Mayuri Kurotsuchi Card Game, starting from Naruto

Chapter 20 The Road Ahead and Returning to the Village [Please Read Further]

"Ahhhhh!"

A bloodcurdling scream came from the field. A man lying on the ground, with grayish-brown skin and multiple limbs resembling a spider, was roaring unconsciously.

His spider-like limbs gave him agile movements and nimbleness, and he leaped back and forth across the field.

The scythe-like arms cleaved through the air with each swing, carving deep grooves into the surrounding walls.

About fifteen minutes later, the previously ferocious mutated man suddenly staggered and fell to the ground.

The two scythe-like arms tried desperately to prop themselves up from the ground, but ultimately they were too weak to support themselves.

Like a dying beast, the man struggled on the ground, the light in his eyes and the rise and fall of his chest growing weaker and weaker.

He finally collapsed to the ground, his mutated limbs began to fade away, revealing the body and face of a normal man.

"Experiment No. 03, failure."

As Lu Nie watched this scene on the screen, he drew a vertical line on the document in his hand.

"Recycle it." Orochimaru, standing to the side, showed no sign of frustration at the failed experiment. To him, the current failure was far from enough to shake his confidence.

He now only wants to analyze the physical data of this test subject, investigate the reasons for the failure, and then, through repeated searching and corrections, grasp the final correct answer.

When Lu Nie went to the field to bring the corpse back to the laboratory, the seemingly dead corpse on the ground suddenly mutated again and sprang up.

The waving arm transformed into a scythe shape again, while the rest of the body remained unchanged. The man's gray eyes were now filled with ferocity and hatred.

However, the man's attack abruptly stopped the next moment, the tip of the sickle on his arm only a finger's distance from Lu Nie's brow.

The man could have pierced Lu Nie's head in the next moment, but his body was unable to move.

"Is he still alive? No, he's at his last gasp." Lu Nie looked at the man whose eyes were full of resentment, glanced at the shadow that had merged with his, and sighed softly.

As Lu Nie spoke, the man's eyes completely lost their life force, and all the abnormalities in his body diminished and disappeared.

Red Bean watched this scene numbly. After seeing it so many times, she got used to it and could even lend a hand when needed, albeit only as a henchman.

The body was placed on the experimental table, and then the surrounding instruments were connected and secured.

Watching Orochimaru and Shikanobu immediately immerse themselves in data analysis, Anko felt rather bored.

She wanted to participate, but she simply couldn't understand the complex, almost incomprehensible data. Even if Orochimaru created a shadow clone to teach her, she would still need ample time to learn and master it.

How much she ultimately learns depends on her talent in research.

"His body was already modified to withstand a certain amount of natural energy. So why did it fail later?" Orochimaru looked at the data in his hand, trying to find any oversights.

"Is the natural energy extracted from Jugo too violent? Or is there a problem with the sealing technique?"

"Is it possible that it's a problem with chakra, Orochimaru-sensei?" Shikagure looked up at the puzzled Orochimaru and asked.

"Chakra?" Orochimaru looked down at Shiro in front of him.

"You and Lady Tsunade explained to me that the human body and chakra each have their own unique characteristics."

Since chakra is a combination of a person's will and body, it can be said that everyone's chakra is different.

"If the experimental subject is subjected to sealing techniques and modifications, allowing them to absorb a certain amount of Jugo's natural chakra, shouldn't we also consider how to shield the influence of Jugo's will carried by this natural chakra?"

"A very interesting theory, Shika Nie." Orochimaru's eyes lit up. His concept of immortality was to maintain one's youth by constantly changing bodies.

The most important point is to implant one's own will and memories into another new individual through chakra, an energy that inherently possesses such characteristics, in order to usurp the position.

Lu Nie's reminder undoubtedly made his idea clearer and more tangible.

"So, the chakra of two different wills in one body will cause conflict and confrontation, thus making the experimental subject unstable?" Orochimaru tossed the experimental report data aside.

