A New Snake In The Shinobi World

The strength of a ninja resurrected through Edo Tensei depends largely on the quality of the sacrifices used.

Because of this, Orochimaru decided to upgrade his sacrifices.

Using clones as sacrifices might seem wasteful, especially given that his current facilities could only produce about 100 clones every six months.

But there weren't that many strong individuals who required clones as sacrifices, so Orochimaru didn't mind using them sparingly for this purpose.

The process for enhancing clones was straightforward. He would create an injection solution using cells from the First Hokage and then infuse the clones with it via specialized instruments.

This allowed him to strengthen a batch of clones in a single day—quick, efficient, and effective.

After strengthening the clones, Orochimaru implanted them with new memories and replaced the previous, weaker Edo Tensei sacrifices.

Much of his time in the Sound Village was spent refining this process.

---

"Lord Orochimaru, is Nagato… really going to be okay?"

In Orochimaru's office, Yahiko asked hesitantly, his expression filled with worry.

Beside him stood Konan, her purple hair adorned with her signature origami flower.

Nagato's sudden surge in power had left both of them uneasy.

It felt almost unreal, his strength had grown so quickly that they feared his body might not be able to handle it.

At the time, Orochimaru had been discussing the future of the Sound Village with Chana, one of his assistants. Hearing Yahiko's question, Orochimaru turned and smiled lightly.

"Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "As long as he doesn't experience any extreme mental stimulation, he'll be fine."

Both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan required a robust body to fully wield their powers.

But the Rinnegan, being on an entirely different level, demanded an even stronger physique.

Fortunately, Nagato was an Uzumaki, a clan known for their exceptional vitality and stamina.

And since the power currently awakened in him wasn't yet at its full potential, Orochimaru saw no cause for concern.

"I… I see," Yahiko nodded thoughtfully, though the unease in his eyes lingered.

Both he and Konan were aware that Orochimaru had been conducting research on Nagato's eyes. But they didn't mind.

Nagato hadn't suffered any harm from Orochimaru's experiments, and as part of the Sound Village, they felt it was their responsibility to contribute however they could.

"Is there anything else you wanted?" Orochimaru asked.

"No… nothing else."

"Then you may go," Orochimaru said with a faint smile.

"Yes, sir!"

"Oh, one more thing," Orochimaru added as Yahiko was about to leave. "When helping Nagato get used to his powers, take him outside the village. Use the open area we visited before—it's safer."

"Yes!" Yahiko replied firmly before leaving.

As the door closed, Orochimaru turned to Chana.

"How have they been doing recently?" he asked.

"Lord Jiraiya was here not too long ago," Chana replied. "They seemed… happy, I suppose."

"Good," Orochimaru said with a nod. "Chana, I'll leave the village in your hands for the time being."

"You're leaving again, my lord?"

"Yes."

During this period, Orochimaru had been focused on improving his clones.

Although they still couldn't fully utilize the First Hokage's powerful Wood Release, the infused cells gave them enhanced physical abilities and better compatibility with Edo Tensei.

Moving forward, every clone produced would be this upgraded version.

Now that the Sound Village was operating smoothly, Orochimaru decided it was time to bring this technology to his other base—the orphanage.

---

Half a Month Later – The Orphanage

When Orochimaru arrived at the orphanage, Nono greeted him warmly.

Despite the news of Orochimaru's defection from Konoha, Nono didn't seem to mind. She still treated him as a valued ally.

Orochimaru, as always, remained indifferent to her hospitality.

During his inspection of the experimental base at the orphanage, however, Orochimaru noticed a glaring issue.

The pace of building his army was far too slow.

Between the two bases—the Sound Village and the orphanage—his facilities could produce only 300 enhanced clones every six months. That translated to about 600 clones a year, or roughly 6,000 in a decade.

The orphanage's base, being newer, had fewer resources and personnel. It had only produced about 1,000 clones so far, bringing his total army to just over 3,000.

This was a far cry from the manpower of a major ninja village.

If Orochimaru wanted to rival the great nations, he would have to scale up production significantly.

But the ninja world was suffering from a shortage of talent. Finding people capable of aiding in his research or contributing to his goals was becoming increasingly difficult.

For now, Orochimaru realized he would still have to rely largely on himself.

---

May – Konoha Year 40

Orochimaru decided to begin researching human modification.

Unlike cloning, which relied on existing cells for cultivation, human modification involved creating entirely new life forms through genetic engineering.

In a sense, it was a more practical solution than having a child with Tsunade.

Back when Orochimaru had been in Konoha, he knew his precarious situation made fatherhood impossible.

He'd even crafted excuses to placate Tsunade on the matter, and she had reluctantly accepted his reasoning.

Now, with his current circumstances, having children was even more out of the question.

He wouldn't risk leaving Tsunade in Konoha with a pregnant belly, nor did he want his child to be born there.

Instead, human modification would provide him with "children" of sorts—artificially created soldiers with accelerated growth and enhanced abilities.

If clones were mass-produced foot soldiers, then modified humans would be Orochimaru's carefully crafted generals.

Because Orochimaru had already laid the groundwork for human modification back in Konoha, the process didn't take as long as when he first began his cloning research.

---

Konoha Year 41

The initial attempts at human modification ended in failure.

Orochimaru had tried to grow modified humans the same way he cultivated clones. But the increased vitality in their bodies caused them to develop too quickly, resulting in death during the growth process.

It was only after repeated experimentation that Orochimaru finally identified the correct growth parameters.

---

Konoha Year 42

Orochimaru successfully cultivated his first generation of modified humans.

These weren't the patchwork creations of spliced organs and transplanted body parts like those used by other scientists. Instead, every organ in the modified humans Orochimaru cultivated was carefully engineered to perfection.

This method produced beings far superior to their haphazardly assembled counterparts.

---

Konoha Year 43 – The Orphanage

At nine o'clock in the evening, after the lights in the orphanage had gone out, Orochimaru appeared silently in the front yard.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Nono greeted him with a respectful bow.

She still looked every bit the part of a kind, gentle headmistress, her glasses and serene demeanor adding to the image.

"You've done well, Nono," Orochimaru said with a faint smile.

"This… this is nothing, my lord. It's my duty," Nono replied with an awkward laugh.

In truth, her role had been simple: occasional inspections of the experimental base. The work was far from taxing.

Orochimaru reached into his coat and pulled out four small vials filled with a pale liquid.

"Take these," he said, handing them to her.

"What are they?" Nono asked, looking at the vials in confusion.

"The world outside is becoming increasingly dangerous," Orochimaru explained. "These will help you better protect the orphanage."

"Protect… the orphanage?" Nono echoed, still trying to process his words.

Orochimaru gave her a brief explanation of how to use the vials and their effects before turning to leave.

As he disappeared into the darkness, Nono stared at the vials in her hands, still dazed.

"Magnet Release?" she murmured, recalling Orochimaru's parting words. "Did he say… these potions could grant Magnet Release?"

***

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