The Road Ahead and Returning to the Village—Please Read On

"Aaaah!"

A miserable scream rang out from the field. A man lay prone on the ground, his skin grayish-brown and his body sprouting multiple strange limbs like those of a spider, roaring mindlessly.

The spider-leg-like appendages granted him flexible movements and agility as he leaped back and forth across the field.

His scythe-like arms slashed through the air, carving deep gashes into the surrounding walls.

About fifteen minutes later, the mutated man, who had been so ferocious moments ago, suddenly staggered and collapsed to the ground.

His two scythe-like arms struggled to push his body up, but they ultimately lacked the strength to support him.

Like a dying beast, the man struggled desperately on the ground. The light in his eyes and the rise and fall of his chest gradually weakened.

In the end, he collapsed completely. His mutated limbs began to recede, revealing the body and face of an ordinary man.

"Experiment Subject 03, failed."

Watching the scene on the screen, Kagetsu drew a vertical line on the document in his hand.

"Recover him." Orochimaru showed no disappointment at the experiment's failure. To him, this setback was nowhere near enough to shake his confidence.

All he wanted now was to analyze the test subject's physical data, identify the cause of failure, then keep searching and correcting through one trial after another until he grasped the final, correct answer.

When Kagetsu went onto the field to bring the corpse back to the Laboratory, the seemingly dead body suddenly mutated again and sprang up.

His swinging arm transformed into a scythe once more while the rest of his body remained unchanged. The man's dull gray eyes were now filled with savagery and hatred.

Yet in the next instant, his attack abruptly froze. The tip of the arm-blade was only a finger's width from Kagetsu's brow.

Though he could have pierced Kagetsu's skull in the next moment, the man's body could no longer move.

"Still alive? No, you're at the end of your rope." Kagetsu looked at the man's unwilling eyes, glanced at the shadows connecting them, and sighed softly.

With Kagetsu's words, the man's eyes finally lost all traces of life. Every mutation in his body faded away as well.

Anko watched the scene numbly. After seeing it enough times, she had grown used to it and could even lend a hand when needed, though she could only serve as muscle.

They placed the corpse on the test bench, then connected and secured the surrounding Instruments.

Watching Orochimaru and Kagetsu plunge straight into data analysis without pause, Anko felt rather bored.

She wanted to join them, but she could not understand those complicated, incomprehensible data at all. Even with Orochimaru creating a Shadow Clone to teach her, she still needed sufficient time to study and master it.

How much she could ultimately learn would depend on her talent for research.

"His body had clearly been modified enough to withstand a certain amount of Natural Energy. Why did it fail afterward?" Orochimaru studied the data in his hand, seeking the overlooked flaw.

"Was the Natural Energy taken from Jugo too violent? Or was there a problem with the Sealing Technique formula?"

"Is it possible that the problem lies with Chakra, Orochimaru Sensei?" Kagetsu raised his head and addressed the puzzled Orochimaru.

"Chakra?" Orochimaru lowered his gaze toward Kagetsu.

"You and Lady Tsunade once explained to me that every person's body and Chakra possess their own unique characteristics.

Since Chakra is the combination of a person's will and body, it could also be said that every person's Chakra is different.

If the Test Subject is made to contain and accept a certain amount of Jugo's Natural Chakra through Sealing Techniques and modification, shouldn't we also consider how to block the influence of Jugo's will carried within that Natural Chakra?"

"An interesting argument, Kagetsu." Orochimaru's eyes lit up. The immortality he envisioned involved constantly changing bodies to preserve his own youth.

The most crucial part was implanting his spiritual will and memories into another new individual through Chakra, an energy that inherently possessed such properties, thereby achieving the goal of taking over another's body.

Kagetsu's reminder undoubtedly made that vision clearer and more attainable.

"So, when Chakras carrying two different wills exist in one body, they clash and resist each other, causing the Test Subject to become unstable?" Orochimaru tossed the experimental report aside.

"I believe so." Kagetsu nodded.

