"Don't just make promises without showing some actual results. However, your puppet is well-made. To achieve such a standard in such a short time…"
Orochimaru looked at the incredibly agile puppet snake on the side.
In terms of craftsmanship, this puppet snake was not particularly fine, but the fact that Ryoho Kyohiko had completed its creation in such a short time since his return was in itself very remarkable. What's more, this thing was actually usable!
Ryoho Kyohiko said.
"Can the special flesh and blood be used as a supply?"
Orochimaru said.
"Let's create the armor and see first. According to your idea, the flesh and blood is the core and battery, and the armor is the circuit and network. If these two can be combined to achieve the effect you mentioned, then the assembly of the puppet can be realized."
Ryoho Kyohiko nodded.
"Mm, that's my idea as well. Combining mechanics and puppetry to create a new type of puppet. As for some other ideas, I'll integrate and perfect them myself…"
"On your side, I have indeed found a good child for you."
Ryoho Kyohiko reiterated.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, looking at Kyohiko with some surprise, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"For real?"
After being fed too many empty promises, one gradually stops believing. Orochimaru was in such a state now. This guy took things in but never gave anything out, treating him like a laborer. He even felt that if he were to cultivate a child one day, Kyohiko would probably snatch him away the next second.
Ryoho Kyohiko said.
"Yakushi Kabuto, a child adopted by Nonō-senpai back then. He has a very high talent in medical ninjutsu, is very interested in research, and his talent is not bad."
"Yakushi Kabuto…"
Orochimaru recalled for a moment, and a piece of information gradually emerged in his mind.
He narrowed his eyes.
"The child found near Mount Kikyo?"
"Yes."
Ryoho Kyohiko nodded.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment.
"Aren't you afraid he's a descendant of Sunagakure?"
Ryoho Kyohiko answered faintly.
"What's there to be afraid of? Sooner or later, Sunagakure will be ours too!"
Orochimaru chuckled in a low voice.
"You want me to cultivate him for you?"
Ryoho Kyohiko answered.
"He is indeed a genius. Currently, I plan to put him on a team with Shisui later on. If you're interested, after he has familiarized himself with the hospital for a period of time, I'll have him assist you with some research work."
Orochimaru thought for a moment.
"He's already at the hospital?"
Looking at it this way… he is indeed a genius. Yakushi Kabuto was only six or seven now, yet he could already intern at the Konoha Hospital. His foundation and knowledge accumulation were clearly very solid.
Ryoho Kyohiko nodded.
"He's been with Nonō-senpai since he was a child and started reading medical books very early."
The current Yakushi Kabuto was not quite the same as in the original timeline. He had not experienced the training of Root at all, and had received more of the education from Nonō, Mami, and the orphanage. After entering the Konoha Ninja Academy at the age of five, his grades had improved by leaps and bounds. Apart from Uchiha Shisui, the second genius of the Konoha Ninja Academy was Yakushi Kabuto.
Orochimaru finally had a trace of interest. He licked his lips.
"You're taking all the good seedlings for yourself, that's not very nice. And you have to take into account the interests of many aspects. Kyohiko-kun, you should just give this child to me!"
Orochimaru's eyes were filled with excitement.
***
At the Konoha Hospital.
"Kabuto, help them treat their wounds. It should be from training…"
"Yes!"
Yakushi Kabuto walked over meticulously, formed hand seals, performed the jutsu, and soon completed the treatment of the injuries.
There were five people in total, and he quickly treated them one by one.
"Shizune, you're already mentoring students? Not bad!"
Shizune answered with a smile.
"Not at all. Kabuto is just interning here. Everyone is very busy, only I have some free time, so I'm showing him around and teaching him some basic combat skills on the side."
"Hahaha, then we'll be leaving first."
"Please take care."
Shizune nodded.
After seeing the people off, she looked down at Yakushi Kabuto. Seeing his bored expression, she couldn't help but smile.
"Working in the hospital is like this. Most of the time, we deal with basic injuries, or we conduct medical experiments on some animals."
"Medical experiments?"
Yakushi Kabuto's face was instantly filled with rich excitement. "Can I participate?"
Shizune gave a dry laugh.
"For now, I'm afraid you can't!"
Experiments… sorry, I'm not even qualified to participate!
Just as Shizune was about to answer, a cold male voice came from outside the door.
"You want to do experiments?"
"Yes."
Yakushi Kabuto answered.
Shizune's face stiffened. This is… Orochimaru-sama? She immediately stood up. Just as she was about to greet him, the other party had already walked into the door and said with a smile, "Shizune, I'd like to have a word with him alone. Is that alright?"
"Of course, please go ahead."
Shizune nodded.
