After getting Dr. Brief's notes, Orochimaru pulled a few all-nighters and churned out a letter seven or eight pages long.
Hikari was floored when she saw it.
"Seriously… all this just for a bloodline inhibitor?"
Dr. Brief's original notes weren't even that long, were they?
"It's not just the serum," Orochimaru rasped, his voice hoarse from lack of sleep. "This letter covers a medical research topic I've been stuck on for years. I hit a wall with no new ideas… but from Dr. Brief's notes, it's clear he's got some serious expertise in this area. I'd love to hear his thoughts."
Fair enough.
Compared to the Dragon Ball world, the Naruto world's research environment was downright brutal. Orochimaru didn't even have Kabuto yet, so he was handling everything himself, maybe splitting off a shadow clone to help with grunt work.
But a shadow clone's just an extension of the user—not exactly a second brain to bounce ideas off of.
So it was clear Orochimaru was genuinely excited about the chance to connect with Dr. Brief.
"Got it. I'll deliver the letter for you."
Hikari skimmed the pages, making sure there wasn't anything sketchy tucked in, then stuffed it in her pocket. "By the way, what do you think of that Uzumaki girl?"
"…Think of her how?"
"Like, does she have potential for research work?"
Orochimaru paused, considering.
"She's sharper than most kids her age, and her curiosity's off the charts… but research isn't something you can judge in a day or two."
"If you're thinking of grooming her for this, I could teach her a few things," he offered.
"Good."
Hikari paused, then added, "She and her mom both have that Uzumaki 'healing factor' ability. You can study it a bit, as long as it doesn't harm their health. Make sure you explain everything to them clearly. And no slapping any 'cursed seals' on them or anything like that."
In theory, Orochimaru still had some of Hashirama's cells lying around.
If those were combined with Karin and her mom's blood… they might cook up something with near-broken healing powers.
—Hikari had even wondered if transplanting Hashirama's cells into Eri could counter the dragon blood erosion, but that was way too risky. Even if it was theoretically possible, it'd need someone like Orochimaru, who knew Hashirama's cells inside and out, to pull it off.
For now, since Orochimaru didn't bring it up, Hikari played dumb.
It was a loyalty test of sorts.
If Orochimaru kept that secret under wraps, she'd only trust him so far. But if he came clean, she might toss him a small reward…
Karin's path was more or less settled for now.
Then Orochimaru pulled out another sheet of paper.
"Lady Hikari, here's a budget I worked up. For the 'dragon blood erosion study,' 'demon cell research,' and 'Uchiha bloodline study,' we'll need custom lab equipment and maybe some new hires… What do you think?"
"…"
Hikari had already grilled Guren and the others about the Sound Village's finances.
From what they said, the village had three main income streams:
First, Orochimaru's savings from his Sannin days, which were mostly spent setting up his bases.
Second, funding from the Land of Rice Paddies' daimyo, thanks to Orochimaru's silver tongue. But since it's a small country, the budget was limited.
Third, mission earnings from Guren and the others—tasks for the land's nobles or shady assassinations on the black market.
After covering the Sound Village's daily expenses, there wasn't much left.
And Orochimaru's research gear? Cutting-edge tech for the Naruto world, often custom-built from scratch to his specs. Add in raw materials and labor costs…
Yeah, it burned through cash fast.
So, Hikari pulled out two chests of treasure she'd gotten from the Ox Demon King and set them on the ground. "Take a look at these. See what you can sell off and have Guren's team handle it. Keep good records."
"If it's not enough, let me know."
Since arriving in the ninja world, Hikari hadn't really bothered with making money. She didn't need much—some spending for food and clothes, sure, but housing? She'd crashed at Naruto's place, and later the Uchiha clan "generously" covered her needs. If she wanted anything, she could just ask Fugaku.
In other worlds, Bulma, Yushiro Ubuyashiki, or the Snake Eight Families picked up her tab.
But now…
Trying to build a team and get things done, she realized her own funds were pretty thin.
"Guess I need to figure out a way to make some cash…"
"Or maybe hit up the Dragon Ball or Dragon Clan worlds, grab some ready-made lab equipment, and haul it over. Basic research gear should work across worlds."
"Then there's the staffing issue…"
Karin had potential, but she was still too young to contribute much.
Hikari was already planning to recruit Kabuto.
—Easy enough. Just have Danzo send him to the Sound Village as an "undercover" agent.
And if Kabuto was coming, might as well bring Nonou Yakushi too. She was a medical ninja and a skilled spy—perfect as Orochimaru's assistant.
Plus, she could keep an eye on him.
Tsunade would've been a great pick too…
But Orochimaru's an S-rank rogue ninja. If Tsunade found out where he was, she might tip off the Leaf. Hikari wasn't keen on brainwashing Tsunade like she did Danzo, so convincing her would be tricky.
While Hikari was making moves behind the scenes, the shadow clone she'd sent to track down Jugo finally returned. With Jugo, tied up in ropes like a bundle.
"This guy… you sure it's Jugo? He looks so small."
"Positive," the shadow clone said curtly. "He went berserk out there once, so I used Yasaka Magatama to drain some of his chakra. I might've overdone it a bit, and he ended up like this."
"…No side effects, right?"
"None. His body seems to absorb the wild energy in natural chakra, filtering it. The chakra I got from him has a slight negative vibe, but it's no big deal."
Even so, Hikari wasn't taking chances. She dragged the shadow clone inside for a thorough check, confirmed everything was fine, and dispelled it.
In an instant, a flood of memories from multiple shadow clones, along with a surge of sage chakra, poured into her.
"This chakra… is this the natural energy filtered through Jugo?"
"It feels different from regular chakra—closer to ki, maybe. But it's sluggish to control…"
Maybe it needed to be paired with Sage Mode to work properly?
Hikari decided to tinker with it a bit.
Then she'd figure out if a trip to Ryuchi Cave was in order.