The 'Immortal' Project

Simu, who hadn't seen a computer in a long time, immediately began his research.

This was clearly a research-grade computer; there were no games to be found. Everything recorded inside consisted of information and research data on these test subjects.

There were a total of 127 test subjects present, covering a multitude of research projects.

For example, Artificial Alteration of Chakra Natures?, <Fusion of Chakra Natures and Realization of Kekkei Genkai>, <Research on the Possibility of Kekkei Genkai Transplantation>, and so on...

Among them, the one that interested Simu the most was a project titled Artificial Sage Mode Feasibility Study.

"Artificial Sage Mode, is it?"

Simu pondered as he browsed through the data recorded on the computer.

He was very interested in the history of the Shinobi World before the Warring States period. According to the few records from the Jashin Cult, before the appearance of Chakra, this world likely possessed an era belonging to various deities.

Many of those deities were known as Sages.

Not to mention the Sage of Six Paths and others that followed; in short, anything related to a Sage was definitely not something simple.

Could this so-called Sage Mode be related to those deities?

Clearly, Orochimaru seemed to have conducted some research in this area as well.

As Simu delved deeper into the data, the interest in his eyes grew more intense.

"Subject 0: Possesses the special constitution of the Uzumaki Clan. Compared to ordinary people, she can withstand the erosion of natural energy for longer periods and at higher intensities."

"Artificial Sage Body Project: Through the application of [Natural Energy Perception Serum], absorb natural energy, observe the state of the subject, and analyze methods to enhance the control of natural energy."

Simu's gaze wandered across the computer screen, his eyes gradually heating up.

"Uzumaki Clan. Natural energy. Sage Mode."

"I am very interested."

After copying all the data from the computer and transmitting it back to his main body, he adjusted his glasses and turned to walk toward a test tube in the deepest part of the laboratory.

Here, every test tube had its own unique serial number.

And the number on the one before him was...

Zero.

Simu's gaze passed through the emerald-green liquid and landed on the teenage girl inside.

The girl had long, bright red hair, her fair, slender arms wrapped around her jade-white legs, her head buried between her bent knees. She was curled up and suspended within the massive test tube.

"So this is Subject Zero?"

Simu scrutinized the girl.

Suddenly, the pipes connected to the test tube shifted, and the green liquid inside drained rapidly, exposing Subject Zero to the air.

"Damn it."

Simu looked back and, sure enough, Hidan's finger had just left a button. Hidan looked at Simu with an awkward smile on his face.

"Uh, I hadn't seen this thing before and thought it looked fun."

Before Hidan could finish his explanation, the red-haired girl in the test tube had already opened her eyes.

Without the obstruction of the special nutrient solution, all the natural energy in the surrounding air, and even in the forest above, began to surge frantically into the girl's body!

Almost instantly, the girl's skin turned grayish-white, covered in a layer of hard, horny scales, and her appearance began to shift toward that of a monster.

Her eyes, which had been as beautiful as jewels, suddenly turned blood-red. Her mouth, filled with sharp fangs, opened wide, and a scream that nearly pierced the eardrums shattered the test tube.

A red blur shot out instantly, slamming into Simu.

The air was compressed, creating a terrifying sonic boom. Simu was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing a massive hole through the wall.

"You damn monster!"

Hidan immediately lost his temper, grabbing his Three-Moon Blood Scythe and launching a frenzied attack at the creature.

The Three-Moon Blood Scythe left afterimages as it danced rapidly, shattering many of the surrounding test tubes.

But the girl's movements were getting faster and faster, and her strength was absurdly high.

A fierce punch slammed into the Three-Moon Blood Scythe, actually forcing Hidan to retreat two steps.

One had to realize that Hidan was now a master of taijutsu; being able to force Hidan back with a single punch showed just how immense this monster's strength had become.

However, Hidan's core ability was not taijutsu.

During the fierce battle, Hidan easily carved a wound into the shoulder of the monster, which had completely lost its sanity.

The price Hidan paid was merely one arm.

Such an injury meant nothing to him; he could simply use a Parasitic Spider to pull the arm back and reattach it.

A truly detachable limb.

But for this monster, that was not just a simple, small wound.

Hidan immediately drew the Jashin symbol, stuck out his tongue, and licked the blade with intoxication, entering the Jashin Ritual state!

"Hehehehe! Accept the judgment of Lord Jashin!"

Hidan pulled a spear from his pocket, only to be sent flying by a black feather that came hurtling toward him.

"I still have use for this one."

Simu had climbed out from the rubble at some point.

That fierce blow from just a moment ago had cracked his Koukaku.

Such terrifying power was truly rare.

However, this only made Simu more interested in this so-called natural energy.

From the data on Zero, Simu knew that this girl had previously been nothing more than an ordinary member of the Uzumaki clan who had never undergone any special training; the fact that she could gain such terrifying power simply by absorbing natural energy was truly incredible.

"Hmph."

The girl turned her head and let out a hiss at Simu.

The next second, the ground beneath her feet suddenly shattered, and a dark red Rinkaku burst from the earth, wrapping around her tightly like a centipede.

"Ah!!"

She let out another sharp, screeching cry that acted like a sonic attack, causing the surrounding test tubes to shatter simultaneously.

"That's enough."

Simu's Rinkaku showed no signs of loosening, and countless Black Beetles swarmed in from all directions, covering the woman like a tide.

Immediately after, a grating, ear-piercing squeaking sound erupted as the Black Beetles began to frantically gnaw at the keratin on the woman's body.

The woman's screams lasted for nearly ten minutes.

Simu raised his palm, and a cluster of Black Beetles burrowed into his body through the center of his hand.

"Is this natural energy?"

He could feel a special kind of energy being exhaled by the Black Beetles; it was powerful, yet volatile and almost completely unrestrained.

Simu frowned, and before he could even begin to sense the energy in detail, his palm began to petrify rapidly.

"Because it cannot be controlled, one becomes assimilated into nature by the natural energy?"

He swung his Rinkaku without hesitation, severing his petrified hand. Instead of showing any pain from the amputation, his face lit up with the excitement of witnessing something new.

"Natural energy, this is interesting."