What Orochimaru said made Genie Lamp pause slightly. Before he could think it through, his attention was drawn to the golden stream of light in his eyes.
Unlike someone with pure Ōtsutsuki blood, Orochimaru didn't transform into Rinnegan. On the surface, there was no visible change, only a slight shimmer.
But Genie Lamp keenly noticed that the pupils had dispersed into countless tiny dots. Each dot was shaped like the symbol '8', perfectly matching the meaning of 'Limitless' represented by the Ouroboros.
This development far surpassed his previous innate abnormalities.
"Could it be that you've acquired a pupil jutsu?"
Honestly, Genie Lamp wasn't surprised by this change. The eyes are the organs most closely connected to the brain, and nearly eighty percent of information is obtained through them.
While this organ is incredibly useful, it's also quite fragile. Nearsightedness, glaucoma, night blindness... they are all easily influenced by external factors, and there are countless eye diseases. However, if the internal conditions are favorable, the eyes are the first to benefit.
But even though this transformation seemed natural, Genie Lamp was still very curious. "What pupil jutsu did you obtain?"
"The transformation has only just begun; I don't yet know all the pupil techniques associated with these eyes..."
Orochimaru licked his lips, a flicker of golden light in his eyes. "But there's one that perfectly suits the current situation."
"Tch... you're still holding out..." Genie Lamp raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smiled. "But since you're confident, I'll let go then."
A qualified host should let go of Genie Lamp and operate independently.
"That won't do. There's still something I need your help with..."
Orochimaru grinned, a slight smile on his face.
An excellent host should also consider Genie Lamp's abilities in their plan.
...
The night sky was hazy, dawn was approaching.
On Roran Land, the soaring pillars of light gradually subsided, and even the pervasive rumbling from the ceiling gradually fell silent.
However, within White Snake's spiritual space, the mental battle between the dragon and the snake grew ever more perilous.
The former had lost its physical constraints, but its danger paradoxically increased. With the aid of almost infinite natural energy and holding the home-field advantage, the young White Snake refused to yield, managing to maintain the upper hand against the opponent.
"This can't go on for long. This little guy is still too young, and a direct mental clash isn't his strong suit,"
Genie Lamp floated in a corner of the spiritual space, watching the battle in the sky with Orochimaru. He chuckled, "But this little fellow is stubborn. He still hasn't asked you for help."
Clearly, the previous confinement had greatly angered the 'Ouroboros'. He would never repeat the same mistake unless truly on his last leg.
"Tsk... this time he has no choice,"
Orochimaru grinned, a slight smile on his face. "Since he wants to contend with the entire Dragon Vein, I'll give him that chance."
With that, his gaze sharpened, erupting with brilliant golden light, and he shouted, "Amatsukami!"
Instantly, the winds and clouds churned, and waves of energy surged. A massive vortex swallowed the young White Snake and the Dragon Vein, transforming into a snake consuming its own tail in a loop.
With every bite the snake took, its body grew an inch longer. The two were trapped within, cycling over and over, while the Dragon Vein was gradually digested within this constant, eternal cage.
As one grew stronger, the other weakened. It wouldn't be long before the young White Snake regained the upper hand.
"Remarkable... it's a soul-based ability... this is quite rare across all the worlds,"
Genie Lamp expressed a hint of surprise, then chuckled, "Is this also the 'Eye of Psyche'? It actually compensates for your biggest weakness..."
With his physique further perfected by First Hokage cells, Orochimaru's already excellent attributes became even more formidable. Whether in normal Ninjutsu clashes or Senjutsu, Orochimaru was second to none. Now, with the addition of mental abilities, he had no further weaknesses.
"It's not that powerful; I'm only using it in its initial stages,"
Orochimaru wasn't as optimistic as Genie Lamp. He stared at the serpent loop before him, his brow furrowed. "At least I can't sever the Dragon Vein's connection to the external natural energy yet."
If this continued, it was uncertain whether the Dragon Vein would be devoured and digested, or if he would explode from being overloaded.
Orochimaru turned his gaze to Genie Lamp and said grimly, "Next, it's up to you."
Genie Lamp nodded slightly and, in the next moment, took over Orochimaru's body, forcefully activating Sun Breathing.
