"However—"
Naruto's tone shifted, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of his mouth as he pulled out a tube of pale red reagent.
"While the Stage Three Curse Mark cannot be mass-produced—"
"—this low-concentration Stage One Curse Mark can be popularized."
Everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to the tube of reagent.
"This is the mass-produced Stage One Curse Mark."
"Although it cannot allow someone to break through to the second stage, and it lacks that insane recovery power, its advantages are that it is safe, stable, and has virtually no side effects."
"As long as someone is a ninja, or even just a strong ordinary person, they can withstand this level of modification."
"After injection, it can forcibly open the first stage of the Gene Lock, turning an ordinary person into an elite warrior and significantly enhancing their physical attributes."
"Imagine it, everyone."
Naruto spread his arms wide, as if embracing the future.
"If we popularize this curse mark throughout an army—"
"—a legion composed of thousands, or even tens of thousands, of super-elites who have opened the first stage of the Gene Lock—"
At this point, Naruto glanced around at the people present.
Orochimaru's ambition, Kabuto's fanaticism, Tsunade's fear—everything was laid bare before his eyes.
Tsunade bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with disbelief.
As someone who had lived through the Ninja World Wars, she knew all too well what this implied.
Ninjas of the Five Great Nations required years or even decades of training.
Yet Naruto only needed a single injection; this was a dimensionality reduction strike against the existing military system.
"Kimimaro."
Naruto's voice interrupted everyone's reverie.
Kimimaro, who had already deactivated his curse mark and returned to human form, knelt on one knee before Naruto without hesitation.
"Present."
"In view of your existing value, I shall grant you the chains."
"Are you willing to share your bone and blood with me?"
Hearing these words, Kimimaro snapped his head up, his eyes filled with a joy and fanaticism bordering on madness.
To him, being needed by Lord Orochimaru was already his reason for living.
And now, this person even greater than Orochimaru was willing to let him become a part of his body.
What an immense grace this was.
"I am willing!"
Kimimaro's voice trembled with excitement as he tore open the clothes over his chest, proactively baring his heart.
"Please, take it! My bones, my flesh, my soul—everything I am is yours!"
The chains sank into Kimimaro's chest without any resistance.
[Domination Successful]
[Obtained Ability Sharing: Shikotsumyaku]
Naruto closed his eyes slightly, feeling the new power surging within him, and with a thought—
Under everyone's astonished gazes, a bone spur, white as jade and radiating a metallic luster, protruded from the back of Naruto's right hand.
"Its chakra conductivity is comparable to chakra metal, yet its hardness is even superior—"
Naruto retracted the bone spur, and the wound healed instantly.
He pushed up his glasses and revealed a satisfied smile.
This was currently the only power that was truly helpful to him.
The other two he had dominated, whether it was Haku or Orochimaru, had only enriched his methods without raising the upper limit of his abilities.
Only Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku directly compensated for the weakness in his defense. Combined with the Uzumaki Clan's vitality and the Nine-Tails' chakra, it turned him into a literal human tank.
"...Monster."
Watching this scene from the side, Tsunade's body couldn't help but tremble.
She looked at Naruto as if she were looking at a nightmare that was constantly evolving.
The Uzumaki Clan's vitality, the Nine-Tails' infinite chakra, and now the absolute defense of the Kaguya Clan—
Physical attacks were useless, ninjutsu could not compete with his chakra, and a war of attrition could not beat his recovery power.
This young man was turning himself into a monster without any weaknesses.
"If he is allowed to build that legion—"
Tsunade's heart went cold.
"Konoha—no, the entire ninja world, will they really have any chance of winning?"
"Alright, today's entertainment ends here."
Naruto clapped his hands, breaking the heavy atmosphere inside the laboratory.
He retracted his previous madness and returned to his usual demeanor.
"Kabuto, take Tsunade down to rest. We need her to enter a working state as soon as possible."
"Yes, Lord Naruto."
Kabuto bowed respectfully and made a 'please' gesture, leading the dazed Tsunade out of the laboratory.
"Orochimaru, you go and organize the data as well. For the next step of the plan, I need a more detailed proposal."
