The Village Hidden in the Sound was no longer the small hamlet it had once been.
Although the territory of the Land of Sound had not changed, its economic development was the fastest among the nations. In terms of strength, the hundred or so Uchiha had become its pillars during the village's most difficult times. Later, as the volume of missions surged, many shinobi from other lands were drawn to join their ranks. The village had finally earned a voice in the shinobi world.
However, the Sound Village had never held a proper inauguration ceremony. While it had leaders, it had no Kage. With a bit more development, the Land of Sound might finally be able to hold a ceremony. If the Daimyo of the Land of Sound and the new Sound Kage both supported Orochimaru's bid for Hokage, his chances would increase significantly.
Orochimaru had always remained behind the scenes in the Sound Village, with Kabuto Yakushi being the one truly in charge. Though Kabuto was only in his early twenties, his contributions to developing the village from a barren wasteland to its current state were immeasurable. It had to be said that Kabuto was a true genius with extraordinary abilities.
Ever since Orochimaru had become a recluse dedicated to his research, Kabuto had often been the one making decisions on the front lines. He managed the village's affairs, both large and small, with impeccable order. Some had even begun to address him as "Lord Otokage," though it wasn't official without the ceremony.
Below him were the three Uchiha elders, while the strongest combatants were Itachi and Shisui. Further down the hierarchy were the other Uchiha and the various talents Orochimaru had recruited. Initially, when so many Uchiha flooded into the Sound Village, many other villages were skeptical, assuming the clan was planning a coup. Instead, everyone coexisted peacefully. The Uchiha diligently carried out their missions and even partnered with the Land of Sound's Daimyo to promote the restaurant industry. It was said that the notoriously short-tempered Uchiha were actually just a bit cold but otherwise easy to get along with, which surprised many.
If Kabuto were to officially become the Otokage, Orochimaru could distance himself completely, pretending to be nothing more than a partner to the village. With his good relationship with the exiled Uchiha, the backing of the Land of Sound and its village, and all external support in place, all Orochimaru needed to do was return to Konoha and accomplish something noteworthy. The position of Fifth Hokage would then be his for the taking. As for what kind of achievement, the possibilities were endless.
Previously, Kawasaki had considered seeking out Tsunade. Konoha's comprehensive medical system was entirely her creation. If possible, Kawasaki hoped she could establish a medical team for the Uchiha as well. Now, he had another reason to find her.
What if Tsunade refused?
The Uchiha had nothing but money right now, and he hadn't even touched their development fund yet. He would buy Tsunade's cooperation if he had to.
After a brief discussion with Orochimaru, who was also intrigued by the idea, he agreed to cooperate with Kawasaki. He hadn't become the Fourth Hokage, but becoming the Fifth would be just as good.
With the general plan settled, Kawasaki steered the conversation back to the Sharingan.
...
In the Land of Sound, within the Village Hidden in the Sound.
Kawasaki had previously given Orochimaru a research direction: the evolution of the Sharingan. From a single tomoe to a standard Mangekyo, the process was a continuous refinement of Yin Release chakra. The Eternal Mangekyo, they hypothesized, likely involved repairing the user's genes to allow the body to withstand the atavistic effects of the Mangekyo, preventing the continuous damage to the eyes with each use.
But Kawasaki had already achieved the Eternal Mangekyo, skipping this step entirely. He wanted to show Orochimaru how an Eternal Mangekyo could manifest without genetic repair. Although his own ocular evolution was due to his special ability, it could still be beneficial to the experiment.
When Orochimaru learned that Kawasaki already possessed an Eternal Mangekyo, he was in disbelief. But considering Kawasaki could predict the future, it wasn't entirely surprising that he possessed other unique traits. He immediately subjected Kawasaki to a battery of tests, examining his Susanoo and his two dōjutsu.
Currently, Kawasaki's Susanoo could reach a height of one hundred meters and was still growing.
His weapon-enhancing dōjutsu, "Ame-no-Murakumo Form," possessed an attack power that astonished even Orochimaru. It could forcibly erase space itself. Anything struck by it would vanish in an instant.
Orochimaru wore a strange expression when he heard the name of this dōjutsu. He then opened his mouth and spat out a sharp blade.
