Hearing this, Xu Ming chuckled.
"So, you've decided to use snakes. I always thought you had a natural affinity for them."
"Yes," Orochimaru nodded slightly.
Without hesitation, Xu Ming immediately sought out Uncle Danzo and secured a location in the forest behind the mountain to establish a high-end research laboratory. However, construction would take time.
Xu Ming suggested that Orochimaru temporarily relocate to the hospital's research lab, as the medical ninjutsu project had been completed and the facility was now idle.
Orochimaru found this idea reasonable and agreed.
As for Danzo, considering their contributions to the medical ninjutsu project and their close relationship as master, uncle, and nephew, he had no reason to refuse—whether officially or privately.
Thus, the hospital's research lab was requisitioned by Xu Ming and Orochimaru.
In the research lab, Xu Ming stood beside the operating table, a scalpel in hand, looking at Orochimaru lying down before him.
"Are you ready?"
"Bring it on," Orochimaru said, licking his lips with a smile.
"Alright," Xu Ming responded, wasting no time. He aimed at Orochimaru's chest and made an incision. The blade, coated with a thin layer of chakra, sliced effortlessly through the skin and bone like a hot knife through butter.
A beating heart was soon exposed to the open air.
Due to the local anesthesia, Orochimaru felt no pain. However, watching his chest being cut open and his heart revealed sent beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Swish, swish, swish...
Xu Ming moved swiftly, severing the blood vessels connected to the heart.
"Urgh…"
Orochimaru's face turned pale, and his body tensed momentarily.
But in the next instant, a warm green light enveloped his open chest.
A powerful surge of life force flooded the area, sealing the severed blood vessels.
Then, an astonishing sight unfolded.
The remnants of heart tissue attached to the blood vessels burst with vitality, rapidly growing and reshaping at a visible speed. Within mere seconds, a brand-new heart had formed.
Thump! Thump!
The fresh heart resumed its rhythm, circulating blood through his veins.
"Phew…"
Orochimaru exhaled deeply, his expression still tinged with shock.
"Didn't I say you'd be under general anesthesia? Did you really have to watch your own heart being removed?" Xu Ming sighed, shaking his head. Casually, he placed the removed heart into a medical container.
Such a laid-back approach was, of course, unthinkable in traditional medicine.
But this was the world of Naruto.
With the power of Yang Release, complications like tissue damage, infections, or inflammation could be healed instantly.
"Heh… How could I miss out on such a rare experience?" Orochimaru chuckled, though his voice carried a slight tremor.
"Suit yourself," Xu Ming said, continuing his work. He quickly cleaned up the accumulated blood in Orochimaru's chest, the result of severed blood vessels earlier.
"That's it."
He re-aligned the bones and skin, then channeled Yang Release to seal the incision. Within moments, the wound vanished without a trace.
The entire heart replacement procedure had taken less than three minutes.
Even in the Naruto world, such a feat was extraordinary.
Xu Ming had achieved this miracle solely because his mastery over Yang Release far surpassed that of others.
"Let me know if you feel any discomfort," he instructed, turning his attention to Orochimaru's heart.
Using his scalpel, he made a precise cross-shaped incision, cutting the old heart into four parts. Then, through the power of Yang Release, he regenerated each section into a complete heart.
"I feel fine," Orochimaru replied. He picked up one of the hearts, soaked it in a specially prepared solution, and sealed it using a preservation technique. Still, his expression was somewhat conflicted.
Handling one's own heart was undeniably strange.
If Xu Ming could read his mind, he would scoff. Strange? This is beyond strange. If word of this got out, the Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito would probably think we're monsters.
Xu Ming then turned to three snakes that had been placed into hibernation nearby.
He and Orochimaru had devised three different transplant strategies:
Full Replacement: Removing the snake's original heart and replacing it entirely with Orochimaru's heart.
Double-Heart System: Modifying the snake's circulatory system to integrate a secondary heart.
Parasitic Heart: Attaching Orochimaru's heart as a parasitic growth on the snake's existing heart, allowing it to siphon nutrients.
"The rejection reactions will be severe, especially in the first approach. Your heart isn't strong enough to support the enriched natural energy within these snakes," Xu Ming observed after completing the transplants.
"That's fine. We can keep repeating the process," Orochimaru replied with a grin, gesturing toward the preserved hearts.
"Fair point."
Xu Ming washed the blood from his hands and turned to leave.
"You'll be here 24/7, right? I'll grab some food and check back tomorrow."
"Alright," Orochimaru nodded, his gaze fixed on the three snakes.
Watching them, he felt something profound.
It was as if a part of his own life now existed within other beings.
After Xu Ming left, Orochimaru exhaled slowly, shaking off his complex emotions. His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Xu Ming… I feel more and more that you've had everything planned from the beginning."
"Your mastery over Yang Release and medical ninjutsu allowed me to cross the threshold of transplantation. Otherwise, removing my own heart and growing a new one would have been impossible."
He smiled meaningfully.
"But don't think I'm just standing still. I, too, am evolving."
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on the third snake—the one with the parasitic heart.
"Since my own flesh and blood act as a medium for natural energy, why not push it further?"
His fingers traced the snake's smooth scales as he licked his lips.
"Extracting natural energy-rich blood and engraving it onto my body as a seal… or perhaps transferring the blood into myself?"
"After all, my body is naturally attuned to absorbing natural energy. I don't even need to use snake-like techniques."
Seven days later, Xu Ming observed the construction of the new research lab.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's experiments had progressed.
The transplanted snakes were thriving.
Their bodies brimmed with natural energy, exhibiting remarkable vitality and resilience.
Even with foreign organs inside them, they had adapted and stabilized.
"Next, we'll remove Orochimaru's hearts and restore their original ones to see what happens."
Xu Ming gazed at the sky, calculating the time.
Just then, a system notification appeared before him.
Feedback for strength improvement…
"Hmm?" Xu Ming's eyes narrowed.
A stream of information flooded his mind.
You have mastered the ancient path of self-will Sage Transformation!
You have perfectly mastered the Curse Seal technique!
Xu Ming's mind swelled with knowledge—so much that it overwhelmed him.
As he processed it, his expression shifted to shock.
"Orochimaru… what have you done?"
He looked toward the village, astonished.
The Curse Seal had been born ahead of schedule.