It took about ten minutes before Yakushi Kabuto returned with a prisoner to Orochimaru's side.
Although Kabuto held deep admiration for Senju Haruto's power and experiences, in his heart Orochimaru would always be the most important person to him.
It was Orochimaru who had accepted him when he was most helpless, who gave him belonging, and who gave him a home.
No matter what, Kabuto would devote himself to helping Orochimaru fulfill his ambitions.
Yet when he saw Haruto preparing the strange potion brewed from the Heart-Shaped Herb, his curiosity flared.
As a medical-nin, Kabuto was exceptionally talented—so much so that even Tsunade, the legendary Sannin herself, had once praised him for being extraordinary.
He never forgot a single herb he had laid eyes on.
But when he saw this "Heart-Shaped Herb," he drew a complete blank.
"What is this?" Kabuto couldn't help but ask.
Haruto gave him a sidelong glance.
This was the same man who, in the Fourth Shinobi World War, had stirred up no small amount of chaos.
And yet, in another sense, Kabuto could be called something else in the world of Naruto—a "dream fulfiller."
He had allowed Dan and Tsunade their final farewell.
He had let Granny Chiyo see that she hadn't placed her hopes in the wrong person.
He had given Zabuza and Haku the chance to witness Naruto's growth.
A dream fulfiller, through and through.
"This is a special herb. It strengthens the body's functions, with no side effects," Haruto explained.
Then, after a pause, he added, "The only risk is that you may fall into a near-death state—and possibly never wake up again."
Kabuto hadn't expected an answer at all.
When he worked up the courage to ask, he had been prepared for nothing more than a cold stare. Someone of Haruto's caliber had no reason to waste words on the likes of him.
Yet Haruto had taken the time to patiently explain.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, a flicker of warmth in his chest. For a brief moment, he thought Haruto might actually be a kind man.
And suddenly, he understood why Haruto wanted to use Orochimaru's prisoners.
Meanwhile, the prisoner himself was trembling with terror.
Hearing that he might never wake up filled him with dread. His first instinct was to run—but the moment he turned and saw Orochimaru watching, he froze.
They were all just Orochimaru's test subjects, disposable at any time.
Trying to escape would only lead to a fate far worse than death.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, taking an involuntary step back.
"Don't worry. The success rate is quite high. And if you survive, the power you gain will be extraordinary," Haruto said evenly.
The enhancement from the Heart-Shaped Herb was no weaker than Captain Rogers' Super Soldier Serum.
Even in the Naruto world, such strength was beyond the reach of an ordinary shinobi.
And these prisoners weren't remarkable to begin with. Many weren't even ninjas—just wanderers and drifters Orochimaru had gathered from across the world.
The prisoner stared nervously at Haruto, then at the bowl of potion being handed to him. There was no choice.
Under everyone's gaze, he drank every drop of the Heart-Shaped Herb concoction.
Immediately, a wave of searing pain tore through his body.
His throat constricted as if something was lodged inside, choking off both voice and breath.
Thud!
He collapsed to his knees, clutching his neck, his face contorting in agony.
Moments later, he toppled forward and lay motionless on the ground—on the verge of death.
Haruto only glanced down, his expression unchanged.
If this one failed, there would be another.
Orochimaru and Kabuto, however, fixed their eyes on the prisoner, anticipation flickering in their hearts.
Time crept by.
Then, suddenly, the prisoner stirred.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. Pressing his palms against the floor, he pushed himself up.
The pain had vanished. In its place surged a wellspring of strength, overflowing from within.
He straightened his back and clenched his fists.
His body felt utterly transformed—both flesh and spirit.
"Kabuto," Haruto called quietly, making a hand gesture.
He wanted Kabuto to test the results—and tossed the prisoner a kunai.
Though the Heart-Shaped Herb had strengthened him, he was still no match for Orochimaru.
But against Kabuto, he should at least put up a fight.
Orochimaru instinctively stepped back, leaving space for the spar. He too was eager to see what would happen.
He remembered this particular prisoner well. He had picked him up in the Land of Grass—a frail slave, so weak that any genin could have cut him down with ease.
For someone like that to stand against Kabuto should have been nothing more than a fantasy.
And yet, something about him now felt completely different.
There was a strange aura emanating from his body.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes, pulling a kunai from his pouch and channeling chakra into the blade.
What unsettled him was how wary he suddenly felt of the man in front of him.
It didn't make sense—but deep down, his instincts screamed of danger.
At Haruto's signal, the prisoner struck first.
Even he was startled by how natural his movements felt. He had never trained in taijutsu, and yet his body flowed as if it had been drilled a thousand times.
He lunged at Kabuto.
When Kabuto swept his leg in a counterattack, the prisoner slipped to the right in a smooth sliding step, evading with ease.
Kabuto's eyes widened in shock.
Before he could react, the prisoner's kunai was already at his throat.
Had this been a real battle, Kabuto would already be dead.
The power this "ordinary prisoner" displayed was unimaginable.
Even Orochimaru stood dumbstruck, frozen in place.
He had half-expected Kabuto to lose, but not like this.
One move.
One exchange.
And Kabuto had been completely overwhelmed.
"Excellent," Haruto said with satisfaction, nodding.
This confirmed it—the Heart-Shaped Herb potion could be administered to everyone in the bases.
The most important part was that the herb dramatically reinforced the human body.
That meant these enhanced soldiers might even be able to withstand Hulk Serum afterward.
An entire army of Hulks.
Just the thought made Haruto's blood stir.
He could already picture the expressions on the Black Order's faces when tens of thousands of Hulks stood in their way.
"Orochimaru," Haruto ordered, "distribute this potion to everyone in the bases. Then—prepare for war."