Orochimaru looked at Yakushi Kabuto, his eyes filled with excitement. He walked forward, leading Kabuto to the courtyard outside the house.
"Do you know who I am?"
Yakushi Kabuto answered cleverly.
"I don't know your identity, but you should be the one who was speaking earlier."
Orochimaru smiled.
"Not bad."
He turned his head and looked at Kabuto.
"You are just over six this year. A normal child of this age is still learning the basics of Konoha. Why do you want to enter the laboratory?"
"Why do I want to?"
Yakushi Kabuto was taken aback, a look of confusion on his face. "Does there need to be a reason? I want to research medical ninjutsu, to understand more of its mysteries, to understand more things that are not in the books!"
Orochimaru was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly, and then laughed out loud a couple of times.
"What's wrong?"
Yakushi Kabuto knew how to observe. He knew that Orochimaru's laughter was not of anger, but of a kind of joy and happiness. He was puzzled. But… he vaguely felt that something good seemed to have fallen upon him.
Orochimaru laughed in a low voice.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking of a friend. Well then, do you have any ideals?"
"Ideals?"
Yakushi Kabuto thought for a while, then shook his head lightly.
He suddenly paused.
"My ideal is to become a medical ninja like the Hokage-sama?"
"That's not your wish. It should be an expectation others have placed on you. Think carefully."
Orochimaru's eyes suppressed his excited emotions.
He felt… the young man before him was a person similar to him! With similar pursuits and talents.
Yakushi Kabuto was silent for a few seconds, then answered.
"For me, this kind of thing is too far away. I just want to protect everyone, to take care of everyone in the orphanage…"
"Perhaps this is my wish."
Yakushi Kabuto said truthfully.
Orochimaru nodded lightly, then smiled.
"To protect everyone, just having powerful medical abilities is not enough. Sometimes, your medical ninjutsu cannot help you protect everyone."
Yakushi Kabuto looked at Orochimaru, a trace of vigilance in his eyes, but soon his expression relaxed, and a respectful look appeared on his face.
"You are right. But my ability is insufficient. I can only research medical ninjutsu and provide a limited contribution."
This concealment of his was too obvious in Orochimaru's eyes. However, at this moment, the look of appreciation in Orochimaru's eyes grew even stronger. This child was smart, talented, and had sufficiently strong restraint and adaptability. In the research process, these were the qualities that were most needed!
But at this moment, he couldn't help but be silent for a while. Then, Orochimaru looked into the distance.
"When your relatives, friends, and children fall before you, at that time, you will feel very helpless and desperate. This kind of thing, many people have experienced, including me."
As Orochimaru spoke, his face turned slightly grim, and then he sighed softly.
"In this life, whether it's protecting important people or oneself, it is a struggle against death. So my goal is to transcend death and become an immortal!"
After speaking, his figure dissolved into the earth.
"You think about it carefully. Also, I'll leave you a topic. On the battlefield, how should a medical ninja protect himself? Next time, I will ask."
"Yes!"
Yakushi Kabuto maintained a bowing posture.
After waiting for a long while, he finally straightened up and pushed up his glasses. This person… in his mind, he quickly thought about the other's identity. Judging by Shizune's attitude, the other party was definitely not an ordinary person. And he rarely appeared in the village or the Konoha Hospital. His strength and status must be very high.
Yakushi Kabuto pieced together various pieces of information, and a title quickly flashed through his mind. The Sannin. The current Hokage was one of the Sannin, Tsunade-sama, and Jiraiya seemed to be traveling outside. Only one person fit the conditions above. Orochimaru! He took a deep breath. His heart was first excited, but it quickly calmed down.
This lord's status was indeed lofty, and his ability and wisdom were also extraordinary, one of the best in Konoha. Judging by the other's meaning, he seemed to have the intention of cultivating him. But for now, he couldn't be sure what Orochimaru really wanted him to do.
"Ideals."
"A medical ninja, how should he protect himself?"
Yakushi Kabuto was full of doubts and walked slowly back to Shizune's room. Shizune was treating the wounded. Kabuto had things on his mind and didn't participate, but pondered the topic left by Orochimaru on the side. After waiting for a long while, Shizune had already finished treating several wounded. When she came before him, he hadn't noticed.
Shizune frowned and asked in a small voice.
"What did Orochimaru-sama ask you to do?"
"Ah? Oh, nothing. He just asked me to think about how a medical ninja should protect himself on the battlefield," Yakushi Kabuto answered.
Shizune sat down and spoke of the principles of a medical ninja with a smile. These principles and regulations, Kabuto certainly knew, but he didn't think this was the answer Orochimaru wanted to hear. He thought for a moment.
