Several loud, clear male voices echoed through the tree hollows, lingering in the air.
Orochimaru glanced in the direction Serpent Princess left, then turned his attention back to setting up the surgical equipment.
After all, Tagorihime was a snake that had lived for hundreds of years. Even if she didn't have much experience fighting, she was more than capable of toying with the Hidden Waterfall Village ninja.
In the blink of an eye, a simple operating room was set up on top of the altar.
It was no different from when they were in Konoha, except instead of reagent bottles, they used a water tank to deliver the nutrient solution.
During gene fusion surgery, cells undergo intense metabolism, and a sufficient supply of nutrient solution is necessary to ensure the surgery proceeds normally. Otherwise, it might consume the body's energy, leading to emaciation and a withered appearance.
Orochimaru estimated that he would probably need more nutrient solution than others.
Filling a pond is vastly different from filling a reservoir in terms of the amount of water needed.
The Lamp Spirit floated in the air and, seeing Orochimaru take out the gene fusion liquid, asked doubtfully,
"Are you starting now? Aren't you going to deal with the little things below?"
"Clearing them out takes too much time."
Orochimaru glanced in the direction below. "Besides, according to the experimental data, this surgery will be over soon, and they won't be able to do anything."
As he spoke, after securing the nutrient solution needles, Orochimaru injected the gene fusion liquid directly into his chest.
Thump, thump, thump!
His heart raced, pumping the fusion liquid throughout his body.
Instantly, his entire body, billions of cells, felt as if they were being torn apart, causing intense pain.
Waves of electrical signals surged through the nervous system, flooding the brain with extreme agony.
Orochimaru's face showed bulging veins, and his skin turned an unnatural pink color. However, he remained frozen in place, without even a hint of struggle.
This was not just because he had stronger willpower than other ninja, but more so because of the Tail-Eater.
The stronger the mental power, the greater the control over the body and the greater the ability to endure pain. And the undigested soul power replenished Orochimaru's depleted mental power.
Ordinary ninja only supplemented their bodies with some nutrients, but Orochimaru was also replenished in terms of mental strength, allowing the surgery to proceed more thoroughly.
The changes began within the smallest cells. Orochimaru felt the pain and closed his eyes slightly.
The water tank storing the nutrient solution bubbled continuously, its color gradually fading from dark green.
...
"Are we just going to stay here?"
A pure white White Zetsu clone said to its companion in the roots a hundred meters underground. "That kid is just standing there, not moving. Should we try to sneak attack him?"
"Forget it, we can't beat Orochimaru anyway. Let Obito do that."
Another White Zetsu lay sprawled in the roots, only its head showing. "If you want to go, you go. Anyway, they'll be here in half a day."
There were countless White Zetsu clones, each with its own intelligence. This one was the lazy type. Ever since it discovered this root with abundant natural energy, it had wanted to stay here and not move.
Although it couldn't disobey the commands of the main body, it dealt with other matters carelessly. It never expected that its target, Orochimaru, would appear right in front of it.
Reporting his whereabouts was its duty, but fighting him was out of the question.
"If you won't go... I will!"
The White Zetsu clone's expression turned serious, and its body merged into the tree roots. The other White Zetsu glanced at it and rolled over.
...
Due to their racial abilities, White Zetsu could move through the ground faster than any Earth Release ninja could be ashamed of. In the blink of an eye, it crossed a hundred meters and arrived near Orochimaru.
"Good opportunity!"
The White Zetsu clone poked its head out of the ground and tested the waters a few times, but Orochimaru didn't react at all.
It slowly approached, its target not Orochimaru himself, but the box containing the strange solution.
The White Zetsu clone was well aware of its limitations. Even if Orochimaru stood still and let it attack, it might not be able to kill him. It would be more appropriate to disrupt his actions.
Whoosh...
A gust of wind rushed over. The White Zetsu's face changed, and its arm immediately transformed into a sharp wooden spike, stabbing straight at the box.
However, just as it was about to strike, its body froze in place.
The earth, which was once its close partner, had trapped it. The next moment, a python slithered in front of it, and venomous fangs injected a dose of paralyzing poison, swallowing it whole.
"Oh, so cautious?"
Tagorihime flashed to the edge of the sacred tree altar and stared in the direction where the other White Zetsu clone was staying, her eyes flashing slightly.
Although Sage Mode wasn't particularly good at sensing, Tagorihime was very familiar with the underground environment. After Orochimaru's reminder, she naturally discovered these two little things.
But since only one of them attacked, they were really cautious.
Tagorihime released the python summoning, sending this special experimental material to Ryuuchi Cave along with Suien and the others, and stood by the altar, waiting.
An hour passed quickly. It took twice as long as an ordinary ninja, but the gene fusion on Orochimaru's body was finally complete.
"This feeling is quite nice."
Orochimaru stood up and casually tore off the syringes. The needle marks healed almost instantly.
The kind he did for the samurai in Konoha was limited to the torso. He couldn't and didn't dare touch the limbs or head, the probability of failure was too high.
But on his body, this gene fusion was comprehensive, both physically and mentally undergoing a transformation.
For the first time in a long time, the Lamp Spirit brought up that incomprehensible series of data panels, scrolling down to the "Passive Skills" section.
"Wooden Body, you now have this ability. Do you want to try recovering from severed limbs like Hidan?"
Orochimaru's eyes flickered, and he was somewhat tempted.
As a ninja, he naturally needed to understand what his body was capable of in order to maximize his power in battle.
And recovering from severed limbs was something he could do even before the surgery, it just wasn't as fast as Hidan.
If he really wanted to test it, why not try being beheaded?
The thought appeared in his mind, but before Orochimaru could put it into practice, the Tail-Eater inside him began to stir.
"What's going on?"
A trace of surprise flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, and his body began to swell uncontrollably.
Outside the altar, under Tagorihime's astonished gaze, Orochimaru, who was originally in human form, suddenly transformed into a giant white snake.
This was not the result of using the S-rank forbidden technique "Eight Branches Technique," but a purely physical change.
After Orochimaru's cells became wooden, the Tail-Eater seized control and transformed his body into its own form.
---
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