Research Notes

Muzan estimated the value of his own head. It was actually worth the same as an A-rank Mission.

A bold idea came to mind, but the timing was wrong. Otherwise, he could have transformed into someone else and collected the bounty on his own head.

With his current regenerative abilities, even losing his head would not affect him.

"After a while, return to the village with Konoha's food supply convoy."

Orochimaru estimated that the war was not far off. They needed sufficient provisions to sustain the fighting on the front lines.

"Oh, right. I covered up the matter of you secretly keeping the enemy's Sealing Scrolls."

Muzan had only handed over the heads. Everything of value on the corpses had gone into his own pockets.

When Orochimaru suddenly mentioned it, Muzan had thought the matter was serious.

"Don't worry. Everything in the frontline camp is reported to me. As long as it does not affect the bigger picture, let them keep those things."

Orochimaru had always been generous to his own people. Besides, all those items had to be reported to him anyway. Even if his subordinates filed a report, it would simply vanish without a trace.

"I'm only telling you that a ninja retains a certain degree of awareness at the moment of death. Be more careful next time, and don't get caught again."

Whenever he had time, Orochimaru would fill in bits and pieces of ninja knowledge for them.

"Thank you for the reminder, Teacher."

Thinking that there would be no missions for a while, and that Orochimaru had to handle frontline affairs and had no time to teach them personally, Muzan realized this was the perfect time to research genetics. He asked Orochimaru,

"Teacher Orochimaru, if possible, I would like to study genetic modification technology."

Orochimaru looked at his disciple with interest. Muzan's sudden request reminded him of a rumor.

"A person cursed by sunlight, afflicted with a disease that even Tsunade could not cure."

"I once saw people with albinism. They could not remain in sunlight for extended periods, but your condition is even more severe. Fortunately, I have conducted research in this area. Take these materials."

He spat a scroll from his mouth. Seeing the saliva on it, Muzan's face darkened as he pinched it by one end and tucked it into his clothes.

That method of storing and retrieving items truly suited Orochimaru.

Still, with these materials, his research would improve dramatically once he returned to Konoha.

His inability to endure sunlight had always been Muzan's fatal weakness.

Defects in his genes needed to be remedied through special methods.

Hopefully, his research would prove useful.

Muzan no longer needed to handle the matters that followed. The three of them stayed peacefully in the camp until it was time to return to the village with Konoha's food supply convoy.

Anko lay on a wooden cart, looking at the pairs of ninja around them. They were deep in Konoha's rear territory, and with Teacher Orochimaru's blockade ahead, enemy ninja could not possibly infiltrate.

"Uncle Mujie, why are there so many people in the convoy?"

"I don't know either. These ninja aren't part of our transport unit."

Mujie was merely an ordinary Chunin. He had thought this would be an easy assignment, but a large group of ninja had suddenly been added. It made him feel that danger awaited them on the road.

Noticing the atmosphere within the group gradually growing tense,

"You and Mari usually do nothing but eat. You haven't learned a thing about ninja deployments or tactics."

Muzan voiced his speculation. Compared with the Hidden Mist Village across the sea, the Hidden Cloud Village posed a greater threat to Konoha.

"Unless something unexpected happens, the accompanying ninja are heading to support the front lines. It looks like the situation there is rather tense."

As soon as Muzan finished speaking, he distinctly felt several gazes fall upon him.

"That's correct."

The ninja leading the group beside them had heard what Muzan said. Their mission was indeed to reinforce the front lines.

If the Mist Ninja wanted to attack, they would have to cross the sea, and it was not easy to conceal a large number of ships.

They only needed to station a few powerful individuals there to neutralize most of the Mist Ninja's methods. "As expected of Lord Orochimaru's disciple."

"Lord Ino-Shika-Cho are currently defending the area, but the enemy has also sent powerful fighters."

Konoha's traditional combination was formidable when working together. Even a Kage Level powerhouse would not choose to confront them head-on.

From another perspective, this showed how much Konoha valued the defensive line. With this group of ninja added in, Konoha would not fear even a large-scale Cloud Ninja invasion.

"Once the war begins, will we also go to the front lines?"

Seeing the anticipation in Anko's eyes, no one immediately told her how cruel war was.

"Then I can make a name for myself! Let me think... what kind of title should I use?"

"Count me in! Mari wants to become a powerful ninja too!"

Mari and Anko had only heard others speak of war's horrors. Having never experienced it themselves, they naturally did not understand that war was not merely about earning fame—it brought even greater sacrifice.

Muzan looked at his two clowning teammates, the corner of his eye twitching. Suppressing his rage, he poured a bucket of cold water over them.

"You two? Once you enter the battlefield, don't get so scared that you lose all sense of direction. As for ninja with titles, those are earned by killing enemies until they are terrified of you!"

One forged one's own prestige from enemy blood and bleached bones, rather than acting like a foolish rich man's son who did nothing but dream every day.

"You bastard, Muzan! Just wait! When the time comes, you'll be the first little lackey at my side!"

Mujie's expression darkened. If even these children had to go to war, then Konoha's situation would be far from optimistic.

"Enough. Instead of wasting time on this, why not learn more ninjutsu?"

He interrupted their quarrel. Anko had wanted to retort, but she suddenly noticed the oppressive atmosphere in the convoy.

"War is not as wonderful as you imagine."

"During every Shinobi World War, countless ninja die. Even someone as strong as a Kage cannot guarantee they will survive."

"Anko, you should pray that you never have to step onto a battlefield..."

Uncle Mujie's hoarse voice described the cruelty of war, making Anko shudder. Mari, beside her, froze stiffly in place.

"Uncle Mujie went too far. War may be terrifying, but Konoha will always be the strongest!"

Muzan's voice beneath his black robe was resolute. War would certainly come, but this time, it would not be a tragedy!

Nothing eventful happened along the way. The ninja unit moved quickly, and even those transporting supplies reached the village without delay.

After returning, Muzan plunged straight into the laboratory. Looking through Orochimaru's research notes, he could not help but marvel.

"As expected of the Shinobi World's scientist. I never imagined Teacher Orochimaru had studied cells so thoroughly."

To reach these conclusions, he had probably conducted many bloody experiments. The farther Muzan read, the more chaotic the handwriting became, and the more complicated the records grew.

"No wonder Orochimaru's humanity slowly disappeared."

Just to study the composition of cells, he had conducted a vast number of experiments. They involved not only ordinary people, but also powerful individuals with Bloodline Limits.

They were not sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Danzo, the darkness of the Shinobi World, had likely provided no small amount of assistance.