The natural energy that had only been accumulating and condensing within his meridians and flesh began to flow in a specific way, nourishing Orochimaru's physical body.
If the young White Snake were controlling the body, it would only devour and digest instinctively. But the way ninjas grow stronger isn't just through instinct; training the body and accumulating energy isn't just about digestion.
Breathing techniques, these methods from another world, allowed the body to absorb natural energy at an incredibly rapid pace.
"Hiss..." Orochimaru's eyes bulged, and he gritted his teeth, letting out a cold breath to suppress a cry of pain.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, White Snake contorted its body grotesquely in the cave, writhing hysterically.
If he were to perform 'Sun Breathing' himself, the pain would be less, but the effectiveness wouldn't be guaranteed, and he might not be able to endure the flow of natural energy from the Dragon Vein.
Moreover, he hadn't let Genie Lamp control his body just to survive this ordeal.
"So much natural energy... this is a golden opportunity..."
Orochimaru closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply, calming his mind.
"You truly intend to go through with this? You can still stop now," Genie Lamp couldn't help but advise, seeing him so still. "As I said, letting your body gain the abilities of the spores... the risk is too high. You might end up with irreversible physical deformities."
"As it stands, there's no need for that."
"No, I must do this." Orochimaru's eyes remained closed as he gently shook his head. "The problem we're facing now might be an overabundance of natural energy, but afterward, it will be the opposite – a lack of natural energy."
If truth be told, with the planet's size, it could nourish at most two or three beings like Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
In this era, unless Orochimaru ravaged all three Sage Lands or figured out a way to devour Tailed Beasts, the problem of insufficient natural energy would continue to plague him.
Orochimaru wasn't afraid of conflict, but the first two methods seemed wasteful to him. If he did them, his future potential would be, at best, a Kekkei Mōra.
Before, he might have been satisfied, but after interacting with Genie Lamp for so long and witnessing a wider world, how could he be short-sighted, only seeking immediate gratification?
Everyone and everything in the ninja world should realize their greater value, not be easily consumed like disposable items.
With this philosophy, 'opening up new sources' was imperative.
The spore abilities, once cultivated by Genie Lamp and spread throughout the world in just a few years, might prove quite useful in his plan.
With this thought, Orochimaru said solemnly, "Proceed without hesitation. There's no need to worry about me. My body and mind are no longer as fragile as they once were."
"Since you have such confidence... then let's begin." Genie Lamp glanced at him and said no more, directly activating another skill.
"Spore Transformation!"
As Genie Lamp spoke softly, White Snake's body suddenly tensed like a spear. Moments later, it roared to the sky and wrapped itself around the stone pillar in the center of the ceiling, tightening its body with all its might.
However, this level of distraction was useless. Green spread across its body, and its skin began to burst outward, inch by inch. Countless fragments shot into the sky.
In the consciousness space, Orochimaru clenched his fists, his Chakra soul body flickering under the dim light, enduring immense pain, even more than when he forcibly used the breathing technique earlier.
The latter was merely using a secret technique devised by humans on a snake's body, resulting at most in muscle distortion and ruptured meridians. But what Orochimaru was currently enduring was a transformation between species.
Although his physique, with the aid of White Zetsu and First Hokage cells, made using Wood Release effortless, allowing him to transform his cells into growing trees in an instant, there was still a significant difference. Furthermore, this was with fungal spores from another world.
"This Orochimaru guy, he really has a lot on his mind..."
Genie Lamp, maintaining the skill's synchronization, glanced at Orochimaru, who was enduring agony in the spiritual space. "He hasn't passed this crisis yet and is already planning for the next one..."
However, the matter itself wasn't bad. He was happy to see his host actively excavating value, whether from himself or from the host's own potential. As long as it created new meaning, it wasn't a bad thing.
"But the pain will have to be borne by himself."
Genie Lamp said softly, unswervingly activating the skill.
Crack...
Suddenly, the long pillar, tens of meters thick, that supported the stone cauldron, could no longer bear the strain. It was snapped by the snake's body, and countless stone fragments rained down, smashing onto White Snake.
However, White Snake did not dodge. Instead, it let out a comfortable moan upon being struck.
