Just as Orochimaru was pondering Naruto's words, a system prompt sounded in Naruto's mind.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in Otogakure for one hour. Sign-in successful, Reward: Hymn of Valor.]
'Hymn of Valor?'
'What kind of ability is this?'
Naruto didn't think much about it and opened the system panel.
[Hymn of Valor: A skill from the DNF's female Paladin class. Chant the Hymn of Valor to amplify the effects of the Courage Blessing buff on allies and deal magical damage to enemies. While using this skill, movement is possible, but it cannot be canceled unless interrupted or the user jumps to stop chanting.]
After reading the skill description, Naruto wasn't particularly surprised. Receiving a sound-based skill in Otogakure was well within expectations. What made him slightly happier, though, was gaining another flashy 'divine' skill.
And since it is a 'divine' skill, he naturally needed someone to test it on.
With Orochimaru right before him, he was the perfect test subject.
Naruto's eyes lit up as he grinned, "Orochimaru, what's your take on today's games?"
Still lost in thoughts of becoming more daring, Orochimaru chuckled lightly without much consideration, "No particular opinion. After all, with my strength, becoming the victor was only natural."
Naruto was speechless at how quickly Orochimaru had shifted into a braggart. He couldn't help but knock him down a peg, "Excessive caution is cowardice, but excessive confidence is arrogance, which is also a fatal flaw. Remember, there's always someone stronger out there, and keeping a calm heart is what truly matters."
Orochimaru nodded slightly to show his agreement.
After all, his current growth came from the body of Urashiki, and the Otsutsuki weren't just a single individual but a powerful clan. Even if there weren't stronger individuals, there were certainly others at least on par with him. As Naruto said, maintaining a calm mindset was indeed the wisest choice.
Suppressing his arrogance, Orochimaru mulled over Naruto's words before suddenly asking, "Actually, I do have thoughts on today's games. Naruto-kun, when you released that colorful light, those individuals' strengths surged. What kind of ability is that?"
Hearing that they were back to the point, Naruto couldn't help but smiled, "It's a new ability I developed, inspired by your Cursed Seals. It's a power that boosts others' strength. You can call it my 'blessing', just like they do. Want to try it?"
"Are there any side effects?" Orochimaru frowned.
The Cursed Seal was notorious for its severe side effects, with few able to endure it. Naturally, he was cautious.
Naruto waved his hand and said, "No need to worry. My work is always optimized, so there's no side effects."
"I trust you, Naruto-kun. Go ahead and try it."
Everything Orochimaru had was given by Naruto. Naruto wouldn't harm him for no reason. More importantly, even the Akatsuki's members had handled it just fine, so how could he not?
Naruto didn't know about Orochimaru's internal competitiveness with the Akatsuki's members, but since Orochimaru had already agreed, he wasted no time.
However, Naruto didn't use Hymn of Valor directly. Instead, he cast Courage Blessing.
A tri-colored aura descended on Orochimaru, whose body trembled immediately, "This power..."
Orochimaru had thought his current body was already perfect. Yet, under the aura's illumination, he effortlessly broke past his limits. He could clearly feel a significant enhancement in both his Chakra and mental strength.
"No wonder those guys became so confident."
Orochimaru couldn't help but marvel.
When one suddenly experienced surge in strength, they would inevitably have the illusion of being invincible.
"So? Feels good, doesn't it?" Naruto asked smugly.
Orochimaru reveled in the changes within his body and replied, "Good. Very good."
"Then do you want to try something even better?" Naruto chuckled mischievously.
Seeing Naruto's grin, Orochimaru immediately felt a chill, "Naruto-kun, don't trick me now."
Having followed Naruto for so long, Orochimaru knew him too well. That mischievous grin meant Naruto was up to something.
"Trick you? How could you think that of me?" Naruto raised an eyebrow playfully.
Orochimaru explained, "If you were going to use another type of blessing, you wouldn't have asked for my opinion first."
"Ah… this... that's true..."
Naruto couldn't think of a counterargument, so he decided to cut to the chase, "It's like this… After coming to Otogakure, I developed a new blessing based on sound. I just need someone to test it on."
"Oh, so that's how it is. Then let's begin."
Hearing Naruto's honesty, Orochimaru was no longer nervous.
For someone like him, experiments were a daily occurrence. And with his strong regenerative abilities, he wasn't worried about any mishap leading to his demise.
"Alright, I'm starting then."
Since Orochimaru agreed so readily, Naruto didn't hold back. He clasped his hands together in a prayer-like pose, channeling energy.
Golden light radiated from his palms as red and gold auras alternated across his body. He raised his hands, palms up, adopting a posture of divine mercy.
In the next moment, Naruto's body lifted into the air, and a massive golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet.
The outer edge of the circle was inscribed with complex, mysterious runes, while its center showcased an ornate, resplendent cross.
Floating in mid-air, Naruto opened his mouth, and a sacred, enigmatic hymn began to echo through the chamber. Although he wasn't actively singing, the sound emanated from him, accompanied by instrumental effects. The BGM was an inherent part of the ability.
As the hymn resonated, the golden magic circle shone even brighter, sending a pillar of light skyward. Simultaneously, another golden light descended from above. In its radiant embrace, golden musical staves materialized, orbiting Naruto. Notes composed of golden light began to fall from the staves, landing directly on Orochimaru.
"Hmm?"
Orochimaru let out a muffled groan.
The moment the golden notes touched Orochimaru, they transformed into a radiant glow that blended with the existing red, blue, and purple aura of the Courage Blessing already surrounding him.
Now, an additional golden layer adorned these hues.
Gold-red, gold-blue, and gold-purple lights alternated across Orochimaru's body. He could feel his already enhanced strength being pushed even further.
"This... this... this…"
Clenching his fists, Orochimaru felt the overwhelming surge of power within him. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words to describe his emotions.
'How should I put it?'
'I feel like I'm invincible again!'
As crude as the thought was, it accurately reflected his current perception (even if it was just an illusion).
Tap, tap!
With a light hop, Naruto used his Sky Dance Technique to return gracefully to the ground. Then, the golden light illuminating the chamber and the magic circle vanished instantly.
Simultaneously, the golden glow on Orochimaru faded as well.
Seeing this, Naruto realized that the boosted effects only lasted while within the holy light.
But that wasn't an issue. After all, in the Naruto World, long-range attacks were common, so standing within the magic circle and attacking from afar would still deliver devastating results.
What Naruto cared about most, however, was the magnitude of the boost provided by Hymn of Valor. If the increase wasn't significant, it would be a rather lackluster ability.
He turned to Orochimaru and asked, "So, Orochimaru, how do you feel?"