"Kusanagi Sword?" Kawasaki raised an eyebrow. Wait, wasn't the Kusanagi Sword also known as the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi? In this world, however, "Kusanagi Sword" was not a specific blade but a type of sword. Kawasaki's Ame-no-Murakumo Form was a manifestation of dōjutsu and chakra that coated his Susanoo's weapon.
Orochimaru possessed more than one Kusanagi Sword. His Technique of Eight Branches was tied to the legendary eight-headed serpent, and it was said that each of the beast's Kusanagi Swords represented one of its heads. In a sense, Orochimaru's supply of these blades was limitless, though only a few were exceptionally sharp.
"Perfect. I need a gift for my student. Orochimaru, get me a Kusanagi Sword," Kawasaki said, never one to be polite with acquaintances. He simply held out his hand.
Orochimaru didn't mind and spat out another Kusanagi Sword. "This one should be perfect for little Sasuke," he said with a faint smile. After all, he and Itachi had such a good relationship (as a precious test subject), so it was only natural for him, as an elder, to give Sasuke a sword.
Kawasaki strapped the sword to his waist and prepared for the day's experiment.
His second dōjutsu was called the "Gaze of the Storm God." Its only ability was enhanced perception. As his ocular power increased, space would become clearer, but then, paradoxically, it would blur again. Since Kawasaki had never faced an opponent that required high-speed combat, he rarely used it due to its high dōjutsu consumption. This made it the perfect tool for Orochimaru's test, which was to measure the recovery rate of Kawasaki's Eternal Mangekyo after complete depletion.
This time, he planned to pour all of his ocular power into the Gaze of the Storm God.
The moment Kawasaki activated his Eternal Mangekyo, his aura changed. He gazed into the distance, continuously channeling dōjutsu into his eyes. His vision grew sharper and sharper, but upon reaching a certain point, it began to blur.
"Is this the limit?" Kawasaki frowned.
He decided to push further, pouring in even more ocular power. Suddenly, the blurry world, as if at the dawn of creation, changed dramatically.
*Poof!*
Nearby, Orochimaru used a storage scroll, retrieving something. Kawasaki glanced over in confusion.
*Poof!*
Orochimaru then used the Summoning Technique for a routine check for messages. Kawasaki followed the sound and noticed a spatial passage opening where the summoning had occurred. Peering through the channel, he saw a place teeming with snakes. In a temple, a massive white-scaled serpent suddenly looked up, its giant serpentine pupils reflecting his own image.
Kawasaki snapped back to reality with a jolt. This dōjutsu could see through different dimensions and track spatial coordinates.
...
In Ryuchi Cave.
The White Snake Sage's pipe trembled slightly. "Who was just spying on Ryuchi Cave!?" she wondered. She tried to divine the future, only to find the vision was a swirling chaos...
...
"These eyes can see through dimensions and track spatial coordinates," Kawasaki explained, leaving Orochimaru utterly amazed.
The ability to track spatial coordinates in battle was useless against ordinary opponents, but it would be a game-changer against users of space-time ninjutsu. The most famous of these was the Flying Thunder God Technique, a two-step process: first, a mark is placed to lock a position, and then the user teleports to it. If someone were fighting Kawasaki, he would only need a single coordinate to predict the user's next destination, eliminating the need to search for the mark.
Kawasaki also considered Obito's Kamui. He once thought it could only be countered, but now it seemed he could even pinpoint the Kamui dimension's corresponding coordinates in the real world. There would be nowhere for Obito to hide.
...
A few days later, Orochimaru completed his analysis of Kawasaki's Sharingan. His original hypothesis was that the Eternal Mangekyo was achieved through the layering of Yin Release chakra, combined with family genetics and a fusion at the genetic level that filled a bloodline defect, thus triggering an evolution.
Kawasaki's case, however, was a qualitative change brought about by an abundance of ocular power. It was like continuously adding water to a small bottle; if the bottle was strong enough, the water would eventually compress. As for why Kawasaki's "bottle" was so durable, Orochimaru had yet to figure that out.
This new method of achieving the Eternal Mangekyo gave Orochimaru a fresh perspective. There was now a second potential path for Shisui's eyes to evolve. However, whether the Eternal Mangekyo could evolve further was a topic Kawasaki and Orochimaru still needed to explore.