"I think so," Lu Nie nodded.

"Then only one will can control the body, but Jugo's natural chakra is inherently violent and destructive to reason."

It seems the sealing technique needs readjustment and improvement, and new experiments will have to wait. Coincidentally, the base is running low on test subjects; perhaps I'll have to go back to the Gold Exchange and find a few more rogue ninja.

Orochimaru licked his lips and said.

Disguised as accepting a mission, based on the provided intelligence, they find a rogue ninja, capture him, bring him back to the base for experiments, and then wait for him to die so they can be used as waste, taking his head to the gold exchange to exchange for a sum of money.

This is another way Orochimaru pursued both academic research and financial gain, besides swindling money.

Having thoroughly studied and researched the various forms of chakra, Orochimaru, once inspired or enlightened, would almost immediately come up with a variety of ways to experiment with.

If the forbidden reincarnation technique is successfully developed in the future, how can we weaken the resistance of the reincarnated being?

Compared to the deep-rooted chakra of adult ninjas, wouldn't the teaching and brainwashing that begins in childhood weaken their resistance?

The erosion of the mind and the body must reach a level comparable to that of a reincarnated being.

Orochimaru subconsciously began to let his imagination run wild.

So, when I go out next time, could I search for more talented and capable children in other ninja villages, adopt them, and nurture them gradually?

For example, bloodline limit?

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Once this idea took root in his mind, it soon made him unable to suppress the throbbing in his heart.

Lu Nie was seriously recalling the technique Orochimaru had taught him, the one called the Cursed Seal, which could only be described as a half-finished technique.

His gaze swept over Hongdou, who was standing bored to the side.

As the first person I remember to bear the Curse of Heaven, Anko's situation is truly heartbreaking. Attacked by the teacher she admired, she developed a deep hatred for Orochimaru after enduring various blows.

Looking back now, Orochimaru probably had no other choice at the time.

Danzo exposed what they had been doing in secret. Orochimaru knew very well that he had neither the time nor the ability to leave with his men.

Even he himself was unsure whether he could leave Konoha Village alive.

Attacking Hongdou, imbuing her with the Heavenly Curse Mark, and erasing a portion of her memories, was partly to protect her from the limited bond of master-disciple affection, but also to leave himself a way out.

If he dies at the hands of his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi and his group, and Anko, who has been cursed, survives, then he will still have a chance to make a comeback.

"But we've been away from the village for several months now," Rokuno reminded Orochimaru again.

No matter what unexpected events occur during a B-rank mission, with Orochimaru as the team leader, it should be completed and the team should return to the village within a few months.

"Has it been several months already? It seems I've been immersed in research for too long." Orochimaru frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then sighed.

"Let's get ready. The excuse I used last time should have been used up by now. We should head back to the village."

"Are we going back to the village?"

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Anko immediately perked up with excitement. Although going out of the village to carry out missions was novel, after several months and spending so much time underground, she did miss Konoha Village and her soft bed at home.

"Yeah, if we don't go back soon, I'm afraid some people will get restless." Orochimaru was a little disappointed. After all, there were still a few research projects in the village that he needed to oversee.

He could easily quit, but that wouldn't be the outcome he wanted. Danzo wasn't a good collaborator, but he was quick to pay!

When will we be able to obtain financial freedom for research?

"Jugo, you can stay in this base." Orochimaru looked at the boy next to Anko, thought for a moment, and decided not to take him back to the village.

"I..." Jugo felt a little panicked. Because he had been with Orochimaru and the others these past few days, he didn't have to worry about hurting innocent people when he went berserk.

Whether it was Orochimaru or Shikanobu, they were always able to control him immediately until he regained his composure.

Now that Orochimaru and Shikani are leaving without him, his long-peaceful heart is once again filled with fear.

"Before you leave, I will prepare enough neurotoxin injections for you. Before you go crazy and lose control, you can inject yourself with a certain dose."