Compared to the pain of transformation, this damage was trivial. It even allowed him to vent the increasingly unbearable agony.
"This won't do..."
Genie Lamp descended into the spiritual space and said to Orochimaru, "I'm returning control of your body to you. You don't need to endure any longer."
Actually, he hadn't truly controlled the body. Was it bodily memory, or was the young White Snake still in control?
"Okay..."
Orochimaru gritted his teeth, squeezing out a single word from his throat, and then... White Snake opened its eyes.
The pupils of his eyes suddenly contracted, no longer appearing ignorant and vacant.
"Hiss..."
Orochimaru let out a low growl, and his body began to writhe and twist violently, but the pain did not lessen one bit.
He instinctively began to shed his skin.
Now, with the special energy produced by the fusion of Yin-Yang Release, shedding his skin again would not affect his lifespan. This miraculous Senjutsu might become his chance for reversal.
Thus, the skin that had previously cracked began to shatter even faster. In less than half a minute, White Snake had shed its skin once.
"This... seems to be having some effect?"
Genie Lamp exclaimed softly, immediately noticing the difference.
Orochimaru's body was undergoing a triple transformation. The first was the breathing technique, absorbing and digesting the vast amount of excess natural energy within White Snake.
On top of that, he was forcibly pushing Orochimaru's body towards a spore-like transformation.
This method was far more brutal than the normal transformation of living beings. Whether it would succeed depended entirely on Orochimaru's robust vitality and the possibilities of life itself. However, Genie Lamp held low expectations, only hoping that the final result would be similar in effect.
But the current situation exceeded Genie Lamp's expectations.
The third change was initiated by Orochimaru himself: 'Shedding Skin'... This Senjutsu, which Orochimaru had performed countless times, was now showing a different effect.
"Let me see..."
Genie Lamp continuously switched his observation methods and, within moments, discovered his target. "This is a... natural energy with special properties? Perhaps the effect of White Snake Sage Senjutsu..."
As he pondered, various speculations arose in his mind.
Natural energy is a general term. Whether it's earth vein energy, solar energy, or energy infused by the White Snake Sage... all can be called natural energy.
However, there are subtle differences. For example, the natural energy absorbed when cultivating White Snake Sage Senjutsu can easily cause one to develop snake-like characteristics, and the same applies to Toad Sage Senjutsu... The natural energy within the Dragon Vein is more compatible with the human body.
It's not impossible that White Snake Sage Senjutsu, through the use of the 'Skin Shedding Technique', exhibits some higher-level characteristics.
Frankly speaking, the ninja world is still a blank slate when it comes to the application of natural energy. Not to mention suitable cultivation methods, there isn't even a simple classification for it. Genie Lamp wasn't confident in his speculation.
But he was a pragmatist. He promptly informed Orochimaru about the changes occurring after shedding his skin and cautioned him, "Increase the intensity. It now appears that your skin shedding is effective for your body's evolution."
Orochimaru didn't reply. Only after a pained shriek did he speed up the process of shedding his skin.
Tens of thousands of fragments fluttered, filling the entire ceiling. Under the intermittent energy shockwaves, they were carried out of the ceiling and soared into the sky.
Genie Lamp looked up, a strange meaning flickering in his eyes.
These remnants were not entirely dead matter. After Orochimaru's transplant of First Hokage cells, his cells had become more stable. Therefore, the shed snake skin fragments did not turn into trees, but they still contained potent life force, with much greater potential than the trees that were growing wildly above.
Perhaps later, if taken to a suitable place, they could be scattered on the ground like seeds. He wondered if they would grow into little Orochimarus, or something else entirely.
But now, clearly, was not the opportune moment.
Genie Lamp glanced at these remnants before returning his focus to maintaining the continuity of the skill.
At this moment, the triple changes occurring within Orochimaru were gradually stabilizing. Unless the Dragon Vein suddenly interrupted its supply of natural energy, he might truly succeed in evolving.
And as for what kind of tricks Orochimaru could pull with the spore ability, Genie Lamp was, to be honest, very curious.
In his initial world, although he had spread hosts throughout the entire world, plants lacked clear will and proactive initiative.
Orochimaru, however, was a person, and a greedy one at that.
His serpentine heart was never satisfied...
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