It's incredibly difficult for a snake to shed its skin.
First, it must rub its lips against a hard rock to break the skin. Once that spot expands, it gradually sheds the skin from head to tail.
The bigger the snake, the more painful this process becomes, even carrying the risk of death.
The White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave, the largest snake species in the shinobi world, doesn't use this method. Instead, she uses a secret technique to grow a new layer of skin beneath the old one, causing the old skin to gradually petrify and fall off.
Although this method takes a lot of time, it is safe.
Orochimaru has visited Ryuchi Cave many times and has learned this secret technique. However, he clearly doesn't have the time right now. The First Hokage's cells have an even greater affinity for natural energy than Orochimaru's, making their recovery extremely rapid.
He managed to push some of the cells corrupted by the blood to the outer layers, using the skin-shedding method to temporarily curb the rampant proliferation of the First Hokage's cells.
The process is undoubtedly agonizing, after all, this is shedding skin, not taking off stockings, but the effect is also very obvious.
Gradually, Orochimaru gained an advantage in his struggle against the First Hokage's cells, at least reaching a stalemate.
"He actually found a way."
The Genie Lamp watched Orochimaru tearing at the bloody skin on his body, a look of deep emotion on its face.
The ability to control his body to this extent is the result of accumulated effort. Whether it was the initial body modifications, the "Yamata no Orochi Forbidden Jutsu," or the Sage Mode learned from Ryuchi Cave and the Forest of Death after meeting him, all have contributed to the current situation.
"Now that things have progressed this far, nothing else should go wrong, right?"
Based on his past experience observing surgeries, the Genie Lamp knew that transplanting First Hokage's cells was the most difficult part. However, if a shinobi could withstand the erosion caused by the Divine Tree's properties, subsequent development would be smooth.
"Huh... it seems I accidentally tempted fate, but... it's fine, it doesn't seem to have any effect."
The Genie Lamp chuckled as if nothing had happened, looking up and down at Orochimaru, who had already begun his second skin shedding. Seeing that the fusion with the First Hokage's cells was gradually on the right track, it suddenly noticed the discarded snake skins.
Although the symptoms of Orochimaru's main body had lessened, his shed snake skins continued to mutate. The vast sandy platform was now covered in vibrant green.
These short-lived plants might be withered by the desert's dryness tomorrow, but that doesn't diminish the vitality they exude right now.
"Such fragile lives."
The Genie Lamp suddenly recalled its original host, that plant.
It grew after a war of self-destruction by humanity. The land was covered in dust and radiation, and the environment was extremely harsh.
Yet, those nameless fungi could grow stubbornly. Even in desert terrain, they had expanded into vast seas of decay, forming large, yet orderly, fungal forest ecosystems.
If these lives didn't release lethal poison gas to humans, it would have suspected that the host and those "Insect Monarchs" were not miracles of nature, but creations of the ancient people who perished in war.
"The Divine Tree's vitality is also remarkable, but it was ultimately created by the Ōtsutsuki clan, merely to plunder natural energy from the earth's veins."
The Genie Lamp shook its head slightly, looking at these derivatives of the Divine Tree. "Compared to the miracles born of nature, their scope is too small."
Perhaps the natural energy of the dragon vein could allow these creatures to survive for a longer period, but in the harsh natural environment, they were bound to perish completely.
But if the fungi from the initial world could reappear here, could they reverse the barren scenes created by the Divine Tree devouring the earth's energy?
After a long period of thought, the Genie Lamp suddenly came to its senses and laughed at itself. "Tsk... I'm really acting peculiar, why am I considering these things?"
The original host was merely a plant with a faint consciousness, its wish driven by the instinct to grow. To fulfill this, it had spent considerable effort in scattering the fungi to every corner of the world.
And among all the terrains on the planet, the desert is undoubtedly the most difficult. Even the deep sea without light is simpler, as it at least has sufficient water and nutrients.
However, even if the desert fungi from the initial world came to the shinobi world, they might not be able to transform the world as he wished.
The Genie Lamp narrowed its eyes slightly, its gaze passing through the desert rock layers to the winding dragon vein.
This world is a world of the extraordinary, possessing unimaginable power. If we were to compare it to shinobi, it would be Chakra, manipulating wind and fire from nothing, making green trees and branches sprout from barren land.
And in terms of the planet, that unimaginable power is the natural energy within the earth's veins.
