章節 62: Chapter 61: Roots
Chapter 61: Roots
"Inject test subject number three with solution number four."
"Understood!"
"Test subject number nine, inject the special active solution."
"Yes!"
"Tonari-kun, set those aside for now. Test subject number ten is undergoing rapid life force deterioration—proceed with emergency intervention!"
"Got it!"
"..."
As Orochimaru's precise commands were issued one after another, Tonari, clad in a white coat, followed them meticulously. He administered various experimental solutions Orochimaru had concocted to the test subjects.
The test subjects were primarily lab mice, often used by Orochimaru and Tonari in their biological experiments.
Among them, test subject number ten was unique. Its body was alternately swelling and contracting, with cracks forming across its skin. It was clearly undergoing an extreme rejection reaction, and without immediate intervention, it was at risk of exploding.
Fortunately, Tonari's reaction time was quick. In fact, he had already noticed the anomaly before Orochimaru's directive. Forming hand seals, he placed his hands over the distressed mouse.
A soothing green chakra radiated from Tonari's palms, enveloping the mouse. The swelling subsided, and the cracks began to mend.
Medical Ninjutsu: Healing Jutsu!
This was one of the medical techniques Tonari had learned from Tsunade. Although it was a relatively basic skill, it was more than sufficient for treating a mouse.
Finally, after Tonari's focused efforts, test subject number ten stabilized.
Watching Tonari's work from the side, Orochimaru's lips curled into a satisfied smile. His tongue flicked out to lick his lips.
"Tonari-kun, it seems the favor I used to have Tsunade teach you medical ninjutsu half a year ago was well worth it. Since you began mastering these techniques, our experimental success rate has significantly improved."
Half a year.
That's how long it had been since Tonari first learned medical ninjutsu from Tsunade and began assisting Orochimaru in his experiments.
Initially, his role was limited to menial tasks—organizing materials and providing basic support. But now, Tonari was directly involved in critical experimental operations, holding a key position.
This growth signified Orochimaru's increasing trust in him.
---
Breakthroughs in Experimentation
During this time, Tonari paid close attention to Orochimaru's research objectives. The current experiments involved injecting various chakra types into living organisms, primarily mice.
For example, test subject number ten had been injected with Earth Release chakra, a particularly dense and high-quality form.
After stabilizing, the mouse's condition suggested that the chakra had successfully fused with its cellular structure. It was no longer an ordinary animal. With proper training by a ninja, this mouse could become a summoning creature capable of using chakra—a process that significantly shortened the typically lengthy summoning beast cultivation period.
This success was a significant breakthrough.
However, Tonari knew this was not Orochimaru's ultimate goal.
"Sensei, this experiment of injecting living organisms with different chakra attributes has shown some success at this stage," Tonari commented, now able to converse with Orochimaru without hesitation.
Orochimaru carefully held the stabilized mouse, his eyes gleaming as if admiring a priceless treasure. However, his excitement soon faded, and he placed the mouse back into its specialized cage.
"This is merely a stepping stone," Orochimaru said calmly. "At this stage, we've achieved partial success, but the next phase will involve far greater challenges. Thankfully, your progress in medical ninjutsu has minimized many of our setbacks."
Scratching his head modestly, Tonari reflected on his growth. Over these six months, he had not only learned innovative experimental methods but also gained invaluable results—like the current breakthrough in infusing animals with chakra.
More significantly, Tonari had acquired numerous practical jutsu from Orochimaru.
As a student of the "Professor of Ninjutsu," Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru had an ambitious goal of mastering every jutsu in the ninja world. Consequently, Tonari, as his disciple, gained access to an extensive variety of techniques.
Though his current strength limited him to lower-tier jutsu, the sheer diversity of techniques he learned was invaluable.
At the Ninja Academy, Tonari had earned several nicknames: beyond "Taijutsu Prodigy," he was now also called the "Living Ninjutsu Encyclopedia."
Combining his fearsome taijutsu skills with his ever-expanding arsenal of jutsu, Tonari had carved out a reputation as a rising star not just in the academy but throughout Konoha.
Many academy students admitted they'd rather fail exams outright than face him in combat evaluations. Winning wasn't the priority—protecting one's dignity was.
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Preparing for Graduation
"Tsunade-sensei says my chakra control is still lacking. I can only perform C-rank medical ninjutsu reliably," Tonari said, acknowledging his shortcomings.
By now, his chakra control surpassed that of most genin and even some newly promoted chunin. While this was sufficient for a typical medical ninja, Tsunade's standards were far higher.
Orochimaru's smirk deepened. In his raspy, magnetic voice, he remarked, "Tomorrow is your Ninja Academy graduation exam, isn't it? What are your plans? Want to stay another year, or are you ready to become an official ninja? Remember, once you're a ninja, your freedom will be significantly restricted."
Tonari pondered for a moment. "I'll probably take the graduation exam. Given my situation, the Third Hokage likely won't assign me high-difficulty missions. Becoming a ninja might actually grant me more freedom."
"Fair enough," Orochimaru said with a sly grin. "But keep this in mind: as the first graduation exam after the Second Shinobi World War, this one will be closely watched."
"Closely watched? What do you mean?" Tonari asked, curious.
"You'll find out tomorrow," Orochimaru replied cryptically. "One more thing—if you want to avoid unnecessary trouble, don't use the Two-Tails' chakra. Judging by your growth, you shouldn't have any issues passing the exam. Just... know your limits."
With that, Orochimaru dismissed Tonari. "Today's experiments are done. Go rest and prepare for tomorrow."
Removing his lab coat, Tonari gestured to the corner of the lab. A small blue-black figure darted out and landed in his arms—a diminutive but adorable cat.
"Alright, Sensei, I'll head out now," Tonari said, cradling the mini Two-Tails.
Once Tonari had left, Orochimaru allowed his concealed excitement to surface. Retrieving a fresh syringe filled with a faint blue liquid, he approached the now-stabilized mouse.
Despite the mouse's frantic struggles, Orochimaru injected the liquid into its veins.
Within three seconds, the mouse's body convulsed violently before exploding into a bloody mess.
Orochimaru, however, remained unperturbed. He bent down to examine the remains and extracted a thin, wooden root from the debris.
"Well, not a complete failure," Orochimaru murmured, studying the fragment with keen interest.
His eyes glinted with the unmistakable spark of a mad scientist's unyielding curiosity.
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