Naruto: System of Zoro

Chapter 25 - Mastering the Power of Lightning

"Haha, if Kakashi enjoys it, then go ahead and read it! I have a book written by Lord Jiraiya—a true ninja chronicle. You should study it carefully."

Kazane leaned back, watching Kakashi fumble for an excuse, a rare expression of discomfort crossing his usually composed face. That reaction told him everything he needed to know. Kakashi had reached that inevitable age—the time when romance was no longer just a distant idea but something real.

Deciding to give his little brother a push in the right direction, Kazane reached for a book, one he had set aside specifically for this moment.

"Lord Jiraiya's ninja chronicle?" Kakashi blinked, momentarily thrown off guard. "How did you even get your hands on something written by him?"

Kazane smirked at the curiosity in his brother's voice.

"Since I'm Orochimaru-sensei's disciple, it's only natural to study Lord Jiraiya's ninja way as well. What's so strange about that? You should take this seriously—don't waste the effort Lord Jiraiya put into writing it."

Without further explanation, Kazane disappeared into his room, reappearing moments later with a book in hand. With a deliberate motion, he placed it in Kakashi's grasp.

"Read it properly," he added, before turning away and heading back to his room.

Kakashi stood there for a moment, staring at the book's cover. Six bold characters were printed on it:

"The Chronicles of Steadfast Will."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Obito… Obito, don't blame me for this. I just don't want Kakashi to end up in some lifelong bromance with Guy."

Kazane chuckled to himself as he closed his door.

He had caught it earlier—Kakashi's hesitation, the flicker of unease in his eyes when Rin was mentioned. The boy obviously had feelings for her but was too stubborn or too oblivious to admit it. If nothing changed, Kakashi might never take the first step.

But this book? This legendary piece of literature?

This was the first push.

And if Kakashi had enough self-control to resist it, then he wouldn't be obsessing over Icha Icha Paradise in the future.

---

Orochimaru's Laboratory on the Outskirts of Konoha

The room buzzed with an eerie hum.

Inside the dimly lit laboratory, arcs of electricity crackled through the air, jumping from wire to wire, sparking against cold metal. The rhythmic zzzt zzzt of high-voltage currents filled the space, pulsing like an unsteady heartbeat.

Kazane stood at the center of it all.

His upper body was bare, revealing skin covered in circular patches—each connected by thin wires to a massive machine behind him. The machine vibrated violently, sending wave after wave of electricity coursing through his body.

The sensation was intense. Not painful, exactly—but unnatural, as if his muscles were being rewritten at a fundamental level.

Nearby, Orochimaru observed in silence, his golden eyes gleaming with fascination. He barely moved, except to jot down notes in a worn journal, his handwriting a blur of precise calculations.

This experiment had been running for over a month. And now, at last, they were seeing results.

With a soft click, Orochimaru pressed a button.

The generator trembled a final time before shutting down, the steady hum fading into silence. Yet even with the machine off, residual lightning still crackled around Kazane, flickering stubbornly against his skin.

Orochimaru's voice broke the quiet.

"This is truly… a miracle."

Kazane flexed his fingers, feeling the currents still running through him. The electricity no longer felt foreign. It was his now—an extension of himself.

He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "I'd say it's more science than a miracle."

But even he had to admit, it was impressive.

This whole process had started with a single discovery—his unusual resistance to electricity. Orochimaru had noticed it first, and from there, a theory was born: if Kazane's body could withstand high levels of electrical stimulation, could it also adapt to it? Could he train his cells to not just endure lightning, but to wield it as his own?

Orochimaru had the audacity to suggest it.

And Kazane had been reckless enough to agree.

The training was grueling. They started small, using the weakest electrical currents to stimulate his nervous system. Day by day, the voltage increased. His body screamed in protest at first, his muscles locking up, refusing to cooperate. But over time, resistance turned into control.

And now, after weeks of relentless effort—

Kazane could wield lightning.

Orochimaru stepped closer, running a hand along his chin as he inspected Kazane's form. The residual sparks around him hadn't faded. In fact, they seemed to pulse in rhythm with his breathing.

"Fascinating," Orochimaru murmured. "Your body is no longer rejecting the current. Rather… it's absorbing it, molding it into something more efficient."

Kazane clenched his fists, feeling the static dance between his fingers.

"So, what's next?"

Orochimaru's lips curled into an intrigued smile.

"Now, we move on to the next stage. If you can maintain this state, then we will attempt to push it further—into something greater."

