"It's not hot anymore."
Orochimaru gently blew across a spoonful of soup before bringing it to Uzumaki Chigusa's lips.
Chigusa obediently opened her mouth and tasted it.
"Mmm… it's not hot."
Her voice was soft, tinged with warmth. She could feel the care in Orochimaru's every movement. For a brief moment, she wished time would simply stop—just long enough to preserve this quiet tenderness.
"Chigusa," Orochimaru said softly, setting the bowl aside, "I need to go now. I'll come back next time."
He helped her lie down properly on the bed and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. Then, leaning down, he pressed a light kiss against her slightly pursed lips.
After leaving her house, Orochimaru formed a hand seal and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport to the office of the president of White Serpent Pharmaceutical Technology Company.
Unfortunately, he arrived at a rather awkward moment.
Aokawa was kissing his secretary—who also happened to be his girlfriend.
Orochimaru paused.
Without expression, he mentally noted that the Flying Thunder God formula clearly required modification. Appearing without warning in private offices was… inefficient.
"O-Orochimaru-sama… you've arrived…"
Aokawa's face flushed bright red. The secretary shot him an embarrassed glare before straightening herself and bowing respectfully to Orochimaru.
"I seem to have interrupted you," Orochimaru said calmly. "I'll relocate the teleportation formula to avoid future inconveniences."
He waved his hand dismissively, acknowledging the mishap.
Once seated, Orochimaru reviewed a stack of compiled reports on rogue ninja activity. One particular incident stood out. A rogue ninja had caused trouble in the streets recently—a former member of the Kaguya Clan from the Land of Water. This individual had accepted the company's recruitment invitation but had violently attacked others.
The report stated that several recruited rogue ninja had been injured. One had nearly been killed by a technique referred to as "Ice Swing."
Ice Release… the Yuki Clan…
Haku's mother had once belonged to the Yuki Clan.
Orochimaru shifted his attention to another file—Kaguya Ha. His interest in the Kaguya bloodline had always been strong. However, he was concerned that this individual might have already been "dealt with."
"Is Kaguya Ha still alive?" he asked.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," Aokawa replied quickly. "He is alive and currently imprisoned."
Aokawa had initially intended to execute Kaguya Ha for causing instability within the company's operations. However, Kakuzu had intervened, suggesting that Orochimaru would eventually oversee the company entirely. It would be wiser to leave the decision to him.
"Take me to him," Orochimaru said.
Most rogue ninja held little value in his eyes. Many were only Chunin or Genin who had fled their villages to avoid becoming cannon fodder in war. But bloodline limits—those were different.
In the Land of Waves prison, Kaguya Ha no longer displayed the wild aggression from before. He sat quietly in the corner of his cell, staring blankly at his own palm, where small bone protrusions had pierced the flesh. He seemed lost in thought, questioning existence itself.
"Kaguya Ha."
Orochimaru stood before the bars.
Ha looked up—and froze.
"Y-You…!"
He recognized Orochimaru as the person he had once taken hostage.
"Watch your tone!" Aokawa snapped. "You stand before Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin!"
"Orochimaru?!" Ha's pupils shrank.
Even rogue ninja knew the name. Among the Sannin of Konoha—alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade—Orochimaru was perhaps the most infamous. The tale most often repeated was how he had nearly assassinated the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, wielder of the terrifying Dust Release.
Ha swallowed nervously.
"I have business ties with White Serpent Pharmaceutical Technology Company," Orochimaru explained calmly. "Earlier today, I was shopping with my girlfriend."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Do you wish to regain your freedom?"
Ha hesitated. Nothing in life was that simple.
"What do you want from me?"
"Very simple," Orochimaru replied. "You will provide blood samples at regular intervals. If you commit crimes again, I will not protect you."
His interest lay in the Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku. Among the clan, the probability of awakening the bloodline was relatively high compared to others.
"I agree!" Ha answered immediately.
Freedom outweighed pride.
As they exited, Aokawa asked, "Why spare him? He's unstable. Among all the rogue ninja we've recruited, he's the only one who caused trouble."
