Relying on his memories from before, he quickly found Orochimaru's base.
The large rock still blocked the entrance, just as it had last time.
As Xuandou wondered how to get inside, the rock suddenly moved on its own, slowly sliding aside to reveal the tunnel entrance.
He took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The tunnel still had that same strange smell.
Xuandou quickened his pace, passing the glass tanks holding submerged test subjects and the stone chambers piled with equipment, heading straight for the innermost laboratory.
Sure enough, Orochimaru was still there.
Wearing his white robe, he stood before a laboratory bench, fiddling with something.
"My place certainly is busy today."
Orochimaru did not even turn around.
"Even you've come... Xuandou."
Xuandou was in no mood for small talk and spoke directly:
"Orochimaru, get out of Konoha, now!"
"I just received intelligence that Hiruzen Sarutobi has decided to arrest you tonight!"
Orochimaru's hands stopped moving.
He slowly turned around, his previously composed expression finally changing.
Within just a few seconds, however, he regained his composure.
Without another word, he took out one sealing scroll after another and began packing at lightning speed:
Research data, reagent bottles, culture tanks-he did not even leave behind the glass vessels holding submerged test subjects, sealing them into the scrolls one by one.
Once he finished packing, Orochimaru summoned his disciple, Anko.
He was just about to say something when his expression suddenly changed, and he whipped his head toward the exit.
"This is bad!"
The moment he spoke, a deafening explosion rang out from the other end of the tunnel.
Boom!
The explosion's shock wave kicked up clouds of dust.
Then Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out through the dust:
"Orochimaru is inside! Follow me! Take him alive!"
Xuandou's expression changed when he heard Hiruzen's voice from the other end of the tunnel.
He got here this fast!
With no time to think, he grabbed Orochimaru with one hand and pulled Anko over with the other, activating his left eye's Dōjutsu.
"Yomotsu!"
Layers of spatial ripples spread behind the three of them. In the blink of an eye, their figures slowly sank into them and vanished without a trace.
At almost the same instant, Hiruzen charged into the laboratory with more than a dozen Anbu.
Torchlight illuminated the entire stone chamber, but it was deserted. Only a few empty laboratory benches and broken glass scattered across the floor remained.
Hiruzen froze where he stood, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his face.
"Where is Orochimaru?"
Just moments earlier, he had still been hesitating over whether to strike to kill once he charged inside or let his disciple live.
Well, now there was no need to choose.
Orochimaru had vanished into thin air!
Not only was he gone, but the experimental equipment, culture tanks, and scrolls-almost everything that could be moved-had been taken as well, leaving only a pile of useless junk.
What did that mean?
It meant Orochimaru had known in advance that he was coming to arrest him!
He had left at his leisure.
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
After a moment, he clenched his pipe between his teeth and ordered:
"The ninjutsu and research data in Orochimaru's possession are important assets of Konoha. We cannot let him take them away!"
He paused, looking toward the tunnel:
"He can't have gotten far. Pursue him immediately!"
"And..."
He glanced at the disordered laboratory.
"Bring everything that's left back to Konoha."
Meanwhile, Xuandou, Orochimaru, and Anko had landed in Yomotsu Space.
Everything around them was gray and hazy, with murky, chaotic vapor drifting through it.
The moment Orochimaru landed, his eyes lit up.
He surveyed the strange space, his face full of excitement. He even reached out to grab the murky vapor drifting beside him, as though he wanted to hold it in his hands and study it.
"This is... Space-Time Ninjutsu!"
His voice carried excitement he could barely conceal.
"And it's an independent space!"
As he spoke, he was already considering how to collect the "murky vapor" here, showing none of the fear of someone who had narrowly escaped the Third Hokage's encirclement.
Xuandou was left somewhat speechless.
That dedication to research...
It really was in a class of its own.
No wonder he could be a scientist.
He could not help reminding him:
"Orochimaru, we're not out of danger yet. Don't let your guard down."
With that, he activated his left eye's Dōjutsu again, and space rippled once more.
Their vision blurred, and the three of them emerged from Yomotsu Space, landing beneath a large tree in the Forest of Death.
Orochimaru had been engrossed in his research, and a hint of displeasure appeared on his face at the sudden interruption.
He turned to stare into Xuandou's eyes, his tone probing:
"This must be a Dōjutsu awakened through the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan."
Knowing he could not hide it from him, Xuandou simply nodded:
"That's right. But this Dōjutsu can't transport us very far. We're still in the Forest of Death."
Rather than hurry to escape upon hearing that, Orochimaru grew reflective:
"How fascinating... I've researched so many ninjutsu, only to discover in the end that Kekkei Genkai are more miraculous than any secret technique."
Xuandou did not pursue the subject. Instead, he said seriously:
"Orochimaru, from now on, I won't be supplying you with any more bodies from the Uchiha Clan."
This was, of course, because the newly available clan building required Sharingan as sacrifices.
Orochimaru, however, did not seem concerned in the slightest and waved a hand:
"It doesn't matter. The test subjects you supplied before have already allowed me to discover quite a few things."
He paused, then suddenly gave Xuandou a meaningful look:
"For instance... using the Sharingan too much leads to blindness."
Xuandou's heart lurched, and his pupils contracted slightly.
Orochimaru continued:
"My research has shown that, whether or not a member of the Uchiha Clan has awakened their Sharingan, the eyes themselves are rather like... containers, naturally storing large amounts of yin release chakra."
"And yin release chakra is closely related to a person's mind. When Uchiha clan members experience intense emotional stimulation, their brains produce a special energy that opens these containers, awakening the Sharingan."
"The more intense the stimulation, the more advanced the Sharingan's awakening."
After hearing this, Xuandou could not help feeling genuine admiration:
"Orochimaru, your research is completely correct."
It was exactly the same as the information he had read in the original story.
To reach this level through only a year's research was impressive indeed.
Orochimaru continued his explanation:
"However, once the containers are opened, consumption effectively begins. Each use of the Sharingan depletes a little of the yin release chakra within the eyes."
"An ordinary Sharingan is fine, but once the Mangekyō awakens, those immensely powerful Dōjutsu consume chakra rapidly. Once the yin-release chakra within the eyes runs out, blindness naturally follows."
At this point, Orochimaru gave Xuandou's eyes another meaningful look.
Xuandou was shaken.
Something suddenly occurred to him, and he could not help asking:
"There's a legend in the Uchiha Clan that a blinded Mangekyō can become an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan that will never go blind by replacing its eyes with those of a biological brother. How does that work?"