What kind of abilities would a Uchiha who has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan gain if they accepted the power of the Hogyoku?
With the example of Hyūga Ran, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a strong sense of curiosity deep inside.
Hyūga Ran's Byakugan, under the support of the Hogyoku, had clearly undergone some kind of mutation, or rather, evolution!
At least in the Hogyoku mode, Hyūga Ran's Byakugan's abilities far surpassed those of a normal Byakugan, and he even possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan-like ability.
Wind!
Hyūga Ran could shape the wind into anything he desired, as well as unleash the power of the wind as he imagined it.
The only limitation was chakra consumption, or more specifically, the consumption of Hogyoku chakra.
How long would it take for a jonin focused on functionality to evolve into a Kage?
Orochimaru would tell you, just one night!
Even if the Kage's power could only last for three minutes at most, it would still far exceed the strength of a normal jonin.
It was power that could make a difference on the battlefield at a critical moment!
If the Byakugan could evolve into an alternative form under the influence of the Hogyoku, what about the Sharingan?
Would a Sharingan, already capable of evolving into the Mangekyō, evolve in a different way?
Or would it undergo further evolution based on the Mangekyō?
This was why Orochimaru rushed over to verify the situation after receiving information from Kagetsu.
With three people, including Hyūga Ran, who possessed Hogyoku mode, even if something went wrong, they could support until he used Kagetsu's black cavity to return.
"Remember, don't be greedy!"
As Shisui lay on the operating table, his body covered with various instruments, and his consciousness gradually closed off from external information due to the effects of the instruments and techniques, Orochimaru's reminder echoed in his increasingly distant heart.
"I really envy you all."
Looking at Shisui on the operating table, Orochimaru's eyes flashed with longing. He wasn't coveting Shisui's body or his bloodline; he simply envied those who possessed powerful bloodlines and great talent.
"Didn't you use it?" Kagetsu glanced at Hogyoku thoughtfully, then at Orochimaru. After gradually uncovering the Hogyoku's properties through numerous experiments, Kagetsu thought Orochimaru would eventually be unable to resist using its power to strengthen himself.
"You think I'm so eager?" Orochimaru's tongue extended from his mouth to lick his lips as he responded.
He had once pursued the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave, but the risks of failure were too high, and his own mismatched abilities made him hesitate.
However, he never gave up on the power of a sage.
Whether it was Jugo, or his own modifications, Orochimaru had always been chasing the power of a sage. He even developed the Curse Mark, a flawed version of Sage Mode.
If it weren't for the appearance of the Hōgyoku, Orochimaru would have been very satisfied with the Curse Mark he developed. With a few adjustments, it could even be combined with the Impure World Reincarnation.
But with the Hōgyoku now in the picture, Orochimaru had become somewhat critical of the Curse Mark. He spent almost all his free time studying Hōgyoku.
The more he studied it, the more obsessed he became!
Not only did it elevate the quality of chakra by more than one layer, but it also made the soul of the ninja stronger and more resilient, giving them superior Yin Release powers. It was a comprehensive enhancer!
Aside from the physical enhancement not being as ideal as he hoped, it was perfect in Orochimaru's eyes!
As for the so-called physical inadequacy, it was in comparison to the strength it provided to the spirit and soul.
"My body is a bit messed up from all the modifications. I need more data and more carefulness!" Orochimaru said, his tone not filled with regret or disappointment but rather with a deeply hidden anticipation.
"But its power has been strengthening my soul during this time.
I have a feeling that one day in the future, my body, which has been altered so many times, will eventually be unable to withstand my soul."
"If I compare the soul to water and the body to a container that holds it, under normal circumstances, with a sealed lid, the water would not exceed the container's limit.
But the Hōgyoku has removed that lid! It has poured more water into the container. What happens when the water overflows?
Is it death? Or something else?"
"Do you think that under the transformation of the soul, I might develop a new bloodline limit and then, in the imbalance between soul and body, suffer from a bloodline disease?"
Orochimaru seemed to have finally found someone to talk to, so he unusually went on a bit of a monologue.
However, it seemed like he wasn't looking for answers from Kagetsu; he was simply sharing his thoughts and insights with his disciple.
Although the Hōgyoku took shape under his hands, Orochimaru could not deny that its appearance was closely related to Kagetsu.
After all, the concept of the Hōgyoku was brought up and studied soon after Kagetsu became his disciple.
It was just like Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation technique.
In the end, as a teacher, Orochimaru could not accept being passive while his disciple carried the research!
Even the forbidden techniques of the Second Hokage are not something Orochimaru would simply use; instead, he improves upon them, creating new methods based on the forbidden jutsu.
The Sage Mode powered by Hogyoku is the most suited for ninjas. As for him, although he still appears human, his soul and body had already undergone distortion from a series of body modifications long ago.
He doesn't intend to adopt the Sage Mode of Hogyoku's power. Although he's constantly using Hogyoku like a scalpel to strengthen and adjust his soul.
He still insists on following the path he once took. It's just that path, with a few modifications.
The Ryūchi Cave, Myoboku Mountain, Shikkotsu Forest, and Hogyoku.
If he could integrate all four Sage Modes into one, how far could his chakra quality evolve?
Would he become a near-immortal creature like the Sage of the Three Sage Regions, or even a god?
Without first testing whether two types of Sage Powers can coexist and amplify each other, Orochimaru is not in a rush to master the Sage Mode of Hogyoku.
Of course, with such a gifted successor as Kagetsu, Orochimaru is not reluctant to share his progress, nor does he intend to go forward alone.
In his view, sometimes, Kagetsu's ideas are out of this world, even more radical and crazy than his own.
Just like Hogyoku!
Orochimaru once thought it was a wild fantasy, but never imagined that one day, it would truly be realized in the hands of both master and disciple.
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