"Genius!"
Orochimaru gazed at the creeping vine, unable to suppress his admiration. "I never imagined you would use this method to cultivate a weakened version of the First Hokage's cells. You've almost entirely stripped away their erosive nature! This creation of yours is nothing short of a masterpiece."
The moment Orochimaru touched the plant, he grasped Hiruko's secret for neutralizing the Hashirama cells. Hiruko's experiment had undoubtedly opened a new door for him, expanding his horizons beyond the limits of human experimentation.
"The erosive nature of the First's cells is indeed formidable," Hiruko said contemplatively. "Successive rounds of inoculation can diminish that aggression. If we graft them directly onto flora, can we minimize the rejection and erosion? This... is my answer."
"Hiruko, you truly are a genius!" Orochimaru's golden, slitted pupils locked onto him with newfound gravity.
Hiruko shook his head. "It's not a true success yet. We need a massive pool of test subjects to ensure this method can be officially rolled out to everyone."
"But we're only one step away, aren't we?" Orochimaru replied, a signature eerie smile spreading across his face. He chuckled softly. "I've already notified Fugaku Uchiha to bring a few of their elite Jonin over."
The two stood in the center of the lab in silence, staring at the singular, massive vine cultivated from Hashirama's cells.
About half an eye-opening hour later, several figures flickered into the room. Fugaku Uchiha led the group, accompanied by five clan members radiating powerful auras. Shisui followed closely at Fugaku's side.
"Lord Orochimaru," Fugaku greeted first. Then, he and the other Uchiha Jonin were immediately transfixed by the ten-meter-tall giant vine in the center of the research hub.
Seeing the familiar wood-grain patterns that resembled a human face, Fugaku almost thought Hashirama Senju had been resurrected. He could feel a surging, boundless life force emanating from the cryptic plant.
"This is the fulfillment of the long-cherished wish I promised your clan," Orochimaru said nonchalantly.
Fugaku looked at Orochimaru with an agitated expression. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but hesitated, seemingly wary of his surroundings. "What do we need to do?"
His doubt and anticipation were palpable. He knew Orochimaru had a specific interest in the Sharingan—or rather, the ultimate principles of Yin Release that it represented.
Hiruko stepped forward. As the lead researcher of this project, he held the most authority. He explained the upcoming procedure to the Uchiha Jonin. After receiving a nod of approval from Fugaku, they followed Hiruko's instructions, activating their Sharingan and pressing their palms against the plant's creepers.
The next instant, the faces of the Uchiha elites contorted. They felt a surge of power erupting from the vine, flowing through their meridians and into their bodies. It seemed to spend thirty seconds "scanning" for the presence of ocular power.
In the next second, the vines coiled around them like pythons. Thorns pierced through their palms, locking them in a grip they couldn't break. From the outside, it looked like a bloody mess.
Gulp, gulp! A wet, swallowing sound echoed through the room, like an animal gorging on water.
The vine instantly paralyzed their nervous systems. It sought to drain their ocular power, chakra, and flesh entirely. They found themselves unable to resist the overwhelming suction, bound by an invisible, suffocating force. In that moment, they realized with terrifying clarity that this plant was alive—a bizarre lifeform existing somewhere between the botanical and the biological.
"Don't worry, this is normal," Hiruko explained with a calm smile. "It's currently taking samples. This plant doesn't lack chakra; it's only drawing a small amount tentatively. Once it reaches a certain threshold, it will only extract your ocular power without consuming you entirely."
He tried to soothe the panicked Jonin, though they were currently so paralyzed they couldn't even open their mouths to curse his ancestors.
After just a few minutes, the once-robust Uchiha Jonin turned deathly pale. They looked utterly "hollowed out"—as if suffering from extreme exhaustion—shriveled and weak like they'd been dehydrated.
Just as they reached the limit of their endurance, the bone-deep suction at their palms vanished, and the paralysis washed away. The five Jonin felt a lingering sensation through their remaining chakra that the vine had just let out a "burp" before curling back into a fetal position like a small child.
The five men scrambled to pull their hands away from the vine, staggering back several steps. One Jonin named Tekka Uchiha fought back the urge to vomit and glared at Hiruko.
"Is this really an experiment to help evolve the Sharingan?" he demanded. "As Jonin, we have the right to know the truth!"
Even as the Clan Head, Fugaku couldn't simply ignore the opinions of his elite Jonin. Within the village, the Uchiha Jonin held significant status; their voices carried weight.
Over the past few months, since the Research Division hadn't produced the expected returns, the Uchiha clan had poured massive funds into the project—so much so that it had begun to affect the training resources of other members. This put immense pressure on Fugaku and his supporters from the rest of the clan.
When he received Orochimaru's notice, Fugaku had felt a momentary surge of relief. He had gambled everything on standing with Hiruko and Orochimaru, investing without return for two months. If this failed, he would face a brutal backlash from the clan, especially from the hawkish faction led by Setsuna Uchiha.
He didn't know if this gamble would pay off, but he desperately needed a win to quiet the dissent.
Hiruko began to weave hand signs. A sealing technique drew in natural energy, and a vast amount of chakra infused with this energy surged through his feet and into the vine's roots.
The eerie, wet swallowing sounds resumed, echoing through the lab. Hiruko's senjutsu-laced energy was greedily devoured by the living plant.
Under the astonished gazes of Fugaku and the others, five flowers rapidly bloomed on the vine's branches—each a small blossom etched with silver-white patterns. These were the condensed essence of the five men.
"Based on where you were standing," Hiruko said, "each of you pluck your respective flower."
The five looked at each other, sensing a strange sensation coming from the blossoms...
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