"As you wish, Naruto-kun."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with fanaticism as he retreated into the shadows.
Soon, Naruto was the only one left in the quiet laboratory.
He turned and walked out the door, passing through the long, dark underground corridor.
His leather shoes stepped on the damp stone slabs, producing hollow echoes.
As Naruto walked, he surveyed this base that belonged to Orochimaru.
Narrow, dark, and damp.
This place could only be considered a large basement at best; it couldn't even provide a proper training ground for troops.
"Possessing the technology for a ten-thousand-man legion, yet forced to huddle in a rat hole—"
Carrying this dissatisfaction and reflection on the current situation, he pushed open the heavy stone door at the end and entered the leader's office.
Under the dim light, Naruto sat on the stone chair that originally belonged to Orochimaru.
"The money is there, the people are there, and the technology is there."
Naruto looked at the map of the ninja world.
"But this place is too small."
Otogakure is located in the Land of Sound, sandwiched in the gaps between great nations, like a rat hiding by a lion's foot.
While it was suitable for being a troublemaker and plotting conspiracies, it was absolutely unsuitable for establishing an empire capable of overturning the world.
If he wanted to mass-produce troops, establish an industrial system, and let that mass-produced legion take shape, he had to possess a vast, safe, and hidden rear base.
Naruto closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the system space, and skillfully opened that interface connected to the myriad worlds.
He needed a bit of inspiration now.
A little advice from other worlds.
[Does anyone have any suggestions for forming a faction?]
[Description: I have a large amount of capital and top-tier technology but am located in a war-torn land. I want to form a faction to overthrow the old order. Any suggestions?]
After a period of silence, replies appeared in the post.
Floor 1 [Golden Throne]:
Mortals are frail. Screen the genes, implant the seeds, and then clad them in indestructible armor.
Establish your legion of super-soldiers, and use steel and fire to purge this filthy world.
Remember, only absolute force can maintain absolute truth.
[Ding! Suggestion detected: Astartes Project]
[Task Requirement: Manufacture the first generation of Power Armor and assemble a legion of Gene Warriors]
[Task Reward: A-rank treasure chest]
Floor 2 [Arasaka's Watchdog]:
The flesh is weak; machine ascension is the way.
Since you have money and technology, why not cut away all that weak flesh?
Full cyberneticization, equipped with heavy firepower.
Remember, caliber is justice.
[Ding! Suggestion detected: Mechanical Ascension]
[Task Requirement: Develop a heavy exoskeleton/cybernetic body capable of amplifying chakra]
[Task Reward: B-rank treasure chest]
Floor 5 [Mayor of New London]:
If there is no good land, then go to the extreme cold. Low temperatures are natural city walls; they can filter out the weak trash.
In the wind and snow, only order can bring warmth.
[Ding! Suggestion detected: Winter is Coming]
[Task Requirement: Find an extremely cold location with an independent heat source to serve as a base]
[Task Reward: C-rank treasure chest]
Floor 8 [The First Napkin]:
My heart and actions are utterly unclouded. They are all those of 'Justice'.
Only those who set the rules are worthy of owning the New World.
Floor 9 [Builder of Rapture]:
Are you also tired of those parasites? Do not build your nation on their territory.
Go to the deep sea, go to the ice plains, and establish a Utopia unconstrained by traditional morality.
There are no gods there, only man!
[Ding! Suggestion detected: Independent Kingdom]
[Task Requirement: Establish an industrialized nation completely independent of the Five Great Nations' system]
[Task Reward: B-rank treasure chest]
Naruto looked at these suggestions, which were different in style yet led to the same destination, his fingers lightly tapping on the table.
"Extreme cold... Power Armor... Independent Kingdom..."
These terms constantly collided and reorganized in his mind, gradually piecing together a grand blueprint.
He closed the forum, the smile on his lips widening.
"Very good."
Naruto stood up and walked to the map.
His gaze swept past the prosperous Land of Fire and over the barren Land of Sound.
Finally, it landed on the northernmost tip of the map, that white area covered in snow year-round.
"It perfectly aligns with my thoughts."