"This…"
Orochimaru was stunned for a moment.
He called this kind of thing only average in destructive power?
That precise strike capability, that terrifying penetration… if such a projectile struck a person, it would almost certainly mean death or crippling injury.
In truth, within the world of shinobi, offense had always outstripped defense. Even something as common as a kunai could easily be fatal. A blade that sharp and simple had taken countless lives.
Even someone as powerful as Uchiha Madara—without the protection of Susanoo—could be run through and killed by Senju Hashirama with nothing more than an ordinary weapon.
Compared to blades and kunai, bullets from this strange rapid-fire weapon naturally carried far greater destructive force.
That fact alone was enough to make Orochimaru reevaluate the weapon in Senju Haruto's hands—and to take it seriously.
"And what about the strongest weapon in your world?" Orochimaru couldn't help but ask.
"The strongest weapon?" Haruto thought for a moment.
If he tried to describe his world in full—the three great empires, the Titan civilizations—it would take far too long. And even then, would Orochimaru understand? Explaining the concept of something as vast as the universe to someone bound by this world was like trying to describe ice to a summer insect.
So Haruto kept it simple.
"There exists a weapon powerful enough to destroy an entire nation with ease, leaving the land barren and uninhabitable for a hundred years. Not a single blade of grass could survive."
He was speaking, of course, about nuclear weapons—the mushroom bombs.
In terms of destructive force, Haruto felt they were on par with the Ten-Tails' Bijūdama. No… if one considered the highest-yield bombs, perhaps even stronger.
And unlike the Bijūdama, the mushroom bomb had another terrifying aspect—radiation.
"Radiation?" Orochimaru murmured, tasting the new word. For now, he couldn't quite grasp the concept.
But the weapon Haruto had brought this time had stirred an intense interest deep within him.
"In truth, the reason I'm showing you this," Haruto said seriously, "is because I want you to find a way to mass-produce it."
"Mass-produce it?"
"Yes. For those who cannot use chakra."
Of course, this meant such people would need strict training. Ordinary villagers couldn't simply pick up a firearm and wield it effectively. But that part wasn't Haruto's problem—he could always hand the responsibility over to Kakashi.
What mattered now was giving Orochimaru the means to build and replicate firearms.
After all, the Seed of Fire wasn't omnipotent. It could only transform machines into mechanical lifeforms within its area of coverage. Once outside that field, those creations would fall dormant again.
Which meant Haruto couldn't leave behind a standing army of mechanical life on the continent—unless his true body remained here.
For now, the best path forward was still his original plan. And mass production was a key step in it.
"I understand," Orochimaru said at last. He accepted the weapon again, intent on further study.
In truth, weapons similar to firearms did exist in the shinobi world. For example, the powers of the Asura Path bore a resemblance to modern armaments.
But Haruto remembered reading in the databooks that the Asura Path's weapons weren't actually bodily transformations—they were a form of summoning.
That made them very different from the firearms of the Marvel world.
In fact, compared to the arsenal of Marvel, firearms were considered a low-tier weapon. Vibranium technology from Wakanda, or S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret weapons, far outclassed them.
Especially Wakanda.
Now that Haruto had the Seed of Fire, if he could spread its influence across Wakanda and create mechanical lifeforms infused with vibranium… their strength would be beyond imagination.
Not even exaggerating—such power might rival Ultron himself.
But that was a matter for the future.
"For now, Orochimaru…"
"Hm?" Orochimaru set the firearm down, giving Haruto his full attention.
To make his intentions clearer, Haruto drew a bullet from his spatial ring and began explaining its mechanism.
In essence, a gun wasn't so different from a bow. Both were vessels. The real killing force came from the projectile—an arrow or a bullet.
"Bullet?"
Orochimaru took the cartridge, studying it closely. The casing gleamed with a metallic luster. No wonder it carried such destructive potential.
"Inside is a substance called gunpowder," Haruto began—but he quickly realized his own understanding of gunpowder was shallow. So he left the deeper research to Orochimaru.
"Anyway," Haruto continued, "what I need from you is this—find a way to merge chakra into the bullet itself."
Orochimaru froze for a moment, then his sharp mind immediately grasped the idea.
For shinobi, channeling chakra into tools wasn't unheard of. Wind Release could sharpen a kunai or enhance the edge of a blade. Sasuke's Susanoo could even fire arrows infused with Amaterasu's black flames.
But the process wasn't simple. Not every shinobi could do it. Even many chūnin lacked the skill.
And the whole point of firearms was to arm those who weren't shinobi. Those people would never be able to channel chakra themselves.
"So what you mean," Orochimaru said thoughtfully, "is to pre-load chakra into the bullets—to store the energy beforehand—and then distribute them to ordinary civilians?"
Haruto nodded.
Orochimaru nodded back, raising the bullet toward the light between his fingers.
"Infuse chakra into a bullet…" His golden eyes gleamed with thought.
On the surface, it sounded simple. But how much chakra? What proportion? How to prevent leakage over time? Chakra wasn't infinite—it would dissipate without a proper seal.
And there was another issue. Civilians would only need such bullets in dire emergencies, against powerful enemies. In those moments, they couldn't very well call upon jōnin to manufacture chakra bullets on the spot.
The simplest-sounding solutions were often the hardest to implement.
Orochimaru sighed inwardly but also felt a spark of determination. No matter what, he would succeed in creating chakra bullets. Not only for Haruto—but for the pursuit of scientific challenge itself.
Haruto watched the serious gleam in Orochimaru's eyes and fell into silence.
And then, in his ears, the familiar voice of his sign-in system chimed again.
The next sign-in location.
"If I'm not mistaken," Haruto murmured to himself, "that should be the place where Iron Man fought Iron Monger… one of his most iconic battles."