Chapter 156: Hiruko, Orochimaru, Why Have You Turned Into A Woman?
Orochimaru’s movements paused slightly, and the blood in the syringe stopped being drawn.
He raised his head, his golden snake pupils turning toward Menma’s shadow clone with great interest, as if he had discovered a new treasure.
Kimimaro lay on the cold metal table, and upon hearing the words about the root of his own bloodline, his long eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly, his breathing seeming to pause for a moment.
“But this power, for their frail human vessels, is a curse, not a gift.” The shadow clone’s voice continued to flow, echoing between the cold laboratory walls.
“Like a fragile pottery jar forcibly filled with volcanic lava capable of erupting destruction. The vessel cannot bear the weight, the Yang Release power is overly abundant and imbalanced, constantly eroding and burning their life source.”
“This is the root of the bloodline disease—not a pathology, but a mismatch between the vessel and its contents, the backlash of the power itself against its bearer.”
Orochimaru’s tongue tip subconsciously licked his thin lips, his eyes flashing with mad and excited light.
He fully understood the other’s meaning; this subversive viewpoint instantly ignited countless new conceptions and experimental directions deep in his mind.
“So… balance?” he rasped in pursuit, his voice carrying a trace of barely perceptible urgency.
“You transplanted the Hyuga’s Byakugan into this boy not simply to grant him its insight ability or to conduct a Byakugan transplant experiment, but rather…”
“To suppress, and also to harmonize.” The shadow clone took over his words, the mask turning slightly toward Orochimaru.
“The Hyuga clan’s Byakugan is the crystallization of pure Yin Release power, representing insight, spirit, and fine control of chakra.”
“The Yin Release power seeps into the bloodline not to replace Yang Release, but to form a dynamic balance under high pressure; the powerful Yin Release chakra can temporarily suppress the overly abundant rampaging Yang Release, alleviate the impact of bloodline awakening on the body, and delay the onset and deterioration of the bloodline disease.”
“These eyes are the shackles that prolong his life, and also the key to controlling his power.”
“Shackles… key…” Orochimaru repeated softly, his golden slit pupils narrowing as if chewing on these words filled with contradiction and power.
He looked at Kimimaro’s pale yet calm face, at the powerful Yin Release power beneath those tightly closed eyelids, and countless new experimental plans surged in his heart.
This boy before him was no longer merely a precious experimental material in his eyes.
Regarding the limits of bloodline transplantation, the possibility of Yin-Yang Release fusion, the strength threshold of artificial vessels, and so on—Orochimaru could hardly wait to conduct new bloodline limit research experiments.
“Wonderful! Truly wonderful!” Orochimaru couldn’t help but let out a sigh, his voice filled with the sudden enlightenment of understanding the essence of power and a fanatical yearning for the unknown domain.
“Treating bloodline atavism as the root, using opposing attribute power for forced harmonization… Your Excellency Shura, your train of thought has truly opened a brand new door for me.”
The look in his eyes toward the shadow clone, besides the inherent dread and scheming, held even more recognition and appreciation for pure “knowledge.”
At that moment, the indicator light on the laboratory’s thick airtight alloy door changed from red to green, accompanied by a low hydraulic pressure release sound, and the door panels silently slid open to both sides.
A figure appeared at the boundary of light and shadow in the doorway.
He wore a white restraint high-collared robe, simple and neat in style, exuding an indescribable gloom.
His grayish-white long hair was disheveled and draped messily, covering part of his face; the exposed skin was pale without a trace of blood color, and his red pupils showed deep dread when looking toward Shura’s shadow clone.
He stood there, slightly hunched over, his hands unnaturally hanging at his sides, his entire being emitting an aura of complete defeat and loss of all will to resist.
It was Bishamon, who had previously attempted to ambush Uchiha Hikari in the Star Capital, only to be dragged into the Tsukuyomi world with a single glance from the Mangekyo Sharingan, his mental defenses utterly collapsing, and now completely submitted.
The admiration and excitement on Orochimaru’s face instantly froze.
His narrow golden snake pupils contracted sharply into a thin line the moment he clearly saw the figure at the door!
A rare emotion called shock appeared on Orochimaru’s face.
He naturally recognized this person!
Though the current Bishamon looked withered and dispirited, utterly different from the obsessive, mad, and ambitious image in his memory, that unique chaotic chakra aura produced from fusing multiple bloodline limits—Orochimaru would never mistake it!
After all, they were classmates, and back then, it was also their Sannin who had pursued and killed Bishamon.
“Bishamon…” Orochimaru’s voice carried a hint of incredulous hoarseness.
He turned his head, his gaze fixed on Shura’s shadow clone standing silently to the side; inquiry, astonishment, and a trace of vigilance touching sensitive nerves instantly filled those golden eyes.
He knew all too well what Bishamon had been pursuing.
This madman had used Konoha ninjas for that fusion experiment, crossing the bottom line of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Back then, when the three of them found Bishamon’s secret laboratory and saw those scenes, even Orochimaru had been quite shocked.
But as Orochimaru’s desire for eternal life grew stronger, he gradually began to understand Bishamon.
Menma’s shadow clone ignored Bishamon at the door as if he were nothing.
He didn’t even turn his head, the mask always facing the direction of the control panel, as if merely a cold fixture in the laboratory.
Only that flat, low voice answered—or rather, disregarded—Orochimaru’s shock:
“He will henceforth assist you in research on biological tissue fusion and chakra attribute compatibility; the data on his ‘Kibaku Nendo’ has been archived in the seventh database.”
Shura’s shadow clone’s voice was calm and unwavering, as if arranging the most ordinary work handover.
Bishamon took a step forward, entering the ghastly white light.
His empty gaze swept over everything in the laboratory.
The cold instruments, the flickering data screens, Kimimaro lying on the control panel, finally landing on Orochimaru’s somewhat familiar yet somewhat strange face.
“Orochimaru? Long time no see, didn’t expect you to have become like this.” Bishamon’s gaze playfully scanned Orochimaru up and down, keenly noticing that Orochimaru’s current body was a female body.
Then Bishamon slightly lowered his head, respectfully saying toward the shadow clone: “Yes, Lord.”
This “Lord” was like a cold iron hammer, smashing heavily into Orochimaru’s heart.
As Konoha’s S-rank rogue ninja before Orochimaru, the elite jonin who had escaped Konoha under pursuit from their Sannin and held himself in high regard—Bishamon had actually been subdued by Shura.
Orochimaru stared at the thoroughly submitted Bishamon, then glanced at Shura’s shadow clone standing silently to the side, emanating invisible pressure.
He hid the stirring greed in his heart even deeper.
