Before coming here, Yakushi Kabuto had already investigated Takigakure.
According to his intel, the giant tree before them was revered as a sacred relic in local legend. Every hundred years, it would produce a small vial of mysterious liquid said to grant its user an immense surge of chakra—dozens of times more than normal.
Even if the effect didn't last long, the value of such a substance was undeniable.
Though Kabuto had already mastered Sage Mode, chakra reserves remained one of his weaknesses.
If the so-called "Hero Water" truly worked, it would make a powerful trump card.
A Takigakure ninja named Shisha stepped forward when called. His expression shifted, and he lowered his head respectfully.
"…My lord may not be aware," Shisha began, "but the Hero Water comes with severe side effects."
When consumed, it caused a brutal backlash—vitality loss so extreme it crippled most users. Young ninja might survive, but for middle-aged or older shinobi, the odds leaned heavily toward death.
"For someone of your level," Shisha added carefully, "it's not worth the risk."
Despite the respectful tone, it was a clear attempt to deflect. Shisha had betrayed his own village for the Hero Water—he wasn't about to hand it over so easily.
Kabuto's smile twisted. A glint of danger flickered in his eyes.
"Whether it's worth it or not... isn't for you to decide."
He licked his lips, then ordered coldly, "Since I've asked, bring it to me."
Kabuto no longer carried the pretense of civility. If he wanted something, he took it—by force, if necessary. Just as he'd done when destroying Takigakure and capturing a tailed beast.
One should know the price of bargaining with a snake.
Shisha met Kabuto's snake-like gaze, and his body tensed. A chill crawled through his veins, freezing his blood.
"I promised it long ago," said a cold voice.
Kakuzu stepped forward, cutting off Kabuto's stare. "The Hero Water is his reward. You're not losing anything."
Kabuto's smile returned, thin and insincere.
"Very well. It's not worth an argument," he said. "I'll just collect another later. It's only a short walk."
His candor unsettled Shisha. Kabuto hadn't snatched the water on the spot, but it didn't mean he would be so generous next time.
After a moment of tense silence, Kakuzu gave the order.
"Give him half of the sap from the sacred tree."
Shisha hesitated. His face stiffened, but he obeyed. From within his robes, he drew a gourd-shaped glass container, poured half the glowing liquid into a separate vessel, and handed it to Kabuto—buying his life for the moment.
Kabuto accepted the prize with a satisfied smile and sealed it into a scroll.
With the Jinchūriki captured and Takigakure's resistance broken, the group had no reason to linger. They vanished into the trees, leaving behind the ruined village.
Soon, only the rustle of falling petals remained as the once-beautiful waterfall village returned to silence.
---
Later, in a shadowed laboratory—
Under dim light, a python slithered across the floor. It neared Orochimaru, hissing as it gently spat out a sealed white vial.
Orochimaru flicked away the mucus, unrolled the letter that accompanied the bottle, and glanced at it briefly. His eyes then returned to the clear container.
"So this is the Hero Water," he mused. "Seems deceptively simple."
The liquid was perfectly clear, free of chakra fluctuations—indistinguishable from pure water.
After a moment's thought, Orochimaru poured a small measure into a cup and offered it to a tiny white snake.
The result was instant. The snake writhed violently in pain as its chakra surged. Its body trembled, twitching in Orochimaru's hands.
Once the chakra spike began to crash, Orochimaru sliced it open with a scalpel.
Among the bloody tissue, a faint wooden pattern appeared in its muscle fibers.
Eyes gleaming, Orochimaru casually healed the creature and whispered, "As expected."
In the natural world, only two things could cause such chakra amplification: natural energy from leylines or something tied to the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Upon hearing the Hero Water was the sap of a sacred tree, Orochimaru had suspected a connection to the original God Tree.
The Hero Water's power, it now seemed, came from the creeping influence of that ancient tree—an unnatural hybridization of man and divine parasite.
"Well?"
Djinn peeked over his shoulder, glancing at the letter. "This guy's cautious. He even marked the entrances and exits to Takigakure."
Orochimaru shook his head. "Let it wait. There's no hurry."
After sending Serpentis to the Pure Land using the Spirit Transformation Technique, Orochimaru had shifted his focus to the study of First Hokage cells once again.
Now that the chakra quantity issue had been resolved, cell fusion techniques posed fewer risks. But perfect fusion remained elusive.
The invasive nature of Hashirama's cells became particularly apparent when implanted into elite shinobi.
At present, Orochimaru was studying White Zetsu clones—remnants of humans from Kaguya-hime's era, mutated by the sacred tree's corruption while trapped inside the Gedō Mazō.
These beings, born from the unnatural fusion of Ōtsutsuki and human blood, held immense research value—ideal for comparison with the First Hokage's cells.
However, White Zetsu's strength paled in comparison to the original perfect vegetative being, Hashirama Senju.
In a large tank nearby, a half-filled pool of White Zetsu tissue pulsed faintly.
Orochimaru had found them easy to cultivate. As long as nutrients flowed, they grew. It was simply a matter of speed.
"You should be more cautious," Djinn muttered, circling the tank. "This lifeform isn't quite human. It might even resurrect itself."
After all, plant vitality far surpassed that of animals.
In Djinn's memory, the only surefire method to destroy White Zetsu was Naruto, in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, who could overwhelm it with pure life energy and turn it to dust.
"I'll take note," Orochimaru replied mildly.
He began experimenting on the cells again, destabilizing their form to probe the limits of their vegetative transformation.
---
Half a month later.
In the quiet laboratory, another python appeared from thin air.
Sensing its presence, Orochimaru frowned.
This one wasn't from Kabuto—but from the Snake Princess of Ryūchi Cave.
"Tch… seems the three snake sisters are running out of patience," Djinn said with a smirk, poking his head out from behind Orochimaru.
"They may see time differently than we do, but even they don't wait forever."
Orochimaru shot him a glance. "If you knew that, why didn't you remind me?"
_____________________
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