"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
Although he did not fully grasp the underlying intent, Yakushi Kabuto showed no hesitation in executing orders. He bowed immediately and responded without ambiguity.
"Setting that aside," Orochimaru continued, his tone shifting slightly as a faint chill surfaced within his otherwise calm gaze, "what progress has been made regarding that matter?"
At those words, Kabuto's expression sharpened in realization.
So that's what he's referring to…
Maintaining his composure, Kabuto replied respectfully, "The precise location has been confirmed. It lies in the western outskirts of Konohagakure. At present, there are no guards stationed there it appears to have been completely abandoned. However, analysis of the technique itself remains incomplete. Most importantly… Shimura Danzō still has no intention of handing over the original formula."
The technique in question
The Dead Demon Consuming Seal (Shiki Fūjin).
In the original course of events, Orochimaru had required years of independent research to uncover a viable method of counteracting its effects. In this timeline, however, with Menma's prior knowledge and supplementary guidance, Orochimaru had managed to grasp the core principles of the technique within a mere few months.
The solution Menma provided was, in essence, correct.
But correctness alone was not enough.
Without systematic verification, even Orochimaru would not act recklessly especially when dealing with a forbidden technique that directly involved the Shinigami.
From a research perspective, possessing the original source or a complete reference was critical.
And that required Danzō's cooperation.
Which, unsurprisingly, was not forthcoming.
Danzō was not a man who relinquished leverage lightly.
As one of Konoha's highest-ranking figures, he understood the terrifying nature of the Shiki Fūjin far better than most. The technique demanded an extreme price the user's soul and yet granted the ability to seal even entities such as tailed beasts.
If not for the stringent requirements placed upon the caster, Danzō himself would have long since attempted to master it.
After all, this was the same man who had embedded the Four Symbols Seal (Shishō Fūin) into his own body as a final contingency.
From that perspective, his restraint regarding the Shiki Fūjin was less a matter of principle and more a limitation of practicality.
Naturally, he would never willingly hand over such a technique to Orochimaru particularly not now, when Orochimaru was sheltering Menma, a missing-nin whom Danzō deemed a threat that should be eliminated without hesitation.
Even the possibility of negotiation was tenuous at best.
Without access to the original technique, further development remained possible but the associated risks would increase significantly.
For a forbidden jutsu of this caliber, even Orochimaru required repeated validation.
Thus, he had consistently accommodated Menma's requests.
From Orochimaru's perspective, Menma a boy overflowing with secrets must have withheld certain key details regarding the Shiki Fūjin.
Unfortunately for him, that assumption was incorrect.
Menma had already revealed everything he knew about the technique.
But in a relationship built on mutual calculation, it was only natural to suspect hidden cards.
"Danzō… hmph. Leave him aside for now," Orochimaru said coldly. "The analysis still requires further refinement. Retrieve all the masks from that location first. Once confirmed, we can proceed with individual examination."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
Kabuto bowed again in acknowledgment.
At this stage, Orochimaru had already deduced a crucial truth
The Shiki Fūjin demanded the ultimate price: the caster's life.
Under normal circumstances, the most straightforward approach would be to designate a subordinate as the sacrificial vessel.
However, the technique itself ranked among the most difficult in the shinobi world.
It was not something just anyone could learn.
Even Kabuto would struggle to meet its requirements.
In other words
Within Orochimaru's current forces, the only individual capable of performing the technique was Orochimaru himself.
And therein lay the paradox.
To reclaim his arms, he would need to sacrifice his life.
A contradiction in its purest form.
But Orochimaru was not an ordinary shinobi.
His obsession with immortality had driven him to prepare countless contingencies.
Techniques such as the Living Corpse Reincarnation (Fushi Tensei) and the Cursed Seal (Juinjutsu) system were all extensions of that pursuit.
Though not yet perfected, these methods provided avenues of escape means to circumvent the absolute finality of death.
Before attempting anything involving the Shiki Fūjin, Orochimaru would undoubtedly refine these techniques further through repeated experimentation.
Until then
Patience was required.
His current body, while deteriorating, remained functional. Though the damage inflicted by the Shiki Fūjin had not been fully resolved, it was not yet catastrophic.
For the time being, he could endure.
"Oh, right… one more matter," Orochimaru added, his tone shifting again. "The cellular integration experiments with the Sharingan how are the preliminary results progressing?"
The Sharingan… and beyond it, the Rinnegan.
These had formed a crucial foundation for the cooperative relationship between Menma and Orochimaru.
Unlike the relatively transparent information Menma had provided regarding the Shiki Fūjin, his disclosures in this area were intentionally vague.
He had not lied
But neither had he revealed everything.
Key elements, such as the evolutionary pathway from Sharingan to Mangekyō Sharingan, then to Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and ultimately to the Rinnegan as demonstrated by Uchiha Madara had not been disclosed in full.
Even the deeper truths underlying those transformations were only hinted at in ambiguous terms.
As a result, Orochimaru lacked a clear research direction.
What Menma had provided was not a roadmap, but a hypothesis.
The rest required experimentation.
Extensive experimentation.
Yet Orochimaru felt no frustration.
On the contrary
This was precisely the process he relished.
Previously, he had no understanding of the connection between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan.
Now, however, he knew one crucial fact:
The Rinnegan could evolve from the Sharingan.
That single revelation represented a leap from nothing to possibility.
From zero to one.
Everything beyond that would be built through iteration through countless trials, failures, and refinements.
Even if it required thousands… or tens of thousands of experiments
Orochimaru would persist.
After all, he had personally witnessed those eyes.
The eyes of Pain.
At the mere thought of the Rinnegan, a trace of unrestrained fervor surfaced within Orochimaru's gaze.
He had once believed those eyes to be a natural anomaly akin to the legendary Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths.
But now
He knew they could be attained.
Naturally, he would pursue that path without hesitation.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama. The initial testing phase has been completed," Kabuto replied, stepping forward as he retrieved a scroll from within his robes. "Here are the experimental results. However… there is a significant deviation from our initial projections."
Orochimaru accepted the scroll and unfurled it.
As his eyes scanned the data
His brow slowly furrowed.