Orochimaru's laboratory.
Shin stood before an enormous glass container, looking at a White Zetsu floating in nutrient solution. This White Zetsu had fully developed human features. Compared with the previous White Zetsu monsters, aside from its deathly pale skin, it was no different from a normal human.
"This is the latest model," Orochimaru said from beside him. "It has no consciousness or intelligence, but its body remains active. It is a pure vessel for a soul."
After examining it carefully, Shin glanced at the row of more than a dozen identical glass containers nearby.
"Has the Hokage started the experiments?"
"There have already been five failures."
Shin's heart skipped a beat. Five had already died?
Orochimaru continued, "The first case failed during the soul transfer process, because it was my first time performing such an operation."
"In the remaining four cases, the souls left the White Zetsu bodies shortly after entering them, resulting in death."
"I have yet to find a way to keep a soul from leaving a White Zetsu body. There are too few records concerning Soul Secret Techniques. Perhaps I have not yet solved the rejection issue with White Zetsu flesh."
Shin stared at the White Zetsu for a long while before suddenly saying, "Could it be that we don't understand death well enough?"
Orochimaru was taken aback. It was a strange thing to say. What was there to understand about death? Once a person died, wasn't there nothing left? Everything he pursued now was meant to escape death.
"Does the Hokage know of the Shinigami?" Shin asked.
After thinking for a moment, Orochimaru said, "I have seen records of it in the ancient texts of the Uzumaki Clan."
Shin said, "Since souls and the Shinigami exist, could there also be some sort of rule governing what