Uchiha Yoru nodded.
Recalling those undercover spies was a decision he had made after careful consideration.
With his current strength, which dwarfed everyone else in the Ninja World, intelligence was no longer essential.
What he needed more was the initiative to control every variable.
Rather than let them remain hidden in the shadows, it was better to bring them all under his command and put them to use.
As expected, Yakushi Kabuto's talent had been fully brought out under Orochimaru. In just a few months, he had become a pillar of the research division.
"Well done."
Uchiha Yoru spoke in a calm, quiet voice, yet it was enough to make the corners of Orochimaru's mouth lift, revealing his unmistakable satisfaction.
"However, Lord Yoru—"
Orochimaru's expression grew serious, and his voice turned low, though the burning light in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"What you mentioned... the common lineage shared by the Uchiha, the Senju Clan, and even the Ōtsutsuki Clan does indeed have a basis."
He paused, as if still absorbing the truth that had once been dismissed as myth.
"If we view these Kekkei Genkai as divergent extensions of a single origin, then their fusion... is no longer taboo, but a kind of 'return.'"
As he spoke, a hard-to-describe mix of reverence and fervor appeared in his eyes.
"I've completed the first phase of the fusion experiment. The Uchiha cells and Hashirama Cells have achieved stable coexistence in the special medium you provided.
"More importantly, a never-before-seen chakra resonance has emerged between them—as if they're responding to some lost origin."
Uchiha Yoru glanced at him, watching silently. "And the test subject?"
"White Zetsu," Orochimaru replied quietly, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement. "His composition is extremely similar to Hashirama Cells, and he's highly adaptable.
"The initial reaction