Before coming to this world, he couldn't quite understand why the land would become barren after the Divine Tree absorbed all the natural energy.
In his world, which emphasized science, no living things from the five major categories survived by relying on supernatural energy.
Even if the Divine Tree initially grew wildly, absorbing all the water, minerals, and other nutrients from the land, after the core of the Divine Tree—the Ten-Tails—was sealed, its roots spread across the planet should have nourished the land.
But this phenomenon never occurred.
During his leisure time, the Genie Lamp extended itself as much as possible, scanning the entire land. Besides the "Shinobi World" composed of the Five Great Nations and numerous smaller countries, the planet was largely desolate. Improvements over thousands of years were almost nonexistent; perhaps tens of thousands of years would be needed to observe any subtle changes.
The Genie Lamp speculated that phenomena that were natural in its original world, such as the water cycle, might require some propelling force in this world.
The flow of natural energy within the earth's veins is one of the most direct propelling forces. Without this force, it becomes stagnant water, devoid of vitality.
"This speculation is very likely because..."
The Genie Lamp looked up at the night sky, sighing, "Even the sunlight in this world possesses some kind of energy."
It's a pity that, despite being plagued by frequent wars and extreme internal strife, very few in the shinobi world are obsessed with the truth of the world. Even the former Orochimaru was only focused on the 'end of jutsu' after achieving immortality, which ultimately boiled down to just power.
Perhaps in another hundred or even a thousand years, the shinobi world might develop a decent civilization, and he could choose that time to reap the rewards. However, it's also possible that the shinobi world will be destroyed directly.
After all, outside the planet, the shinobi world has a savage enemy.
"In the original timeline, Orochimaru's starting point was good, but his vision and resources were far from sufficient. Even if that fragile immortality could last for centuries or millennia, relying on himself, he might not be able to develop any power to resist the Ōtsutsuki clan."
The Genie Lamp gazed at the transforming White Snake, murmuring, "Now I have done my best to provide him with the shinobi world's top resources and vision. I wonder how far he can grow."
While the Genie Lamp was lost in thought, Orochimaru's surgery was nearing its end.
With a non-human shriek, Orochimaru shed his final layer of snake skin, completely integrating with the First Hokage's cells.
Discarding the blood-stained snake molts, Orochimaru placed his hands on the ground and let out a long sigh.
Among the dense foliage, the giant, half-human, half-snake creature was covered in blood, almost collapsing on the ground.
With a weight of dozens, even hundreds, of tons, it was unbelievable by normal human standards. But for its size, it was excessively thin, comparable to the former Nagato in human form.
Its once crystalline white scales now looked somewhat murky, completely devoid of their former power and laden with a palpable weakness, giving it an unhealthy appearance at first glance.
The consecutive skin sheddings were a sign of the surgery's successful vitality, but they also consumed a massive amount of bodily potential. The dense trees and vines within a hundred-meter radius were almost entirely a creation of these snake molts.
His body was now severely depleted. After a short rest, he took out the rare medicinal liquid he had prepared in advance from a scroll.
These were all mild and beneficial rare medicinal herbs. Even a normal person wouldn't experience significant consequences from consuming large amounts, let alone Orochimaru in his current state.
After guzzling from the large cauldron for a full fifteen minutes, Orochimaru finally looked up, his pale face regaining some color.
The Genie Lamp floated closer, smiling, "Congratulations, the surgery is finally successful."
"This indeed is worth celebrating." Orochimaru's eyes flashed with a hint of joy, but more so with deep confusion. He examined his body from head to toe.
"Although my strength has indeed increased significantly, and I predict my power will reach a new level after recovery, this is merely a quantitative accumulation."
Having personally performed surgeries on Uchiha clan members and Nagato, he had witnessed the fusion of the Yang release power represented by the First Hokage's cells and the Yin release power represented by spiritual energy more than once.
Whether the degree of fusion was minor or deep, it should have happened to him as well.
But Orochimaru realized that it wasn't obvious; at least, he couldn't feel it at the moment.
"You are too close to the situation to see clearly."
The Genie Lamp chuckled lightly. "Spiritual power... if we consider its manifestation, it can be seen from soul strength. Your soul has been damaged multiple times. Although it was supplemented by the Pure Land, has there been any qualitative leap? Compared to your intact state, it's merely a quantitative accumulation at best."
