Snake Uncle's Surprise

In Orochimaru's backyard, Kamiya Keiyun raised his hands in hand seals. "Earth Release: Mud to Stone Technique!"

Boom!

In an instant, a cylindrical pit one meter deep and fifty centimeters in diameter appeared in the ground. Around its edge was a ten-centimeter-thick layer of smooth-edged black stone.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. It really was a technique he had never seen before.

It was not difficult, though—probably only C-rank. He could learn it after seeing it once.

But where had this technique come from? Hadn't Kamiya Keiyun been said to be a civilian?

And why was this called a Production Ninjutsu?

"Look, Lord Orochimaru, this is the Earth Release: Mud to Stone Technique I invented. It uses Chakra's repulsive force on matter to compress soil into stone, creating the round pipe we see here. In fact, it doesn't have to be pipe-shaped. If you want, it can be compressed into square bricks, rectangular bricks, or even spheres!"

Orochimaru shook his head. What repulsive force? Your Chakra Nature was Earth Style. This was simply the most basic application of Earth Style Chakra!

But he had caught another keyword: I invented it!

Could this technique really have been invented by the child standing before him?

How was that possible? He was only five!

But Orochimaru was not the sort of person to ask pointless questions. He knew that the focus of Kamiya Keiyun's words was Production Ninjutsu. Who had invented it was a trivial matter.

"So, what use does this ninjutsu have?" Orochimaru asked.

"It's useful—extremely useful!" Kamiya Keiyun said. "Lord Orochimaru, have you noticed that Konoha has recently been putting up power lines?"

Orochimaru nodded. It was something the outside merchants had brought in. It could use electricity for lighting, heating, and the like.

They were currently putting up utility poles all over the village. His home had been connected as well.

"Then don't you think power lines are dangerous?"

"Hmm?"

"As Konoha's population grows, every household will need power lines, and there will be more and more wires on the poles. Exposed to wind and sun, and with birds pecking at them from time to time, the wires will easily break. When that happens, their outer covering will be damaged, exposing the metal inside and causing short circuits, which can then start fires. You should know that most of Konoha's buildings are wooden! Once one catches fire, it can spread across an entire area in an instant!"

Orochimaru was not worried about that. A fire? Wouldn't one Water Release solve it?

He was more curious about how a child like Kamiya Keiyun knew so much.

And why had he specifically come to tell him about it?

"So this technique can solve that problem?" Orochimaru asked.

"Obviously, yes!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded. "We can bury the power lines underground. That way, they won't be blown by the wind or soaked by rain! And the thing that holds the wires can be the pipes created by this ninjutsu!"

In truth, pipes could simply be poured from cement, but ninjutsu was definitely faster than digging by hand. Underground construction especially required large machinery, and rocky terrain might even require tunnel boring machines. But ninjas could handle it easily.

One person was a tunnel boring machine.

"I see!" Orochimaru began to understand.

"Also, Konoha does not have many people yet, but the sewers are already becoming inadequate. When you walk down the streets, haven't you smelled the stench?" Kamiya Keiyun asked again.

Orochimaru nodded. His nose was quite sensitive, so he smelled even more. But what could be done? Were not all villages like this?

"We can build the sewers underground too, using the same kind of pipes!" Kamiya Keiyun pointed at the pipe beneath their feet. "We can also run the power lines through them, which will block the smell as well!"

In fact, this was called a utility tunnel: a tunnel project that combined engineering pipelines for electricity, communications, gas, heating, water supply, and drainage. But Konoha did not yet have communications, gas, or heating, so for now they would only discuss electricity, water supply, and drainage.

"Ah..." Orochimaru blinked. He was a smart man. Though he had never seen what Kamiya Keiyun described, he could imagine it.

And once he imagined it, it did seem to offer Konoha considerable benefits.

"So this is what you mean by Production Ninjutsu?" Orochimaru asked.

"That's right. It isn't for combat, but for production. Wait." Kamiya Keiyun froze for a moment, suddenly remembering something. Then he carefully asked, "So this world has no concept of Production Ninjutsu?"

Orochimaru smiled and nodded. "That's right. If nothing unexpected happens, then this technique should be the first of its kind. So can you tell me why you came to me with such a technique?"

So your means of rising in status wasn't your sister, but this ninjutsu?

"Uh..." Kamiya Keiyun was a little flustered. What kind of logic was that?

Chakra was such a powerful force, yet nobody had used it for production? Production Ninjutsu actually had to be invented by him?

Was that reasonable?

Even Xianxia World had spells that hastened plant growth, called wind and rain, and ensured favorable weather for production!

Logically, anyone should have thought of this. So was there something wrong with him, or was there something wrong with this world?

"Well, it's like this!" Kamiya Keiyun answered seriously. "I was thinking that if this ninjutsu has never appeared in this world before, then I could work with you. We could open an underground pipeline equipment factory together. I'll invest this ninjutsu, and you'll invest the capital. Of the money we make, I'll take fifteen percent!"

Orochimaru could not quite understand the child's train of thought. He was not giving him the ninjutsu; he wanted to cooperate with him and make money together?

"Let's put the licensing matter aside for now." Orochimaru waved a hand, his attitude growing curious. "First tell me: what is Production Ninjutsu, and how did you come up with the idea of inventing such a technique?"

"Uh..." Kamiya Keiyun scratched his head. "Isn't it only natural? We all want to make our lives better. Since we have a power like Chakra, naturally we should strive in that direction. If we can make roads smoother, make the environment cleaner and tidier, and make the village safer, isn't that a good thing?"

Orochimaru fell silent.

"That was my original intention in inventing this ninjutsu. As for what Production Ninjutsu is: any ninjutsu that can take part in our production and daily lives, improve production and work efficiency, and make life better is Production Ninjutsu!" Kamiya Keiyun continued explaining.

Orochimaru nodded. Extending the uses of this Mud to Stone Technique, it could indeed pave roads, bore through mountains, mine ore, and construct those... underground pipelines.

The more he thought about it, the more potential this technique seemed to have. It truly could improve everyone's lives.

More importantly, it was not even an A-rank or B-rank ninjutsu. It was C-rank!

It did not involve any Nature Transformation, only the attribute transformation of Earth Style Chakra. Any genin could learn to use it in one or two weeks.

So the question was, why had no one invented such a simple, convenient ninjutsu that greatly benefited daily life before?

They had even invented more advanced techniques like Earth Style: Stone House Collapse, Earth Style: Stone Pillar Spear, and Earth Style: Stone Stealing Club. So why had they never thought to turn spears and clubs into pipes and bricks, then use them to build the village?

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

And if he let this line of thought spread further...

If the ninjutsu they invented were all like this, rather than ninjutsu meant for battle, would there still be wars in the ninja world?

Would his disciples and friends still die?

When Orochimaru looked at Kamiya Keiyun again, his gaze had already begun to change.

In truth, his attitude had changed the moment he learned that this child had invented a new ninjutsu. Regardless of the technique's difficulty, it was remarkable for a five-year-old to invent a new ninjutsu.

And now, he understood what this ninjutsu represented.

This might be a hope for peace!

At that thought, Orochimaru began to look forward to it.