Shinobi World.
Another ritual was underway, with all high-ranking members of the Research Institute in attendance. In the distance, Sasuke and Naruto were also watching from afar.
Regarding Shinji taking away Yamada Juichi and the experimental subject from the sixth ritual, it had not caused much of a stir in the Research Institute yet.
Firstly, no one in the Research Institute dared to question Shinji's orders. Secondly, the time had been short, only a month or two, so various aspects were still in the speculation stage.
Therefore, the Research Institute continued to advance the rituals methodically. Currently, the seventh ritual prepared by the Research Institute was being conducted.
The entire ritual process was uneventful. The experimental subject easily completed the 'cocooning' and broke out of the shell amidst the mist, revealing a new form increasingly closer to the Otsutsuki clan.
"Successful again!"
"Tsk tsk, the data is even better than before!"
"It seems our technology has fully matured!"
In the observation area, the researchers were all very excited.
Success in two consecutive rituals made them gradually convinced that the various processes of the ritual were mature and perfect, and the Research Institute possessed the ability to mass-produce experimental subjects.
Compared to the excitement of ordinary researchers, the expressions of the high-ranking members varied.
Amado maintained his usual serious demeanor, showing neither joy nor worry about the success of the ritual before him. Tsunade frowned slightly, her face faintly showing worry.
As for Orochimaru, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly on the surface, seemingly showing joy about the ritual's success like the masses, but there was an imperceptible gloominess in the depths of his eyes.
Yamada Juichi and the experimental subject from the sixth ritual being taken away by Shinji was just somewhat puzzling in the eyes of others, guessing that Shinji took them away possibly to conduct some kind of test or further research 'Shinjutsu'. Only Orochimaru knew that the two taken away by Shinji were already dead!
He knew not because he learned about Shinji's 'Artificial Otsutsuki Plan', nor because he witnessed the scene of Shinji sacrificing the two to the God Tree, but purely out of intuition.
After Shinji took away Yamada Juichi and the experimental subject from the sixth ritual, Orochimaru became inexplicably irritable. At the same time, an unspeakable sense of urgency bred in his heart. It was this intuition originating from his heart that made him unusually certain about the deaths of Yamada Juichi and the experimental subject from the sixth ritual.
He had also guessed Shinji's purpose for killing the two. The only conclusion he reached was that he felt Shinji, like him, was plundering Shinjutsu through some method unknown to him.
Having reached this conclusion, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat!
If Shinji really mastered some means similar to his Shinjutsu 'Absorption' that could plunder others' Shinjutsu, then his secret absorption of Shinjutsu would likely not be hidden for long. Because the means capable of absorbing Shinjutsu most likely could sense whether Shinjutsu existed on the target.
If so, then he, who already possessed three kinds of Shinjutsu—'Absorption', 'Claw Marks', and 'Immense Strength'—was undoubtedly also on Shinji's menu.
"Damn it, I must speed up!"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly.
From the moment he hid the Shinjutsu 'Absorption', he had actually betrayed Shinji, betrayed the Akatsuki organization, and betrayed the Research Institute. So as things developed to this point, he had no way of retreat at all. There was only one path to the end: either raise his strength to a level where even Shinji couldn't match him before the Research Institute discovered it, or he could only wait for the Research Institute's final judgment.
He obviously wouldn't submit to arrest, so soon the gloominess in his eyes gradually turned into madness!
No one noticed the change in Orochimaru's mentality because at this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the figure walking out of the giant cocoon.
The experimental subject hosting the seventh ritual was named Fūma Ichirō.
Like his predecessors, he was a heinous wanted criminal. But one thing was different: he came from the Fūma clan and was a proper ninja.
Logically speaking, the Research Institute wouldn't select such a 'dangerous person' for the ritual. However, because Shinji was pressing urgently, and Fūma Ichirō happened to be the candidate who best met the conditions, he was selected out of helplessness.
Walking out of the mist, Fūma Ichirō had a plain expression, coldly scanning the high-ranking members of the Research Institute in the observation area.
Feeling Fūma Ichirō's gaze, the researchers in the observation area suddenly felt like they were being stared at by a beast, a layer of cold sweat oozing from their backs.
The high-ranking members also felt slightly uncomfortable.
Everyone wasn't afraid of Fūma Ichirō, but his eyes were just too indifferent. Standing there, he gave the feeling as if he were a true Otsutsuki.
Sasori whispered: "There's something wrong with this Fūma Ichirō!"
"En!"
Tsunade, frowning, nodded slightly.
Amado also furrowed his brows.
It was impossible for ordinary people to suppress the excitement after the ritual succeeded. But Fūma Ichirō didn't look like he was suppressing it; he seemed not to feel excited at all, as if passing the ritual was just a trivial matter.
In the distance.
Yakumo said: "Do you guys feel this guy is very strange?"
Haku said: "I feel it too. His current performance is a bit too indifferent, as if..."
Sasuke interrupted Haku: "Hmph, putting on an act. Let me spar with him later and show him what a true 'Six Paths Level' is."
Naruto said: "Sasuke, didn't we agree that I would take action this time!"
Sasuke said helplessly: "Then I'll let you have it!"
Smack...
Naruto punched his palm with his fist and said excitedly: "Just rest assured, I won't lose to these guys who became strong through rituals!"
Haku reminded: "Don't be careless!"
High in the sky.
After stopping the Fear Hegemon from interfering with the ritual again, Shinji also cast his gaze on Fūma Ichirō at the ritual site.
"Strange!"
Shinji also sensed something was amiss.
The Research Institute's seventh ritual clearly hadn't changed in procedure, but the experimental subject completing the ritual looked more like an Otsutsuki than the experimental subject from the sixth ritual before. To say there was no problem with this, even a fool wouldn't believe it.
However, Shinji quickly put away his wandering thoughts.
There was no time left for the Six Rings World. He couldn't leisurely study what exactly happened to Fūma Ichirō bit by bit. For him, turning Fūma Ichirō into a 'Chakra Fruit' to help himself charge towards the realm of 'Kekkei Shinra' (Bloodline of All Creation) was the top priority right now.
Of course, he didn't act immediately to take Fūma Ichirō away.
He could still afford to wait for a day or two. He planned to wait for the Research Institute to test Fūma Ichirō's various data before sacrificing Fūma Ichirō to the God Tree.
It would be even better if Fūma Ichirō could awaken some Shinjutsu in these few days; he could test the power of Fūma Ichirō's Shinjutsu before the sacrifice.