In a not-so-spacious stone room, a few white lamps were on overhead, illuminating the entire room in a dazzling light.
The middle of the house is separated by an iron fence.
There is a long table outside the fence, which is piled with scrolls, papers, and newly revised diagrams of the techniques. Some of the ink has not yet dried, and the edges are a little wet and shiny.
The ground inside the fence is covered with dense symbols.
Those symbols extended from the corner of the wall to the center of the stone room, in a circle within a circle, and finally formed a huge circular formation.
A man is kneeling in the formation.
He was completely naked, and his body was covered with spells. It spread from his chest to his neck, and then spread down his shoulders to his arms.
The man lowered his head, his mouth was stuffed with cloth, and his shoulders were shaking.
Suddenly, his body suddenly straightened up.
Then his pupils shrank, as if he realized something, and desperately wanted to lower his head.
But his body didn't listen at all.
The next moment, he raised his right hand little by little and grabbed the short knife placed next to him.
The fear suddenly welled up in the man's eyes.
"Woo! Woo!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs, his throat full of muffled sounds.
But his hand still held the knife and turned it little by little to his chest.
The tip of the knife is pressed against the heart.
The man's entire face was distorted, his body was shaking crazily, and his knees were rubbing red on the ground.
But the hand didn't stop.
The tip of the knife continues to move forward.
Poof!
The tip of the knife penetrated the flesh.
Blood flowed down his chest and quickly dripped on the formation.
At this moment, the hand suddenly stopped.
The short knife only penetrated an inch.
Any further and it would pierce the heart.
The man was gasping for air, his eyes were wide open, and he looked like he had just been fished out of the water, covered in sweat.
Orochimaru was standing outside the fence at some point.
He looked at the man in the formation, and then at the diagrams of the techniques on the table.
One of the assistants whispered.
"The error is much smaller than last time."
Orochimaru said nothing.
The assistant immediately continued.
"The experimental subject resisted violently, but its movements did not deviate."
Orochimaru looked at it for a while before speaking.
"Stopped too early."
The pen in the assistant's hand paused.
When the man in the formation heard this, his eyes opened even wider.
Orochimaru's tone had no ups and downs.
"Change again."
"Yes."
The assistant lowered his head and wrote it down.
The runes on the ground slowly dimmed.
The man collapsed to the ground, and the short knife from his chest fell off, hitting the ground with a clang.
He was gasping for air and his body was still shaking.
Orochimaru didn't look at him again.
He walked to the long table and his eyes fell on the top file.
Now the only difference is Shinigami Mask.
But there has been no news about the most critical thing.
At this moment, a small friction sound came from the corner of the wall.
A small snake crawled out from the crack in the stone, holding a small scroll in its mouth.
The assistant quickly stepped forward to take off the scroll and brought it to Orochimaru.
This is the record Kabuto sent back from Ryūchi Cave.
After the scroll was unfolded, it was filled with Sasuke's changes over the past month. It recorded detailed information on Senjutsu Chakra's reaction after entering the body, the fading speed of Cursed Seal's remaining residue, changes in pupil power, the degree of tolerance of the meridians, etc.
I remember every item clearly.
Orochimaru read it carefully for a long time until the last sentence.
Orochimaru stared at it for a long time.
Sasuke-kun's body has deviated from what was originally expected.
After a while, Orochimaru closed the scroll.
His eyes are a little deep.
"As expected of Sasuke-kun... but I don't have much time left."
Orochimaru squinted his eyes, then turned and left.
"I'm going out for a while."
The assistant raised his head.
Orochimaru has walked to the door.
"Record all the experiments here."
The assistant immediately lowered his head.
"Yes."
The stone door opens.
The wind from outside rushed in and was quickly shut out.
That night, it was already past midnight.
At this time, we are somewhere in the deep forest outside Konoha.
Danzo is standing under the tree, wearing Hokage robe and holding a cane in his hand.
He is only one person.
At this time, there was a sound of footsteps behind him.
Danzo slowly turned his head.
Orochimaru came out of the depths of the woods.
The two stood a few steps apart.
Danzo's eyes fell on Orochimaru's hanging sleeves and quickly moved away.
"What do you want to do when you see me so late?"
Orochimaru laughed hoarsely.
"I'm looking for something."
Danzo frowned.
"Have you forgotten your identity?"
Orochimaru did not answer immediately.
His eyes swept over the Hokage robe on Danzo, and then sneered.
"It seems that things are really different after becoming Hokage."
Danzo's eyes turned cold.
Orochimaru looked at him.
"But there are some things that no matter how high you sit, you can't let them bask in the sun, don't you think? Lord Hokage."
The woods became quiet.
Danzo squinted his eyes and stared at Orochimaru for a long time.
Those small eyes revealed a hint of cold murderous intent.
However, Orochimaru was not afraid at all, and still had that cold smile on his face.
After a long time, Danzo finally spoke.
"What are you looking for?"
"Uzumaki Clan's old things left behind."
Danzo was expressionless and didn't ask too many questions.
"Mask Hall."
Orochimaru's eyes moved.
Danzo turned around.
"Uzumaki Clan's old things left behind are all there."
After he finished speaking, he walked deeper into the woods.
After taking a few steps, he paused.
"Don't come to me with this kind of thing again in the future."
Orochimaru looked at his back and laughed.
"Haha, it's nothing important. Of course I won't bother Lord Hokage."
Danzo snorted coldly and quickly disappeared into the night.
Orochimaru stood there until the sound of Danzo's footsteps completely disappeared, then he slowly turned around.
Not long after, Orochimaru led his men to find the ancestral hall.
When I found it, the grass in front of the door almost covered the steps.
The wooden door was badly rotted and made a harsh sound when it was pushed open.
Dust fell from the crack in the door.
The assistant walked in holding a lamp.
The light sweeps across the ground.
The outside of the ancestral hall is very messy.
There were several blackened wooden boxes piled up in the corner of the wall. The lids were half rotten, and some moldy scrolls and broken wooden signs were stuffed inside. There were also a few sacrificial vessels with no apparent purpose nearby. They were covered with dust, and pieces would rustle down when touched.
The assistant just wanted to step forward to check.
Orochimaru raised his eyes.
"Don't worry about that."
The assistant stopped immediately.
Orochimaru walked past those old things, his eyes only stayed on the walls and behind the door for a while.
There was nothing he was looking for outside.
Soon, he saw the half-open wooden door inside.
It's dark inside the door.
The assistant walked over holding the lamp and pushed the door open.
There was a squeak.
The dust inside is heavier than outside. When the light shines in, the air is filled with fine dust.
Orochimaru stood at the door and did not go in immediately.
This room is much narrower than the outside.
There are many masks hanging on the surrounding walls.
Some masks were cracked, some were askew, and some were covered in dust and the color could only be vaguely seen.
When the assistant saw this scene, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
"Lord Orochimaru..."