"..."
With Orochimaru's currently modified serpentine body, he should, in theory, barely sweat like a snake. Yet, beads of sweat still oozed from his forehead.
Their current state could be colloquially described as two people engaged in a tug-of-war with a rope.
This kind of soul-level struggle was taking a toll on him.
However, it was still within his tolerance.
"Come in!"
Orochimaru's pupils constricted as he put all his strength into one final push.
The ninja's spirit body could no longer hold on. It opened its mouth in a silent scream, transforming into a stream of spiritual energy that surged into the "Hollow Void."
Orochimaru's body jolted violently.
He felt a spiritual torrent, filled with negative emotions, violently assaulting his mental barrier. Countless chaotic memory fragments and bone-deep hatred for the caster pricked him like poisonous needles.
"Cough!"
Orochimaru let out a muffled groan, his face turning pale and veins bulging as he closed his eyes.
As a qualified researcher, he had already considered every possibility before conducting the experiment.
Buzz!!
Eerie purple eye shadow patterns appeared at the corners of Orochimaru's eyes. The Sage Mode chakra within his body transformed into the finest sieve in the final stage.
After thoroughly pulverizing the spirit body, it was filtered and purified, like sifting sand from water.
As a large amount of impurities in the spirit body were shattered, sieved out, and purified, the chaotic and violent spirit body gradually shed its mottled colors, transforming into pure spiritual energy that flowed into Orochimaru's own soul!
Boom!
A vast and immense warm current instantly filled Orochimaru's brain. He abruptly opened his eyes, as if a faint white glow emanated from them.
"It worked?!"
Orochimaru lowered his gaze to his palm in disbelief, a grotesque, twisted grin spreading across his lips as he exclaimed in ecstasy: "Hahahaha! It really worked! I did it!"
"With this jutsu, I lack nothing now!!"
He could feel his slightly fatigued soul, like parched land receiving sweet rain, becoming incredibly full and solid. His chakra extraction became smoother and more potent!
His perception of the world also became sharper and clearer, as if the entire world before him had become crystal clear!
However, no matter how strong his sensory abilities were, he couldn't detect the hidden surveillance at this moment.
[Ding, your lie has been judged as [Luring the Enemy into a Trap][Making a Falsehood True][Stealing a Beam and Replacing a Pillar]. Orochimaru experienced intense emotional fluctuations, reaching the degree of [Rushing to be the First]. You have gained 3000 Manifestation Points...]
"Interesting."
Through the recording function of the scroll, Hyuga Kawa had roughly understood what Orochimaru had done, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
Should he say, as expected of "Lord Orochimaru"?
The fundamental understanding and operational experience of souls gained from "Impure World Reincarnation."
The revelation that souls could be manipulated by external forces, gained from "Reanimation Jutsu," combined with the guidance of the scroll, transformed "Summoning Restriction" into "Active Consumption."
Additionally, his own Yin Release chakra nature and shape transformation, along with his profound expertise in biology and soul studies, provided the theoretical support for understanding soul energy and the transformation process.
Undoubtedly, all of this was built upon Orochimaru's decades of insatiable accumulation of vast knowledge, deep understanding of various forbidden jutsu, and profound mastery in the field of souls.
And Hyuga Kawa's scroll guided Orochimaru's research direction, shifting it from replacing physical containers for survival to devouring souls for strength.
It was like the final crucial puzzle piece, perfectly connecting and integrating the seemingly scattered, even contradictory, fragments of his lifelong learning within a completely new framework.
"Leaving this to Orochimaru was indeed the most suitable choice," Hyuga Kawa couldn't help but marvel at Orochimaru's usefulness again. "Thanks to Lord Orochimaru for saving me a huge amount of points."
He had tried to manifest soul-devouring techniques before, but just like several forbidden jutsu used by Orochimaru, possessing such a technique was equivalent to possessing several forbidden jutsu.
Impure World Reincarnation, Reanimation Jutsu, Reaper Death Seal, Sage Mode...
So the price given by the system made Hyuga Kawa click his tongue in dismay.
Most crucially, it required profound mastery of Yin Release chakra nature and shape transformation, an aspect that Hyuga Kawa couldn't easily grasp in a short time.
However, recording Orochimaru's theoretical framework for the technique and then using points to manifest and transplant it onto 'Hollows' would be much more convenient.
Hyuga Kawa's previous modification of Karin's mother into a 'Hollow' had completely bypassed all steps, relying entirely on the system's operation.
But even for just one person, it cost him two thousand points. The next modification would be the same price, and no matter how many points he had, he couldn't afford to squander them like that.
As for now...
Hyuga Kawa silently recited in his mind: "Manifest - based on the evolutionary direction of Hollow forms, transplant Orochimaru's soul-eating ability, modify the spirit body..."
[Expend 200 points? Manifest?]
Hearing this number, Hyuga Kawa couldn't help but smile again.
