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"Master, where are we going next?"
Saeko silently followed Alexander. By now, the poised and graceful young woman had fully accepted Alexander as her master, though he was reluctant to acknowledge it. After all, being addressed as "Master" by a beautiful high school student felt awkwardly old-fashioned to him.
"Let's head back to the city. I have a bad feeling about tonight—it doesn't seem like it will pass peacefully," Alexander replied, his voice tinged with caution.
He didn't trust the situation; the people they encountered earlier seemed too compliant.
Noticing the broken sword at Saeko's side, Alexander furrowed his brow. The weapon had been damaged during her fight with the under. But she still didn't discard it. For a moment, he couldn't decide whether Saeko's actions were brave or reckless.
With a casual wave of his hand, Alexander summoned a gleaming Japanese katana from a spatial magic circle.
The instant the blade materialized, Saeko's eyes locked onto it, captivated.
It was sharp and resilient, exuding a chilling aura that suggested it had seen its share of bloodshed.
"This sword…" Saeko murmured, her eyes bright with fascination.
Alexander handed her the weapon with ease. "This is 'Kashu(*Flower Province),' one of the top 50 finest blades. Consider it a gift."
Saeko's eyes widened in disbelief as Alexander tossed the katana into her hands.
The sword, 'Kashu,' was a reward Alexander had obtained during his time in the Alabasta arc of 'One Piece.' It was a weapon on par with the famed 'Yubashiri' and the Third Generation 'Kitetsu.' Yet, for someone wielding weapons as legendary as 'Excalibur' and 'Ea,' Alexander found little use for it and had left it to gather dust in his inventory.
But just because he didn't value it didn't mean others wouldn't. Saeko, cradling 'Kashu' in her arms, regarded Alexander with a newfound admiration.
"I didn't even perform an apprentice ceremony for you. How could you give me something so precious?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise and hesitation.
"Precious? It's just a sword. The value of a weapon is determined by the one who wields it. What's more important is your safety," Alexander replied casually.
His words struck Saeko like a bolt of lightning. She had never expected Alexander to say something so profound. For him to imply that she was more precious than the sword left her speechless.
For someone who had lost everything in the zombie apocalypse, Saeko had resigned herself to living in solitude. Yet, in this moment, she no longer felt alone.
Suddenly, a soft, eerie chuckle echoed through the air.
"Hehe, Lord Creator. It's wonderful to see you in good spirits after all this time," a voice said mockingly.
A figure emerged silently in front of Alexander. He was frail-looking, with a sickly pale complexion, as though a gust of wind might knock him over. But anyone who recognized him knew he was far from weak. His very name symbolized the pinnacle of cunning and power in his world.
"Orochimaru. So, we finally meet face-to-face," Alexander remarked, his gaze steady.
Just then, the voice of the system echoed in Alexander's mind:
"Ding-dong! Congratulations, Master, on encountering the character Orochimaru from the Naruto Universe. You have obtained a random ability: Triple Rashomon."
Alexander frowned. "Triple Rashomon? That's all?"
While not useless, it wasn't exactly the reward he had hoped for. Orochimaru possessed a multitude of incredible abilities, from the 'Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu' to 'Impure World Reincarnation' and the 'Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes.' Even a 'Kusanagi' sword would have sufficed. But instead, Alexander ended up with the 'Triple Rashomon,' a defensive technique that was two gates short of the 'Fivefold Rashomon' used by the First Hokage.
Still, it wasn't entirely useless—it could block even the Tailed Beast Bomb of Kurama.
Before Alexander could dwell further, Orochimaru stepped forward, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "Lord Creator, it is an unparalleled honor to finally meet you," he said with a deep bow.
Behind Alexander, Saeko instinctively gripped Kashu, prepared for a fight, but Alexander stopped her with a raised hand.
"Stand down for now. This man is… difficult to handle," he said calmly.
Orochimaru chuckled, his serpentine voice dripping with mock humility. "Ah, to be called 'difficult' by the Creator Himself—what a compliment."
Alexander smirked. "I'm just stating facts. In the Naruto Universe, if survival is an art, you've mastered it. If someone claimed second place, they wouldn't dare declare a first."
Orochimaru's reputation preceded him. Though not the strongest in sheer power, his resilience and ability to survive were unmatched. You could kill him in one place, only for him to reappear elsewhere.
Even Alexander was reluctant to engage with him. Killing Orochimaru here would likely mean his resurrection in the Naruto world by tomorrow.
But reluctance didn't mean avoidance. If Orochimaru chose to provoke him, Alexander wouldn't hesitate to show him the true meaning of suffering.