"Next time, I'll prepare a better, more targeted medicine for you, or a sealing technique to balance your natural chakra." Lu Nie stepped forward, comforting the somewhat bewildered Jugo.

"Then let's prepare everything. The next time we meet might be a few months from now." Orochimaru had no objection to Shikagure's words.

His original plan was to build a cell and throw Jugo in it. As long as Jugo didn't escape, he didn't care what kind of damage he caused.

But since Shirane had his own ideas, Orochimaru didn't mind the decision he made.

……

Konoha Village.

"It's Lord Orochimaru!" The ninja guarding the gate immediately perked up when he saw Orochimaru and his two companions, who were covered in dust from their journey.

After leaving the paperwork, Orochimaru and Shikagure returned to the village and soon realized that a restless atmosphere was brewing.

While they were away, something big seemed to have happened in the village!

Orochimaru waved his hand, signaling the team to disband.

Upon returning home and seeing his father, Lu Nie immediately asked the question that had been nagging at him: "What happened in the village?"

"Why do you ask that?" Lu Ji, who hadn't had a chance to exchange pleasantries with Lu Nie about their longing for each other, paused for a moment and asked softly in return.

"Something's not right in the village. Anything that can affect the village's atmosphere can't be a small matter, right?" Lu Nie sat down opposite Lu Ji and tossed his backpack aside.

"Senior Sakumo is dead." Looking at Lu Nie's inquisitive face, Lu Ji thought for a moment, but decided not to hide it from him and told him the truth.

In fact, there was no need to hide this; the children at the Konoha Ninja Academy already knew about it. Even if he didn't say anything, Shikagure would definitely find out from Orochimaru or his friends later.

"Konoha's White Fang?" Shiro was momentarily stunned.

"Yes, because he abandoned the mission, which caused damage to the village's interests, Senior Sakumo, feeling guilty, committed suicide at home a couple of days ago," Shikaji explained softly, patting Shikane's head.

"Do you believe this?" Lu Nie gave his cheap father a strange look. You're kidding me!

"That's the official statement." Lu Ji vigorously ruffled Lu Nie's hair, messing up his hairstyle, and said in a serious tone.

"Then let's leave it at that." Lu Nie paused for a moment, then nodded. Now that there was an official statement, there wouldn't be any other official explanation. His cheapskate father's words were also a reminder to him.

"Where's Kakashi Hatake?" Shiro asked, remembering the person who was highly regarded and liked by the teachers at school.

"He graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy earlier, and was among the youngest graduates. If nothing unexpected happens, he will soon become a Chunin."

Seeing that Lu Nie understood his words, Lu Ji withdrew his hand. However, upon hearing Lu Nie's question, he subconsciously sighed and revealed the information he knew.

"Such a young Chunin?" Lu Nie wondered if he should visit Kakashi, but he didn't have a deep relationship with him.

The only place they interacted was at the ninja academy, where they met a few times and exchanged a few words. His impression of the other person was that of a cool, quiet genius who didn't fit in with his classmates.

After Orochimaru approached him and recruited him as a disciple, thus ending his time at the ninja academy, the two had even less of a relationship.

Even the two inseparable friends, Akimichi Fuyukaze and Yamanaka Yuki, have seen their chances of meeting greatly reduced.

Given this relationship, he didn't seem to have any need to visit her.

If nothing unexpected happens, Kakashi, who is devastated by his father's death and tormented by the village's rumors, will soon fall into a cold and closed-off mission master mode, with completing missions becoming the primary goal of a ninja.

In this mode, Kakashi is cold and unreasonable, and even the young Might Guy couldn't influence him during this period.

We can only wait for Minato Namikaze's Team 7 in the future.

After figuring things out, Lu Nie immediately put Kakashi out of his mind for the time being. He planned to take advantage of his time back in the village to properly digest what he had learned from Orochimaru over the past few months.

P.S.: Reading today and tomorrow is crucial, as it relates to next week's trial release. I earnestly request everyone's help with reading. Otherwise, this book might be canceled!

(End of this chapter)