Indeed, the form of the 'Hollow' was not important; what was most important was its ability to devour souls and evolve.
Now that this stage had been cracked by Orochimaru, merely replicating it wouldn't cost too many points.
So...
"As expected, I still have to thank Lord Orochimaru." Hyuga Kawa nodded. "Hmm, then next time, I won't trick him too badly."
Of course, that's assuming he still remembers this "promise" by then.
Hyuga Kawa looked at the recording transmitted back by the scroll, the smile on his face gradually turning into an expression of thought.
At first, he had only intended to create 'Hollows,' but after seeing Orochimaru devour souls with a living body, a bolder idea suddenly popped into his mind.
"Since there are already Hollows, can 'Soul Reapers' exist? Are Zanpakutō feasible?"
'Soul Reapers' and 'Hollows' are essentially spirit bodies.
The difference lies in the fact that the former's soul strength is almost determined by talent, with postnatal effort generally not causing much change, while the latter gradually evolves and grows stronger by devouring.
Their manifestations of power also differ.
A 'Soul Reaper' injects their soul into a blade, thereby awakening unique abilities, which are released through "Shikai" and "Bankai"—the so-called "Zanpakutō."
A Zanpakutō's shape, state, and abilities are constructed based on the 'Soul Reaper's own soul. Power is gained by communicating with it and learning its true name.
A 'Hollow,' on the other hand, inherently possesses special abilities. It transforms into a human form by injecting its power into a blade, so once the blade's power is released, it reverts to its 'Hollow' form.
"This lie, it seems, still has room for growth?"
Hyuga Kawa's eyes flickered slightly as he pondered: "As long as the definition of 'Soul Reaper' is changed, to one where they inject their own and devoured spirit bodies into a blade to awaken abilities..."
Eh?
Thinking this, a strangely strong sense of déjà vu made Hyuga Kawa pause.
Why do I feel like I've been doing this already?
"That's right," Hyuga Kawa narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself, "weren't those ninja tools in the underground palace exactly like that?"
In the future, the large-scale appearance of 'Hollows' will inevitably cause fear among the ninja world's inhabitants.
However, mere fear and death are far from enough.
The events in the underground palace have already proven that in order to spread the lie throughout the entire ninja world, sufficient "benefits" are needed to make those who don't care actively participate.
Furthermore, what Hyuga Kawa wants is turmoil and more points, not the direct annihilation of humanity in the ninja world. If even humanity is destroyed, to whom would he tell his lies?
He wants to reach the highest peak, not be some anti-human lunatic. The system isn't some strength-through-killing system; wiping out people won't give him anything.
Sustainable development maximizes benefits. Draining the pond to catch all the fish is not advisable, so naturally, there won't be any inexplicable extermination...
Hmm, even if the ninja world truly needs to be destroyed, he should squeeze out all its value first, with sufficient profit to be gained.
"From this perspective, the advent of 'Hollows' cannot be the end of this lie. A fragile yet stable balance must be established. The concept of 'Zanpakutō' is feasible."
Hyuga Kawa made his final decision.
Since that's the case...
He looked at Orochimaru again through the scroll's image.
It seems I'll have to make the esteemed Lord Orochimaru suffer a little more.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru was also gradually calming down from his ecstasy.
"Hah!"
Orochimaru let out a deep breath, the air seemingly mixed with the scent of death and new life, and he couldn't help but crack a cold, satisfied smile.
"There are still flaws..."
His murmuring voice echoed in the empty laboratory, carrying the rationality and coldness unique to a researcher.
"The stripping of 'impurities' ultimately cannot be perfect."
Feeling the lingering will in his mind and the chaotic memory fragments, Orochimaru's brows gradually furrowed.
These minute remnants were like persistent parasites. They would accumulate with the number of souls devoured, and one day, they would make him no longer himself.
Was there any way to solve this problem?
As he pondered, his gaze subconsciously fell upon the scroll, and a light hundreds of times more intense than before ignited in the depths of his eyes.
The door to a new path had been pushed open by him, but it was merely a starting point.
Within that scroll, there must be even more terrifying secrets!
With this thought, Orochimaru moved his serpentine tail and picked up the scroll again.
In the shadows, a sympathetic smile appeared on Hyuga Kawa's face.
Sigh, the "Space-Time Hole" hasn't been found yet, and Lord Unchiki isn't satisfied.
However, Lord Unchiki truly appreciates your efforts.
Since you desire it so much, I shall grant your wish.
Thus, the scroll, which Orochimaru couldn't open, reflected in his constricted snake eyes. As he pulled it open, the subsequent content revealed itself to him little by little.
And just the first line of text made his expression shift into utter ecstasy.
[Humans slaying Hollows must use "Asauchi" to pierce their bone mask, absorb the Hollow's soul into the blade, use the Hollow's soul as a guide, combine it with their own spirit as a medium, call its true name to release its initial form, and finally achieve a "Soul-Slaying Blade"...]