White Zetsu 18: Orochimaru, Do You Want Immortality?

While Ato's original body entered the mental space for spiritual training.

Inside Ato's laboratory.

The Research Shadow Clone was eating a skewer of tri-colored dango with an annoyed expression.

"Original body, you Saiyan capitalist—aren't Shadow Clones people too?"

The Research Shadow Clone muttered a couple of complaints under his breath.

"This secret-recipe tri-colored dango is pretty good." He stuffed more than a dozen dumplings into his mouth in a few bites, nodded in satisfaction, then looked toward the experimental display stand beside him.

More than a dozen thumb-sized, capsule-like scrolls sat on the display stand.

These were the Sealing Scrolls created by the Research Shadow Clone.

In the Ninja World, the method of making Sealing Scrolls was very simple.

One only needed to write sealing formulas onto specialized chakra paper, turning it into the Ninja World's most common type of Sealing Scroll.

Different sealing formulas gave the resulting Sealing Scrolls different functions.

The ones made by the Research Shadow Clone were merely the most basic Object Sealing Scrolls.

Due to technological limitations, the Ninja World still made Sealing Scrolls by hand.

Specialized sealing teams handled the writing and engraving.

However, to the Research Shadow Clone, who possessed the entirety of Tuffle Technology, that was simply far too primitive.

The Tuffles' Energy Engraving Machine only needed the sealing formulas input in advance to engrave miniature sealing formulas into Capsule Scrolls made from chakra paper.

The entire process took less than a minute.

The Research Shadow Clone had completed the task Ato assigned him.

He named them Capsule Scrolls.

Casually picking up a Capsule Scroll, the Research Shadow Clone tossed it onto the floor.

Bang.

The moment it touched the ground, the Capsule Scroll burst into a cloud of smoke.

Then, the food stored within it immediately appeared on the ground, sorted into categories.

Looking at the mountain of food, the Research Shadow Clone stroked his chin.

After his research and development, the sealed space inside the Capsule Scroll had increased tenfold, allowing it to store far more items.

Furthermore, the Research Shadow Clone had improved the method of activating the seal.

He discarded the useless hand seals. As long as it was thrown onto the ground, the Capsule Scroll would automatically unseal itself.

The Research Shadow Clone stretched, then sat directly on the floor and began stuffing himself.

Shadow Clones needed to eat too!

Especially Saiyan Shadow Clones!

"18, are you still not done over there?"

Between bites, the Research Shadow Clone focused his mind and activated the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Communication Technique.

Meanwhile, in an underground base far from Konoha.

The entire underground base was built in the shape of a serpent, dark and damp.

This was one of Orochimaru's most fully equipped bases.

Even so, many areas of the base did not even have electricity and still relied on candles for illumination.

Only several laboratories at the very center of the base contained a few large batteries, which were connected to several bulky computers and medical devices.

These devices rumbled as they operated, producing tremendous noise.

"18, this is my most advanced experiment."

At that moment, in one of the laboratories containing a large number of submerged ninja test subjects, Orochimaru, dressed in a Konoha jonin vest, proudly introduced the facility to the seven-and-a-half-foot-tall White Zetsu 18 before him.

The current Orochimaru no longer had his former cold and sinister demeanor. A calm, gentle smile rested on his face as his snake-like eyes stared at White Zetsu 18, filled with fervor.

Orochimaru was simply too excited now.

From White Zetsu 18—no, from Ato, the Saiyan who had come to the Ninja World—he saw an entirely new future for himself.

After Ato brought the Third Shinobi World War to an end.

Orochimaru returned to Konoha, only to be betrayed by his own teacher.

Orochimaru did not care that Hiruzen Sarutobi had passed the position of Hokage to Minato Namikaze.

What he truly cared about was that Hiruzen Sarutobi had actually blocked all information about the Saiyan Ato's arrival in Konoha from him.

As a result, he had spent the past several days in his laboratory, completely unaware of what was happening outside.

Until a day ago, when White Zetsu 18 suddenly appeared inside Orochimaru's experimental base.

"Teacher, you surely have no idea that I now possess more information about Saiyans than the entire Ninja World, do you?"

Orochimaru looked fervently at White Zetsu 18, who was examining his experimental records on Impure World Reincarnation.

A day ago, while Orochimaru was conducting a soft-body modification experiment, White Zetsu 18 had emerged directly from underground before him.

Then, amid Orochimaru's shock, White Zetsu 18 directly stated the purpose of his visit.

"Orochimaru, Ato has chosen you to be the experimental assistant of his Research Shadow Clone. Come with me to Ato's laboratory now."

As one of the Legendary Three Ninja, Orochimaru naturally would not obey White Zetsu 18's orders.

So Orochimaru charged at him.

Then, White Zetsu 18 mercilessly crushed Orochimaru with a single finger.

After experiencing White Zetsu 18's incomparable power, Orochimaru immediately prepared to abandon this body and use Living Corpse Reincarnation to transfer his consciousness and soul into a spare body he had prepared.

However, before Orochimaru could activate Living Corpse Reincarnation.

One casual sentence from White Zetsu 18 instantly made Orochimaru abandon all thoughts of escape.

"Orochimaru, do you want immortality?"

The moment Orochimaru heard White Zetsu 18's words, he instantly calmed down.

He wanted immortality too badly!

After calming down, Orochimaru obtained all information from White Zetsu 18 regarding the Ninja World, Saiyans, and this universe.

Orochimaru was stunned beyond measure.

So the Ninja World was merely a fringe planet in the North Galaxy of the Dragon Ball Universe.

Saiyans were the universe's strongest warrior race.

And the immortality he had longed for could be achieved through countless methods in the universe.

Many races in the universe even possessed lifespans beyond Orochimaru's imagination.

The Rabbit Goddess who had supposedly existed in the Ninja World, Kaguya Otsutsuki, was merely a member of an ancient medical race in the universe.

Yet even the Ōtsutsuki Clan possessed lifespans that began at thousands of years.

Orochimaru was exhilarated.

In White Zetsu 18—no, more precisely, in Ato—he saw hope for immortality.

For the sake of his own immortality, Orochimaru still accepted White Zetsu 18's invitation.

Over the following period, under White Zetsu 18's orders, Orochimaru presented all of his research results before 18 for White Zetsu 18 to record.

To let White Zetsu 18 finish recording faster and take him to Ato's laboratory sooner.

Orochimaru even personally explained all the ideas behind his human experiments to White Zetsu 18.

And now, Orochimaru led White Zetsu 18 into the final laboratory.

Looking at the crude biological medical equipment before him and the empty underground base, White Zetsu 18 crossed his arms, stroked his chin, and fell silent for a long while.

"18, what is it?"

Orochimaru furrowed his brows slightly and could not help asking.

"Orochimaru, you truly are a genius in life sciences."

18 praised him calmly.

Despite such a crude environment and having no experimental assistants whatsoever, he had still created so many research achievements.

From this, it was clear just how exceptional Orochimaru's talent for life modification truly was.

"Let's go, Orochimaru. Ato is getting impatient."

White Zetsu 18 collected the final experimental record, then led Orochimaru swiftly down into the earth.