At the same time, Kawasaki revealed everything he knew about the Otsutsuki clan and the subsequent reincarnations of Indra and Asura. Since there was currently only one pair of Rinnegan in the shinobi world—Nagato's—they had no other reference. It was unknown if the Sharingan could evolve into the Rinnegan without the involvement of Indra and Asura's chakra. With no leads on the Rinnegan, they set the matter aside. If their chakra was a necessary component, then their only hope for a new Rinnegan rested with Sasuke's future evolution. If that were the case, the Eternal Mangekyo and Rinnegan couldn't be seen as a simple hierarchical relationship; the Rinnegan would be more of a mutation of the Eternal Mangekyo.
...
Back in the Sound Village, Orochimaru extracted spinal fluid from Kimimaro, confirming Kawasaki's theory about "Sage's Marrow." Kimimaro's bone marrow was indeed showing signs of atavism. As he grew, the changes in his marrow would make his blood as corrosive as sulfuric acid. His bones might withstand it, but his delicate internal organs certainly would not. No wonder the Orochimaru of his past life couldn't cure him; at this rate, Kimimaro was doomed.
Having constantly used his Shikotsumyaku in battle, Kimimaro's bones were already showing signs of premature maturation, which explained why he was so much taller than Haku. The immediate priority was to use medication to control his growth. However, this was only a temporary fix, and they needed another solution.
Orochimaru suggested using Hashirama cells, but the technology was not yet mature. The process of stripping the cells of their will was still theoretical and could take months, or even years, to succeed. Relying on that was truly a matter of fate.
But Kawasaki had decided to stop being passive. He would not allow the regrets of his past life to be repeated. *Kimimaro, I will save you!* A grand plan was already forming in his mind; he wouldn't let any promising talent slip through his fingers.
With newfound resolve, Kawasaki's spirits lifted. "What are the side effects of the growth-suppressing medicine?"
Orochimaru thought for a moment. "It will lose its effectiveness in two to three years. And it won't be a gradual decline; the effects will stop abruptly. Kimimaro's development will suddenly accelerate, and his condition could worsen instantly. Two years is the safe window. After that, it will be uncontrollable."
*Two years should be enough time for me to find a way to save him!* Kawasaki already had a few ideas. Two years was definitely enough. "Would Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred Technique be effective?"
He had already planned to bring Tsunade into the fold. Since Orochimaru was aiming to become Hokage, he would have to deal with her eventually anyway.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment. "If Kimimaro's condition suddenly flares up, the Strength of a Hundred Technique would at least keep him from dying. But that's Tsunade's exclusive secret technique."
Kawasaki shook his head. "I can negotiate with her."
Orochimaru's tone grew interested. "The Strength of a Hundred Technique requires a massive amount of chakra, which Tsunade stores using the Yin Seal. The Yin Seal is exclusive to women. Modifying it for a man won't be easy."
Kawasaki smiled. "We have to try, don't we?"
Orochimaru gave Kawasaki a deep look. Kawasaki nodded, already scheming how to pluck a few feathers from the "golden goose" that was Tsunade. Since he had to find her anyway, getting the Strength of a Hundred Technique shouldn't be too hard, right? But how could he convince her to teach him her ultimate technique? Oh, right. Tsunade loved to gamble, and he was not short on cash right now.
Kawasaki slammed his fist into his palm. *That's it! The power of money!* Having made up his mind, he began to ask Orochimaru for details about the Strength of a Hundred Technique.
Orochimaru's knowledge was similar to his own. The technique was essentially an exchange of chakra for blood regeneration. Without enough chakra, its self-healing properties would fail. If the user's chakra ran out during use... Kawasaki always prepared a backup plan. He immediately began considering ways to rapidly replenish chakra. However, most methods had side effects. Kimimaro's body was already weak; something like the Eight Gates would likely cost him his life. With that in mind, Kawasaki listed several alternative options.
...
