Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 156 Hiruko Orochimaru, how did you become a woman?

Orochimaru paused slightly in his movements, and the blood extraction from the syringe stopped.

He raised his head, his golden snake eyes turning with great interest to the numb shadow clone, as if he had discovered a new treasure.

Kimimaro lay on the cold metal platform. Upon hearing the words about the origin of his bloodline, his long eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly, and his breath seemed to hold for a moment.

"But this power is a curse, not a blessing, for their frail human vessels." The shadow clone's voice continued to flow, echoing between the cold laboratory walls.

"Like a fragile clay pot, it was forcibly filled with volcanic lava powerful enough to erupt and destroy. The container could not bear the weight, and the power of Yang Release became excessive and unbalanced, constantly eroding and burning their life essence."

"This is the root of bloodline disease. It is not a disease, but a mismatch between the container and its contents. It is the backlash of the power itself against the bearer."

Orochimaru unconsciously licked his thin lips with his tongue, his eyes flashing with a crazy and excited light.

He fully understood what the other person meant, and this revolutionary viewpoint instantly ignited countless new ideas and experimental directions deep in his mind.

"So...balance?" he asked hoarsely, his voice carrying a barely perceptible urgency.

"You transplanted the Hyuga Byakugan into this kid not simply to give him his perceptive abilities, or to conduct a Byakugan transplant experiment, but rather..."

"It's both suppression and reconciliation." The shadow clone continued his words, its mask slightly turning towards Orochimaru.

"The Byakugan of the Hyuga clan is the crystallization of pure Yin Release power, representing insight, mental and chakra fine control."

"The power of Yin Release seeps into the bloodline, not to replace Yang Release, but to form a dynamic balance under high pressure. The powerful Yin Release chakra can temporarily suppress the excessive and rampaging Yang Release, alleviate the impact of bloodline awakening on the body, and delay the onset and deterioration of bloodline disease."

"These eyes are both the shackles that keep him alive and the key to controlling his power."

“Shackles…key…” Orochimaru repeated in a low voice, his golden vertical pupils narrowing as if he were chewing on this word full of contradictions and power.

He looked at Kimimaro's pale yet calm face, at the powerful Yin Release energy beneath his tightly closed eyelids, and countless new experimental plans surged in his mind.

The boy in front of him was no longer just a valuable experimental subject in his eyes.

The limits of bloodline transplantation, the possibility of Yin-Yang Release fusion, the strength threshold of artificial containers, and so on, have made Orochimaru eager to conduct new bloodline limit research experiments.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Orochimaru couldn't help but exclaim, his voice filled with a profound understanding of the essence of power and a fervent yearning for the unknown.

"Taking the atavism of bloodline as the root cause and forcibly harmonizing it with the power of opposing attributes... Lord Shura, your thinking has truly opened a whole new door for me."

The look in his eyes when he looked at the shadow clone contained not only the inherent fear and scheming, but also a deeper layer of recognition and appreciation for pure "knowledge".

Just then, the indicator light on the heavy, airtight alloy door of the laboratory turned from red to green, accompanied by a low, hydraulic pressure release sound, and the door slid open silently to both sides.

A figure appeared at the intersection of light and shadow in the doorway.

He wore a white, high-necked robe with a simple and neat design, and exuded an indescribable gloom.

Her long, gray-white hair was disheveled, partially obscuring her face. Her exposed skin was deathly pale, and her red eyes held a deep sense of apprehension as she looked at Shura's shadow clone.

He stood there, slightly hunched over, his hands hanging unnaturally at his sides, exuding an aura of utter defeat and loss of all will to resist. This was none other than Hiruko, who had previously attempted to ambush Uchiha Hikaru in the Star Capital, only to be dragged into the Tsukuyomi world by a single glance from the Mangekyou Sharingan, ultimately causing his mental defenses to completely collapse and leaving him utterly subjugated.

Orochimaru's admiration and excitement froze instantly.

His long, narrow golden snake eyes suddenly contracted into thin lines the moment he saw the figure at the door!
A rare expression of shock appeared on Orochimaru's face.

He certainly knew this person!

Although Hiruko was emaciated and listless at this moment, completely different from the obsessive, crazy, and ambitious figure in his memory, Orochimaru would never mistake that unique, chaotic chakra aura that was the result of the fusion of multiple bloodline limits!
After all, they were classmates, and it was the three legendary ninja who chased down Hiruko back then.

"Hiruko..." Orochimaru's voice was hoarse with disbelief.

He turned his head and stared at the Asura Shadow Clone standing quietly to the side. His golden eyes were instantly filled with inquiry, surprise, and a hint of wariness as if his sensitive nerves had been touched.

He knew all too well what Beiluhu was pursuing.

This crazy guy used Konoha ninjas to conduct those fusion experiments, which crossed the line of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

When the three of them found Hiruko's secret laboratory and saw those scenes, Orochimaru was also very shocked.

However, as Orochimaru's desire for immortality grew, he gradually began to understand Hiruko.

The shadow clone of the faceless figure ignored Hiruko at the door.

He didn't even turn his head once; the mask remained facing the control panel, as if it were just a cold decoration in the laboratory.

Only that deep, flat voice answered, or rather ignored, Orochimaru's shock:
"He will be responsible for assisting you in your research on biological tissue fusion and chakra attribute compatibility. His 'Demon Sprout Technique' data has been archived in Database Number Seven."

Shura's shadow clone spoke calmly and without wavering, as if he were arranging a routine handover.

Hiruko took a step forward and stepped into the pale light.

His gaze swept blankly over everything in the laboratory.

The cold instruments, the flashing data screens, Kimimaro lying on the control panel, and finally the image of Orochimaru's face, which was both familiar and unfamiliar, came into view.

"Orochimaru? Long time no see. I didn't expect you to look like this." Hiruko looked Orochimaru up and down with amusement, keenly noticing that Orochimaru's current body was a woman's body.

Hiruko then lowered his head slightly and respectfully said to the shadow clone, "Yes, sir."

That "My Lord" struck Orochimaru's heart like a cold hammer.

As an S-rank rogue ninja of Konoha before Orochimaru, and an elite Jonin who managed to escape Konoha from the pursuit of the Sannin, the arrogant Hiruko was actually subdued by Shura.

Orochimaru stared at the completely submissive Hiruko, then glanced at the Shura Shadow Clone standing quietly to the side, radiating an invisible pressure.

He buried the burgeoning greed in his heart even deeper.

(End of this chapter)