A few days later.
Outside Asuka Castle, at Orochimaru's underground base, Sōmi brought Sasori along for their first visit together.
"Sōmi-kun, what new toys have you brought me this time?"
Orochimaru extended his slick, slimy tongue and licked his lips.
However, Sōmi keenly noticed a strange glimmer flash through Orochimaru's eyes when he saw him.
Although it lasted only for a fleeting moment, Sōmi, having dealt with Orochimaru multiple times, immediately sensed the peculiarity.
To be honest, if Shisui's eyes turned out to be Mangekyō Sharingan, Sōmi's first target would've been this cunning and treacherous Orochimaru, ensuring he remained obediently conducting research under his supervision.
Unfortunately, Sōmi's plan had no choice but to fall through.
"Orochimaru-senpai, why do you always build your laboratories underground? Staying in such dark and damp places all the time—don't you find it uncomfortable?"
Sōmi looked around casually, seemingly uninterested in answering Orochimaru's question.
"Heh heh!"
"That's something you, Sōmi-kun, understand better than anyone."
"Some experiments simply cannot be conducted under the sunlight."
"Just like the roots of a tree—no matter how lush or grand the results above ground are, their nourishment depends on the roots that extend deep into the darkness, spreading freely..."
"Don't you agree?"
Orochimaru replied in his raspy, sinister voice.
"And this must be the genius puppeteer of Sunagakure, Sasori of the Red Sand?"
Seeing that Sōmi had no intention of introducing Sasori, Orochimaru shifted his gaze to the red-haired young man standing beside Sōmi and asked directly.
The young man with red hair had a unique appearance; his right eye was wrapped in bandages, as if it had suffered a severe injury.
However, Sasori's expression remained indifferent. He merely nodded lightly in response to Orochimaru's inquiry.
"That's right!"
"You mentioned before that the perfect vessel has already been transferred here, didn't you?"
"Just cultivate some 'Hashirama cells' and graft them onto Sasori's shoulder. There's no need to replace the entire arm."
Sōmi spoke in a tone that was both casual and practiced, as if he were a regular customer at a certain establishment, ordering a "new tea set" for his inexperienced friend.
"This is the payment!"
Sōmi pulled out two Sealing Scrolls from his waistband and tossed them to Orochimaru.
"I didn't expect Sōmi-kun to be so knowledgeable about the First Hokage's cells as well..."
"What's inside these?"
Catching the scrolls, Orochimaru asked curiously. The experimental materials Sōmi had provided in the past had always been to his liking.
Just last time, the discovery of a clan capable of naturally absorbing Natural Energy—particularly the boy named Jūgo—had been a delightful surprise.
"Two corpses from the Uchiha Clan, both with Three Tomoe Sharingan."
"Orochimaru-senpai, you know that the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan can evolve into Mangekyō Sharingan, right?"
Sōmi's eyes suddenly fixed on Orochimaru's face, as if trying to discern something from it.
"Sōmi-kun... You certainly know a lot!"
Orochimaru praised him, but his expression remained enigmatic, with a faint, unreadable smile.
"Because I've witnessed it with my own eyes—the entire process of an Uchiha evolving their Sharingan from Three Tomoe to Mangekyō under immense grief."
"The dazzling and surreal Mangekyō Sharingan is indeed mesmerizing and confounding..."
Sōmi's tone carried a hint of admiration for the Mangekyō's abilities.
"And what about the secrets of the Rinnegan... Senpai, have you ever heard anyone mention them?"
Sōmi suddenly asked.
In an instant.
The cold aura emanating from Orochimaru froze, like a venomous snake abruptly awakened.
"That... I wouldn't know."
"Sōmi-kun, do you have any information on the Rinnegan?"
Orochimaru quickly relaxed again, his gaze now filled with curiosity and desire.
"No, I was just asking casually. Let's focus on the task at hand."
"The Rinnegan... If you can evolve these Three Tomoe Sharingan into Mangekyō, or if I manage to get my hands on a Mangekyō Sharingan, we can talk about it then..."
Sōmi turned his head forward and quickened his pace, leading Sasori toward a specific laboratory as if he were very familiar with the place.
After a while.
The three of them stood beneath a large glass container, which was fitted with intricate metal instruments at both the top and bottom. The container was filled with a pale green solution.
Suspended within the solution was a bald man with his eyes closed. His skin was unnaturally pale.
However, since the "Night of the Uchiha Massacre" had never occurred, Danzo had not acquired a large number of Sharingan. As a result, this "Shin" did not have Sharingan embedded in his head or arms.
"This guy is like a perfect masterpiece gifted by the heavens. No matter what kind of tissue is transplanted onto him, there's absolutely no rejection!"
"Even the First Hokage's cells are no exception!"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with hunger and excitement as he gazed at the nude man in the container, particularly at certain "special areas."
The bizarre scene sent an involuntary shiver down Sōmi's spine.
"By the way, Senpai, do you still have plans to establish a ninja village in the Land of Rice Fields?"
Sōmi asked, watching Orochimaru manipulate the instruments.
"Not for now."
"After all, with the funding, equipment, and personnel you've provided here, if I were to venture out to the Land of Rice Fields, it would take a great deal of effort to set up a laboratory of this scale..."
Orochimaru didn't turn around, his hands still busy flipping switches and pressing buttons.
"That's for the best. The Land of Rice Fields was plundered by Kumogakure during the previous war, leaving behind nothing but ruins."
"If you were to go there, you'd only be aiding in their post-war reconstruction."
"And as I've told you before, if you truly wish to switch allegiances, Sunagakure will always welcome you."
"You could even inherit the position of the Fourth Kazekage."
"At the very least, Orochimaru-senpai, I hope we never find ourselves as enemies..."
"You are a true genius, an indispensable talent for the future transformation of this ninja world!"
Sōmi's tone carried both sincerity and an unmistakable undertone of warning and threat.
"Heh heh!"
"You overestimate me, Sōmi-kun. I have no interest in titles like Kage or the trivialities of villages. What I seek is to learn all ninjutsu, uncover every truth of time, and become... the ultimate being!"
"And Sōmi-kun, I'm sure you have plenty more treasures waiting for me to discover..."
Orochimaru suddenly turned his head, looking at Sōmi as if he were a mountain of gold.
Hiss!
As the pale green solution in the container was completely drained, a faint expression of pain appeared on the bald man's face.
"Come now, Sasori!"
"Do you prefer carving into the left shoulder or the right?"
Orochimaru walked over to another operating table and gestured to Sasori.
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