It was late in the evening when Orochimaru returned from his meeting with Sarutobi. Knowing the Hyūga matter couldn't be kept secret, he chose to tell Sarutobi a summarized version of what happened. Sarutobi, far from being angry, earnestly warned Orochimaru to be careful of the "old foxes" in the Hyūga clan and to remain highly vigilant in his dealings with them.
Orochimaru readily agreed. Remembering the issue of Hyūga Bluebird's dual pupils, he requested to borrow some medical and experimental equipment from Sarutobi, using Manji's medical Ninjutsu training as a pretext.
When he arrived home, Manji, Hyūga Bluebird, and Chi were already waiting for him at the dinner table. Perhaps recalling her own past experiences, Manji was very caring and attentive to Bluebird, who was a year younger than her, showing the demeanor of a good older sister.
Coupled with the choice and hope Orochimaru had offered him, the despair and loneliness in Hyūga Bluebird's eyes had significantly faded.
Seeing Orochimaru enter, Bluebird's gaze was complex, showing a hint of struggle and confusion. Manji cheered and rushed to hug him, while Chi silently began to serve the dishes.
After dinner, Bluebird did not disappoint Orochimaru and gave a satisfactory answer.
Orochimaru was in no hurry. He told Bluebird to rest, then went into an empty, prepared room and took out the scroll that sealed the medical and experimental equipment. With practiced movements, he began setting up the room.
He set out a medical experiment bed that could be adjusted up, down, and turned; various instruments for observing the body's condition; and several tubes made of special materials that could transmit chakra...
An hour later, a fully equipped, technologically advanced medical laboratory was complete.
Next, Orochimaru took out the scroll containing the data on the internal structure and composition of the human body that he had received from the Hyūga clan and began to read it meticulously.
Scanning line by line, and cross-referencing the information with the rich knowledge base in his mind, Orochimaru gained much new insight. After quickly digesting the content and integrating it into his knowledge system, he felt even more confident in tackling the problem of Hyūga Bluebird.
With all preparatory measures complete, Orochimaru called Manji and Chi over. As a precaution, he instructed Chi to stand guard outside the door. Manji, who already possessed some knowledge of medical Ninjutsu, would act as his assistant. This arrangement also allowed Orochimaru to instruct her on medical Ninjutsu knowledge.
Hyūga Bluebird, looking both excited and apprehensive, lay down on the medical experiment bed under Orochimaru's watchful eye.
Orochimaru moved to the nearby operating table, first taking out a square, snow-white talisman the size of a human face.
He then picked up a slender brush, dipped it in black ink, and fixed his dark-golden snake eyes on the white paper. He quickly mentally outlined a complex and arcane secret jutsu formula. Within a few breaths, Orochimaru put the brush to the paper.
The slender brush, guided by Orochimaru's pale, long fingers, moved like a nimble, dancing spirit. The dark, twisting, arcane formula, resembling tiny ants, was rapidly sketched and drawn.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a profound and intricate secret jutsu formula had leaped onto the square, white talisman.
Orochimaru smiled faintly at Manji, who was standing nearby, watching with deep admiration.
While waiting for the talisman to dry, Orochimaru flicked on the switches of all the instruments with a "Crack! Crack! Crack!—"
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
The faint whirring sounds of the instruments starting up merged into a continuous hum.
Immediately afterward, Bluebird, lying on the medical experiment bed, heard a "Click!—" and the powerful, blinding, stark-white surgical lamp above his head switched on, illuminating the entire bed with intense clarity, revealing every minute detail.
Orochimaru pressed the position adjustment switch for the medical experiment bed. With a "Click-click-click—" of the mechanism, the section of the bed holding Bluebird's head was slowly moved directly under the bright surgical light.
Bluebird felt an intense, dazzling white light before his eyes and instinctively closed them. Yet, he was not an ordinary child. He slowly calmed his mind, knowing that what awaited him now was either heaven or hell, with no third option. He could only passively accept it.
Orochimaru used two tweezers to grip the top corners of the white talisman and slowly covered Bluebird's face with it. Then, Orochimaru said in a deep voice: "Manji, bring me the chakra tubes!"
Manji immediately handed over several chakra tubes, each about the thickness of an index finger, to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru used the chakra tubes to connect the talisman to the surrounding instruments. Finally, he placed his hands on the talisman, his dark-golden snake eyes fixed on the core of the formula. He carefully injected a suitable amount of chakra into the formula on the paper, activating the secret jutsu.
Simultaneously with the activation of the secret jutsu, the connected instruments began beeping rapidly, "Dee-dee-dee—" as data flashed across their screens.
Orochimaru raised his head, his dark-golden snake eyes sweeping across the instruments. A faint, weak fluorescence reflected in his pupils, taking in all the data and changes.
He moved toward a monitor that virtually displayed the internal structure of Hyūga Bluebird's head, compiled from the various data readings.
Beep, beep, beep—
Green lines flashed continuously on the instrument, rapidly sketching and refining the structure.
After a few breaths, a bright white light flashed across the screen.
Looking at the virtually displayed image on the monitor, Orochimaru smiled wickedly. Very good eye power. He is indeed a very interesting child!
The advanced imaging instrument clearly displayed the virtual structural map of Hyūga Bluebird's internal head on the screen. On the green skull, a network of intricate, cross-crossing lines and pathways, incomprehensible to ordinary people, were visible.
Most prominently, a rich, concentrated white light was visible in the area of Bluebird's unique dual pupils.
Orochimaru quickly scanned the astonishing density of white eye power in Bluebird's eyes, focusing on more detailed and in-depth areas and information.
Comparing this with the vast data on the Byakugan he had accumulated in his past life, he acutely realized that the white eye power in Bluebird's eyes was not only several times more concentrated than that of other clan members, but the pathways in the eye area were also several times more complex than those of ordinary Hyūga clan members.
Orochimaru frowned slightly, gradually grasping the cause of Hyūga Bluebird's inability to awaken the Byakugan.
Over the next few nights, Orochimaru continuously adjusted the instruments, carefully testing every aspect of Bluebird's head condition and information multiple times.
Looking at the results, Orochimaru smiled with a hint of arrogance, thinking, I knew it.
🗒️NOTE:
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 10 chapters in advance!