"Shizune-senpai, I want to read some books next door. If there's a mission, I'll come over immediately."
"You may."
Shizune knew that the other wanted to think quietly. She did not refuse.
Yakushi Kabuto went next door and sat down, various factors appearing in his mind. Rules, principles… these are just the basics. When one is not strong enough, one must first master the ability to analyze the situation, and then reduce one's own presence as much as possible, to make oneself inconspicuous. A noticeable medical ninja on the battlefield often dies very quickly. Then, in terms of ability, it must be supplemented by other means…
Kabuto took out a pen and a booklet and quickly began to write. Outside the window, a small snake quietly drilled in from a crack, hid on top of a cabinet, and observed his every move from above.
***
"How was it?"
"Very good!"
A slight smile played on Orochimaru's lips.
Ryoho Kyohiko was speechless.
"I was talking about my puppet parts."
"Hmm?"
Orochimaru's gaze returned to the present. He then looked at the huge arm in front of him, paused slightly, his eyes filled with a look of amazement.
This was a wooden arm. But all its material came from the trees transformed from Hashirama's cells. Tough and powerful. Even possessing life force! This thing, for Kyohiko, was a bit like painting a snake and adding feet, probably destructible in a few punches. But for an ordinary ninja… its destructive power was very terrifying! Especially on the battlefield.
This was also the significance of a large summoned beast. And the giant arm created by Kyohiko was born for such an occasion. It was a war machine! The only flaw and regret was—
"What method do you plan to use to inhibit its activity and power?"
Once this kind of puppet was successfully created and the cell tissue was transplanted, it would very likely regain the expansion characteristic of Hashirama's cells.
A slight smile touched Ryoho Kyohiko's lips.
"I don't plan to inhibit its active power. I just need it to reach a balance so it can cooperate with Wood Style."
"Yamato?"
It certainly wouldn't be Kyohiko himself.
Ryoho Kyohiko answered.
"Yes. Yamato's physical state is very special, but his own chakra is too weak, so much so that he cannot exert the power of Wood Style itself."
"Since that's the case, I'll create a human-shaped reserve puppet for him to amplify his Wood Style ninjutsu ability. As long as he uses the power of Wood Style, he can control it to a certain extent."
Orochimaru thought for a long while, then nodded lightly.
"If that's the case, this one can only be used by Yamato."
"Of course."
A few seconds later, Ryoho Kyohiko returned, with one more person beside him. Yamato. He was bewildered, but looking around, he saw Kyohiko, Orochimaru, and the wooden arm before him… Yamato's gaze gradually focused.
"Kyohiko-sama."
"Do you know how to use chakra threads?"
Ryoho Kyohiko demonstrated the usage.
Yamato shook his head blankly.
"It's alright. Then you use Wood Style ninjutsu to connect to it, then input chakra through the created wood to control it. Imagine it as your arm…"
Ryoho Kyohiko explained the usage. The arm was hollow and could accommodate Yamato's hand.
Yamato did as he was told. Then, he tried to lift his hand. It didn't budge!
"You have to use Wood Style to control it."
"Yes!"
Yamato slowly figured it out. After a few minutes, the arm, several times larger than him, began to move. A trace of surprise flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. It can really be done? This was wood transformed from Hashirama's cells. Each piece was incomparably heavy. With his and Kyohiko's level, they could naturally lift it without any effort. But Yamato… how old was he?
Orochimaru looked ahead, then quickly performed a jutsu, and a rock appeared in front.
"Smash it."
Yamato nodded lightly. Then—Boom! A punch came down. The rock in front was instantly smashed to pieces!
"How is the chakra consumption?"
"I feel, the consumption is not much!"
Yamato himself was very surprised.
He couldn't achieve an attack of this level on his own. But after putting on this wooden hand, he could do it easily, and the chakra consumption was not much. It was amazing!
"Try Wood Style again."
"With this?"
"Yes. Form a hand seal with your other hand, and then cooperate with the jutsu with your right hand."
"Yes!"
Yamato responded, then formed a hand seal with one hand, and his other hand stretched out—Wood Style: Great Forest Technique!
The wooden arm instantly transformed into several huge vine-like branches, killing their way forward like giant snakes, with a terrifying and frightening momentum.
The excitement in Orochimaru's eyes grew more intense.
"Kyohiko-kun, your talent is truly astonishing!"
Wood Style… what a magical power!
But.
"Take it off, or you won't be able to remove it later," Ryoho Kyohiko reminded him.
Yamato was stunned for a moment, then immediately released his Wood Style, and his hand struggled to get out. Only then did he discover… the wood he had created had actually been eroded and assimilated by the "puppet limb"!