The cold, dark underground facility was a labyrinth of winding corridors, stacked and layered in confusing complexity. Finding anything here without a guide would be nearly impossible.
Yet Uchiha Shin moved with certainty, navigating past dead ends and twists, heading straight for his destination.
"Tap, tap, tap~"
Footsteps echoed along the corridors, one after another, until Shin reached a heavy door. He paused, then pushed it open.
Inside, the dim light barely revealed the room's contents, but one figure was unmistakable: Orochimaru, clad in his usual kimono and white coat, absorbed in his work.
"You're back," Orochimaru said casually, as if greeting a family member who had returned from a short trip.
"Yeah," Shin replied, matching his tone. "Why move the lab?"
"The old one was still there, but its security was too weak. Unsuitable for sensitive experiments."
Shin nodded. The new laboratory was indeed far more secure; an intruder would easily become lost.
His eyes drifted across the room, and he froze. Rows of massive containers were filled with preserved bodies in formaldehyde.
No wonder Orochimaru required secrecy. Human experimentation was well beyond the limits of any village's laws.
"Can you hand me the scalpel over there? The one next to you."
"Which one?"
"Number two, extended."
Shin donned gloves, approached the table, and passed the scalpel to Orochimaru, who bent over once more, dissecting the corpse on the operating table.
Shin had seen similar focus elsewhere: Jiraiya when spying, Tsunade when engrossed in strategy. From a certain perspective, the Sannin were all the same, just working in different fields.
He leaned closer, observing the dissected body. From the white hair and jagged teeth, it was unmistakably a member of the Hozuki clan.
"Danzo is really pulling out all the stops," Shin remarked.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "How do you know he sent it?"
"Kirigakure has been sealed off for the past two years. Capturing Hozuki clan members would be impossible for ordinary Anbu; only Root could accomplish it."
Orochimaru nodded. "Indeed. I find the Water Release techniques fascinating; that's why he procured one for me."
Shin shook his head. "It's more than that. Danzo isn't giving up intelligence on Kirigakure. He's killing two birds with one stone, though the cost must be heavy."
Orochimaru laughed softly. "Losses are irrelevant to us. It's his subordinates who pay the price."
"But this is nominally for you, Master. Surely he demanded something in return?"
Orochimaru's lips curved slightly. "He invited me to join Root."
"Did you accept?"
"No," Orochimaru replied calmly. Shin knew, however, that his sensei was tempted.
The Orochimaru before him was no longer the virtuous Konoha youth of two years past. Immersed in forbidden techniques and human experimentation, he grew impatient with the trivialities of village life. What he desired most was freedom, an unrestricted environment for research, and a life unbothered by rules.
He sought to master all ninjutsu, to uncover all truths of the world. Could the Third Hokage comprehend this ambition? Could he support it? No. But Danzo could.
Regardless of whether this relationship was mutually exploitative, Danzo's support was genuine. Orochimaru merely hinted at a need, and Danzo sent a preserved Hozuki body without hesitation, even at great cost. The price was merely an invitation to join Root.
Even Orochimaru, as brilliant as he was, found this tempting. But he did not immediately abandon the Third Hokage. A backup only becomes primary once the main option is removed.
Shin's task was to prevent Orochimaru from straying too far. Their sensei-disciple bond was undeniable, and Konoha still needed Orochimaru's genius. Even under Naruto's eventual rule, Orochimaru's research would become legitimate, his contributions valuable.
Shin needed to entice him back, and he had something significant prepared. With a flick of his fingers, a small glass vial arced beautifully through the air.
"Master, a gift for you."
Orochumaru caught it, staring in astonishment. Inside were two eyes preserved in saline.
"Sharingan?"
"These are Mangekyo Sharingan, evolved from the standard three-tomoe."
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed unnaturally. He had always assumed the three-tomoe Sharingan represented its peak, but now it seemed he had underestimated its potential.
He had long wondered why the likes of Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage were regarded as legends. He had seen the Valley of the End, where even ordinary ninjutsu could not replicate its destruction. The Uchiha and Senju clans had untapped potential, hidden from the world.
Now, with the Mangekyo Sharingan before him, Orochimaru understood his knowledge had been superficial.
Shin observed his master's excitement, noting it was like a young man exposed to something previously forbidden—a thrill impossible to hide.
Originally, Itachi would have sparked this interest, but now Shin played that role.
His purpose was clear. The system could enhance Hayashi's talent, allowing mastery over any ninjutsu, but it could not awaken the Rinnegan. Orochimaru, however, could.
In the ninja world, some believed in bloodlines, others in spirit, body, eyes, or sheer effort. Orochimaru believed in science.
Shin hoped Orochimaru would unlock dormant power through genetic research, abilities the ninja world had never realized. This was the power of the Otsutsuki.