Two months passed quickly.
Naruto, appearing at the [Jin] organization's base in a " Menma " state, is preparing to inspect the "results" promised by Orochimaru and see what Orochimaru can actually produce in a limited time.
Incidentally, regarding the handling of Orochimaru's former subordinates, Shisui Uchiha had already eliminated and controlled key figures under Orochimaru's command one by one.
Kabuto Yakushi was secretly captured by Shisui at the beginning of the plan and has been under strict imprisonment ever since.
As for Kimimaro Kaguya, after being intercepted and captured by Shisui, Naruto spent a lot of effort to finally cure the Bloodline Disease that had plagued him for many years, thus saving his life.
As for the Sound Five, apart from Kidomaru being killed by Kakuzu, the other four were also captured by Shisui several years ago and became long-term prisoners of [Jin] along with Kabuto and Kimimaro.
Orochimaru's strongest power was almost instantly defeated by Shisui; there was no way around it, the difference in strength was simply too great.
Now that Orochimaru has been freed from his seal and regained some freedom, he immediately spoke with his former subordinates.
Kimimaro's reaction was relatively simple and pure. Being able to survive, see Lord Orochimaru again, and even learn that the Lord still "needs" him, made him feel immense happiness and satisfaction.
Kimimaro felt somewhat disappointed when Orochimaru made it clear that he no longer needed his body.
But he quickly adjusted his mindset and dedicated his power to Orochimaru... However, he is currently leaving, saying he is bringing a friend with him.
The situation with Kabuto Yakushi, however, is much more complicated and convoluted.
Orochimaru did something unexpected—he retrieved Kabuto's deliberately buried past and returned that identity to him.
At this moment, standing before Menma was a mature woman with a gentle face and a somewhat nervous demeanor. She had long blonde hair and wore a simple nun's habit. However, her skin was covered with fine, porcelain-like cracks, indicating that she was not truly made of flesh and blood.
Yakushi Nonō. The former director of the Konoha Orphanage, and also a senior spy for Root, known as the " Wandering Miko ".
"So, before we present the 'results,' could you do me a favor, Menma- kun?"
Orochimaru's voice rang out from the side, " Impure World Reincarnation body ultimately presents many inconveniences for daily activities and research. I think you might have a way to make her... more 'complete'."
Menma's gaze fell on Yakushi Nonō, and he was quite surprised.
"Are you... Orochimaru's assistant?"
Orochimaru actually knew that he had the ability to transform "inanimate objects" or "non-living entities" into true life forms?
"Don't misunderstand, Menma- kun."
Orochimaru saw through his doubts and took the initiative to explain.
"Through that technique, I only 'saw' the two layers of truth belonging to this world, but I did not pry into your private memories."
"I deduced that based on... Kushina's situation."
"... If you hadn't had so many ways to save your life back then," Menma said slowly and coldly, "I probably would have killed you on the spot without hesitation."
"Yes, I understand." Orochimaru accepted it readily. "So, I'm very grateful for this 'opportunity' you've given me. Believe me, you won't regret this decision."
Menma turned her attention back to Yakushi Nonō. She took a deep breath and answered Menma's earlier question.
"Yes, Lord Menma. I am currently serving as Lord Orochimaru's assistant, helping him with some matters."
"However, Lord Orochimaru said this is only a transitional task... My primary task right now is to do my best to make amends to that child and seek his forgiveness..."
The "child" she was referring to was naturally Kabuto Yakushi.
For Kabuto, this sudden change was nothing short of a devastating spiritual earthquake. The person who was once the most important in his life, the beacon and refuge he regarded, had actually come back to life.
And she finally understood the conspiracy that led to their tragedy— Danzo's scheme. Her target was actually herself, and the one who ultimately killed her was herself.
When Yakushi Nonō reunites with Kabuto in prison, she sadly recounts everything, confessing her failure to recognize him as an adult and even nearly killing him with her own hands...
The worldview and self-awareness that Dou had relied on for so long completely collapsed.
During his years of imprisonment, although he lost his freedom, he never gave up. He habitually observed, analyzed, and tried to find a way to escape.
However, his conversation with the resurrected dean plunged him into the abyss of mental breakdown.
Nonō believed that Kabuto could not forgive her for "not recognizing him" and "wanting to kill him," so she silently took care of him and accompanied him within the limits of what was permissible, using her actions to beg for forgiveness.
But she may not have fully understood the deepest wounds in Kabuto's heart.
