Chapter 117: Hozuki Clan: Using Soma as a Stepping Stone!

[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission.]

[Would you like to leave the Dungeon Instance?]

"Leave!"

Soma did not hesitate at all.

"Manten!"

Hiten roared angrily.

An even stronger lightning strike than the one when Hiten attacked Daida, suddenly struck down.

However, before the lightning struck, the figures of Soma and the other two had already disappeared.

Hiten's lightning could only hit the ground and Manten's corpse.

Hiten was extremely furious. His eyes were blood-red.

He didn't care about humans, other monsters, or the Thunder Beast.

But for Manten, his blood-related brother, Hiten was extremely concerned.

"Humans, I will never forgive you!"

"No matter where you hide, I will kill you all!"

...

Soma and the other three returned to Forging Island.

"Soma, is the mission completed?"

Third Mizukage asked.

"It's completed, Mizukage-sama, thank you for your assistance. Otherwise, with my own strength, it would have been nearly impossible to complete this mission."

Third Mizukage waved his hand.

"It's good that it's completed."

"As for thanks, Soma, you don't need to say it. Forging the Ninjato is also for the village."

"It's getting late, and I have other matters to attend to, so I'll head to the Mizukage's Building."

After saying this, Third Mizukage left.

At this moment, Soma and Ao noticed that Daida, who had returned to Forging Island, was in a very bad condition.

Even standing seemed like a luxury for him.

He looked very disheveled.

"Squad Captain Daida, how are you?"

"I was hit by that guy's lightning, but it shouldn't be life-threatening."

Daida took a breath and said.

Soma quickly turned to Ao.

"Ao-senpai, please have someone take Squad Captain Daida to the medical department."

"Okay."

Ao soon called in two members of the guard squad.

Before long, only Soma remained in the empty forging room looking at the materials in front of him.

There were four in total.

A piece of metal, a piece of bone, a long piece of wood, and a small spherical object emitting an unusual color, like a gemstone.

Soma picked up the sphere and could clearly feel the power of lightning within it.

"This thing, could it be a part of Manten's body?"

"Just like how Water Dragon Possession uses organs from dangerous creatures."

"Is this Lightning Blade using organs from the Thunder Beast as a power source?"

Soma infused Chakra into it.

A burst of lightning emerged.

Moreover, after the lightning emerged, when Soma stopped infusing Chakra, the small sphere began absorbing energy from its surroundings, replenishing the energy it had lost.

Soma's eyes lit up.

"It not only contains the power of lightning but can also replenish itself after being consumed?"

"Doesn't this mean that the Lightning Blade inherently has a strong, sustained lightning attack capability?"

"If that's the case, it would be even stronger than the Water Dragon Possession."

The Water Dragon Possession only enhances the user's ability to control water.

It doesn't provide energy on its own.

The strength of the attack depends entirely on the user's Chakra.

In other words, it only improves a ninja's techniques.

It doesn't enhance a ninja's basic attributes.

But the Lightning Blade is different.

It comes with its own energy.

This essentially enhances a ninja's basic attributes.

"This long piece of wood is the material for making the spear shaft."

"It's very tough wood."

"And it can insulate against lightning."

"This means that a non-Lightning Release ninja can use the Lightning Blade without worrying about harming themselves in the process."

"It's quite different from the ninja tools I've forged before."

"I need to perform some simulations and test forging."

Soma walked out of the forging room and returned to his house, sitting on the recliner at the door.

Sunlight spilled down.

"I wonder who will be compatible with the Lightning Blade."

"This situation is different from before."

"The previous ninja tools had specific task commissioners, so besides the attributes, the commissioner's approval was needed. The overall compatibility depended on both factors."

"But this time, there is no specific task commissioner."

"This time, it's a subjugation task."

"It's like killing monsters to obtain materials."

When he first obtained the Blacksmith System, Soma thought that the Dungeon Instance was just about killing monsters to get materials.

When Akame appeared, he realized it wasn't like that. But this time, it was.

"Without the approval of a task commissioner, will it purely be based on attributes?"

"For Lightning Release, within the Hidden Mist Village, Kurosuki Raiga and Ameyuri Ringo are the best."

"Ameyuri Ringo's Lightning Release talent surpasses Kurosuki Raiga."

"However, Ameyuri Ringo also has a problem, which is her young age."

"Being young means she can't go to the battlefield."

"Even if she does, she won't be able to handle opponents too powerful, so her ability to help me gain reputation won't be as great."

"Kurosuki Raiga, on the other hand, is different."

He is an elite Jonin. If he gets the Lightning Blade, his basic attributes will take a significant step forward.

In that case, Kurosuki Raiga's strength will also undergo a qualitative change.

"It can bring me a lot of reputation feedback."

