Chapter 118: The Cursed Sword Muramasa
It took about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for Orochimaru to snap out of his contemplation. By then, the old monk had long departed.
He didn't mind. Raising his right hand toward the mottled Buddha statue, five mottled poisonous pythons, the girth of soup bowls, slowly emerged from his wide sleeve.
Under Orochimaru's control, they tightly wrapped around the entire man-sized Buddha statue.
Then, Orochimaru made a grasping motion with his right hand. With a loud "Boom—," the immense, forceful pressure generated by the constricting pythons completely shattered the entire statue.
The moment the statue exploded, a faint yet distinct and continuous "Buzz, buzz, buzz—" of a vibrating long blade could be heard. A surge of evil, overbearing, and violent killing aura—one that could affect the minds of ordinary people—erupted instantly.
The fierce, surging aura brought with it a compelling gust of wind, and at the same time, it carried relentless, sharp, invisible sword energy. In just a single instant, the five mottled poisonous pythons that had shattered the statue were sliced into pieces of shredded meat by the sword energy, splattering crimson blood everywhere.
The terrifying killing aura, combined with the sharp sword energy, merged into a column of black, circular energy that suddenly shot skyward, immediately punching through the roof of the Buddha hall and soaring straight into the clouds!
This eye-catching, strange sight was visible for several miles around, startling all the birds and beasts within a ten-mile radius, sending them scattering in panic.
The old monk, who had tidied his meager belongings and walked some distance, sensed the astonishingly dense killing aura rushing to the sky. He did not turn his head, kept his eyes closed, and continued walking forward.
The old monk, who walked more steadily than ordinary people despite his blindness, murmured softly: "The demon blade has emerged. The world is likely to become even more chaotic! If it is fortune, it is not misfortune; if it is misfortune, it cannot be avoided!"
A Blade for a Serpent
Inside the Buddha hall.
Watching the awe-inspiring scene, Orochimaru scoffed. An equally unyielding, chilling killing intent surged from him, creating a half-meter barrier that repelled the oppressive aura. He then focused his gaze on the location where the Buddha statue had stood.
There, a unique long blade, nearly a meter in length and appearing to be made of fine black jade, was quietly plunged into the statue's base. It continued to emit a faint "buzz, buzz, buzz—" sound, as if excited to finally see the light of day again.
Hmm? Orochimaru frowned. The Kusanagi Sword isn't inside this statue; it's a different blade. No wonder the old monk's tone was a little strange just now.
However, feeling the terrifyingly dense killing aura, Orochimaru smiled wickedly. A sense of mutual appreciation emanated from the blade, as if it had been waiting for a long time, only for this moment.
Orochimaru's killing aura intensified. He slowly walked toward the pitch-black long blade.
When he got closer, Orochimaru realized that this strange blade was not entirely black; its surface was thoroughly engulfed and shrouded by the black killing aura, making it appear to be made of black jade.
The horrifying aura emanating from the blade was so dense that it formed images of various mythical demon fangs and shadowy figures that spread outwards. Their ferocious expressions and terrifying malice sent chills down one's spine.
Seeing this strange phenomenon, Orochimaru suddenly recalled a world-famous, evil demon blade—Muramasa.
At this thought, brilliant beams of excitement and fervor burst forth from his dark-golden eyes.
Orochimaru hesitated no longer. Braving the demon blade's aura, he leaped onto the table in front of the statue. His pale, slender right hand slowly grasped the hilt of the demon blade.
Boom—
A huge sound suddenly roared in Orochimaru's mind. The demon blade's once-soaring killing aura suddenly retracted, all of it rushing through the hilt grasped in his hand and impacting Orochimaru's consciousness. The demon shadows and fangs, which had been coiling around Orochimaru's arm, surged into his mind one by one.
Orochimaru's dark-golden eyes glazed over for a moment. A powerful, intense urge to slaughter everyone in the world suddenly rose in his heart.
Orochimaru immediately reacted. His formidable spiritual energy instantly countered the demon blade's attack. His gaze suddenly sharpened, and he let out a faint snort and a cold laugh. The killing aura surrounding his body grew thicker and more intense, sweeping away the demon blade's aura that had invaded his body without showing any weakness.
Not only that, but the vast killing aura Orochimaru had forged through seas of corpses and rivers of blood, under his control, charged into the demon blade.
The blade's aura was instantly overwhelmed by Orochimaru. Immediately after, Orochimaru's pure and massive chakra surged into the demon blade, forcefully subduing it.
The demon blade, which had been continuously emitting a low "buzz, buzz, buzz—," instantly quieted down after Orochimaru's chakra flowed in and subdued it, resting silently in his hand.
The pitch-black shadows of the demon figures and fangs coiling around the blade slowly vanished, revealing the demon blade's true appearance.
Made of an unknown metal, the blade was entirely silver, gleaming with a sharp metallic luster. Under the infusion of chakra, it radiated a faint, pale-blue light.
The blade surface was engraved with a black dragon roaring skyward and the two ancient characters for "Muramasa." The blade itself had a slight curve, which, while aesthetically pleasing, also increased the sword's lethality.
The black hilt was short, lacking the cumbersome feel of a two-handed katana, which greatly satisfied Orochimaru.
Wielding it, he casually traced a few flourishes, and the clear, chilling sound of the blade cutting the air gave Orochimaru a clear understanding of the Demon Blade Muramasa's sharpness.
Furthermore, Orochimaru could clearly feel that while holding the blade, his own killing intent and aura became even harder to suppress, feeling restless and ready to burst forth.
Orochimaru understood the reason why the Demon Blade Muramasa was called the "cursed long blade."
If even Orochimaru had difficulty suppressing the urge to kill, an ordinary person or even a slightly weaker ninja who acquired this demon blade would be completely controlled by its malice, turning into an outright murderous monster. This, in turn, would make the blade's aura stronger and increasingly difficult to control.
Orochimaru paid no mind to these things. He had enough arrogance and power to control this demon blade. It would become his sharpest weapon, bringing his name fame across the world!
Orochimaru admired it carefully, licked his lips, and looked at the Demon Blade Muramasa. His dark-golden eyes were filled with excitement; this was absolutely the most suitable weapon for him.
Taking a roll of white medical gauze from his hip pouch, he meticulously wrapped the entire strange demon blade, tying it securely to his back. He then covered it with his black traveler's coat, leaving only a short section of the black hilt visible over his shoulder.
With everything arranged, Orochimaru walked out of the Buddha hall, utterly satisfied.
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