Ever since his arrival, Kawasaki and Orochimaru had spent days discussing their future plans, which always circled back to Hashirama cells. It would be a waste not to study such a treasure trove. Unfortunately, research at the cellular level was incredibly expensive, requiring high-end medical equipment and costly materials. A single experiment could cost tens of millions, and if it failed, the money would be wasted, or they would end up with a pile of saplings—a luxurious form of tree planting.
The experiment to remove the cellular will from Hashirama's cells, leaving only pure Yang Release chakra, was equally expensive. The final conclusion was the same: development required money.
The Land of Sound was small, and its restaurant market was saturated. Fear of technology leaks had previously prevented them from expanding into the Land of Fire, keeping their operations within their own borders. Now, it seemed a choice had to be made.
Fugaku had sent word that some people in Konoha were growing restless. The Uchiha had used this opportunity to effectively break away from the village, achieving self-sufficiency while nominally remaining part of Konoha. Now, it seemed the Third Hokage was interested in letting Orochimaru return. This made Kawasaki wonder how best to pave the way for him.
"This is the Hashirama cell solution I've extracted," Orochimaru's voice interrupted Kawasaki's thoughts.
Kawasaki raised an eyebrow. "You haven't cleared out the cellular will yet, have you?"
A hint of cunning entered Orochimaru's voice. "Indeed. Without removing the will, there's an eighty percent chance of turning into a tree upon use. However, Shisui and Itachi helped me with an experiment. Dōjutsu can suppress the cellular will to a certain extent, allowing for fusion. With your level of ocular power, the success rate is forty percent."
Kawasaki rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm desperate. Why would I gamble on a forty percent chance?"
Orochimaru pressed the vial into Kawasaki's hand. "This thing cost two hundred million to produce. Can you bear to see it destroyed?"
Kawasaki stared at the crystalline liquid in the test tube, torn. He really couldn't. *Fine, I'll hold onto it for now.*
Seeing Kawasaki put the solution away, Orochimaru breathed a sigh of relief. For a researcher, a forty percent success rate was extremely high. In practice, however, it was practically a gamble. But the investment had been too great to simply discard.
Afterward, Orochimaru even revealed his own plans to Kawasaki. "I'm going to fuse various superior genes to create a perfect body for myself!"
Kawasaki was so shocked he nearly stumbled. Was Mitsuki about to make an early debut? No, this wasn't Mitsuki yet. Still, Orochimaru was already preparing his artificial human project, which Kawasaki found very exciting.
"When Jugo was brought back, I considered using the curse mark to create an immortal body," Orochimaru continued. "But after reading your theories on the negative mental impact of soul splitting, I realized that after splitting my soul a few times, I might no longer be myself."
His voice was filled with emotion. Back when he fled Konoha, he had planted the newly developed Curse Mark of Heaven on Anko. However, the mark did nothing to help her; it merely fed on her life force while storing a fragment of his soul. If not for Kawasaki's knowledge, would he have continued to split his soul until he became a drooling imbecile?
"I plan to improve the Living Corpse Reincarnation. Forcibly shattering the vessel's soul introduces impurities into my own," Orochimaru stated, raising a hand.
"You've already begun to study your own soul in depth?" Kawasaki raised an eyebrow. Orochimaru was truly a genius, immediately turning to self-examination.
"I had Itachi attack me with his full power and found I was completely unable to resist his genjutsu. My resistance has dropped significantly," Orochimaru recounted calmly. As a researcher, he could accept his own flaws and seek ways to correct them.
Kawasaki nodded. "It's good you noticed early. I was just about to warn you about that."
Knowing Kawasaki could see the future, Orochimaru couldn't help but ask, "Did my soul splitting cause problems in the future?"
"Big problems," Kawasaki confirmed with a nod. He thought for a moment. "Let's put it this way. If I hadn't sent Itachi and the others here, you would have proceeded with your plan to destroy Konoha and killed the Third Hokage."
Orochimaru looked somewhat surprised. "Me? Kill the old man?"
Kawasaki nodded again. "Yes. First, you coveted the Akatsuki's Rinnegan, but you were soundly defeated. Then you coveted Itachi's Sharingan and were beaten again. Finally, although you managed to kill the Third in Konoha, you ended up crippled yourself. Trouble followed you everywhere, so you split your soul into multiple pieces. You were eventually resurrected, but the resurrected you became..."