In the vast underground space of the Laboratory, the Zero-Tails, its snake-like body coiled, raised its neck high and looked down at Orochimaru.
The Ryougi Sealing Technique formula spiraled across its body.
Orochimaru held a syringe, drawing the Zero-Tails' blood. Looking at the bright red blood in the syringe, she could feel the vitality contained within it.
This was not the first time she had drawn the Zero-Tails' blood; under the restraint of the Two Extremes Sealing, the Zero-Tails was relatively docile.
The Zero-Tails, unable to devour the Nine-Tailed, had its Chakra continuously growing at a slow rate.
Orochimaru noticed that the Zero-Tails was absorbing Natural Energy little by little and converting it into Chakra.
This method of Chakra extraction was identical to that of the Nine-Tailed.
It could even be said to be an ability inherited by the Tailed Beasts from the God Tree. As Chakra-based life forms, Tailed Beasts didn't need to eat; absorbing Natural Energy prevented hunger, and their Chakra naturally came from converted Natural Energy.
In a room in the Laboratory, Orochimaru looked at the analysis report of her own blood.
After multiple analyses and data comparisons, her cells had indeed changed, becoming closer to the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave, and her lifespan had also increased.
However, it was still far from reaching the level of the Three Snake Princesses, who could casually live for a thousand years.
Based on the analysis data, living to 150 or 160 years old was not an issue for her.
The cellular changes were due to my complete snake transformation and subsequent metamorphosis into a dragon, which caused my cells to become this way.
This also meant that Ryūchi Cave's perfect Sage Mode inherently possessed the characteristic of altering the practitioner's species.
Ryūchi Cave's was snake transformation, while Mount Myōboku's was frog transformation.
Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode training was less dangerous, with the degree of frog transformation in Sage Mode determining its perfection; the less obvious the frog transformation, the more perfect the Sage Mode.
This could be seen from Jiraiya's Sage Mode; his Sage Mode was not perfect and still required the assistance of two Sages.
Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode, however, was the opposite: the closer the appearance and physique were to the Sages of Ryūchi Cave, the more perfect the Sage Mode.
Orochimaru's Sage Mode, having fully transformed into a snake and then shed its skin to become a dragon, was undoubtedly a perfect Sage Mode.
Although dangerous, the rewards were also very substantial.
It seems that continuing to research my cells is a waste of time.
The data in Orochimaru's hand turned to ash, caught by a gust of wind, and fell into the trash can.
"Orochimaru, this is the analysis data of the Zero-Tails' blood." Hyuga Mio pushed open the door and entered.
Her black hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head, and her cold white eyes were hidden behind golden-rimmed glasses.
She wore a white lab coat over a black fishnet shirt, which was actually an inner armor made with mixed wire, lightweight and breathable.
Its defense wasn't great, but it could somewhat resist damage from Ninja tools.
If one were to truly rely on this for defense against Ninja tool attacks, it would be better to wear plate armor.
"What are you doing?" Hyuga Mio noticed the ashes in the trash can, clearly the remains of burnt paper used for printing analysis data.
Orochimaru took the analysis data Hyuga Mio handed her and said, "Analyzing my blood data. Researching my cells is a waste of time; it's better to research the Zero-Tails' cells."
"Mio, we need to conduct new experiments." Orochimaru walked past Hyuga Mio, looking at the analysis data.
"Orochimaru, what about your training in Ryūchi Cave?" Hyuga Mio remembered Orochimaru saying that her training in Ryūchi Cave was interrupted, not completed.
Orochimaru paused, glancing at Hyuga Mio from the corner of her eye, and smiled. "My training in Ryūchi Cave is, by a stretch, complete. There's no need to waste time going there again, at least not now."
Orochimaru felt like she was going to die from being so busy; there were too many things to do.
What effect would liquid contact lenses have after injecting Sage Chakra? It was inconvenient to try it in Ryūchi Cave before; it wouldn't be good if it damaged her eyes.
Perhaps she could develop liquid contact lenses for use in Sage Mode, and injecting Sage Chakra might even allow them to resist the genjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Actually, creating snake corneas to resist genjutsu would be more convenient, but she didn't like the feeling of losing her vision.
Research on Chakra Poison was still ongoing, and she needed to find a way for the toxin to devour Chakra and proliferate more quickly within the poisoned person's body.
In terms of biotechnology, after obtaining Shinno's Forbidden Technique, there had been significant progress, and new results would soon emerge from the research on Zero-Tails Cells.
Once the new research results were out, she also had to solve the problems with Naino's body.
At the Laboratory Base, the research on Chakra explosives had been changed to Sage Art Explosives, and the Sage Chakra refined by Shadow Clones absorbing Natural Energy was sufficient.
Regarding the Eye Sealing Curse Mark, she had never given up on its research. Even if it could cause even a tiny bit of influence on eyes of the Rinnegan level, the time she spent researching the Eye Sealing Curse Mark would not have been wasted.
Her training in Chakra nature transformation and shape transformation also hadn't stopped.
Despite numerous failures, Orochimaru still hadn't given up on the idea of creating Truth-Seeking Orbs by hand.
Truth-Seeking Orbs were far more useful than any Bloodline Limit. Once she could create Truth-Seeking Orbs by hand, she wouldn't even want the kusanagi sword, that piece of junk the Three Snake Princesses gave her; how could the kusanagi sword compare to Truth-Seeking Orbs!
