the Third Raikage had managed to seize back then was the Amber Purifying Pot.

Next was the Second Hokage's Sword of the Thunder God. If he could obtain it, his cultivation of nature transformation would certainly become twice as effective.

However, the request made the middle-aged man's expression turn cold. As one of Lord Danzo's subordinates, this fellow actually dared to make demands. Did he not want to live?

"I need a means of protecting my life and a way to improve my strength. Only then can I rise higher in Kumogakure and become more valuable to Lord Danzo."

Tamura Hiroshi remained calm, but his attitude was extremely serious and firm. At the same time, he devoured the ramen at impressive speed.

The explanation made the middle-aged man frown, leaving him unable to refute it.

He did not know anything about the Sword of the Thunder God, but since it was the weapon of the Second Hokage, it was certainly no ordinary item. With the Senju Clan involved as well, even Lord Danzo might have difficulty obtaining it despite his abilities.

"I will report your words to Lord Danzo. You had better obtain intelligence of value."

The middle-aged man gave the youth before him a deep look, then left decisively.

His current identity was that of a food-delivery man, so he could not stay here for long.

"Take this and throw out the garbage bag by the door too. You've stayed here too long, so you need a little more disguise.

"Also, I don't like your tone or your eyes. As punishment, bring roast meat next time."

Tamura Hiroshi finished the broth, handed over the empty bowl and its sealed lid, pointed at the garbage bag beside the door, and also requested roast meat next time.

If there had been a direct hotline to report to Lord Danzo, he would have omitted this fellow from the process long ago.

He had come to make contact using only one bowl of cheap ramen as cover. It was obvious that he had pocketed the funds distributed by Lord Danzo.

Such a corrupt man was a pest within Root, an obstacle on Lord Danzo's path to becoming Hokage. He had to be eliminated.

The middle-aged man's face was covered in black lines, but he still picked up the garbage bag by the door and left.

He had never seen such an overbearing and stingy little spy!

But who could blame him? The boy had been lucky enough to make contact with core members of Kumogakure. In Lord Danzo's eyes, he was certainly more valuable.

"Lord Danzo, don't disappoint me!"

After the middle-aged man left, Tamura Hiroshi murmured inwardly, filled with anticipation and confidence in that old superior.

After all, he was the Pot Kage!

Once night fell, he changed into his clothes and shoes and went out to a nearby bathhouse.

Since Lord Danzo had already sent someone to contact him and issued an order, he naturally could not disappoint Lord Danzo. He had to obtain the relevant intelligence as quickly as possible.

For this, he needed to find Lord Dodai. That bathhouse was the meeting place he had discussed with Lord Dodai.

Lord Dodai would surely be very interested in this. Perhaps he might even use the opportunity to work out some sort of scheme.

As an excellent semi-double agent, he had to understand his true position clearly. There could not be the slightest ambiguity.