The potential of Kikaichu exceeded even Orochimaru's expectations.
Could it be that the Aburame Clan had, over generations, selectively bred only the most exceptional Kikaichu, guided by a natural process that honed their abilities?
Orochimaru placed his hands onto a platform inscribed with glowing jutsu formulas. The mystical patterns absorbed his chakra and transferred it to the insect egg at the center. The egg grew rapidly—from smaller than a grain of rice to the size of a fist—before abruptly halting.
"Same as before," Orochimaru muttered.
The egg suddenly burst, splattering sticky liquid across the platform.
"Was I too impatient?" he wondered.
Yet, he remained calm. He had attempted to accelerate the Kikaichu's evolution by simultaneously transferring the genes of a Desert Ant, a Double-Tailed Scorpion, and a giant centipede into the egg. His goal was to create an insect with tremendous size and power, but the experiment had failed spectacularly.
The Kikaichu egg, already containing a flexible, deformable insect, could not endure the combination of foreign genes. The accelerated maturation further destabilized it, causing the egg to explode.
Perhaps the Kikaichu's innate nature—feeding on chakra—amplified the problem. The egg absorbed chakra at an excessive rate, attempting to hatch prematurely. This, combined with incomplete gene fusion, resulted in the catastrophic failure.
"Next time, I will slow down," Orochimaru concluded, documenting his analysis. "I will begin by introducing only the Desert Ant's genes. Once the Kikaichu adapts fully, I can proceed incrementally with other experiments."
As he wrote, Orochimaru suddenly recalled: he hadn't acquired Kikaichu to breed superior insects, but to research Chakra Poison.
"Am I putting the cart before the horse?" he asked himself.
No—his experiments weren't pointless. Understanding Kikaichu had given him a foundation for developing Chakra Poison. But there was still a long way to go.
The poison needed to be perfected before the arrival of the Otsutsuki Clan. And even with that preparation, Orochimaru knew it would not be enough. He would need other strategies, other trump cards, to confront beings of such overwhelming power.
Another thought troubled him: the looming threat of the next Shinobi World War. Even if he warned others of future events, who would believe him? Only Tsunade, Jiraiya, and his closest subordinates. The rest might dismiss him as paranoid or unhinged.
The memories of previous wars weighed heavily on him. During the Second Shinobi World War, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Konoha treated the Land of Rain as a battlefield, ignoring the suffering of its people. Samurai from the Land of Iron had tried to intervene, but the smaller nations remained trapped between the ambitions of the great powers.
"It's tragic how little voice smaller nations have in wars orchestrated by the great ones," Orochimaru mused.
Meanwhile, Imu oversaw the cleanup of the laboratory and asked, "Orochimaru-sama, shall we continue the experiments?"
"No, today's work is done. Raise those Kikaichu well; I still need them," Orochimaru replied.
Before leaving, he dispelled the shadow clones' memories and fatigue. Among all his research projects, the Caged Bird Curse Mark had progressed the fastest. Fully understanding it would allow him to develop new curse marks—such as the Seal Eye Curse Mark—that targeted ocular ninjutsu. Perhaps, even, it could become effective against the Otsutsuki Clan.
Orochimaru's mind wandered to the original story of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and the White Zetsu. If the Otsutsuki could separate Kaguya from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, could he experiment on her? Perhaps, but living humans presented ethical and practical problems. Non-self-aware clones, however, could be experimented upon safely. His cloning research might allow him to attempt human cloning in the near future.
"So, how can I meet Black Zetsu and convince him to allow the separation of his mother from the statue?" Orochimaru pondered, writing down his thoughts in a notebook filled with cryptic codes.
As evening approached, he cleared his desk, preparing to shop for dinner. Walking down the street, he felt countless eyes on him—a sensation he had long grown accustomed to. Being a Konoha celebrity came with its challenges.
"Where are you going, Orochimaru?"
"Tsunade?" he asked, noticing her approach.
"Don't go grocery shopping. Come to my house for dinner tonight!" Tsunade grabbed his wrist, dragging him along.
Orochimaru grumbled internally. Did she really give me a chance to refuse?
Upon arriving at Tsunade's house, Orochimaru froze. The person he least wanted to see was there: Uzumaki Chigusa, laughing and chatting with Grandma Mito.
His pupils narrowed. My Six Paths Sage hair… Uzumaki Chigusa here?
He maintained a calm expression, concealing any uneasiness.
"Tsunade, is this… Orochimaru?" Chigusa asked.
"Yes," she said, smiling as she measured him with her keen chakra-sensing abilities. "It's amazing. I didn't expect…"
Orochimaru sensed her realization. She recognized him as Miya, the author of forbidden adult novels. A social disaster in the making.
"Ah! You're welcome," he said quickly, placing a hand on hers.
In an instant, he and Chigusa disappeared from view.
"The chief is gone?!" Uzumaki Naino exclaimed, scanning frantically. "Is this Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique? Orochimaru actually learned it?!"
Since Tobirama's death, no one had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique—its difficulty ranked among S-rank space-time ninjutsu. Hiruzen had once passed it to Orochimaru, never expecting him to actually master it.
"This is the Third Training Ground, Chief Chigusa. My apologies for bringing you here," Orochimaru said.
Chigusa's eyes widened, absorbing the incredible revelation: Orochimaru, the quiet young man, had mastered one of the most difficult techniques in history.
Winking at him, she teased, "It's hard to believe you're Miya-sensei… or should I call you Miya-chan now?"
"You should still call me Orochimaru. You already know my name," he replied.
He had anticipated this encounter, yet never expected her to come all the way from Uzushiogakure to Konoha.
Chigusa studied him carefully. "It feels like a dream… How could someone so young write such controversial books?"
Orochimaru's face remained calm, but a subtle gloom shadowed his features—a reflection of the revelation's personal weight.
"I take your dislike of my abilities as a compliment," she said, laughing as she squeezed his cheek.
Orochimaru's quiet distaste for her perception of chakra—a unique Uzumaki trait—was evident.
"Your Kagura Shingan is too precise. It's… annoying," he muttered.
"I never would have recognized you without it," Chigusa said, a small smile on her face. "Your aura hasn't lied; it's unmistakably Miya-sensei's calm and deep energy."
Though she marveled at his presence, the atmosphere carried a hint of gravity, showing just how much the encounter had affected him.
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