Not to mention, she had also promised Grandma Mito that she would occasionally drop by the Sealing Team, and perhaps even stand at the podium to lecture.
This task certainly couldn't be done by a Shadow Clone; if she were discovered, Grandma Mito would get angry again.
Sigh, asking her to lecture, wasn't that putting her in a difficult position?
Could she do it?
Was she cut out for that?
Outside Konoha, the wreckage of the Sky Ninja's Air Fortress remained. After deliberation, the Konoha Higher-Ups decided not to dismantle it, but to leave it there as a symbol of Konoha's people working together to defeat the Sky Ninja who attacked Konoha.
After a thorough search of the Air Fortress, it was determined that there was nothing useful to be found. It was no longer off-limits to people, but had become a tourist hotspot for Konoha, surrounding Villages, and the Land of Fire.
"Why did it turn out like this?!"
Jiraiya collapsed to his knees, clutching his head, looking at the wreckage of the Air Fortress.
"Why was I training on Mount Myōboku when the Village was attacked?! Is it really because I wasn't in Konoha that the enemy dared to attack Konoha? This is all my fault!"
The people around him, hearing the first half of his sentence, thought he was blaming himself for not participating in the defense of Konoha. But upon hearing his arrogant and narcissistic words, their gazes towards him became subtle, a look of pity for a fool.
"Isn't this person a fool?"
"Mommy, what's wrong with that big brother?"
"Be good, baby, don't look at him. If you stare at a fool for too long, you'll become foolish too."
Seeing the people around him pointing fingers, Jiraiya's face flushed, and he quickly stood up from the ground, dusting off his pants.
"Pfft..."
Orochimaru couldn't help but let out a snicker at this scene.
"Hey! What are you laughing at?!"
Jiraiya, mortified, pointed at Orochimaru.
"Jiraiya, did you just get back from Mount Myōboku?"
Orochimaru slightly lifted her hood, revealing her cool and serene face.
"B-b-big sister? Who are you?!"
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru, who was much more mature and beautiful than he remembered.
Bang—!
Orochimaru couldn't resist and punched Jiraiya on the head.
"I never thought so much would happen so soon after I left the Village. Is it really because of Lord Jiraiya's deterrence?"
Jiraiya stuck out his right thumb, pointing at himself, grinning with a mouthful of white teeth, as self-satisfied as ever.
"By the way, Orochimaru, why have you grown so much? Have you developed any new pills? The kind that makes you grow up?"
Jiraiya clasped his hands together, looking at Orochimaru ingratiatingly, breathing heavily through his nostrils as if he had thought of something, and said impatiently, "You've developed such an amazing pill, you must let me try it! You don't have to make me grow too much... 20 years old, no! How about 18? 18 is enough!"
"Jiraiya, you're thinking too much. My change is the result of my training in Ryūchi Cave."
Orochimaru looked speechlessly at Jiraiya, who was imagining something terrible, and moved a little to the side.
"You found Ryūchi Cave! How was the training in Ryūchi Cave? How was the food? You didn't have to eat bugs like me, did you?"
Jiraiya was somewhat anticipating Orochimaru's diet in Ryūchi Cave. He could now eat all sorts of live bugs without batting an eye.
But the problem was, he really didn't like eating bugs!
Eating bugs didn't have any benefits for training either... it was just too painful... "I brought my own food when I went to Ryūchi Cave for training, precisely to prevent situations like yours, Jiraiya. I don't want a bug feast."
Orochimaru saw through Jiraiya's ill-intentioned anticipation, but unfortunately, she had to disappoint him. The food made by the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave was very normal, though somewhat lacking in flavor.
Jiraiya exclaimed in disappointment, "Too cunning! You really should experience the feeling of eating bugs too, Orochimaru!"
"Even if I hadn't brought food, I wouldn't have to eat bugs. The ones who helped me train in Ryūchi Cave were the three beautiful Snake Princesses. Here's a photo."
Orochimaru took out a photo of herself with the Three Snake Princesses.
"Why is it like this... I'm training on Mount Myōboku... Toads... Everywhere are toads..."
Jiraiya looked at the Three Snake Princesses in the photo, each beautiful in her own way, and felt completely disheartened. He repeatedly bumped his head against a tree trunk, recalling that all he met on Mount Myōbōku were toads, and his mindset collapsed.
It was all training, so why was there such a huge difference?
"Are you alright?"
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya, who was clearly quite shaken.
Jiraiya, with snot and tears, said with deep regret, "I also wish I had pretty big sisters to help me train!"
Not to mention pretty big sisters, even pretty little sisters would double his motivation to train, and he might have perfected Sage Mode long ago!
(Fukasaku & Shima: ?)
"Stay away from me!"
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya as if he were something dirty, moving away from him in disgust.
Couldn't this idiot Jiraiya be a little more normal?
"Has the Great Toad Sage not given you a prophecy yet?"
Orochimaru crossed her arms. Judging by Jiraiya's appearance, the Great Toad Sage's prophecy would probably come in the next two years.
In a few more years, the conflicts between the Various Ninja Villages would intensify, and war would be imminent. There would be no time for him to travel the various countries.
"Not yet."
Jiraiya thought of the Great Toad Sage's prophecy for him and then recalled what Orochimaru had said many years ago. He both didn't want to know the prophecy and wanted to know it, as it was about his future.
But did his future really have to be decided by a prophecy?
Jiraiya felt somewhat lost regarding this question.
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