Konoha was thrown into chaos by its lack of money. The lower-ranking ninja were full of complaints, and morale in the ranks was crumbling.
Meanwhile, in Iwagakure, a thousand miles away.
Deep within the underground Supreme Scientific Research Institute, lights bright enough to rival daylight blazed on.
"Lord Yoru! Come look!"
Orochimaru wore a spotless white lab coat, and he did not even have time to straighten the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose.
Like a child showing off a treasure, he grabbed Uchiha Yoru's arm and practically dragged him into Core Cultivation Chamber A-03.
Yoru was somewhat speechless at his adrenaline-fueled state.
"Say, Uncle Snake, you have not slept for nearly a month, have you?"
Yoru looked disdainfully at Orochimaru's snake eyes, bloodshot and sunken deep in their sockets.
"If you keep burning the candle at both ends, I am afraid you will drop dead before you figure out immortality."
"I will not die! I feel like I can live another five hundred years!"
Orochimaru's face was flushed an unhealthy red, and his entire body trembled with excitement.
He pointed at the rows of enormous glass tanks in the center of the chamber. His voice was hoarse and shrill, as though he were singing a mad hymn of praise.
"Success! Lord Yoru! I finally succeeded!"
Yoru followed the direction of his finger.
Inside the massive culture dishes, each more than twice the height of a person, was pale green nutrient fluid.
Within that fluid, fist-sized lumps of flesh brimming with vitality slowly wriggled and multiplied.
Streams of vast, pure Yang Release chakra seeped through the gaps in the glass tanks.
Simply standing there and taking a deep breath made it feel as though every cell in one's body was cheering.
"This is..."
Even Yoru, with all his experience, showed a