After reaching an agreement, Hinata followed Orochimaru through the intricate corridors filled with serpentine decorations. Hinata appeared perfectly composed, as if she were merely visiting an ordinary research institute rather than the base of a notorious Rogue Ninja.
She observed as she walked, her gaze sweeping over various experimental instruments and culture tanks along the way.
Just as they were about to arrive at the entrance of a more secluded laboratory, a metal door on a side path slid open, and a figure stepped out.
Short black hair, a cold face, a deep blue high-collared short-sleeved shirt, and the hilt of a kusanagi sword on his back—it was Uchiha Sasuke.
He seemed to have just finished his Cultivation, with fine beads of sweat still on his forehead, and his gaze was, as always, filled with indifference and an obsession with power.
However, when he clearly saw the person beside Orochimaru, his cold pupils suddenly contracted, and for the first time, a look of shocked astonishment appeared on his face.
"Hyuga... Hinata??"
Sasuke blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief.
He stared fixedly at Hinata, as if trying to confirm whether he was caught in a Genjutsu.
Why would this Young Miss of the Hyuga Main Family, a hero of Konoha, appear in Orochimaru's base? Moreover, she was walking side-by-side with Orochimaru; they weren't fighting, and the atmosphere didn't seem tense at all.
An absurd thought flashed through Sasuke's mind.
Could it be that she had also defected from Konoha, like himself, to seek out Orochimaru in pursuit of power?
But he dismissed the idea as soon as it surfaced. Hyuga Hinata held an exalted position in Konoha and was the heir to the Hyuga Main Family; she had no reason to defect.
Furthermore, she was very strong—Sasuke had always known that.
Then why was she here?
Sasuke's gaze instantly became sharp and wary. His hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his kusanagi sword as he looked coldly at Orochimaru, his tone questioning.
"Orochimaru, what is going on? Why is she here?"
Orochimaru didn't seem surprised by Sasuke's sudden appearance and questioning; he let out a low chuckle.
"Heh heh heh... Sasuke-kun, there's no need to be tense. Miss Hinata is my guest today; we have some academic matters to discuss."
"Academic matters?" Sasuke's brow furrowed, clearly unconvinced.
What academic matters could a Konoha Ninja and a Rogue Ninja possibly have?
Facing Sasuke's scrutinizing gaze, Hinata remained calm. She even gave a slight nod as a greeting.
"Yo, long time no see."
Her attitude was so natural, as if they had just run into each other on a street in Konoha, which made Sasuke even more confused and uncomfortable.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Sasuke didn't lower his guard and pressed for an answer.
Orochimaru licked his lips, seemingly enjoying Sasuke's state of confusion and vigilance, but he had no intention of explaining in detail.
"Just some minor experiments regarding the essence of life, Sasuke-kun. Your Cultivation is more important. Don't worry about this. Go on, and don't forget your purpose for becoming stronger."
His final sentence carried a hint of warning, reminding Sasuke not to meddle and to focus on his own pursuit of power and his revenge against Uchiha Itachi.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He gave Hinata a deep look, as if trying to see something within those pure white eyes, but ultimately found nothing.
He let out a cold snort and said no more, turning to walk toward his training room, though his back appeared noticeably heavier with doubt than before.
"Heh heh, young people are always so impatient."
Orochimaru watched Sasuke's departing back and spoke meaningfully before turning to Hinata. "We've arrived, Miss Hinata. Please."
He pushed open the heavy laboratory doors. Inside were various precision instruments, screens flickering with an eerie light, and several large culture tanks filled with nutrient solution. Soaking within the tanks were various biological tissues or unfinished bodies, some of which looked quite bizarre.
The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant, nutrient solution, and a faint, lingering scent of blood.
"Now then, Miss Hinata, as agreed, first you need to demonstrate what you mentioned regarding Soul guidance."
Orochimaru walked to a console and operated it a few times. A smaller culture tank nearby slowly rose, containing the body of what looked like a large canine. However, its muscle lines were abnormally developed, and its skeletal structure had undergone certain modifications; it was in a deep dormant 'blank' state.
"This is a failed Cursed Seal experimental subject. Its consciousness has been completely erased, leaving only the most basic vital signs."
Orochimaru introduced.