"Those who do not cause trouble are often more dangerous," Orochimaru replied thoughtfully. "Kaguya Ha simply wishes to prove himself. That makes him easier to guide."
He tapped his temple lightly.
His crude method of self-expression revealed a lack of deeper scheming. That simplicity made him useful.
Concept of the Eight Branches Technique
Inside a brightly lit laboratory, Orochimaru analyzed two blood samples: one from Kaguya Ha and another from Haku of the Yuki Clan.
Although he had not yet fully mastered Dust Release, he began considering a different path.
If, after executing the Eight Branches Technique, he could incorporate Shikotsumyaku and Ice Release into the transformed body, the potential would be remarkable.
However, he had no desire to graft bloodlines directly into himself like Yakushi Kabuto had done in the original timeline.
Shikotsumyaku granted control over osteoblasts, osteoclasts, calcium concentration—every aspect of skeletal structure. The cellular activity in the blood far exceeded that of ordinary humans.
From Kimimaro's performance in history, it was clear that his Shikotsumyaku was the strongest manifestation within the Kaguya Clan. When bones pierced flesh, tendons and skin were forced aside—and rapid regeneration followed.
Though Shikotsumyaku resembled Otsutsuki Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones in theme, they were fundamentally different. One was a bloodline limit; the other a bloodline trait of a godlike being.
If struck by All-Killing Ash Bones, even Yin-Yang Release could not save you. Obito had turned to ash slowly, despite Naruto's attempt to stabilize him with Yang Release.
In Orochimaru's view, Shikotsumyaku was closer in nature to the Iburi Clan's Smoke Release—an ability dependent on unique bodily structure.
As for Ice Release, it was derived from combining Wind and Water nature transformations. However, the Yuki Clan did not merely layer the two—they merged them perfectly to create an entirely new nature transformation.
To integrate these bloodline abilities into the Eight-Headed Serpent formed through the Eight Branches Technique, the forbidden technique itself would need modification.
In the original history, Orochimaru's serpent transformation revolved solely around himself.
But if the Eight-Headed Serpent were treated like a controllable construct—like a living weapon—then perhaps bloodline abilities could be embedded within it.
If performed only in Sage Mode, the technique might sustain such integration.
Would it still be an Eight-Headed Serpent?
Or something closer to an Eight-Headed Dragon?
"Here are the analysis results," Hyuga Mio said, entering the laboratory with documents in hand.
"Thank you, Mio."
He finished jotting down notes in his journal. Modifying the technique would require time—something he sorely lacked.
Maintaining Shadow Clones for research while preserving enough chakra for emergencies was already straining his reserves.
"What's troubling you?" Mio asked gently, pressing a finger to his furrowed brow.
"Time," he replied simply.
She read through his notes, her surprise slowly shifting to contemplation.
"I feel like I can't keep up with you," she admitted quietly.
"You don't need to keep up," Orochimaru said. "You need only support me."
He looked at her sincerely.
"Setting unreachable goals creates unnecessary pressure. You are already an exceptional scientist—and my most reliable assistant."
Her eyes softened.
"Orochimaru…"
She stepped forward and embraced him. It was rare for her to express such emotion in the laboratory.
"You place too much pressure on yourself," he said, gently patting her head.
After all, he carried knowledge from beyond this world. Expecting her to match that was unreasonable.
"I'm sorry," she murmured.
He glanced at the clock.
"Dinner approaches. Any requests?"
"Nawaki and Mito-sama are visiting tonight. I'll eat whatever you prepare."
"Boiled mackerel?"
She nodded.
"Very well. Let's buy ingredients."
He teleported them home.
As Mio changed clothes, they encountered Uchiha Hikari.
"Are you two going out?" Hikari asked.
"Yes. Would you like to join?"
"Of course!"
She hurried to change.
When she returned, her hair was slightly messy.
"Wait," Orochimaru said.
He picked up a comb and patiently tied her hair into a neat ponytail. Managing her naturally spiky strands required effort.
"There," he said, looking at her reflection. "How does it feel?"
"Perfect!" Hikari gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"Let's go."
Together, they stepped out—toward a quiet evening that, for once, did not involve experiments or bloodlines.
Just dinner.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)