"Then only one will can control the body. But Jugo's Natural Chakra itself is violent and destroys rationality.

It seems the Sealing Technique formula needs to be readjusted and improved. The next experiment will have to wait. As it happens, there are not many Test Subjects left at the base. Perhaps I'll need to visit the Exchange Shop and find a few Wandering Ninja."

Orochimaru licked his lips.

He would disguise himself to accept missions, find rogue ninja based on the provided intelligence, capture them and bring them back to the base for experiments, then put their corpses to use after death by taking their heads to the Exchange Shop for a reward.

Aside from scamming for funding, this was Orochimaru's other path to both research and profit.

As someone who had deeply understood and researched the many forms of Chakra, once Orochimaru found inspiration or had something pointed out to him, he could almost immediately think of numerous possible experimental methods.

If the Reincarnation Forbidden Technique succeeded in the future, how could he weaken the reincarnated body's resistance?

Compared to the deeply ingrained Chakra of adult ninja, would teaching and brainwashing them from childhood make their resistance weaker?

The erosion of the mind and the erosion of the body needed to reach a level at least comparable to the reincarnated body.

Orochimaru's thoughts began to wander unconsciously.

Then, the next time he went out, perhaps he could search other ninja villages for more gifted and talented children to adopt and slowly cultivate?

For instance, those with Kekkei Genkai?

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Once the idea took root, it quickly made him unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.

Meanwhile, Kagetsu seriously recalled the technique Orochimaru had taught him—the technique called the Cursed Seal, which could only barely be considered a half-finished product.

His gaze swept over Anko, who stood nearby in boredom.

As the first person in his memories to bear the Heavenly Curse Mark, Anko's circumstances were rather lamentable. Attacked by the teacher she had admired, she had developed a deep hatred for Orochimaru after suffering so many blows.

Thinking about it seriously now, Orochimaru had likely run out of options back then.

Danzo had exposed the things he had been doing in secret. Once Orochimaru received the news, he knew very well that he had neither the time nor the ability to take anyone with him.

He was not even sure whether he himself could leave Konoha alive.

By attacking Anko, giving her the Heavenly Curse Mark, and erasing part of her memories, aside from whatever protection remained from their scant teacher-student bond, he had also been leaving himself an escape route.

If he died at the hands of his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the others, but Anko survived with the Cursed Seal planted in her, then he would still have a chance to make a comeback.

"But we've already been away from the village for several months." Kagetsu reminded Orochimaru again.

For a B-rank Mission, no matter what unexpected circumstances arose, with Orochimaru as the team leader, they should have completed it and returned to the village within a few months.

"Has it already been several months? It seems I've been immersed in research for too long." Orochimaru frowned. After hesitating for a moment, he sighed.

"Make preparations. The excuse I used last time should have been delayed long enough. It's time for us to return to the village."

"We're going back?"

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Anko immediately perked up with excitement. Leaving the village to carry out missions had been novel, but after several months—and so long underground—she truly missed Konoha and the soft bed at home.

"Yes. If we don't return soon, I'm afraid some people will be unable to sit still." Orochimaru sounded somewhat displeased. After all, there were still research projects in the village that required him to take charge.

He could certainly walk away from them, but the consequences were not something he wanted to see. Danzo might not have been a good partner, but he paid readily enough.

When would he finally gain the freedom to pursue research without funding concerns?

"Jugo, you'll stay at this base." Seeing the boy beside Anko, Orochimaru thought it over and decided not to bring him back to the village.

"I..." Jugo felt panic rising in his heart. During these days at Orochimaru's and Kagetsu's side, he had never needed to worry about going berserk and hurting innocent people with his own hands.

Whether it was Orochimaru or Kagetsu, they could always restrain him at the first opportunity until he calmed down.

Now that Orochimaru and Kagetsu were leaving without him, his heart, which had been peaceful for so long, was once again filled with fear.

"Before we leave, I'll prepare enough Neurotoxin injections for you. Before you lose control and go berserk, you can inject yourself with a certain dose.

