Orochimaru spoke lightly, as though he were discussing the next day's experiments.
Yet the subject he spoke of was enough to shake the entire Shinobi World.
Artificial Sharingan-and even guiding their evolution.
Naruto did not respond immediately. He simply looked down in silence at the jar of eyes in his hand.
Only after a long while did he look up at Orochimaru, a complicated smile crossing his face. His tone held equal parts admiration and wariness:
"Keeping someone like you in Konoha to do research for me really was the right decision."
He shook his head. "If you were out there, conducting these experiments however you pleased like you used to, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep."
Those words acknowledged Orochimaru's ability while showing a clear understanding of his dangerous nature.
Fortunately, Orochimaru's interests now lay more in exploring the unknown and solving difficult problems than in creating chaos, and he operated within Konoha's framework of oversight and cooperation.
Orochimaru gave a few low chuckles at that, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Naruto hesitated no longer.
He unscrewed the jar's sealed lid, and the same smell as the one in the cultivation chamber holding Urashiki's corpse washed over him.
He reached out with his right hand and, without hesitation, removed the two Three-Tomoe Sharingan from the jar, feeling their slippery surfaces.
Under the two onlookers' gazes, Naruto used no Medical Ninjutsu to assist him. He simply plucked out his original blue eyes, then pressed the two red Sharingan straight into his sockets.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, those once sky-blue eyes had turned a deep blood-red. Three black tomoe slowly revolved within each, radiating cold, powerful waves of ocular power.
Almost the instant Naruto finished replacing his eyes, Tayuya was already prepared at his side.
She quickly stepped forward