Experimental base, fifth underground floor, Orochimaru's private laboratory.
Senju Chen When he pushed open the heavy alloy door, a smell mixed with formalin and unknown drugs hit his face.
The lights in the laboratory were dim, with only a few culture chambers emitting faint green light. Orochimaru was standing in front of a microscope, his golden snake eyes staring closely at a sample under the lens.
"Teacher." Senju Chen said.
Orochimaru's hand paused for a second, but he did not raise his head.
"Are you back?" His voice was as hoarse and low as ever, "Have you been to Earth Dragon Cave?"
"I've been there." Senju Chen walked to the experimental table, picked up a test tube and took a look.
"Teacher, I have something to tell you."
"What's the matter?"
"About Sage Mode."
Orochimaru's movement stopped.
He slowly turned around and stared at Senju Chen with his snake eyes.
"Is there something wrong with you Ryūchi Cave?"
"There is no problem." Senju Chen shook his head, "On the contrary, the progress is faster than expected."
"Progress? Have you started practicing?"
Orochimaru frowned, but when he looked at Senju Chen's current state, there was no physical abnormality at all from practicing Earth Dragon Cave Sage Mode.
Senju Chen did not answer immediately.
He walked to the long table in the laboratory, pulled out the chair and sat down, looking up at Orochimaru.
"Yes, teacher, it has already started, but what I cultivated in the Holy Land... is not the original body."
Orochimaru's expression froze.
When Senju Chen said that cultivation is not the essence, Orochimaru immediately reacted and understood what Senju Chen meant.
But Orochimaru was still a little surprised. Orochimaru stared at Senju Chen for ten seconds, and then he slowly spoke.
"Puppet?"
"That's right, teacher, but he's just a puppet."
"White Snake Sage Didn't see it? Impossible. The Holy Land... allowed it?"
"Yes, teacher, and not only Earth Dragon Cave, but also Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest."
When I heard Senju Chen say that not only was Earth Dragon Cave, but Senju Chen also sent clones to Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest, Orochimaru's eyes almost popped out of his head.
"You actually practice Sage Mode with Three Great Sage Lands?"
"Wait a minute, White Snake Sage, Great Toad Sage, Katsuyu Sage... they all know you are using a puppet?"
"Yes, teacher." Senju Chen seemed not to notice his teacher's surprise and replied casually.
Orochimaru's mouth opens and closes.
He straightened up, turned around, and put his hands into his sleeves.
There was silence for a long time.
Then he suddenly laughed.
The laughter was very low, rolling out of his throat and getting louder and louder.
"Ha... haha... hahahaha!"
Orochimaru's shoulders were shaking violently.
He turned around, his eyes filled with excitement.
"Little Chen, you kid..." His voice changed the tone, "Do you know what you did?"
Senju Chen said nothing.
"Sage Mode!" Orochimaru gestured with his fingers in the air, "For hundreds of years, all those who practice Senjutsu have gambled with their own lives! If Ryūchi Cave fails to practice, he will turn into a snake, if Mount Myōboku fails to practice, he will become petrified, and if Shikkotsu Forest fails to practice, he will collapse!"
"Everyone who steps into the Holy Land is walking a tightrope!"
"But you..." Orochimaru pointed at Senju Chen, "Your hand is laying a net directly under the steel wire!"
"Even if the clone practice Senjutsu fails, the main body is still intact. At most, it is the loss of a clone! What's more important is that Three Great Sage Lands actually agreed to you using the clone to practice!!!"
Senju Chen leaned on the back of the chair.
"The teacher praised me so much that I feel embarrassed."
"Praise?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, "I'm not praising you, I'm jealous of you, kid."
"And when I failed to practice Senjutsu, it was not because I was not strong enough, but because my body could not withstand the erosion of Natural Energy."
"At that time, it was like a hand was stirring in your soul, tearing your consciousness apart bit by bit, and then filling it with something strange and cold."
"I can still remember that feeling.
"If I were to do it again..." He paused, "To be honest, I may not have the same courage as before."
Senju Chen looked at Orochimaru's expression.
He rarely saw his teacher look like this.
Not fear, but... fear.
"But tell me now..." Orochimaru's hand tightened, "You used Puppet Clone to bypass all risks?"
"It's not a bypass." Senju Chen corrected, "It's a transfer. If Puppet Clone dies, my main body will indeed not be injured. But the consumption of mental power is real. If the clone really fails, I will need to wait for a while."
Orochimaru stared at him with a smile and said.
"But you won't die."
"Yes."
"It won't turn into a snake."
"Yes."
"But now..."
"Hahaha... hahaha..."
Orochimaru suddenly started to look up to the sky and laugh.
"Teacher, you also have a clone now. I can help you and ask for White Snake Sage's opinion later."
"No need." Orochimaru waved his hand, "White Snake Sage, I'll tell you myself."
He turned around and walked towards the depths of the experimental bench, taking out a scroll from a drawer.
"You go and do your work first. I still need to make some preparations here."
Senju Chen looked at the back of Orochimaru.
My teacher is... a little impatient.
The laboratory door slowly closed.
Orochimaru stood there, looking at the scroll in his hand.
Snake's eyes were filled with anticipation.
"Ryūchi Cave... I'm back."
After Senju Chen came out of Orochimaru's laboratory, he went directly to the intelligence center of the base.
The intelligence center is on the fourth underground floor and is the "brain" of the entire base.
All intelligence collected from the outside world will be sorted, analyzed, and archived here.
When Senju Chen pushed the door in, the person in charge of the intelligence center, Hiraga, was sitting in front of a pile of scrolls, writing and drawing on paper with a pen in his hand.
"Sir." Hiraga raised his head and pushed up his glasses, "You are back."
"Yeah." Senju Chen walked next to him, "Give me Seven-Tails Jinchuriki's information!"
"Yes, sir." Hiraga pulled out a scroll from the nearby file rack and handed it to Senju Chen, "This is the latest information about Seven-Tails Jinchuriki that was sent back."
Senju Chen took the scroll, sat down on the chair next to it, unfolded it, and started reading.
[Seven-Tails Jinchuriki--Fu]
Age: fourteen years old
Origin: Takigakure
Identity: Takigakure Former Jinchūriki, now defected
Character traits:
Extremely vigilant and full of distrust of human society
Because he was treated as a weapon by his village since childhood, he felt extremely insecure inside.
Desire to be accepted by others, but at the same time fear of being taken advantage of
His combat ability is not weak, but he lacks actual combat experience and relies more on the power of Seven-Tails to protect himself.
Three days ago, traces were found near the abandoned mine on the border between Land of Waterfalls and Land of Grass. He seemed to be evading pursuit.