"My White Fang Swordsmanship has already reached mastery. At this stage, training alone can hardly produce another breakthrough. I can only hone it further through real combat."
"But Mifune's Iaido belongs to a completely different system from ninja swordsmanship."
"Without any chakra enhancement, he managed to slash Hanzō's cloak in a head-on confrontation through pure sword-drawing technique alone. That speaks volumes."
"If I can acquire his Iaido in an exchange, it will perfectly complement my close-combat style and eliminate its weaknesses."
Orochimaru fell silent for a moment, his golden slit pupils flickering as he quickly weighed the advantages and disadvantages.
"Mifune just lost to Hanzō. Although Hanzō personally saved him, a defeat is still a defeat."
"Warriors are obsessed with victory and becoming stronger. If you offer him a fully developed White Fang Swordsmanship in exchange, he'll most likely agree."
"But the Land of Iron is neutral. If other ninja villages learn that he privately exchanged swordsmanship with a Konoha ninja, his neutral standing will be called into question. You need a plausible official mission as cover."
"I've already prepared one."
Maki laid a C-Rank Mission sheet flat on the table.
"Collecting and escorting forged blades. A blade merchant from the Konoha Trading Company commissioned a batch in the Land of Iron, but they were held at a border way station because the paperwork was incomplete."
"I can enter the Land of Iron openly to collect and escort the shipment, then exchange swordsmanship with Mifune in private. No one will suspect a thing."
Orochimaru glanced at the mission sheet and nodded slightly.
"Very well. One thing to keep in mind before you leave."
"Hatake Sakumo accepted an urgent mission today. An entire puppeteer unit on the Sunagakure front vanished without a trace, and the Third specifically sent him to investigate.