Orochimaru's spiritual power is indeed strong, so strong that he can freely extract mineral deposits hundreds of meters underground and hold his own against tailed beasts wielding Magnet Release. He could even imprison them by using sand, their most proficient element.
However, if we are to be precise, this is the power of Sage Mode.
If it were just a battle of Magnet Release, he might not have been able to suppress Shukaku so easily. After all, both possess "quantity."
Orochimaru frowned upon hearing this. "The next step is to find a way to increase my spiritual power?"
Although he was no longer the novice he once was regarding his soul, he had no idea how to improve it.
After all, spiritual power is different from physical power. There isn't a convenient treasure like the First Hokage's cells.
"Wait, Mangekyo Sharingan, Rinnegan..." Orochimaru remembered these, and a faint glimmer appeared in his eyes.
With his current physique, he could naturally withstand the Mangekyo Sharingan. If he used the Genie Lamp's "skill" to forcibly evolve these eyes, he wondered what would happen.
Perhaps the consequences wouldn't be that bad.
"Discard that idea. The risk is far too great."
The Genie Lamp shook its head. Although the current Orochimaru is cold-blooded, he is not extreme. The communication between them is very smooth, but if forced to stimulate him with a skill, it's hard to say what might happen.
Moreover, it's not just about becoming a Mangekyo, but also going through the transformation process to become a Rinnegan.
"These costs are nothing to me."
Orochimaru shook his head. After his observation, he found that the Uchiha clan's bloodline disease didn't fundamentally alter their personality, but rather amplified a particular aspect of their psyche. Essentially, they were still themselves.
If it means accepting some degree of personality influence to achieve a goal, he wouldn't reject it.
"I'm not advising you to completely abandon this method, but to say that there is a better way."
The Genie Lamp tilted its head and smiled, "Although your spiritual power hasn't undergone a qualitative change, a part of it has already completed this process."
Orochimaru paused slightly, suddenly realizing the little snake he had imprisoned in the depths of his soul. "You mean the Tail-Eater..." But he quickly reacted, narrowing his eyes and looking at the Genie Lamp. "You predicted this long ago?"
Whether it was the Tail-Eater or the initial plan to achieve eternal life using the Senju's body, almost all of it was related to the Genie Lamp, or rather, influenced by it. This made him suspicious.
"I can't say that. I didn't scheme against you."
The Tail-Eater is not entirely harmless yet, so the Genie Lamp didn't blame Orochimaru for being suspicious and smiled. "It's just that the shinobi world is the way it is. I don't have absolute confidence in whether your abilities can break through the limitations."
Setting aside the lives of ordinary people in the shinobi world, the development of shinobi themselves is inherently flawed.
"The past is better than the present" is almost a given. Hashirama Senju's fleeting brilliance might have stemmed from a regression to the ancestral state.
But the Genie Lamp, having traveled through many worlds, knew that "the past is better than the present" is merely a false proposition. Without major civilization-ending events, the general law of development is a spiral ascent.
The reason for the shinobi in the shinobi world being this way is the collision of two different dimensional civilizations.
The Ōtsutsuki clan's bloodline, even when only partially manifested, left those who sought to develop powers suitable for the shinobi world with no recourse.
Bloodline limits, Magnet Release, Lava Release, and the like... it's all like this. Besides bloodlines, there isn't even a stable means of tradition. But once awakened, the former can banish the latter to the Pure Land.
It's quite laughable, yet undeniably true.
"This is truly disheartening."
Orochimaru, after hearing the Genie Lamp's frank explanation, licked his lips with his snake tongue, a complex smile on his face. "The barriers between civilizations are truly formidable."
He didn't reject using the method proposed by the Genie Lamp. He just suddenly understood that whether it was borrowing the Rinnegan or the little White Snake, there was no difference between the two. Even if successful, the fundamental reason wasn't based on his own acquired knowledge.
Knowledge, unlike experience, is replicable.
With his abilities and techniques, he can now perform the First Hokage's cell transplantation surgery on any shinobi, giving them a partial Senju body. However, for higher-level transformations, he is still powerless.
"You don't need to be discouraged. Although gradual accumulation is pleasant, obtaining a leap forward with external help isn't necessarily a bad thing."
The Genie Lamp smiled. "The development of the shinobi world and shinobi themselves is inherently flawed. In the face of this general trend, the original righteous path has become a detour."
"What you are taking now, on the contrary, is a broad and smooth highway."
---
You can read 50 Chapters ahead on my
pat reon.com/GMadman