At the center of the Land of Hot Water—
Orochimaru set down the letter in his hand, his long tongue slithering out in excitement as he playfully licked the corner of his lips.
He murmured, "Fūma-kun... your target is indeed quite interesting..."
A few months ago, while operating in the Land of Hot Water, Orochimaru discovered a peculiar organization known as the Jashin Cult.
This group was highly secretive, and its members appeared to possess an uncanny form of immortality.
Their physical capabilities and strength far surpassed those of ordinary people, and in terms of taijutsu, each of them was at least on par with a Tokubetsu Jōnin.
Intrigued, Orochimaru captured a few of their lower-ranked members for study. Yet, even after subjecting them to brutal dissections and experiments, he failed to uncover the source of their unnatural power.
Their bodies were bizarre—no matter how much damage they sustained, some mysterious force would knit their flesh back together, restoring them to their original state.
The speed of this regeneration varied depending on the individual's strength, but overall, the phenomenon defied the normal laws of biology.
Just as Orochimaru was starting to find the matter troublesome, he received a letter from Fūma, instructing him to observe these strange shinobi in the Land of Hot Water without alarming them and to await Fūma's arrival.
"What's the matter, Orochimaru-sensei?"
Nawaki approached, holding a small, flat black stone of unremarkable appearance.
His expression was one of mild confusion as he continued, "Is it about those strange cultists?
There's no need to trouble Fūma-nii, is there? Their abilities are unusual, sure, but apart from their decent taijutsu, they're not particularly difficult to deal with."
"With their level of intelligence, once I set up a batch of traps, we can just sit back and wait for them to walk right into them.
Based on your research, even though they can regenerate, it still takes them at least half a day to fully recover—more than enough time for us to capture them."
Orochimaru glanced at the peculiar trap in Nawaki's hand and shook his head with a sigh.
'The grandson of Senju Hashirama not only lacks the Wood Release but also has no interest in my ninjutsu... Instead, he's obsessed with ninja tools… How amusing.'
Ever since Fūma had acquired the remnants of the Land of Sky, Nawaki had gained access to a large supply of Gelel Stones.
These stones, capable of storing immense chakra, were the perfect material for high-powered explosives—far superior to traditional explosive tags created through sealing techniques.
Using these resources, Nawaki had crafted numerous ingenious traps that even Orochimaru, with his boundless creativity, found astonishing.
"Heh... Nawaki, those cultists may not be formidable warriors, but the power within them is what makes them truly fascinating. That is what's worth studying..."
Orochimaru gazed at the transparent vacuum chamber before him. Inside, a massive chunk of writhing flesh was slowly shifting, gradually forming the features of a human face.
"Tch... they really are persistent." Nawaki nodded, stepping forward and pressing a button on the chamber.
Immediately, a surge of roaring flames engulfed the regenerating flesh, charring it black.
The flesh trembled violently, as though enduring excruciating pain. Yet, moments later, it continued to squirm, clumping together once more.
"Where does this regenerative power come from?" Nawaki mused.
"After all these months, even if these flesh samples contained residual chakra, they should have long since run dry in a sealed environment without nutrients."
"But these pieces continue to grow, maintaining extreme vitality, and even retaining their own will. Not even the cells of the First Hokage could survive under vacuum conditions like this."
Orochimaru observed the resilient tumors and sighed in admiration.
Nawaki furrowed his brows. Under Orochimaru's tutelage, he understood the principle of energy conservation and tentatively proposed:
"So, either these flesh pieces contain an infinite energy source... or they're drawing chakra from some external force?"
"But our sensory barrier detects no chakra at all..."
Nawaki was baffled. Though these meat masses were bizarre, they hardly seemed like a source of limitless power.
At this, Orochimaru chuckled softly. His voice was low as he spoke:
"Infinite? Such a thing does not exist, Nawaki... You must understand, chakra is not the only supernatural force in this world. Take, for example, the natural energy required for Sage Mode..."
Pausing for a moment, he continued, "Of course, I can perceive natural energy as well, and these flesh masses show no ability to absorb it."
"Which means... something else is at play here. Something hidden. A grand secret. A completely new system of power... or perhaps, the influence of a great and terrifying being!"
Orochimaru's voice carried a frenzied edge. At that moment, in Nawaki's eyes, his teacher looked no different from the zealots they had been studying.
Nawaki blinked and hesitantly asked, "Orochimaru-sensei... you're not considering transferring your soul into one of these cultists, are you? Please reconsider..."
"Heh..." Orochimaru let out a chuckle and waved dismissively. "I may seek immortality, but such crude abilities and wretched forms are unworthy of my soul."
"Go inform Fugaku—halt the hunt for the Jashin cultists. Instead, focus on manipulating the shinobi of Kirigakure.
We don't need to control high-ranking individuals or the elite; we just need to ensure the Third Mizukage remains in a constant state of paranoia, doubting the purity of his village..."
"I want to see just how far his cleansing will go when subjected to endless assassinations..."
Orochimaru's voice was eerie, his gaze fixed toward Kirigakure, much like a venomous serpent that had already sunk its fangs into its prey, patiently waiting for it to succumb.
Nawaki nodded. "Understood, Orochimaru-sensei. I'll provide my latest devices to these Kirigakure shinobi. Even if they're weak, they'll certainly give the Third Mizukage a surprise!"
..........
Three Days Later – Kirigakure's Border
Uchiha Shin's Sharingan spun, his three tomoe locking onto the Kirigakure Chūnin before him.
With a single glance, the mist ninja was trapped in a deep illusion. As the genjutsu took hold, Shin placed a strange explosive device in the shinobi's hands and patted him on the shoulder.
"Go... avenge your father. Kill the Third Mizukage, the one who has thrown Kirigakure into chaos!"
The Kirigakure Chūnin snapped out of his daze, his expression growing resolute. "Thank you for your guidance! I will not fail!"
In the story fabricated by Shin's genjutsu, this mist ninja's father had been a loyal shinobi of Kirigakure. However, due to his association with a ninja clan, he had been branded as an enemy and executed in the Third Mizukage's purge.
A tragic tale—but in today's Kirigakure, it was a fate so common that it could easily be mistaken for reality.
"Hah... not bad, old man. This isn't like you," Fugaku remarked as he stepped from the shadows, watching the manipulated ninja vanish into the mist.
He eyed the sweat on Shin's forehead with amusement. "How many have you caught today? Judging by your exhaustion, it must be in the double digits by now."
"Heh... I may be old, but I'm still far more capable than you young ones," Shin scoffed, slipping into the pompous tone typical of Uchiha elders. "Unlike you, who are basking in the clan's spotlight, I actually do the work."
Fugaku smirked. "Better than you, at least. Who was it again that got their ass kicked by Fūma-nii and finally saw the light?"
Shin's expression twitched.
"Hmph. Forget it, old man. Let me buy you some seafood from the Land of Hot Water. You've earned it."
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