"Orochimaru-sensei, what exactly are you researching here?"
Kin curiously examined the animal corpses Orochimaru was studying, all marked with sealing techniques.
The seals resembled Basic Internal Energy techniques but were distinctly different, seemingly incorporating additional sealing methods.
"I'm researching the fusion of souls with chakra," Orochimaru replied without hesitation.
Certain sealing techniques could indeed seal souls, which explained the seals on these animals. However, the lifeless state of the specimens indicated the results were far from ideal.
"Fusing chakra with souls..." Kin stroked his chin. Wasn't that similar to Indra's and Asura's chakra?
"Chakra is fundamentally a combination of spiritual and physical energy. Your Basic Internal Energy Technique seals the body's energy," Orochimaru explained. "I'm exploring whether we can reverse the process to fuse with the soul."
Orochimaru believed that merely sealing the body only preserved its vitality, extending life by a few years. But that fell short of his goal: immortality. Souls, however, endured far longer than physical forms. Could chakra be used to sustain a soul indefinitely?
By relying on the soul, one could achieve eternal life simply by switching bodies. This was the premise of his research.
Kin extracted some of Orochimaru's latest knowledge from his mental database, noting several new additions. This was why he admired innovative minds like Orochimaru's.
"Orochimaru-sama, have you considered the possibility of merging the body and soul?" Kin proposed.
"How would that even work?" Orochimaru fell into deep thought. Current ninjutsu understanding treated the soul and body as entirely separate entities. No one had ever considered their fusion possible. Moreover, he remained skeptical about the body's longevity.
"Let's set aside the origins of body and soul for now," Kin said, running his fingers over the seals on the animal corpse and channeling chakra into it.
He could indeed sense the absence of something—likely the soul. Souls were inherently difficult to perceive, but his chakra's fixed Yin nature allowed him to detect them to some extent. The Soul Illumination Technique also played a role here.
"If chakra is the product of the soul and body, then it naturally connects the two. By using chakra as a bridge, we could bind them together," Kin elaborated. "Could we then create a body with the same lifespan as the soul?"
Orochimaru licked his lips at Kin's suggestion. "Kin-kun, your ideas are truly ingenious."
Moreover, Kin's research skills were exceptional. In some ways, Orochimaru felt Uchiha Kin's development abilities might even surpass his own.
"What if we used chakra as a medium to create a Kekkei Genkai that fuses the soul and body?" Hizure interjected with a hypothesis.
Orochimaru shot Hizure a meaningful glance. Indeed, anyone valued by Kin was no ordinary individual. This man was clearly a research talent.
But...
Please don't let him be as eccentric as Might Dai.
Orochimaru shuddered at the thought of Dai's bizarre antics. One Might Dai was enough; another would drive him insane!
Surely not.
How could there be so many oddballs? Orochimaru reassured himself. After all, Hizure had once been his friend, and the Hizure he knew was far from eccentric.
Quickly shaking off his worries, Orochimaru refocused as the three launched into a heated discussion.
All three were skilled researchers, though Hizure lagged slightly, occasionally struggling to keep up with Kin and Orochimaru's ideas. The two patiently clarified their points, and the conversation gradually expanded from souls and bodies to other ninjutsu topics. At one point, Hizure even shared vague details about his Kimmimaro-related research.
Though his explanation was ambiguous, Orochimaru—being who he was—instantly grasped the essence of the technique. He gave Hizure another meaningful look before continuing the discussion.
Meanwhile, Hyuga Kiyoshi stood in silence.
Watching the trio converse so animatedly, he felt utterly out of place.
Was ninjutsu really this complicated?
Team Kin got along splendidly with Orochimaru.
The three researchers shared a strong intellectual rapport. Both Hizure and Orochimaru gained significant insights, though Kin himself didn't benefit as much. His role was primarily to provide ideas, as his peerless talent allowed him to deduce whether certain developments were feasible simply by deduction.
After all, once results were achieved, they couldn't be hidden. He could always monitor the progress.
Kin settled into a routine: home, Orochimaru's lab, the training grounds, and sessions with Namikaze Minato. As time passed, his strength grew steadily each day.
In the lab, Hyuga Kiyoshi stood guard as usual while Orochimaru and Hizure conducted their experiments.
As for Kin?
He was busy practicing his Chakra Internal Energy Technique.
Nowadays, ninja training isn't just about mastering techniques—it also requires time to extract and accumulate chakra.
Just as the lab hummed with activity, the door swung open.
A figure emerged, casting a shadow that seemed to darken the room.
"Orochimaru," Shimura Danzo called coldly.
His gaze swept across the lab, lingering briefly on Kin before moving on.
Danzo signaled Orochimaru with his eyes—certain matters weren't for outsiders' ears.
"Don't worry, Danzo-sama. They're all my people," Orochimaru replied, licking his lips.
After all, two of them were hardly loyal to Konoha. Anything Danzo disclosed wouldn't be leaked.
Danzo frowned.
"Besides, they're all excellent researchers. They already know much," Orochimaru added.
Though Danzo remained displeased, his current partnership with Orochimaru left him no room to object.
"I expect results soon. All test subjects are prepared," Danzo said coldly.
Currently, Orochimaru was the only one in the village capable of researching Hashirama's cells. Others couldn't even begin the experiments, which was why Danzo had pinned his hopes on him.
"I can begin the experiments anytime," Orochimaru replied. While he wasn't particularly invested in Hashirama's cells themselves, their vitality intrigued him greatly.
"Then come with me," Danzo ordered, his cold eyes scanning the others.
"They're indispensable to my work," Orochimaru reminded him. The trio's collaborative research prowess was formidable, and even Hyuga Kiyoshi's precise chakra control was invaluable. They had become a competent research team.
"See that they don't overstep," Danzo snorted before leading the group away.
...
Read 50 advance at patreon.com/CNBLUE
(End of Chapter)