When I return next time, I'll have better, more targeted medicine prepared for you—or a Sealing Technique to balance the Natural Chakra in your body." Kagetsu stepped forward and comforted the flustered Jugo.

"Then prepare everything. The next time we meet may be several months from now." Orochimaru had no objection to Kagetsu's suggestion.

Originally, he had planned to build a cell and throw Jugo into it. As long as Jugo did not escape, it did not matter what destruction he caused.

But since Kagetsu had his own ideas, Orochimaru did not mind the decision he made.

Konoha.

"It's Orochimaru-sama!" The gate guards immediately perked up when they saw the travel-worn Orochimaru and his group of three.

After completing the formalities, Orochimaru and Kagetsu had not gone far into the village before they sensed an air of unrest.

During their absence, it seemed something major had happened in the village!

Orochimaru waved a hand, signaling the team to disband.

The moment Kagetsu returned home and saw his father, he voiced the question in his heart. "Did something happen in the village?"

"Why do you ask?" Shikaji, who had not even had the chance to exchange a few words of affection with Kagetsu, froze for a moment before asking softly.

"The atmosphere in the village feels wrong. Anything capable of affecting the entire village's atmosphere can't be a small matter, can it?" Kagetsu sat across from Shikaji and tossed his pack aside.

"Sakumo-senpai is dead." Seeing the eager curiosity on Kagetsu's face, Shikaji thought for a moment and decided not to hide it, taking the initiative to tell him.

In truth, there was no need to hide it. Even the children at Konoha Ninja Academy knew about it. Even if Shikaji said nothing, Kagetsu would surely hear it later from Orochimaru or his friends.

"The Konoha White Fang?" Kagetsu was stunned for a moment.

"Yes. Because he abandoned a mission and caused damage to the village's interests, Sakumo-senpai was consumed by guilt and committed suicide at home two days ago." Shikaji stroked Kagetsu's head and explained quietly.

"Do you believe that explanation?" Kagetsu gave his adoptive father a strange look. Who would buy that?

"That is the official explanation." Shikaji vigorously rubbed Kagetsu's hair until it was completely disheveled, his tone stern.

"Then let's leave it at that." Kagetsu fell silent for a moment, then nodded. Since there was already an official explanation, there would be no other explanation in the open. His adoptive father was also reminding him.

"What about Kakashi Hatake?" Kagetsu recalled the student at the Ninja Academy who had been especially favored and valued by the teachers.

"He graduated from Konoha Ninja Academy some time ago. He was among the youngest graduates. If nothing unexpected happens, he'll soon become a chunin."

Seeing that Kagetsu understood his meaning, Shikaji withdrew his hand. But upon hearing Kagetsu's question, he instinctively sighed and told him what he knew.

"A chunin at such a young age?" Kagetsu considered whether he should visit Kakashi, but they had never been particularly close.

Their only interactions had been a few encounters and brief conversations at the Ninja Academy. Kagetsu's impression of him was that of a cool, quiet genius who did not fit in with the students around him.

After Orochimaru came to recruit Kagetsu as a disciple and he left the Ninja Academy classroom, the two had even less contact.

Even chances to meet his once inseparable friends, Akimichi Dongfeng and Yamanaka Xue, had greatly decreased.

With that kind of relationship, there seemed to be no need for him to visit.

If nothing unexpected happened, Kakashi, battered by his father's death and tormented by the village's rumors, would soon enter his cold and withdrawn, mission-obsessed phase, seeing mission completion as a ninja's foremost goal.

Kakashi in that state would be cold, unreasonable, and impossible to approach. Even the youthful Might Guy had been unable to reach him during that time.

Only Namikaze Minato's future Team 7 would be able to do so.

Having thought it through, Kagetsu immediately put Kakashi out of his mind for the time being. He intended to use this time back in the village to properly digest everything he had learned from Orochimaru over the past few months.

PS: Today's and tomorrow's follow-up reads are extremely important and will determine whether the book gets next week's trial recommendation. Please help by continuing to read. Otherwise, this book might be finished!