"Its Soul has long since dissipated, but the body is still 'alive'. What you need to do is attempt to guide a wisp of masterless, weak Soul energy—such as a low-level Soul we've captured that's about to dissipate—into this body and have it exist stably for even a short period. This will most directly prove your'software' capabilities."
This test was tricky. It required demonstrating Soul guidance while avoiding the use of precious research materials, and it could also test the effectiveness of Hinata's energy in mitigating 'rejection'.
Hinata did not refuse. She walked to the culture tank, her pure white eyes gazing at the empty body within. She reached out a finger and lightly touched the reinforced glass wall.
She didn't act immediately but first used her Divine Sense to meticulously scan the body's structure, Chakra pathways, and life status.
At the same time, she requested the containment vessel for that 'low-level Soul' from Orochimaru.
It was a small jar engraved with Seal runes.
Orochimaru watched with great interest, wanting to see how Hinata would operate.
Hinata condensed a wisp of extremely pure and gentle Spiritual Energy at her fingertip, using the Soul-guiding method she had derived from her previous study of Edo Tensei.
That originally chaotic Soul began to be drawn in upon contact with this Spiritual Energy.
Next, Hinata controlled this wisp of Spiritual Energy carrying the vengeful Soul's energy, performing it like a precision microsurgery. Through the glass and nutrient solution, she slowly injected it into the canine experimental subject.
Her movements were gentle and steady, her control of Spiritual Energy incredibly precise.
Orochimaru stared intently at the various data on the monitoring screen—vital signs, energy fluctuations, brainwave activity... He was surprised to find that the brain activity curve, which had been almost a straight line, began to fluctuate after Hinata's Spiritual Energy injection.
That wisp of Soul energy was indeed successfully guided and'settled' inside, without immediately causing violent rejection by the body or rapid dissipation of the Soul energy.
This was simply incredible! In his experience, forcibly shoving foreign Soul energy into a blank body usually resulted in failure, likely turning it into a vegetable or a mindless creature.
Eventually, the creature's consciousness began to revive. It started kicking its legs wildly inside the culture tank, its eyes wide and filled with terror.
The scene was somewhat eerie, but Orochimaru didn't care at all. Instead, he stared at it as if admiring a piece of art.
A few minutes later, Hinata slowly withdrew her Spiritual Energy, extracting the Soul along with it.
The brainwave activity curve on the screen quickly flattened, finally returning to a straight line, and that wisp of Soul soon dissipated naturally.
The experiment was over.
Hinata's expression was as usual, but the way Orochimaru looked at her had completely changed.
His previous suspicion and scrutiny had greatly diminished, replaced by a feverish desire for research that was almost overflowing.
"Incredible... truly incredible!"
Orochimaru's voice was somewhat raspy with excitement.
"This is getting more and more interesting."
He finally believed that the cooperation Hinata had mentioned earlier was not empty talk. Her unique abilities in the field of the Soul might truly be able to compensate for the shortcomings of his technology in 'hardware-software integration'.
"Well then, Mr. Orochimaru, has my 'proof of concept' passed?"
Hinata asked with a smile.
"Hahaha! Of course! Of course it passed!"
Orochimaru said impatiently.
"We have so many subjects we can study in depth! The construction of the perfect body, the quantification of Soul compatibility, energy intervention schemes for rejection reactions... Heh heh heh, I can already foresee countless wonderful experiments waiting for us!"
Looking at Orochimaru, who had fallen into a state of scientific frenzy, Hinata knew the first step had been firmly taken. Next would be moving toward her ultimate goal of 'resurrection'.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, who had just left and was not far away, although unable to hear the specific dialogue inside the lab, could faintly sense that strange energy fluctuation and Orochimaru's blatant excitement.
He leaned against the cold wall, his ear pressed against it, his brow furrowed.
"What on earth are you doing?"
Hinata glanced in the direction where Sasuke was. Her Divine Sense clearly saw that Nizhu Zi was eavesdropping sneakily, which was completely inconsistent with his cool image and temperament.
Furthermore, the way Sasuke was pressed against the wall was facing them directly. In Hinata's eyes, he was currently in a posture with both hands raised and his head tilted to the side, which was rather comical.
It was similar to how a person looks when pressed against glass.
"..."
666, what a contrast.
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