Orochimaru's underground base near the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.
As Uchiha Shisui and Kagetsu stepped out of the black void, Orochimaru, who had been waiting for them inside the base, licked the corner of his lips.
The base spanned approximately 100 square meters, filled with a variety of instruments and a surgical table.
In addition to the equipment, there were several cylindrical containers connecting the ceiling to the floor. These containers were filled with a faint green liquid, inside which floated various organs and humanoid figures.
Soft lighting poured down from the ceiling, illuminating the entire laboratory.
Walking along the specially cleared path, Shisui passed by these eerie scenes with an unchanged expression. Having seen similar setups countless times in the Technology Development Department, he was no longer fazed.
At the center of the base stood an elevated platform with a transparent, specially sealed box. Faint traces of seals flickered intermittently on its surface.
Inside the box was a jewel that sparkled with an eerie, diamond-like luster under the light. It was held aloft in the palm of a metallic hand.
The platform's base was connected to the instruments near the surgical table via numerous cables.
"I've already heard about your exploits from Kagetsu," Orochimaru said with a hint of admiration as he gazed at Uchiha Shisui before him.
"Hanzō... I never thought he'd meet his end at your hands. Is the Mangekyō Sharingan truly that powerful?"
"You flatter me, Lord Orochimaru! It was merely luck," Shisui replied, brushing a hand over his eyes. He still vividly remembered the dual agony—both mental and physical—that he had endured.
The pain was so intense, so unforgettable, that experiencing it even once left an indelible mark.
"Too modest, Shisui-kun," Orochimaru said, narrowing his eyes. "There's no need to put on a facade in front of me.
The fact that you could kill Hanzō is a testament to your strength. The strong naturally possess privileges. Even I might not be a match for you now."
Shisui glanced at Kagetsu beside him for support, only to find him absorbed in studying the jewel inside the glass box and analyzing the accumulated data on the instruments.
Fortunately, Orochimaru ended the small talk on his own after saying, "You really don't seem like a Uchiha I know."
This made Shisui breathe a sigh of relief.
In the past, with Shisui achieving such feats, Orochimaru would inevitably have raised his evaluation of the Mangekyō Sharingan to another level. He might have even developed a strong curiosity and desire to possess it.
After all, both immortality and power were things he relentlessly pursued. With the prospect of achieving immortality, and his own strength having reached a peak where explosive growth was difficult, Orochimaru naturally became more interested in anything that could enhance his abilities.
For a ninja who has walked their own ninja path and entered their peak, there are only two ways to further enhance their strength: developing their own unique Kekkei Genkai or becoming a Jinchūriki.
Orochimaru had a third option—using the immortal techniques he developed to take over the body of a ninja with exceptional talent or a powerful Kekkei Genkai.
By taking over their body, he could claim their talents, Kekkei Genkai, and even their remaining lifespan.
Of course, that was the ideal scenario. In reality, based on Orochimaru's experiments, the process required too many prerequisites, which were extremely strict and carried significant risks.
This forbidden jutsu, in essence, ensured that his chakra and spiritual consciousness remained intact, while his body became a replaceable vessel for his soul.
As long as the soul remained unscathed, this replacement process could continue indefinitely.
Kagetsu's research provided Orochimaru with a wealth of valuable data and results, saving him from many detours in his studies and greatly accelerating the development of this forbidden technique.
Living Corpse Reincarnation!
After creating this technique, Orochimaru gave it its name.
While this jutsu initially fulfilled his quest for immortality, Orochimaru wasn't entirely satisfied with it. In his view, there was still significant room for improvement.
Especially after seeing Kagetsu's research on spiritual and soul studies, Orochimaru became even more cautious and meticulous when it came to matters of the soul.
According to the initial concept of the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, the soul would be split and stored as data in different containers. This would allow Orochimaru to choose a compatible container for reincarnation when needed.
However, this method of splitting was too crude and could potentially harm his soul. Therefore, Orochimaru had always sought to minimize this damage or find another way to compensate for it.
For now, he still had plenty of time and didn't need to worry about his body deteriorating.
The appearance of the Hōgyoku opened up a new possibility for Orochimaru. He realized that the Hōgyoku could play a role in improving the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique. However, he had no clear idea of how to utilize the Hōgyoku effectively.
But this didn't stop Orochimaru from being fascinated by the Hōgyoku's power!
Breaking the boundaries between ninja and sage!
Orochimaru had already confirmed this was possible!
However, during his discussions with Kagetsu, Orochimaru discovered that what he considered to be the perfect and powerful Hōgyoku wasn't satisfactory to Kagetsu.
In Kagetsu's vision, the Hōgyoku should allow the continual elevation of both power and physical form—up to the point where the host could no longer endure it.
The user could have limits, but the Hōgyoku itself should be a limitless breaker of boundaries.
When Orochimaru first heard this idea, he thought Kagetsu was insane! Yet, after calming down, he couldn't help but look forward to what Kagetsu had described.
Ultimate power and the ultimate lifeform!
When thinking about this grand goal, the notion of Hokage, the ninja world, ninjutsu, and even the ongoing wars felt somewhat dull to Orochimaru.
This Hōgyoku could transform a person's spirit—or, more precisely, their soul—into something entirely new. If that were possible, would another Hōgyoku be needed to transform one's physical body?
Recalling Kagetsu's earlier research on Kekkei Genkai, Orochimaru found himself unable to suppress his excitement.
How could someone like him, who was obsessed with collecting powerful Kekkei Genkais and modifying the human body, not immerse himself in such possibilities?
Of course, that was a goal for the future. For now, Orochimaru still aimed to use the Hōgyoku to continuously refine and strengthen his soul.
A sage?
Who didn't know how to use senjutsu these days?
With extensive experimental data on the Hōgyoku, Orochimaru understood its effects well. They were somewhat similar to the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.
The Hōgyoku would elevate one's power based on their will, granting them unique abilities that belonged solely to them.
It was akin to the Mangekyō Sharingan he had studied—each pair of Mangekyō Sharingan was unique, with dojutsu manifesting based on the user's innermost will.
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