In the laboratory, time seemed to be stretched thin by the silent gaze and the sobbing separated by a layer of glass.
Inside the cultivation tank, Kato Dan seemed to gradually adapt to his new body. The vacant look in his eyes faded, replaced by a deep emotion that almost overflowed.
He tentatively raised a hand, pressing his palm gently against the cold inner wall of the glass, his gaze never leaving Tsunade.
Tsunade's face was already covered in tears as she also reached out, her palm meeting his through the glass.
No words were spoken, nor were they needed; the longing that crossed life and death and the palpitations of reunion vibrated silently in the air.
Hinata watched this scene quietly, while another kind of light flickered in Orochimaru's eyes.
He appreciated the success of this 'work' and recorded the data.
Seeing that the two would likely not be able to pull themselves away from this state anytime soon, Hinata gave Orochimaru a look and was the first to turn and walk toward another, smaller room connected to the laboratory.
Orochimaru understood. He took one last look at the stable data flow on the instruments, licked the corner of his mouth, and followed her.
The door to the analysis room closed softly. Its excellent soundproofing cut off the sobbing and the low hum of the instruments from outside.
This place was filled with various test tubes, petri dishes, observation instruments, and a large number of scrolls, most of which were Forbidden Jutsu.
"So," Orochimaru leaned against the lab bench.
"Can you tell me in detail about Pain and the truth you mentioned now? The eyes aren't his own, and being used... Hehe, this sounds much more interesting than any story circulating in the Ninja World."
Hinata found a chair that looked relatively clean and sat down. The small white snake on her wrist moved; this environment suited it well.
She was concise, cutting straight to the core.
"The Rinnegan Nagato possesses belongs to Uchiha Madara. Before Madara died, he used special means to transplant them into the young Nagato."
"Nagato?"
"A descendant of the Uzumaki Clan. Nagato and Pain are essentially the same person; you can think of it like the way the Kazekage's side controls a Puppet."
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils contracted into thin slits. That fellow Pain was actually a Puppet... "I see. But those legendary eyes actually belong to Uchiha Madara. No wonder. But can such things be transplanted so easily? Is there some special method?"
"He has his ways." Hinata didn't explain the complex details; that wasn't the point.
"To put it simply, after Madara's death, his will—or rather, another person who inherited his name and plan, Uchiha Obito—found Nagato, who had the Rinnegan. Utilizing the death of his comrade, he led the Nagato and Konan, who were immersed in Pain and confusion, down the path of collecting Tailed Beasts and creating a weapon of Pain to achieve peace. Nagato was the temporary host and executor of the plan they chose for the Rinnegan. He is merely a part of the Eye of the Moon Plan."
"Eye of the Moon Plan?" Orochimaru caught the new term, and his interest grew even stronger.
"A massive Genjutsu that blankets the entire world, making everyone immersed in a beautiful dream. Madara and Obito believe this is true peace."
Hinata continued.
"To achieve it requires the power of the Rinnegan and the Gedo Statue to absorb all the Tailed Beasts. Nagato is the chosen key to start it, and also the final sacrificial victim. When he dies from exhausting his power, the Rinnegan will naturally be reclaimed."
Orochimaru was silent for a moment, digesting this information.
Then, he chuckled low. His laughter was filled with the excitement of discovering a huge secret and a thrill akin to meeting a worthy opponent.
"I see... A vast layout spanning decades, calculating for the descendants of the Uzumaki Clan, the Rinnegan, the Tailed Beasts, and even the entire Akatsuki Organization. Truly amazing ambition and patience."
A burning desire for investigation ignited in his eyes.
"So, where is that Uchiha Obito now? How much of Madara's power has he inherited? Those Rinnegan—if they were taken from Nagato, could they still be used?"
"Obito uses Space-Time Ninjutsu to hide in the shadows and acts covertly. If he wants to, basically no one can find him. As for the Rinnegan..."
Hinata glanced at him. "I suggest you understand the things you have on hand before talking about that."
She raised her wrist, and the small white snake flicked its tongue.
"You haven't even fully cracked the secret of Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan yet, have you? And you're already thinking about touching the Rinnegan? That thing is considered the pinnacle of ocular evolution. Think about it after you've finished studying the Mangekyo."
Orochimaru's expression stiffened; she had clearly hit a sore spot.
He was indeed stuck at a Bottleneck. He didn't dare to lightly experiment with that ultimate Genjutsu that could quietly modify another's will. Moreover, after using it once, he had to wait a long time, so he had been stalling and only studying the basics.
"Hmph," Orochimaru snorted somewhat unwillingly, but he admitted Hinata was right.
"This Ocular Technique is indeed exquisite. It involves the direct tampering of will and memory, which is completely different from the interference and deception of conventional Genjutsu. Its Ocular Power structure is very special... However, it's precisely this level of difficulty that makes it more valuable to challenge."
She turned back and looked at Orochimaru.
"Well, as for the Rinnegan, think about it once you can study it thoroughly. For now, understand the toys you have in your hands, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru locked eyes with her for a moment. The fanaticism in his eyes was gradually replaced by a more settled researcher's calmness. He slowly grinned, revealing his signature smile.
"Hehehe... You're right. If the foundation isn't solid, the earth will shake. But the way things are developing is becoming more and more fascinating..."
His gaze turned to a specialized container on the analysis table covered in Seal formulas. Inside, a blood-colored eye with a complex pattern was faintly visible, slowly rotating; it was Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
"In that case, let's transplant it..."
Orochimaru murmured.
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