Orochimaru's movements paused. The extraction of blood into the syringe ceased.
He raised his head, his golden snake pupils turning toward Menma's shadow clone with intense interest, as if he had discovered a new treasure trove of knowledge.
Lying on the cold metal table, Kimimaro heard the words regarding the root of his lineage. His long eyelashes fluttered almost imperceptibly, and his breath seemed to hitch for a fleeting moment.
"But this power, to their frail human vessels, is a curse rather than a blessing," the shadow clone's voice continued, echoing off the sterile laboratory walls.
"It is like a fragile ceramic jar into which volcanic lava, capable of erupting with total destruction, has been forcibly poured. The vessel cannot bear the weight; the Yang power is excessive and imbalanced, constantly eroding and incinerating their life essence from within."
"This is the root of the bloodline disease. It is not a biological infection, but a mismatch between the vessel and the content—the backlash of the power itself against its host."
Orochimaru's tongue instinctively flicked across his thin lips, his eyes shimmering with a frantic, excited light.
He understood the implication perfectly. This subversive perspective immediately ignited countless new concepts and experimental directions deep within his mind.
"So… balance?" he hissed, his voice carrying a trace of unmasked urgency.
"You transplanted the Hyuga's Byakugan into this boy not merely for its insight or for a simple transplantation experiment, but for…"
"To suppress, and to harmonize," the shadow clone finished for him, the mask turning slightly toward Orochimaru.
"The Byakugan of the Hyuga clan is a crystallization of pure Yin power, representing insight, spirit, and the subtle control of chakra."
"Injecting Yin power into the bloodline does not replace the Yang; instead, it creates a dynamic balance under high pressure. The powerful Yin chakra can temporarily suppress the rampaging Yang, easing the impact of the bloodline's awakening on the physical body. It slows the onset and deterioration of the disease."
"Those eyes are the shackles that extend his life, and the key that allows him to control his power."
"Shackles… and a key…" Orochimaru repeated in a low voice, his golden slit pupils narrowing as he chewed over these contradictory terms.
He looked at Kimimaro's pale yet calm face, then at the powerful Yin energy beneath the closed eyelids. His mind surged with new experimental protocols.
In his eyes, this youth was no longer just a precious specimen.
The limits of bloodline transplantation, the possibilities of Yin-Yang fusion, the threshold of artificial vessels—the implications made Orochimaru itch to begin new Kekkei Genkai research immediately.
"Exquisite! Truly exquisite!" Orochimaru couldn't help but sigh. His voice was filled with the thrill of enlightenment regarding the nature of power and a feverish yearning for the unknown.
"Viewing bloodline atavism as the root and using opposing attributes for forced harmonization… Lord Shura, your logic has truly opened a new door for me."
When he looked at the shadow clone now, his gaze held more than just his usual wariness and calculation; it contained a layer of recognition and appreciation for a fellow seeker of pure "knowledge."
At that moment, the indicator light on the heavy, airtight alloy door turned from red to green. Accompanied by the low hiss of hydraulic pressure, the doors slid open silently.
A figure appeared in the intersection of light and shadow at the entrance.
He wore a high-collared white restrictive robe, simple and sharp in design. An indescribable gloom permeated his presence.
His grayish-white hair hung in a messy mane, partially veiling his face. His exposed skin was deathly pale, and his red eyes still held a deep, lingering dread when they landed on Shura's shadow clone.
He stood there with a slight slouch, his hands hanging unnaturally at his sides. His entire being radiated the defeated aura of someone whose spirit had been completely broken—someone who had lost all will to resist.
This was Hiruko.
The man who had attempted to ambush Uchiha Hikari in the Star Capital, only to be dragged into the world of Tsukuyomi by a single glance from her Mangekyo Sharingan. After being tortured until his mental defenses collapsed, he had now completely submitted.
The admiration and excitement on Orochimaru's face froze instantly.
The moment he recognized the figure at the door, his narrow golden snake pupils constricted into fine lines!
A rare emotion appeared on Orochimaru's face: shock.
He naturally knew this man!
Though Hiruko appeared haggard and spiritless—a far cry from the paranoid, ambitious figure of his memory—Orochimaru could never mistake that unique, chaotic chakra signature resulting from the fusion of multiple Kekkei Genkai.
After all, they were once classmates; the Sannin had been the ones sent to hunt him down years ago.
"Hiruko…" Orochimaru's voice was raspy with disbelief.
He turned his head to stare at the silent shadow clone of Shura. Inquiry, suspicion, and a touch of defensive alertness filled his golden eyes.
He knew exactly what Hiruko had been chasing.
This madman had used Konoha shinobi for his fusion experiments, crossing the line set by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
When the three of them had found Hiruko's secret lab and seen the scenes within, even Orochimaru had been shocked.
However, as Orochimaru's own desire for immortality grew, he had gradually come to understand Hiruko's perspective.
Menma's shadow clone acted as if Hiruko wasn't even there.
He didn't even turn his head; the mask remained fixed on the operating table, as if he were merely a cold fixture of the lab.
Only his toneless, low voice answered—or rather, ignored—Orochimaru's shock:
"He will be responsible for assisting you in research regarding biological tissue fusion and chakra attribute compatibility. The data on his 'Chimera Technique' has already been filed in Database No. 7."
The shadow clone spoke as if he were arranging a mundane transfer of paperwork.
Hiruko shuffled a step forward into the harsh white light.
His gaze swept hollowly over the lab. He looked at the cold instruments, the flickering data screens, the boy on the table, and finally at Orochimaru's familiar yet strange face.
"Orochimaru? It's been a long time. I didn't expect you to end up in this shape." Hiruko's gaze traveled up and down Orochimaru with a hint of playfulness, keenly realizing that Orochimaru's current vessel was female.
Then, Hiruko bowed his head slightly toward the shadow clone and said respectfully: "Yes, My Lord."
That "My Lord" hit Orochimaru's heart like a heavy iron hammer.
As an S-rank rogue ninja who predated Orochimaru's own defection—an elite Jonin who had managed to escape the pursuit of all three Sannin—the prideful Hiruko had actually been broken and tamed by Shura.
Orochimaru stared at the completely submissive Hiruko, then at the silent shadow clone of Shura radiating an invisible pressure.
Deep down, he hid his own stirring greed a little bit deeper.