Sacrifice

After giving some thought to Hiruko's particular tastes, Orochimaru did not pay them much mind.

To him, it was a good thing that Hiruko had weaknesses and preferences.

Later, he could capture some female ninja for him on the battlefield and trade them for Hiruko's core technologies.

He did not believe Hiruko would reveal all of his techniques to him.

He also wondered whether Fugaku would be willing to sacrifice his wife for the clan. After all, to him, weren't women useless once they had given birth?

Orochimaru then took the initiative to ask, "Fugaku, you know about Hiruko's and my Research Department, right?"

Fugaku nodded. This department had been widely known during the previous Hokage's tenure, especially since Hiruko had recently been appearing frequently in public.

First, the factories they developed produced luxury goods like Snow Salt and continuously dumped them across various regions at extremely low prices, raking in enormous profits.

Second, the Research Department had laid railways outward, tightly linking Konoha with the entire Land of Fire like blood vessels running through a body. Almost no one failed to pay attention to the Research Department.

"Fugaku, would you be interested in investing?" Orochimaru suddenly asked.

Invest manpower or some other resources?

Fugaku's heart tightened. He was not afraid of providing some manpower, but he feared that Orochimaru wanted the Uchiha Clan to openly choose sides with nothing more than a few words.

After all, the Uchiha Clan's strength was not something they could hand over lightly.

The Uchiha Clan only wanted to stand behind Minato Namikaze now, and there were some conflicts between Orochimaru and Minato Namikaze.

Besides, the Uchiha Clan had not yet reached the end of the road. They were still one of the village's great clans.

As the clan head, even if Fugaku personally leaned toward Orochimaru, he could not immediately agree to taking sides.

After all, this involved many considerations, including manpower, resources, and money.

Orochimaru bluntly laid out his terms. "The Research Department must produce some results after its establishment."

"We have already made some progress in researching the First Hokage's Wood Release, but I do not think it is enough.

"If the Uchiha Clan is willing, I am prepared to provide some technical support."

Fugaku frowned and asked, "By technical support, do you mean ninjutsu?"

"The Uchiha Clan does not lack ninjutsu. We are better at fighting with the Sharingan."

The Sharingan's copying ability had allowed the Uchiha Clan to accumulate a terrifying foundation of ninjutsu over countless generations.

Orochimaru quietly spoke words that made Fugaku's expression change drastically. "Mangekyō."

"Ah! Mangekyō!"

Upon hearing that word, Fugaku's voice rose so sharply that it cracked. He stared at Orochimaru in shock.

If the man sitting across from him had not been Orochimaru, he would probably have shown him out the moment he said that.

Orochimaru continued, "Hiruko and I can help research methods to increase the Uchiha Clan's ocular power.

"And methods to successfully awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, as long as you provide the necessary resources and personnel."

Fugaku was deeply shaken. He knew very well that Orochimaru and Hiruko were both top-tier research specialists in the ninja world.

If they were truly willing to help the Uchiha Clan research a method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, it would undoubtedly be tremendous news for the Uchiha Clan.

Fugaku's hands trembled slightly, while Itachi looked at his father in confusion. He did not understand why his usually stern and composed father had suddenly become so agitated.

As intelligent as Itachi was, he swiftly committed the news of the Mangekyō to memory.

Fugaku also understood that the risks and cost involved would likely be considerable.

He needed to think it over carefully before making a decision.

"Fugaku, imagine it. If the Uchiha Clan possessed a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, how shocking would that be?"

"Even if it could not compare to the legend that was Madara Uchiha, it would at least make the Uchiha Clan's status as a great clan even more secure."

Orochimaru's voice remained calm and even, yet his words tempted Fugaku like a demonic whisper.

He was like a specter, luring Fugaku toward an unknown abyss.

Fugaku frowned. After pondering for a moment, he sighed and said, "The village already has salt factories, so it probably no longer needs the Uchiha Clan's funds...

"So is this like what was done to the Senju Clan back then, conducting Wood Release experiments?"

A strange smile curled across Orochimaru's lips as he shook his head. "This time, it will be a fully public experiment conducted before all the villagers.

"Naturally, there will be no extreme situation like last time, where human lives were used to continuously explore the way forward."

After chatting casually for a while, Orochimaru rose to leave.

Before departing, Orochimaru said, "I will wait for your answer."

After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned his face slightly, and revealed a piece of news that left Fugaku too shocked to contain himself.

"Also, let me tell you a secret. The Senju Clan's Wood Release experiment has already succeeded in one case. One test subject has acquired the Wood Release bloodline limit."

What!!!

The Senju Clan, the group that had completely integrated into the village through extensive intermarriage with outsiders, had actually regained the Wood Release bloodline limit?

Fugaku's thoughts raced, and his mind was in turmoil.

Two months later, ever since the Research Department's establishment, funds had flowed continuously through every channel, injecting ceaseless vitality into the department.

Benefiting from abundant funding and an unlimited supply of human resources, Hiruko had finally cultivated a more perfect plant-fusion test subject.

Within a vast space thirty meters underground, the Research Department had taken on an entirely new appearance.

Orochimaru stood within it, staring at a strange plant with intense interest gleaming in his eyes.

The plant towered ten meters high and looked rather eerie, with countless branches hanging down from it.

As Hiruko looked at it, an inexplicable sense of accomplishment rose in his heart.

He murmured softly, "Thanks to the village making the research data from many experiments public, I saved quite a bit of effort."

As he spoke, Hiruko gently patted the vine plant. Its vines coiled around Hiruko's arm like lively snakes, seemingly playing with him.

Orochimaru looked intrigued and asked with a smile, "Does this vine plant possess its own will?"

Hiruko nodded and answered, "It has some self-awareness, like that of a child. It is still immature, but there is still a chance to cultivate it further in the future."

The plant before them had a straight trunk and twisted, rugged branches, its roots deeply embedded in the ground.

The pale vines were covered in dense patterns resembling curse marks, while indistinct human faces emerged faintly from within the plant.

It created an eerie and terrifying atmosphere.

Orochimaru reached out and touched it. A terrifying suction force came from it.

"?"

"You replaced it with a plant?"

"No, no!"

"This thing!"

Orochimaru stared excitedly at the bizarre vine plant before him.

"You!"