The next day.
When Itachi woke up, he saw Orochimaru busy at work.
"Awake?"
Noticing Itachi, Orochimaru paused for a moment before speaking softly.
"Yes, I'm awake," Itachi replied with a slight nod.
---
"The Hashirama cells you requested are ready. When should we begin?"
Orochimaru spoke bluntly.
"Let's start now."
Hearing this, Itachi smiled.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.
Itachi appreciated Orochimaru's straightforward attitude.
"Have some breakfast first; there's no need to rush," Orochimaru said with a faint smile.
Seeing Itachi's relaxed demeanor relieved some of Orochimaru's worry. If Itachi had shown any sign of facing this as though it were a death sentence, Orochimaru wouldn't have proceeded.
Confidence has a way of spreading to those around you—it's a simple truth.
---
Hearing Orochimaru's suggestion, Itachi had no objections and nodded lightly in agreement.
After all, if the procedure turned out to incapacitate him like Kakashi's ordeal, who knew when he'd get another decent meal?
Pleased with Itachi's understanding, Orochimaru said no more. He removed the lab coat-like garment he was wearing and joined Itachi in the dining hall for breakfast.
The two shared a harmonious atmosphere.
---
Itachi enjoyed his breakfast thoroughly, savoring every bite, while Orochimaru ate slowly and methodically, allowing Itachi plenty of time.
Orochimaru's thoughts mirrored Itachi's. Neither of them knew how long the upcoming procedure would take.
---
After breakfast.
Itachi lay down in the room he often stayed in.
The once-simple space was now filled with various medical instruments.
Compared to Kakashi's makeshift setup with casually hung IV bags, Itachi's room resembled a luxury hospital suite.
The contrast was stark.
As Itachi lay down, Orochimaru picked up a massive syringe filled with a green liquid.
"Don't worry, I won't inject this all at once. We'll do it in stages. I'll ensure you gain this power as safely and comfortably as possible," Orochimaru explained with a sly smile, noticing Itachi's fixed gaze on the needle.
"O-okay…" Itachi stammered, swallowing nervously as he eyed the intimidating syringe.
---
Time passed.
Itachi was soon covered in a network of strange medical devices.
Numerous syringes had been inserted into his body.
Gradually, he felt his eyelids growing heavier. Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
Orochimaru continued working tirelessly around him.
Once Itachi was sound asleep, Orochimaru picked up the large syringe set aside earlier.
He carefully injected a small amount of the green liquid into Itachi's nutrient IV.
Then, taking a smaller syringe from his toolbox, he mixed two separate substances together.
His expression grew serious as he monitored Itachi's physical condition, glancing frequently at the equipment tracking his vital signs.
This approach was worlds apart from how he had treated Kakashi, where one large injection had sufficed.
The difference was glaring.
---
Several days passed, and Itachi remained unconscious.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, hadn't closed his eyes for days. His bloodshot gaze was unnerving.
"Ding!"
The sound of the equipment snapped Orochimaru out of his daze.
He grabbed the large syringe nearby, but this time, instead of injecting it into the nutrient IV, he moved toward the machine connected to Itachi.
Slowly and carefully, he began injecting the Hashirama cells.
His expression was somber as he meticulously controlled the dosage.
---
A piercing alarm from the machines monitoring Itachi's heart rate suddenly blared.
Orochimaru ignored the noise, keeping his eyes fixed on Itachi's face.
This was the most critical moment. From here on out, Itachi was on his own.
There was nothing more Orochimaru could do to help.
The preparatory work he had done earlier was already everything he could manage.
Of course, if Itachi were truly in danger, he still had a method to immediately render the Hashirama cells invading Itachi's body useless.
However, if it came to that, it would signify a failed transplantation.
To attempt another Hashirama cell transplantation, he would have to wait several more years—time needed to address and eliminate the virus strain he developed to destroy the Hashirama cells.
...
Compared to the tormented Orochimaru, things were much easier for Itachi.
At the very beginning of the process, he had already fallen asleep.
Later, Orochimaru injected a small, controlled amount of Hashirama cells into Itachi's wrists and ankles.
The Hashirama cells did not spread aggressively or consume Itachi's cells.
Instead, they were extraordinarily docile and began to merge with Itachi's cells.
This was the result of Orochimaru's extensive research.
By doing this, Itachi's body cells could recognize and adapt to the Hashirama cells.
...
However, the Hashirama cells fused this way lacked the full potential of their original power, so they couldn't be used continuously. This method was only effective at the initial stage.
After several days of preparation, Orochimaru moved on to the main procedure.
It was as if a battle had broken out inside Itachi's body.
The wild and aggressive Hashirama cells began acting within him.
"It's up to you now."
Watching Itachi's heart rate gradually stabilize on the monitor, Orochimaru directly injected the remaining Hashirama cells into Itachi's body without further filtering or processing.
...
"You are not allowed to close your eyes. Take turns watching over him. If anything unusual happens, notify me immediately."
Orochimaru summoned a few subordinates and instructed them sternly.
The subordinates were alarmed, seeing the erratic fluctuations in Itachi's heart rate on the monitors. It was as if the numbers were dancing wildly, and they were utterly panicked.
Unlike his nervous subordinates, Orochimaru was well aware that this was just the beginning.
To gain extraordinary power, one must pay an equivalent price.
For now, he needed to rest to ensure that he would be in peak condition to address any complications during the next critical stage.
...
Inside Itachi's body, a conflict similar to last time erupted again.
Compared to before, this time the situation was far worse.
The Hashirama cells were overwhelmingly powerful, infused with Asura's chakra, Sage energy, and Hashirama's will.
Although leaderless, their quality far surpassed Itachi's own cells.
However, Itachi had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and with his strong will, he was barely able to resist the invasion.
Since Itachi's strength exceeded Kakashi's, the dosage of Hashirama cells given to him was several times greater than Kakashi's.
This was determined based on the data Orochimaru had gathered during his previous examination of Itachi.
...
Itachi's cells struggled to engulf the invading Hashirama cells.
As a foreign force, the Hashirama cells showed no regard for the fact that they were inside Itachi's body. They erupted with unrestrained power, showing no hesitation to damage his body.
However, as time passed, Itachi's cells began to incorporate the traits of the Hashirama cells through the process of engulfing them.
What was once a losing battle now began to shift slightly in Itachi's favor.
Similarly, the Hashirama cells absorbed characteristics of Itachi's cells as they consumed them, allowing them to draw energy from his body for sustenance. This only made them more ferocious, locking the situation in a deadlock.
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