"How is the experiment progressing?" Ryujin Kenichi, who was focused on recording the current experiment, suddenly heard Orochimaru's voice.
He was used to it by now. His teacher had a tendency to be elusive, often appearing behind you without making a sound.
"Two have died, but this increases the accuracy of the data. Rejection exists, and…" Ryujin Kenichi glanced at the black cloth beside him, where two test subjects lay lifeless.
They weren't from Konoha but from the Land of Wind. Though the war had ended, there was still friction at the borders, and vigilance remained high for a time. Finding test subjects was still relatively easy, but that wouldn't last forever.
"Moreover, I have discovered that the First Hokage's cells are very active and possess a very strong invasive nature," Ryujin Kenichi said, handing the experiment report to his teacher.
Even a small injection of these cells posed a threat to normal cells. This rapid expansion reminded Ryujin Kenichi of cancer cells. Both had extraordinary division speeds and were a fatal threat to the host unless that part of the tissue was removed immediately—otherwise, it would lead to death.
This discovery sparked a novel idea in Ryujin Kenichi's mind. Could he develop a jutsu that stimulates the rapid proliferation of cancer cells in others, leading to cancer at the terminal stage?
He wondered if cancer existed in the world of ninjas. Most people's bodies eliminated abnormal cells, but if they weren't removed in time, they developed into cancer. This curiosity intrigued him.
"Send the one with the missing hand to Laboratory No. 3," Orochimaru said after a quick glance. "This is similar to my past experiments, except yours seem to allow the subjects to last a little longer. This could work for simultaneous experiments."
"Understood, teacher," Ryujin Kenichi replied, unfazed. Laboratory No. 3 was focused on the Sharingan. Orochimaru seemed obsessed with studying how to turn ordinary individuals into Uchiha. The problem was, with the war over, Uchiha corpses were harder to come by. But with Danzo's involvement, it shouldn't be an issue.
"I remember you're interested in genjutsu," Orochimaru said, his eyes narrowing as he tossed a scroll to Ryujin Kenichi.
Ryujin Kenichi caught it, curiosity piqued. As soon as he opened it, he recognized the genjutsu.
The Nirvana Temple Technique—an A-ranked genjutsu with a wide range. It would appear during the Chūnin Exams in the future.
"Thank you, teacher," Ryujin Kenichi said with a childlike smile, though he was still quite young.
The Nirvana Temple Technique required considerable chakra and control, making it a difficult jutsu to master. Ryujin Kenichi, a former Genin, hadn't been able to meet the conditions for training it before, but now, with the possibility of advancing to Chūnin, Orochimaru was willing to reward him generously.
"Although genjutsu can help you defeat stronger opponents with weaker abilities, it is ultimately just a supplementary method. You still need to focus on strengthening your ninjutsu," Orochimaru reminded him.
Despite being a cruel individual, Orochimaru showed a certain level of care for his disciples, offering advice that was both practical and insightful. Ryujin Kenichi accepted the teaching with a respectful nod.
"What did Minato Namikaze say to you yesterday?" Orochimaru asked casually, his tone shifting slightly.
Ryujin Kenichi found the question odd. His teacher had interacted with Minato Namikaze before, but he hadn't seemed particularly interested in him. Why the sudden curiosity?
"Jōnin Minato Namikaze said…" Ryujin Kenichi explained the conversation from the previous day in detail. After listening, Orochimaru scoffed.
"Boring feelings. No wonder he's Jiraiya's idiot disciple—just as dull as his master," Orochimaru sneered.
Ryujin Kenichi remained silent. His teacher's relationship with Jiraiya and Tsunade was strained, though they still exchanged pleasantries when they crossed paths.
"The Hatake family has impressive swordsmanship. Their reputation precedes them, especially with his father, the White Fang of Konoha. It wouldn't hurt to foster a relationship with him," Orochimaru mused, his voice somewhat less venomous.
While Orochimaru didn't like Jiraiya, even he acknowledged the strength of the Hatake clan's swordsmanship. It was a pity that Konoha's White Fang, a talented shinobi, had died under the conspiracy orchestrated by Danzo.
Ryujin Kenichi nodded. It was advantageous to form a relationship with Minato Namikaze. Not only would it serve his interests, but it would also avoid causing any friction with his teacher.
Orochimaru is a very unique leader. Ryujin Kenichi felt that his teacher still had some humanity, which was reflected in the fact that Orochimaru would allow him a break after completing an experiment.
"If I were in the corporate world, I'd have to keep working even after finishing my tasks. There's no chance of leaving work early," Ryujin Kenichi mused, stretching comfortably. The sun felt warm on his skin.
Kenichi believed that if his former company boss had been someone like Orochimaru, he would have grown much stronger and achieved greater success by now, creating more glory in the process.
While thinking this, Ryujin Kenichi adjusted his research panel and took a look at the data.
After completing his research on the First Hokage the day before, Kenichi had immediately begun the next phase of his experiments. After considering his options, he ultimately chose to focus on the Sharingan.
Initially, Kenichi had thought about researching the Byakugan, but the Byakugan's abilities were too well-defined, and the Hyuga clan didn't hold the same prominence as the Uchiha clan. Furthermore, the Uchiha clan would eventually face the massacre that nearly wiped them out, whereas the Hyuga clan would remain intact.
[Current Research Subject: Three-Tomoe Sharingan]
[Research Progress: 0.12%]
"The progress is a bit slow, but why is it the Three-Tomoe? I expected to be able to jump straight to the Mangekyo. Could it be that the potential of this particular Sharingan user can only reach the Three-Tomoe?" Kenichi pondered, tapping his chin thoughtfully.
Still, it wasn't bad to be able to directly access the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Kenichi glanced at the members of the Uchiha clan who were walking down the street. They were part of the Konoha Police Force, yet their leader only possessed a one-tomoe Sharingan.
"Tsk, tsk. The higher-ups in Konoha are truly interesting. They put them in such a hated position, yet the pride and arrogance of the Uchiha clan remain unchanged." Kenichi clicked his tongue in mild amusement.
The Uchiha clan's reputation in Konoha was notoriously poor. Pride and arrogance were traits that the villagers often associated with them. While Kenichi understood there was likely a reason for their position within the village, he also knew that many of Konoha's civilians, as well as lower-ranked Genin, would often refer to them as "black dogs" behind their backs.