"Almost all of them were failures. Is the rejection rate really this significant? Or was the direction of the experiment wrong from the very beginning?"
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Orochimaru's heart sank slightly as he looked at the shocking results of the experiments.
If they couldn't even pass the initial preparatory experiments, then the subsequent stages would be nothing more than smoke and mirrors—visible but untouchable, lacking any practical significance or value.
"Yes, the rejection reaction from the Sharingan is much stronger than we anticipated. We must use cells with the highest vitality to counteract it, or even to achieve neutralization," Kabuto Yakushi paused for a moment before continuing.
"The cells with the highest vitality?"
A glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He had originally planned to conduct more tests for comparative analysis, but now it seemed those experiments would be futile. If he really wanted to proceed, there were only a few specific types of cells to choose from.
For instance, the Akimichi clan or the Uzumaki clan.
These were the representatives of vigorous life force.
Of course, there were also the so-called "strongest cells"—the Wood Style cells of the First Hokage. As someone who had already conducted numerous Wood Style experiments during his time in the Hidden Leaf, Orochimaru had the clearest understanding of this.
Wood Style cells and the Sharingan could indeed achieve a delicate balance to a certain extent. In the original story, Danzo's Sharingan-embedded arm was one of Orochimaru's masterpieces.
However, that wasn't true fusion.
It was simply forcing the power of the Sharingan and the power of the Wood Style cells to reach a fragile equilibrium within Danzo's body. If that balance were broken on either side, Danzo would inevitably be consumed.
His battle with Sasuke in the original story was the best proof of this. An ordinary person simply could not withstand the erosion caused by Wood Style cells or the power of the Sharingan.
"Shall we proceed to the next step of the experiment, Lord Orochimaru?"
"No, forget the second step. I will conduct this preliminary experiment myself. Make the necessary preparations within the next two days, Kabuto."
Since the expected results of the first phase were a complete failure, there was no need to implement the subsequent steps.
Originally, the goal was just to collect as much data as possible for corroboration. Since that now appeared to be a waste of effort, it was better to cut straight to the chase.
When it came to experiments, Orochimaru possessed the highest standard of judgment.
"Yes, I understand, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto replied, bowing hurriedly.
"Sharingan, Wood Style... and then the Rinnegan? Perhaps this will indeed show me a different path."
At that moment, a look of fervent heat emerged in Orochimaru's snake-like pupils.
---
Setting aside Orochimaru's rearrangement of his future plans, things were moving on the other side as well.
After leaving, Menma immediately began preparing for his departure.
Unlike the previous short trip, which was just from the Land of Rice Fields to the Land of Waterfalls—a relatively short distance—this trip was different. Considering the potential for a large-scale clash and the journey from the Land of Tea to the Land of Waterfalls involved crossing the entire continent longitudinally, the time required would be several times longer than before.
Menma naturally needed to make appropriate preparations.
Supplies were one aspect. Personnel was another.
This was exactly why Menma had gone to Orochimaru to request personnel support; he couldn't just act as a general without an army again. It was difficult to manage everything with just Karin alone.
Whether these people were trustworthy or not was a question he didn't need to consider. Since he hadn't trained them himself, Menma didn't dwell on loyalty. As long as they were usable and effective in the field, that was enough.
And Orochimaru indeed had no intention of shortchanging Menma.
On the morning of their departure, outside the stronghold.
When Menma saw Tayuya and Suigetsu, he was initially stunned, but then revealed a look of satisfaction.
These two could basically be considered to have combat power comparable to a standard Jonin. They would be a significant help to his plans for this trip.
Standing behind Tayuya and Suigetsu were a few other figures. Their auras weren't particularly powerful, but from a general perspective, they possessed the strength of ordinary Chunin.
They were adequate for use.
"Lord Menma."
The moment Tayuya saw Menma, she immediately bowed. This was due to both Orochimaru's orders and Menma's own power.
In the ninja world, supremacy of the strong remained the only law.
"Lord Menma."
Although Suigetsu felt it was incredibly awkward to bow to someone his own age, he kept in step with Tayuya at this moment.
The guy in front of him was a "Big Shot"! He was an existence that could stand on equal footing with their boss. In any case, Suigetsu had no desire to annoy Menma. Heaven knows what would happen.
"I didn't expect Orochimaru-san to arrange such strong reinforcements for me. It really exceeds my expectations. You must be Suigetsu-kun. Nice to meet you, please take care of me."
Menma looked at Suigetsu with a peaceful expression and spoke with a light chuckle.
"No, Lord Menma, you're too kind. We will follow all of your commands," Suigetsu replied hurriedly.
For some reason, even though Menma's attitude was perfectly normal, in that instant, Suigetsu felt as if he were being stared at by something incredibly dangerous. He shivered involuntarily.
But it only lasted for a split second. Afterward, everything was normal, leaving Suigetsu to wonder if it had been a hallucination.
Menma glanced at Suigetsu with slight surprise.
In the original story, Suigetsu was a supporting character with a fair amount of screen time later on. Based on his debut performance, he should be the type who fears nothing in heaven or on earth, right?
He only showed terrified expressions in front of a very select few people. So why was he acting so timid in front of Menma now? Could it be that Menma was already a terrifying existence in Suigetsu's heart?
Menma thought this with a bit of amusement. Little did he know, this was infinitely close to the truth.
Standing closely behind Menma, Karin also glanced at Suigetsu with curiosity. Compared to the others, Suigetsu's image was very unique—especially his hair color and teeth, which made him the type of person who was hard to forget at first glance.
"Since everyone is here, let's set off!"
Menma nodded and waved his right hand.
Whoosh!
He took the lead, speeding toward the seaside location in the southwest corner. Karin, Tayuya, Suigetsu, and the others immediately followed close behind.
At a harbor stronghold established in the southernmost region, just as they had come, they boarded a small passenger ship and headed north, toward the center of the continent.
From here, Menma would officially take the first step in establishing his own force. Whether his intentions would be successfully realized depended on Menma's own judgments and necessary actions in the days to come.
---
Just before Menma officially set off—or to be more precise, pushing the timeline back a few days.
In the northern part of the continent. The Land of Waterfalls.
Inside the Hidden Waterfall Village.
A Jonin announced his separation from the Hidden Waterfall and officially defected from the village.