Playing With Your Internal Organs

"Genie, your line of thinking is truly unique, quite unlike anyone else's..."

That may be so, but Orochimaru had to admit that the Genie's hypothesis held a certain degree of logic.

Setting aside the example of Kakashi, the physical data collected from the Uchiha clan showed that their constitutions suffered varying degrees of decline after awakening the Sharingan.

This was especially true for the genjutsu-type Uchiha; the more powerful their ocular power, the heavier the burden on their bodies. In combat, this manifested as a crisp and ruthless fighting style, which was meant to compensate for their inability to sustain long battles.

It seemed the plan to acquire the Sharingan needed to be accelerated; Orochimaru was eager to know what kind of performance this Kekkei Genkai would exhibit once it reached maturity.

On the other side, the Genie did not feel ashamed after hearing Orochimaru's evaluation; rather, he took it as a compliment. In his line of work, the key to success was having a broad perspective.

He couldn't help but laugh, "If the guess is correct, you won't need to worry about them rejecting the First Hokage Cells transplant. The Uchiha clan generally admires strength. On the contrary, they should be begging you to help them."

These words awakened the dreamer. Orochimaru stopped his movements, rubbing his chin in thought, his eyes flashing with cunning intent from time to time.

To be honest, he had completely lost interest in the war itself. Now, he couldn't wait to find a few Uchiha clan ninjas to operate on.

After a moment of reflection, Orochimaru spoke, "Genie, I want to end this war as soon as possible. Do you have any good ideas?"

As he spoke, Orochimaru recounted the deal he had made with the Third Hokage.

Merely repelling Kumogakure was not enough; weakening the strength of the Uchiha clan was also a goal that had to be achieved in this war.

"The old man Third is truly black-hearted, actually making you do something like this."

The Genie rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment, "Repel Kumogakure, and at the same time cause the Uchiha to suffer heavy losses... I have an idea."

Orochimaru looked at the Genie, waiting for him to continue.

"What loss could compare to a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan? Using the forbidden eyes of the Uchiha clan as a sacrifice, I'm sure the Third will be satisfied."

The Genie smiled, "Besides, the Mangekyo Sharingan can also be used as a weapon to repel the Kumogakure clan..."

Orochimaru frowned slightly, somewhat disapproving of the Genie's method, because he also coveted Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.

The method the Genie proposed clearly intended to squeeze the value of these Mangekyo Sharingan dry in one go.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

The Genie tilted his chin, deliberately putting on a look of disdain, "If your research on the First Hokage Cells yields results, you can also try to help him recover. These are experimental materials delivered right to your doorstep."

Orochimaru's eyes lit up.

Just then, a Konoha ninja entered to report, "Lord Orochimaru, Shisui and the Kakashi squad have returned and are waiting outside for an audience."

Orochimaru snapped out of his reverie and nodded slightly, "Let them in."

Soon, Shisui and Kakashi walked into the control room. Both had looks of shame on their faces; in a sense, neither had completed their mission, failing to live up to Orochimaru's trust. Especially Kakashi, who, beyond the mission failure, had other faults.

Orochimaru looked at the two and said, "Tell me about your experience."

Kakashi and Shisui exchanged a glance, and Kakashi recounted their specific encounter, focusing on the attack by the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and the subsequent mysterious enemy.

After listening, Orochimaru pondered in silence, placing great importance on Kakashi's intelligence.

Although the Genie had described the identity and abilities of Obito Uchiha, his perspective differed from that of a ninja, so it could only serve as a reference.

The Genie had also warned him several times that relying too much on him would lead to death.

After a long while, Orochimaru said slowly, "Go and rest."

Seeing the lingering shame on their faces, Orochimaru continued, "Although your mission failed, you did manage to hold back the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and the mysterious enemy. Your merits and demerits cancel each other out. Now hurry back and rest; there will be more fighting soon."

Only then did Shisui and Kakashi bow and retreat.

Watching them leave, Orochimaru let out a scoff.

In reality, Orochimaru felt that the emotions of these two were completely unnecessary. Although it was a critical mission in the war, as a commander, pinning all his hopes on them would be a sign of incompetence.

Even if they hadn't succeeded in occupying the stronghold this time, with Orochimaru's pride, he would not have blamed them.

After dismissing Shisui and Kakashi, Orochimaru chatted idly with the Genie, and by four in the morning, the layout of the barrier was completely finished.

After activating it, Orochimaru did not stop for a moment and went to the makeshift medical room.

The Konoha ninja army naturally brought a medical team for this large-scale war mission. Moreover, to show his importance and wash away any potential stains, the medical team the Third sent was among the best in Konoha.

But how to put it? These injured Uchiha had grown accustomed to the efficiency and effectiveness of Dr. Orochimaru, so when they came to receive treatment from the medical team, they were always somewhat unimpressed.

This level... was quite a bit worse.

Therefore, when Orochimaru appeared in the medical room, the Uchiha clan members who had not yet recovered from their serious injuries consciously had the medical ninjas line up their beds, waiting for Orochimaru's... clinical treatment.

On the other hand, if not for the fact that the fortress's defensive barrier was too important, Orochimaru would have also liked to treat the Uchiha patients immediately.

After several simulated Tailed Beast battles, the Uchiha clan had become very cooperative with his treatment methods. From initially treating wounds and removing lesions, to now reaching into their chest and abdominal cavities to toy with their internal organs, they had become accustomed to it.

And this, undoubtedly, would allow him to harvest more data records.

"Tsk tsk tsk..."

Protruding half his body from Orochimaru's back, the Genie looked at the bizarre scene of "good doctor-patient relations" before him and clicked his tongue in wonder.

How long had he been asleep? Orochimaru had started playing such elaborate games; the style of this place was truly off.

However, from another perspective, Orochimaru's performance was indeed worth additional investment.

Thinking of the new ability he had just conceived, the Genie frowned slightly.

The help he would have to provide to Orochimaru from here on out would not be as simple as just moving his lips.

For him, it would also result in a loss of resources.

He needed to think of a way to compensate for it, and Genie fell into deep thought.

On the other side, after collecting data as per his routine, Orochimaru finished treating the Uchiha, turning the severely injured patients into lightly injured ones, which would not affect their ability to fight later.

After completing all of this, Orochimaru returned to the control room to rest.

Time flew by until dusk, and after fully recovering his state, Orochimaru summoned the squad leader-level ninjas, having Shisui and Kakashi recount the enemies they had encountered respectively.

Upon learning of the bizarre strength of the enemy, the group fell slightly silent; the excitement from the victory last night was swept away, and the atmosphere became somewhat oppressive.

Orochimaru did not mince words and stated bluntly, "I want to crush Kumogakure in one battle. Do you have any suggestions?"

Thanks to "Obsessed with Chemistry" and "Bandaru" for the tips.