As an orphan who lost all his memories in the war, "identity" and "self-awareness" are the two pillars that Kabuto pursues throughout his life.
Back then, what he found even more unacceptable and even despairing than the cruel fact that "his beloved director wanted to kill him" was that the director didn't recognize him. This meant that the "identity" he had built up during his time in the orphanage, the proof of his existence as "Kabuto" being remembered and cared for by the director, had completely vanished.
It was this complete annihilation of his "identity" that pushed him into nothingness and darkness, ultimately leading him to accept the new identity of " Orochimaru's subordinate," an identity tinged with exploitation.
But now? This old identity, which he had long since declared "non-existent," and even personally "abandoned," along with the person who bore that identity, has suddenly returned to him unscathed?
Orochimaru, who gave him a new identity, made him loyal to him, and gave him a new meaning to his existence, has now made it clear that he no longer needs him to engage in those dark intelligence activities...
So, what was the purpose of everything he's done over the years, actions that have drastically changed him?
What was his value? More importantly, he couldn't understand why, after he had personally killed the headmistress, she was now acting as if she owed him something and was begging for forgiveness.
This intense sense of displacement and guilt made him feel that he was no longer worthy of the identity of " Kabuto Yakushi " nor worthy of accepting the dean's confession.
A mix of contradictions, pain, self-doubt, and confusion ultimately overwhelmed Kabuto Yakushi's spirit.
Years of imprisonment did not break him in the slightest, but now he has fallen into deep isolation and depression, almost numb to the outside world, exhibiting a complete state of "giving up".
After successfully transforming Yakushi Nonō's Impure World Reincarnation body into a real, vibrant, flesh-and-blood body, Menma followed Orochimaru to the laboratory that had been temporarily allocated to him within the base.
The laboratory was orderly, and on the central cultivation table, Orochimaru's research results from two months of work were displayed.
"I have to report to you before proceeding with major projects,"
Orochimaru pointed to several sealed culture dishes nearby, where tissue was pulsating slightly in the nutrient solution. "I used a portion of my tissue inventory of ' Hashirama Cells' —presumably from the legacy left by Danzō Shimura."
"The cell activity and rejection response were more challenging than expected, but after repeated adjustments and suppression, we finally managed to stabilize it and put it into application as a key material."
His core achievement is not some shocking forbidden technique or monster, but a gene-edited plant with a concept that can be described as wildly imaginative.
"Gene fragments from Hashirama Cells, treated with high dilution and multiple security locks, were then directionally chimeric edited with selected target plants."
Orochimaru explained, looking at the several seemingly ordinary green plants in the center of the cultivation platform. They did not produce common fruits and vegetables, but rather clusters of densely packed, small, pale yellow grains, resembling a special kind of grain.
"The experimental subjects themselves are herbaceous plants, and using them for genetic manipulation... can't really be considered creating new 'sins'."
"After being diluted countless times, we finally succeeded in cultivating stable offspring samples. From seed germination to maturity, the plant morphology remained basically stable, and the genetic traits were heritable."
"I haven't had time to name it yet... To be honest, I'm a little nervous about submitting this result, after all, two months is still too short for a project like this."
Orochimaru provided a detailed explanation of the characteristics of this new crop.
In terms of appearance and composition, the seeds are small, like millet, and the main component is high-density starch. Its nutritional value and calorie supply capacity have been calculated to be comparable to potatoes, making it a high-quality staple food source.
Orochimaru's core breakthrough lay in growth cycle and adaptability. Instead of focusing on improving nutrition, he devoted all his efforts to shortening the growth cycle and enhancing environmental adaptability.
This crop takes only a week from sowing to harvest. Its root system is extensive, reaching several meters underground, and it can grow by absorbing water and minerals from deep soil layers without the need for artificial irrigation.
More importantly, it inherits the powerful vitality and adaptive gene fragments from Hashirama Cells, enabling it to survive and complete its growth cycle in most harsh environments such as barrenness, drought, and salinization.
"Currently, I've convinced that... well, the financial manager in the organization who's extremely astute with money," Orochimaru concluded.
"He will fund trial plantings on several plots of land under our control. Soon—you will be able to see the first harvest with your own eyes. At that time, you will understand that what I am saying today is not just empty talk or wishful thinking."
Orochimaru's snake eyes no longer gleamed with the greed or scheming of the past, but with an expectation filled with a desire to verify.