Orochimaru Was Still Orochimaru

At the Night Organization's training ground.

A shrine housing the Divine Seats of the First Hokage, Madara Uchiha, and the Second Hokage stood firm amid the turbulence of battle.

Ninjutsu flew everywhere. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought they were watching the Chunin Ninja Exams.

But this was only a training session for Ninja Academy students who hadn't even graduated.

"Ora!"

Asuma gripped a wooden Chakra Blade in both hands. Wind-nature Chakra clung to his feet, and a few swift steps brought him close to Homura Uchiha.

With a shout, he threw a punch at Homura. For some reason, yelling "Ora" as he struck made the punch feel much more satisfying.

The wind from Asuma's fist stirred a few strands of Homura's hair. Homura drew his wooden sword in a flash, catching Asuma's wrist with its spine and blocking the punch.

Thud!

Yan met the attack head-on, triggering his Counterattack. Just as he prepared to pull away, Asuma's lips curled upward.

Behind me!

Yan's ears twitched. He heard movement at his back.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!"

Kakashi, a wooden sword strapped to his back, swung both hands forward. Several lightning-formed hounds roared as they raced toward Homura.

Yan pressed down with his sword, forcing Asuma's arm against his stomach. He turned the blade toward Asuma and slashed straight at his abdomen.

Smack.

Asuma jumped back, bleeding off the force as he landed. Homura leaped up to avoid the lightning beasts.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

The instant Homura was airborne, Obito and Anko called out together. A fireball and a column of flame came at him from opposite directions!

Boom!

The two Fire Release techniques collided with a tremendous roar. No one relaxed. Sure enough, when the smoke cleared, only a charred log fell to the ground.

"You guys really—"

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

Yan had barely uttered the first syllable when Might Guy, guided by a beastlike instinct, launched a side kick behind Obito.

A beat slower, Obito drove an elbow backward too.

Thud!

Thud!

Yan caught Might Guy's ankle with one hand and blocked Obito's elbow with the other.

The sounds confirming two successful Counterattacks rang through Homura's mind in quick succession.

Yan seized Obito's arm and flung him bodily toward Might Guy.

Might Guy instinctively abandoned his attack and flipped backward twice to make room. Obito had no time to slow down and slammed straight into a tree.

"Remember to dodge."

Yan chuckled, stopping the others just as they were about to attack again.

He raised two fingers to his lips, gathered his Chakra, and blew forward.

A fireball more than twice the size of Obito's erupted from his mouth.

Boom!

Might Guy pulled Obito away as everyone scattered. The fireball burst halfway toward them, its scorching heat washing over their faces.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and his hand went instinctively to his sword.

Through a gap in the flames, he saw Homura grip his wooden sword with both hands as though drawing a blade from behind his back. A few faint sparks flickered along it.

White Fang Swordsmanship!

In the next instant, Homura appeared before Kakashi as if he had teleported. Kakashi had only just reached the sword on his back when Homura's wooden blade came to rest against his neck.

Kakashi raised both hands in surrender and withdrew to the edge of the training ground.

Losing Kakashi, their strongest fighter, first did nothing to dampen the others' spirits.

The moment Kakashi left, Genma Shiranui spat a Senbon.

Asuma formed Hand Seals and thrust out his palm, unleashing Wind Release: Gale Palm.

Might Guy kicked off the ground and charged at Homura like an arrow loosed from a bow, throwing a straight punch.

The others each used their own methods...

When Homura laid his wooden sword against Ebisu, the last one standing, the battle ended.

The Night Organization's nine members had failed in their fifth team battle against Homura Uchiha.

Yan wiped the sweat from his brow. They were improving too quickly. Without his Sharingan, fighting them was getting genuinely difficult.

"Hey, Homura, talk about playing favorites. You used Genjutsu to knock Anko out, but when it was my turn, you kicked me away."

Obito held his stomach. He had been thoroughly embarrassed just now. Rin had seen Homura rush up and kick him away before he could put up any resistance.

"Obito!"

Rin, who had been checking on Kakashi, turned to Obito with an exasperated look. Even Kurenai Yuhi looked helpless.

Obito swallowed. Everyone knew Homura gave Anko special treatment, didn't they? Why were they all looking at him like that just because he'd said it aloud?

"Ahem." Noticing the faint blush on Anko's face, Homura hurriedly changed the subject:

"I thought you were a speed bump. I kicked you away without noticing."

He added silently, Next time, I'll use Genjutsu and have Grandpa Madara step on your back too.