Before long, two members of the guard squad returned.

"Chief Uehara."

"How is Squad Captain Daida's condition?"

"Chief Uehara, Squad Captain Daida is not in life-threatening condition, but his entire body is severely burned by lightning, requiring surgery. Additionally, there are multiple internal injuries. He'll need some time under care."

"I understand."

Soma glanced in the direction of the medical department in the distance.

"Daida is indeed a ninja worthy of respect."

"He can sacrifice himself without hesitation."

"Even when he is seriously injured, he doesn't complain at all."

Soma couldn't help but think of a Konoha ninja from the original storyline.

Gekko Hayate. A genius of the Gekko Clan.

At a young age, he became a Special Jonin. Skilled in Kenjutsu.

He also possessed a special Kekkei Genkai, Transparence Release.

However, during the execution of missions, he was injured and never fully recovered.

He was in a chronic state of illness.

According to reason, the Gekko Clan is a ninja family, albeit a small one, but with considerable assets.

And Gekko Hayate was a genius before, so the income from his missions certainly wouldn't be low. At least higher than that of a Chunin like Iruka.

For such a ninja, before recovering from a serious illness, he should prioritize treatment and recovery under great care rather than continue to carry out missions.

However, Gekko Hayate had no choice but to work while ill.

He worked while coughing, sometimes even coughing up blood.

He was busy even in the middle of the night.

Soma found it hard to believe it was solely out of love for the job, rather than for money.

Gekko Hayate was not someone obsessed with work.

A person with an intimate lover couldn't possibly be obsessed with work to the point of working while seriously ill.

For a genius ninja who had made significant contributions to the village, once injured, this was the result. To Soma, it seemed unfairly harsh.

"If all severely injured ninjas are treated like this, they will inevitably resent the village."

"It's no wonder there are rogue ninjas."

"Konoha might handle it a bit better."

"For example, Gekko Hayate was assigned relatively simple and easy tasks."

"Hidden Mist Village, on the other hand, doesn't prioritize this."

"I can't change Hidden Mist Village, but at least the forging department is under my command. I can improve their situation a bit."

Soma decided to allocate a portion of the forging department's income.

At the same time, he would deduct a portion from the earnings of forging department members.

Both amounts would be used to establish a fund.

Members participating in this fund would receive assistance if they encountered situations such as serious illness, severe injury, or loss of ability to continue working.

As for the members of the forging department who are unwilling to participate, Soma will not force them. After all, those who are too selfish and short-sighted are not qualified to receive Soma's help.

"Once Daida returns from recovery, we can start arranging."

...

Hozuki Island.

A member of the Hozuki Clan was selected.

Hozuki Kazuhiko looked at Izumo in front of him.

"Hozuki Izumo."

"Clan Head."

Hozuki Kazuhiko handed Thunder Swords to Hozuki Izumo.

"I entrust Thunder Swords to you. In a few days, I will arrange for you to go to the battlefield. I hope you can fully unleash the power of Thunder Swords and surpass Kurosuki Raiga and Kaguya Hikari."

"With Thunder Swords, rebuild the glory of our Hozuki Clan."

"Let the world know that the Hozuki Seven Ninja Swords are no weaker than Zanpakuto."

"The Hozuki Seven are no weaker than the Shinigami Squad."

Hozuki Izumo, somewhat excited, took the Thunder Swords and held them tightly.

Hearing Hozuki Kazuhiko's words, he nodded heavily.

"Rest assured, Clan Head. I will give my all to ensure that the name of the Thunder Swords surpasses all Zanpakuto."

"With the blood of Konoha ninjas, I will prove the strength of our Hozuki Clan."

"I will not disappoint the Thunder Swords."

Hozuki Izumo, having obtained the Thunder Swords, eagerly headed to the training ground.

Hozuki Kazuhiko, meanwhile, couldn't help but look in the direction of Forging Island.

"I hope Izumo can quickly defeat a renowned Konoha ninja. Make a name for himself in one battle."

"This way, we can mitigate the impact of the Water Dragon Possession and Fuguki Suikazan incidents on our Hozuki Clan."

"Mangetsu has great talent and has already shown quite an impressive performance, but unfortunately, he is too young."

"Someone needs to uphold the reputation of the Hozuki Clan until Mangetsu matures."

"Once Mangetsu grows up, no one will be able to surpass him."

"At that time, our Hozuki Clan will truly return to its peak."

Thinking of this, Hozuki Kazuhiko couldn't help but get excited. In his mind, he had already begun to envision the scene.

"My decision won't be wrong."

"Those Zanpakuto, the Shinigami Squad, Soma—"

"In the end, they will all become stepping stones for the Hozuki Clan to rebuild its reputation."

---

You can read up to 50 Advanced chapters and support me at patreon.com/Lookar