Deep within the Leaf Village's Forest of Death, the iron door of Laboratory No. 3 silently slid open as Orochimaru released its seal.
Tianyi stepped inside first. The air was thick with the strange mixed scent of formaldehyde and plant sap.
The lights came on automatically, revealing rows of nutrient tanks arranged neatly together. Dozens of White Zetsu corpses floated in the pale green nutrient fluid.
Those pale bodies swayed faintly in the liquid like a school of deep-sea jellyfish.
Tianyi's gaze swept over the test subjects. He had not expected Orochimaru to clone so many White Zetsu replicas. These artificial humans created by the God Tree possessed nearly perfect cellular adaptability and truly were top-tier experimental materials.
Orochimaru followed half a step behind Tianyi, his golden snake-like eyes narrowing slightly as his voice carried its usual chilling undertone.
"Tianyi-kun, look. After my modifications, the cellular activity of this batch of White Zetsu test subjects has increased by thirty-seven percent."
Tianyi nodded slightly without responding, and Orochimaru continued his introduction. From cell division rates to chakra conduction efficiency, every figure represented a cutting-edge experimental project in the Ninja World.
There was undisguised excitement in Orochimaru's tone. After all, the man before him was not only his financial backer, but also a rare fellow traveler with whom he could discuss the path to immortality.
When the two reached the third row of nutrient tanks, Tianyi suddenly stopped.
Inside the tank floated a boy of around ten years old. Black hair draped around his face, his features were delicate, and his eyes were shut tightly.
That face made Tianyi frown. A strange sense of familiarity welled up inside him, and he turned to Orochimaru.
"Is this your clone?"
Orochimaru extended his long, slender tongue and licked his lips. A glint flashed through