Kazane already knew what he meant.

The next step was to push the limits of his newfound control.

Kazane had successfully adapted to the flow of electricity through his body, but that was only the foundation. Now came the true challenge—harnessing lightning to stimulate his cells even further, attempting to replicate the legendary Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

He turned to Orochimaru, eyes sharp with determination.

"Orochimaru-sensei, can we proceed with the cellular activation experiment now?"

A month of relentless effort had finally produced results. The excitement buzzing in his chest was impossible to suppress. For the first time, he felt as if he were standing on the threshold of something extraordinary.

Orochimaru glanced at him, then let out a quiet chuckle, amused by his disciple's enthusiasm.

"Haha, it seems Kazane-kun is growing impatient."

He set down his notes and gestured toward the center of the lab, where the machines hummed in standby mode.

"Very well. The next phase involves gradually stimulating your cells with controlled lightning. We will begin with your legs," he explained, his tone measured and calm, as if discussing nothing more than a routine exercise.

"The lower legs first. If your body adapts without complications, we'll extend the stimulation to your thighs. Let's begin."

Kazane straightened, nodding without hesitation. "Understood, Orochimaru-sensei."

Without wasting a moment, he focused his chakra and willed the lightning to flow downward, directing it into his legs.

The effect was immediate.

The moment the current surged through his muscles, a violent tremor ran through his body. His legs seized up, spasming uncontrollably. Before he could stabilize himself, his knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold stone floor, his limbs twitching against his will.

Orochimaru, however, remained completely unfazed.

He stepped closer, peering down at Kazane with an expression of detached curiosity. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable as he calmly jotted down new data in his notebook.

He had seen this exact scene countless times over the past month. The first few incidents had piqued his concern, but by now, it had become nothing more than a routine occurrence.

After all, power never came without a price.

Kazane's convulsions continued for a while longer before finally subsiding. His fingers twitched as he forced his body to move, palms pressing against the floor as he pushed himself up. His breathing was ragged, but his expression remained resolute.

Orochimaru set his pen aside and walked over, observing him closely.

"That's enough for today, Kazane-kun. It looks like you've reached your limit."

Despite his remarkable tolerance for electricity, there was no reason to push him too far in a single session. Orochimaru had only one disciple, and though he rarely voiced it, he considered Kazane a valuable asset. If something were to happen to him, it would be quite the loss.

Kazane wiped the sweat from his forehead, his frustration barely concealed. He wanted to keep going—to push further, to refine his control until his body could withstand the strain effortlessly. But he knew better than to ignore his teacher's judgment.

Orochimaru's experiments were never haphazard.

"I'll analyze today's data and make adjustments for tomorrow's session," Orochimaru continued. "We will proceed cautiously. Rushing the process will only hinder your progress."

Kazane exhaled, nodding. "Understood, Orochimaru-sensei."

Still, a part of him remained restless. He had caught a glimpse of what lay ahead, and now, he was desperate to reach it. But power was not gained overnight.

With the session concluded, he bowed slightly to his teacher and left the lab, heading home.

He had another task waiting for him there.

---

Konoha Village – A Small Forest in the Back Mountains

The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and scorched wood.

A deafening crack echoed through the forest as a bolt of blue lightning streaked across the sky, slamming into the trunk of an ancient tree. The impact split the tree clean in half before the surge of energy crashed into a massive iron gate adorned with an ominous demonic engraving.

Orochimaru's Rashomon stood unshaken, absorbing the force of the attack without so much as a scratch.

At the center of the destruction stood Kazane.

His breath was steady despite the sheer force of the jutsu he had just unleashed. Sparks crackled along his fingertips, flickering against the night like restless fireflies.

Two months had passed since the start of his training.

Two months of failure, of painstaking adjustments, of relentless effort.

Now, at last, he had reached the threshold of mastery.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode—an ability that heightened speed and reflexes to inhuman levels—was still beyond his full grasp, but he was closer than ever before. His body no longer rejected the power. It flowed with him now, a seamless extension of his will.

A gust of wind swept through the clearing, carrying the scent of ozone in its wake.

Nearby, a pair of masked ANBU operatives observed in silence.

The first time Kazane had conducted these experiments, they had rushed in to investigate, alarmed by the destructive force tearing through the landscape. They had nearly gotten caught in the aftermath.

Now?

They simply stood at a safe distance, watching like disinterested spectators at a routine training session.