In a blink of an eye, a month passed.
Sitting at the top of the God Tree, Shinji, with a gloomy face, looked at the dark clouds rolling with thunder approaching from afar.
The doomsday scene had appeared!
Shinji originally thought the Hegemon would slow down the erosion of World No. 2, letting this bait survive longer to attract the Shinobi World closer.
However, whether the Hegemon discovered Shinji had seen through its tricks, or simply couldn't resist the temptation of the world, in short, the Hegemon showed no sign of leniency in eroding World No. 2, continuously accelerating the advance.
So in just one month, World No. 2 already looked like a complete doomsday scene.
Shinobi World.
Research Institute.
Following Shinji's supreme directive, the Research Institute began to push forward the 'Artificial Otsutsuki' plan non-stop.
Amado, Orochimaru, Sasori, and even Tsunade were all experts in cell transplantation and human modification. So in just three short weeks, they cultivated three qualified experimental subjects.
Looking at the physical examination report submitted by his assistant, Amado ordered: "Continue testing!"
"Yes!"
The assistant responded.
These three experimental subjects stood out from hundreds of prisoners. Because the three were inherently guilty of terrible crimes, the Research Institute had no great qualms about conducting human experiments on them.
According to the physical examination report, the three, having undergone several rounds of cell transplantation, perfectly absorbed the Sage Body of the Uzumaki clan and Senju clan. In terms of physique alone, they had reached the level of Karin during her time at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Of course!
Being able to reach this level, besides the three experimental subjects themselves being exceptionally gifted and possessing extremely strong physiques, the Research Institute's breakthroughs in cell transplantation technology also contributed significantly.
And this level of physique already met the experimental subject standards for Shinji's 'Artificial Otsutsuki' plan.
Just then, Orochimaru found Amado and smiled: "The latest physical examination report should be out, right?"
Amado nodded and handed the just-received physical examination report to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru briefly browsed the report, then said with emotion: "What beautiful data!"
Such data, if placed in the past, even just half a year ago, would be enough to shock the entire Shinobi World. But now the Research Institute could easily manufacture it in batches. So even someone as crazy as him couldn't help but sigh at the achievements the Research Institute had made during this period.
Amado didn't answer, just smoked silently.
Putting down the physical examination report, Orochimaru looked at Amado with a rather intriguing expression: "Was changing the experimental subject plan an instruction from 'A'?"
Amado shook his head: "No."
Orochimaru smiled: "The preparatory work for the ritual has been completed. The Stargazing Group monitored that there will be a celestial phenomenon the day after tomorrow, suitable for conducting the ritual."
Amado said: "I know."
Orochimaru said no more and turned to leave.
After Orochimaru left, Amado narrowed his eyes.
Shinji's 'Artificial Otsutsuki' plan was only given to him; others knew nothing about it. He concealed Shinji's true purpose from the others in the Research Institute, pushing the plan forward under the guise of researching 'Shinjutsu'.
However, from Orochimaru's question just now, he felt Orochimaru might have vaguely sensed something.
"Troublesome!"
Amado sighed helplessly.
Regarding Shinji needing an Otsutsuki, he actually guessed the reason. But he knew the stakes involved, so he dared not reveal it. Not only that, he even actively covered for Shinji, fearing that if the matter leaked, he would be silenced by Shinji.
After all, it concerned the legendary 'Chakra Fruit'. Not to mention the ninjas of the Shinobi World, even the Otsutsuki clan in the starry sky flocked to it like ducks. Getting involved with such a heavy treasure, one might lose their life if not careful.
Time passed, and soon the day of the celestial phenomenon monitored by the Stargazing Group arrived.
Having had experience from two previous rituals, the Research Institute arranged this one more calmly and rationally.
To ensure no accidents occurred, the Research Institute not only arranged a large number of security personnel at the ritual site, but Yakumo even requested Karin and Hikari on the Flying Fortress to monitor remotely, just in case.
Not long after, the ritual officially began.
The one conducting the ritual was a middle-aged man in his thirties named 'Owl'. He was physically strong and looked fierce. Previously, he was the leader of a group of bandits roaming the Land of Bears, possessing Chunin-level strength.
Because he slaughtered several villages and committed numerous crimes, Owl was wanted by the Daimyo of the Land of Bears. Finally, he was captured by Ranmaru's team and sent to the Research Institute, becoming one of the many experimental subjects.
Unlike other experimental subjects, Owl smoothly survived several cell transplantation surgeries, successively obtaining the Sage Body of the Uzumaki clan and Senju clan, becoming one of the three experimental subjects meeting Shinji's 'Artificial Otsutsuki' plan.
Therefore, he was selected to preside over this ritual.
Observation Area.
Tsunade asked: "Is everything arranged?"
Orochimaru looked mocking: "En, I've already told him, as long as he survives the ritual, he can become a senior director of the Research Institute like me."
Sasori beside him chuckled: "He believed it?"
"Of course he believed it!" The corner of Orochimaru's mouth curled up, saying: "We've invested quite a lot in him; he has no choice but to believe!"
Amado sat in front of a row of instruments, silent.
He didn't want to deceive the experimental subject, but the ritual couldn't be done by others; Owl had to do it himself. So they could only appease him with this kind of empty check.
Ritual Site.
Owl stood in the center of the ritual with a smirk. He indeed believed Orochimaru's promise because after experiencing two successful cell transplantation surgeries, he obtained unimaginable improvements. He felt his body contained infinite power, so he felt the Research Institute wouldn't easily give him up, even if he bore numerous crimes and his hands were stained with blood.
Just then, the Stargazing Group gave the signal; the ritual could begin.
Seeing the signal, Owl immediately activated the 'Chimera Technique' according to the prior rehearsal and urged the 'Chimera' buds to pounce on the six experimental subject sacrifices bound at the periphery of the ritual.
In the Observation Area.
Amado's assistant stared at the instruments while saying: "'Chimera' activity normal... Ritual chakra fluctuation normal... Fusion normal..."
Amado, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Sasori, these heads of the research group, all stared nervously at the ritual site.
Even though they had rehearsed the entire ritual process countless times in private, they still got nervous after it officially started. Because even for the Research Institute, which gathered most resources of the Shinobi World, bearing the cost of a ritual consumed a massive amount of resources, so they couldn't afford failure...