On the thirteenth underground floor of the Scientific Research Bureau, Ryoma walked beside Orochimaru, the two advancing through a dim steel-lined corridor.
Although he already had information about Mōryō, Ryoma wasn't concerned. He had come here primarily to review Orochimaru's research progress on the Gelel Stone.
"In other words, is it really alright to leave Tsunade alone like that?" Orochimaru asked with a trace of amusement, a hint of suspicion in his tone.
"It's fine. I'll speak to her later," Ryoma replied casually. "Besides, she's exactly the right person to entrust this to."
"Oh? After all… considering your relationship with her."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a knowing smile—one of those 'everyone understands' expressions.
Their conversation continued as they walked, and soon they arrived at a sealed laboratory.
Click. Click. Click…
Orochimaru tapped several commands into the console.
With a deep mechanical hum, the floor split open. Metal plates slid aside, and a cubic containment pod rose from below. Its armored shell unfolded layer by layer, cold vapor spilling into the air.
When the exterior fully retracted, a transparent cylindrical vessel was revealed. Inside, emerald fluid swirled gently.
"The Elixir of Life," Orochimaru said.
Responding to Ryoma's earlier request, Orochimaru had already produced a prototype of the longevity serum.
For now, only Ryoma's inner circle, certain imperial high-level officials, and personnel involved in the mission were aware of the Gelel veins and the new technologies tied to them. The power was unfamiliar even to most shinobi. To avoid mass panic or unwanted speculation, Ryoma planned to wait until they had fully researched and mastered this new force before making it public.
Orochimaru continued, "Based on all research so far, there's no definitive proof that the Gelel Stone originates from another world… but its characteristics are far too unusual. In my opinion, the connection is undeniable."
Ryoma raised an eyebrow—the interpretation matched his own thoughts exactly.
According to Elder Kahiko, even their ancestors never understood where the Gelel Stone originally came from. It simply appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. Combined with the ancient summoning array found in the ruins…
"If I can use that array to connect to the world of One Piece, the world of Bleach, or even more distant realms," Ryoma mused inwardly, "I won't need to develop everything personally. I could send shinobi from my empire into those worlds… spread our influence through countless dimensions. The idea alone is fascinating."
Recently, the influx of new resources and technologies had been pulling his attention in many directions.
The current Akatsuki was still only a half-complete organization. Black Zetsu had spent years piecing together replacements—Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, Sasori—but so many were already dead, defeated, or captured by Ryoma for experimentation. The organization was now a hollow shadow of what it should've been.
Ryoma planned to take time later to capture the final missing member on his list: Kisame Hoshigaki.
He hadn't expected Kisame to still be alive.
Back in the Land of Water, Ryoma had run the man clean through—he had assumed it was fatal. Yet Kisame survived, lingering for more than a decade into this new era and even rejoining the Akatsuki.
Worse, he now had every reason to oppose Ryoma and the Ninja Empire in secret.
Among all remaining threats, Kisame likely possessed the most information. Once Ryoma secured Black Zetsu's exact location, he intended to personally eliminate both.
As these thoughts simmered, Ryoma reached forward and picked up the test tube. A faint, chilling sensation seeped into his palm.
He gave a small smile.
"So, have you tested this?" he asked. "Can this potion truly extend human lifespan?"
After contemplating for a moment, Orochimaru finally spoke.
"We've run several trials. The potion does accelerate wound healing and can cure a variety of illnesses. But as for extending lifespan…" He gave a small shrug. "The results remain… less than ideal."
As he spoke, Orochimaru tapped the terminal beside him. A holographic display flickered to life, projecting detailed research data before Ryoma.
It was the latest report on the Elixir of Life.
Ryoma skimmed through it swiftly, his attention settling on the concluding section.
Despite securing the Gelel veins, the amount of potion they could refine was extremely limited—barely a fraction of what long-term experimentation required. Even now, only a third of their current supply had been used in controlled tests.
From ten documented trials, the agent indeed reactivated some senescent cells, rejuvenating portions of the body. But to meaningfully extend one's lifespan, prolonged and consistent consumption was necessary. Otherwise, the excess Gelel energy simply converted into generalized biological energy—useful for strengthening the body, yes, but nothing close to true longevity.
In other words, the so-called "life potion" enhanced physical capability, but genuine life extension required enormous quantities. Considering their goals and resource constraints, the cost-to-benefit ratio was extremely poor.
"Continue the experiments," Ryoma said decisively.
The research potential of the Elixir was immense. Even though Ryoma wielded the power of the Six Paths and possessed vitality far surpassing ordinary shinobi, it did not make him immune to aging. Even the Sage of Six Paths himself eventually aged with time.
As for relying on the Rinnegan's abilities to resurrect or reincarnate repeatedly—Ryoma considered it an unnecessarily troublesome approach. It couldn't compare to fundamentally elevating his level of existence.