"This is absolutely incredible!"
Inside the massive nutrient tank, Nawaki lay quietly in a deep slumber. His arms and chest were attached to various monitoring devices, and a respirator covered his mouth, rhythmically releasing streams of bubbles.
The wound on his abdomen had already healed, though the skin remained a ghastly pale, devoid of blood. On the left side of his chest, an open wound was still partially exposed. Transparent substitute materials supported his ribcage, while a white heart, clearly disproportionate to Nawaki's frame, beat powerfully within.
Orochimaru stood before the nutrient tank, gazing at the sleeping Nawaki. His voice trembled with awe, and his eyes glimmered with fascination, as if admiring a masterpiece of art.
Standing to the side, Jinghang remained silent, his expression calm but his heart secretly elated. Gotcha, you've taken the bait.
"These organs... they're all from this so-called spore organism you mentioned?"
Finally pulling his gaze away from Nawaki, Orochimaru turned to look at a glass jar containing a preserved White Zetsu head specimen. His eyes still burned with obsession.
"That's correct," Jinghang replied.
"Incredible…"
Orochimaru's gaze followed the trail of Tsunade's "collection."
Kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, stomach, intestines…
It was as if a door to a new world had opened before him, radiating a dazzling array of possibilities.
"Here, these are all the experimental records for the subject," Tsunade said, carrying over a stack of documents nearly half her height.
"May I... have a look?" Orochimaru asked cautiously.
Jinghang smiled and nodded. "I told you, everything here is open to you."
Without hesitation, Orochimaru grabbed the documents and found a nearby table, diving into the records with an insatiable hunger.
"If you're hungry, just let the staff in the duty room know. They'll arrange lunch for you," Jinghang added.
"Yes, yes," Orochimaru replied absentmindedly, his eyes glued to the pages, unwilling to look away even for a moment.
Tsunade sighed helplessly and glanced at Jinghang.
"Let him stay here and read," Jinghang said softly. "It's fine. He'll come to me when he's done. Let's head out for now."
With that, he gently pulled Tsunade out of the laboratory, closing the door behind them.
"Where's Whitefly?" Jinghang asked.
"I gave him fifty ryo and sent him off to eat some spicy hot pot," Tsunade replied.
"Hmm, Orochimaru will probably be engrossed for a while longer. Later, arrange for him to help out at the pharmaceutical plant for a few days. How has he been performing lately?"
Tsunade gave a wry smile. "He's incredibly talented. In the field of medical ninjutsu, he's a natural, grasping concepts instantly and often improving upon them. He's practically been leading the second-generation Chakra Enhancement Drug project. But…"
"But what?" Jinghang stopped in his tracks.
"Well… he talks a lot. He constantly asks bizarre questions and even flirts with the female interns. Sometimes, he even lifts their skirts…"
"Hmm? When did he develop such habits?"
Jinghang raised an eyebrow in surprise. Though White Zetsu appeared male, it lacked actual gender characteristics. Could it be that this guy was a pervert before being absorbed by the Divine Tree?
Orochimaru read slowly, emerging from the laboratory only after seven days.
"I heard you barely ate during these past few days. That won't do. Your health is your foundation. No tea for now—it might make you dizzy. Here, have some sugar water instead."
Jinghang handed Orochimaru a steaming cup of sugar water.
They were on the rooftop of Jinghang's villa, where he had designed a small tea pavilion to add a touch of elegance. He had sent Tsunade away, leaving him alone with Orochimaru for this conversation.
Without caring about the heat, Orochimaru downed the sugar water in one gulp and quickly grabbed the nearby snacks, devouring them one by one.
"Take it slow, or you'll choke," Jinghang said with a smile, pouring him another cup.
Once Orochimaru had finished eating and drinking, Jinghang finally asked, "So, what do you think? Any insights?"
"It's astonishing, absolutely astonishing! To think such a creature exists in this world! Do you realize what this means? No rejection issues, unparalleled toxin resistance, incredible adaptability, and compatibility with all forms of Chakra attributes. It combines the characteristics of both plants and animals…"
Orochimaru spoke with a manic fervor, his words pouring out in a torrent. Jinghang merely smiled and listened quietly, occasionally nodding.
"If we continue developing along this path, how many wondrous results could we achieve? This surpasses the power of any mighty jutsu. It's a historic innovation—no, a revolution!"
By the end, Orochimaru's voice was trembling, his eyes filled with madness.
Good, he's starting to get it.
Jinghang rose slowly, turning his back to Orochimaru. Facing the crescent moon, he spoke in a low, measured tone:
"The Sage of Six Paths founded ninshū, giving rise to the myriad phenomena of this world. Like the vast starry sky, the infinite universe hides countless wonders and secrets. Compared to this, even titans like Hashirama and Madara—though their techniques could move mountains and seas—what are they now? Could they, in their lifetimes, have uncovered even a fraction of the world's mysteries? And what of us…"
Orochimaru stared at Jinghang's elongated shadow under the moonlight, feeling an overwhelming sense of melancholy and desolation.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Orochimaru's mind.
Immortality! Only by achieving immortality could one have the time to uncover these infinite secrets and attain unparalleled power! Human lifespans are bound by time, but what if one could live forever? Before coming to Sunagakure, such an idea would have seemed absurd to him. But after studying the research materials, he now believed it wasn't entirely impossible. With his genius, as long as he had the right experimental subjects and opportunities, why couldn't he grasp this sliver of divine providence?
By now, Jinghang had returned to his seat.
"I have no choice. Entrusted by the Second Hokage, I was compelled to take on the role of Kazekage. My life is bound by worldly affairs, leaving me forever without the opportunity. But you… you still have a chance."
"Me?" Orochimaru was taken aback.
"That's why I want to lend you a hand. Here, take a look at the gift I've prepared for you."
Jinghang left the room and returned moments later with a large burlap sack. Opening it revealed a White Zetsu, its hands bound behind its back.
"This is the last experimental subject. I want to give it to you. Everything is intact, except its tongue, which Tsunade cut off."
That was true—Tsunade had indeed been the one to cut it off.
Orochimaru's eyes glimmered with greed as he stared at the struggling White Zetsu on the ground, like a lecher ogling a bound beauty.
After a long pause, Orochimaru looked up at Jinghang and asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Ah, now you're getting it. A deal without terms wouldn't feel real.
"Ah, let's not talk about that now…" Jinghang waved his hand dismissively.
"Just a small favor."
Orochimaru persisted.
Jinghang smiled and placed an arm around Orochimaru's shoulder.
"Of course, I do have a condition…"
"Speak," Orochimaru said calmly.
"Perhaps one day in the future—though that day may never come—I'll ask for a small favor within your capabilities. When that time comes, I hope you… won't refuse me."
He emphasized the last five words. In the parlance of gangster films, it was akin to saying, You owe me a favor, and you'll have to repay it.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment before nodding solemnly. "I agree."
"Good. Now let me tell you about the origins of this thing," Jinghang said, pointing to the White Zetsu.
"Oh?" Orochimaru's interest was piqued. After being immersed in the research for so long, he hadn't even thought about where this creature had come from.
"Well, it all started after my visit to Konoha. I was on an errand in the Land of Earth when I encountered someone…"