After some more fooling around, school was over, and everyone prepared to head home.

Now, some of you might be wondering how they had gotten here before school let out.

Teacher Taro looked at the students below him. A moment later, the classroom rang with a chorus of pops, and his students vanished.

Ever since Homura had taught the Night Organization's members Shadow Clone, they had gradually decided they would get more out of training than class. Without needing to discuss it, they had all started sending Shadow Clones to school.

Taro taught a roomful of Shadow Clones every day. If nothing else, he was dedicated to his work.

"Hey, Homura, I finished that thing you gave me last time."

Anko took out a Scroll and handed it to Homura.

"And don't go easy on me next time."

With that, Anko ran off. Watching her go, Homura silently decided that next time, Obito would have to challenge twenty-five Madara Uchihas using Susanoo inside a Genjutsu.

Yan found Orochimaru's Shadow Clone lurking nearby and asked as he always did, "Teacher, can I see you now?"

Pop!

He had expected the Shadow Clone to stay silent as usual. Instead, it vanished outright.

Yan's eye twitched. What was that supposed to mean?

"Hiss, hiss."

A little white snake slithered up to Homura's feet and flicked its tongue, signaling for him to follow.

Was Orochimaru finally done with his work?

Homura followed the white snake all the way to Konoha Back Mountain and remembered the fire he had started there earlier.

So Orochimaru's appearance that day hadn't been a coincidence. His Laboratory had been here all along.

The white snake led Homura through several turns to a secluded cave.

Yan walked in slowly and dispelled the simple Genjutsu set at the entrance.

Yan pushed open the Laboratory door. Contrary to what he had imagined, it wasn't full of human organs floating in formalin.

Orochimaru's Laboratory was very clean. Apparently, at this stage, he hadn't gone so far as to begin experimenting on people.

"Yan, it's been a long time."

Orochimaru turned around. "I haven't properly taught you since taking you as my student. I'm sorry about that."

He took several Scrolls from his robe and handed them to Homura. "There's quite a bit of Ninjutsu in these. With your talent, I'm sure you'll learn them quickly."

Wasn't this still leaving me to figure everything out on my own?

Homura no longer had the energy to complain. His gaze shifted to the petri dishes on the table.

Noticing where Homura was looking, Orochimaru began to explain:

"After what you said gave me the idea, I kept searching for proof that Chakra can record information."

"After extensive experimentation, I cultivated cells containing my Chakra and placed them alongside ordinary cells. Then I extracted the Chakra from the special cells and injected it into the ordinary ones.

"To my surprise, a small portion of the ordinary cells' structure changed to match that of the special cells."

Orochimaru grew more excited as he spoke. "In other words, Chakra can copy its bearer's Body Information onto another individual and overwrite what was there."

Yan's eyes widened. Wasn't that the whole damn principle behind Kāma?

Orochimaru had worked out the principle behind the Ōtsutsuki's revival Secret Technique. Orochimaru was still Orochimaru.

"Unfortunately, I can't take the experiment any further for now."

Regret and urgency colored Orochimaru's voice. "So far, I can only copy a tiny part of one cell. Applied to an entire human body, that's a drop in the ocean."

Seeing how consumed Orochimaru seemed, Homura tried to offer some advice:

"Perhaps you should look around the Shinobi World. The idea came from the legend of the Sage of Six Paths, after all."

"By the way, Teacher, here are some ideas for experiments that occurred to me."

Yan placed a list in front of Orochimaru. It read:

What substances are essential to the human body? Why do people need to eat? Why must their meals include meat and vegetables?

Why do ninja clans, especially the Senju, Uzumaki, and Uchiha, have more Chakra than ordinary people?

The questions on the page made Orochimaru smile. "Not bad, Homura. I'll try to answer them while I gather historical records from across the Shinobi World."

Four words suddenly came to Homura's mind: Approaching Science.

"Teacher, if you find the answers, could you publish them in a Heavenly Eye Society journal?"

"Of course. Yan, we truly are kindred spirits. You don't have a summoning beast yet, do you?"

Orochimaru summoned a huge Scroll. "This is the Summoning Contract of Ryūchi Cave. Yan, sign your name."

"But until you go to Ryūchi Cave and make a contract with a summoning beast of your own, you'll only be able to summon Manda, like me. He demands sacrifices, so be careful."

Before the age of towering giants arrived, a summoning beast was a powerful ally. Yan naturally had no reason to refuse. He bit his finger and signed his name.

"By the way, Teacher, do you need an assistant?"