Beneath the calm surface, unseen undercurrents were already surging.
At this moment, Orochimaru was in an unusually pleasant mood within the Umbrella Organization.
Sky City bustled with activity. People in white lab coats moved back and forth through the corridors, guarded by layers of shinobi and trained fighters.
Orochimaru loved the atmosphere here. To him, this place was nothing short of sacred—a sanctuary devoted to the pursuit of truth.
His experiment had finally reached a critical juncture. The long-standing bottleneck had been broken.
Because of that, Orochimaru sought out Old Dōra.
"Old Dōra," Orochimaru said politely, "may I borrow Hagane Seiji for a while?"
Despite his courteous tone, Orochimaru showed genuine respect. The elderly man before him possessed no chakra at all, yet he had single-handedly driven the technological progress of the ninja world. He had countless disciples, and everyone in Sky City revered him—Orochimaru included.
When it came to mechanical engineering, Old Dōra's talent surpassed even his own.
"What did you say?"
Old Dōra's expression instantly darkened.
"What exactly are you planning to do?"
His gaze turned sharp as he stared at Orochimaru. "You're not thinking of dragging little Seiji into one of your biological experiments again, are you?"
The air turned cold.
If Orochimaru dared answer yes, Old Dōra would personally throw him out of Sky City.
Orochimaru laughed awkwardly.
"Of course not. I've recently developed an interest in gravity and have conducted some deeper research. This time, I only need Seiji's abilities to assist with a few minor tests."
Only then did Old Dōra's expression ease.
He knew Orochimaru's reputation well—his past methods were infamous. Still, no one could deny his genius. As long as he refrained from conducting grotesque experiments, his talent was virtually unmatched in the ninja world.
It was a good sign that Orochimaru had learned to restrain himself.
Though Old Dōra also knew that Orochimaru pursued eternal life, that desire was not unique. In truth, no one could completely escape it—not even himself. Age had simply taught him how to accept certain truths.
He had originally planned to retire.
But Naruto had convinced him otherwise.
The hidden turbulence within the ninja world—and the existence of forces beyond it—had shaken Old Dōra deeply. Naruto had persuaded him with righteousness and resolve. Because of that, all of his disciples were brought to Sky City, except for those with insufficient skill or infamous reputations.
Naruto also provided them with generous treatment.
In a world where shinobi were revered above all else, such treatment was unimaginable for scientists.
So they stayed—and worked—with peace of mind.
At first glance, the people here appeared ordinary. In truth, Sky City housed brilliant minds: pioneers of electrical theory, descendants of early biological scholars, and masters of mechanical design.
Technology had yet to be fully recognized by the ninja world. Because of that, Naruto had been able to recruit them so easily.
If this had happened ten or twenty years later—once technology gained recognition and transformed the world—it would have been nearly impossible.
"I've already developed applications involving repulsion and gravity," Orochimaru said calmly. "This time, I need Seiji's ability to help verify my results."
Old Dōra's eyes widened slightly.
He hadn't expected Orochimaru to reach this level so quickly.
"Your talent truly knows no bounds," Old Dōra said with genuine admiration. Then, half-jokingly, he added, "Why don't you become my disciple? I'll teach you everything I know."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"You're joking, Old Dōra. Your path doesn't suit me."
Seeing his response, Old Dōra said nothing more.
As long as Naruto remained here, Orochimaru wouldn't dare act too recklessly.
And Naruto himself…
He was a once-in-a-generation genius—the most favored by heaven Old Dōra had ever seen. His learning speed was nothing short of divine.
In mechanical engineering alone, Naruto had already reached Old Dōra's level.
Once, Old Dōra had eagerly hoped Naruto would inherit his legacy.
But Naruto had refused.
In his own words:
"This world needs me."
Recalling everything from the past, Old Dōra fell into silence.
Naruto was someone born with natural leadership. Every change he had brought to the world had been witnessed by Old Dōra personally, and because of that, he understood what shinobi truly meant.
In the end, this world had always been ruled by strength.
Naruto wanted to change that world—and that was precisely why he had been able to persuade Old Dōra.
Technology would one day spread across the entire land. People's lives would no longer revolve solely around survival. Everyone would have access to education. Everyone would be enlightened.
Naruto wanted to create a world where everyone could become a dragon.
That vision had shaken Old Dōra to his core.
It had completely convinced him, enough for him to drag his aging body back into the field and dedicate himself to cultivating talent for Naruto's future.
Snapping back to reality, Old Dōra nodded in agreement to Orochimaru's request. Without lingering, he turned and left—there were still related experiments waiting for him.
Orochimaru, satisfied, soon found Hagane Seiji.
"Uncle Orochimaru, what do you need me to do?"
Seiji asked curiously.
In truth, he was a little intimidated by Orochimaru. But after spending time with him, Seiji realized that Orochimaru was no different from other researchers—just far more obsessive when it came to scientific inquiry.
Although Seiji had learned an enormous amount of knowledge, what he truly wanted was to become a warrior. However, Big Brother Naruto had said he wasn't strong enough yet and wouldn't allow him to enter the ninja world.
"Seiji, I need your help with an experiment."
A fervent gleam flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
"This is a great experiment."
He smiled faintly.
"Aren't you interested in the ninja world? I'll take you to see it."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly. This experiment couldn't be carried out in Sky City—it had to be done in the ninja world.
"Really, Uncle Orochimaru?"
Seiji's eyes lit up with excitement. He hadn't been to the ninja world in a long time, and he'd heard it had changed dramatically.
"Of course," Orochimaru replied calmly. "I've already spoken with Old Dōra."
As he spoke, Orochimaru began gathering the materials he needed.
"Let's go."
Orochimaru led Seiji to the teleportation array, directly transporting them to an Umbrella stronghold.
No one there reacted strangely to Orochimaru's arrival. The shinobi guarding the teleportation array were already aware of certain secrets. People from Sky City passed through from time to time—it was nothing unusual.
Before long, Shisui received news of Orochimaru's arrival.
When he saw Seiji, his expression shifted slightly.
"Orochimaru," Shisui said seriously, "why did you bring little Seiji down here? He's our treasure."
"Relax, Shisui-kun," Orochimaru replied calmly. "Nothing will happen. I only need three days."
He then explained the general outline of his experiment.
Shisui gradually relaxed—and soon, his interest was piqued.
Noticing Shisui's expression, Orochimaru immediately understood and asked, "Shisui-kun, are you interested in witnessing it?"
"Then let's take a look," Shisui said with a smile. "I'm also very curious about Lord Orochimaru's masterpiece."
According to Orochimaru, this experiment had been inspired by Nagato.
Shisui wanted to see for himself what kind of experiment Orochimaru regarded so highly.
...
(End of Chapter)
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