Orochimaru stood atop the head of a massive python, looking down at the two poisoned snakes below. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Manda had been his summoned beast for over a decade. Developing a tailored paralytic agent for him hadn't been difficult—Manda had never been off-limits when it came to experimentation.
He remained still, waiting patiently.
Ryūchi Cave—nothing that happened here escaped the White Snake Sage.
Before beginning his experiment, Orochimaru had anticipated some kind of response—whether the Sage arrived in person, or sent Lady Snake as an envoy. Either way, he'd allowed just enough time to pass.
But aside from Manda's slurred curses and feeble complaints, the cave remained silent.
Among the other pythons and serpents, not one dared to intervene.
Manda held the title of Snake King for one reason only—strength. In a den of cold-blooded creatures, there was no such thing as solidarity.
"…Good."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
The most dangerous step had been taken—and accepted. He had received silent permission.
Even after surveying Ryūchi Cave's experimental grounds and gaining some understanding of the White Snake Sage's disposition, he wasn't entirely sure how this would play out. So much remained uncertain.
Perhaps the Sage would be in a foul mood today. Perhaps she'd take offense at him using her snakes for experimentation.
Too many unpredictable factors.
But just as the Djinn had predicted, the White Snake Sage was not merely a divine being—she was also a pragmatic one.
The worst-case scenario hadn't come to pass.
She didn't mind sacrificing a few snakes—as long as the price was worth it.
Now, it was time to prove whether he could deliver something she desired.
Shff—
Orochimaru leapt from the head of the giant python and landed atop Manda. He formed a seal with both hands.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
In a puff of white smoke, over a dozen clones appeared. Each took equipment from the original and began setting up across the length of Manda's massive body, evenly injecting a second, refined serum.
"Relax," Orochimaru said casually, meeting Manda's furious glare. "I'll be very careful with a rare and extraordinary test subject like you."
"Please be patient."
This new compound would paralyze Manda for a much longer period.
The other snake didn't need such treatment. If it dared resist during the procedure, it would simply die.
Orochimaru moved to the gray python's head. While he had waited earlier, the initial paralysis had faded slightly, allowing the snake to regain some basic clarity.
"Consider this an exchange," he said smoothly. "That boar you ate—this is the price."
He smiled, calm and cold.
"Of course, it's fine if you don't want to cooperate… You'll still die either way."
The gray python locked eyes with him, filled with regret. But there was nothing it could do now. Its mother had never warned it not to accept food from strangers.
What else could be said, when the one holding the blade treats you as little more than a lab tool?
It blinked slowly—in reluctant agreement.
"Excellent. I appreciate your cooperation. I have no interest in forcing others, after all."
As the snake gave him a look that seemed to scream, "How can a human be this shameless?", Orochimaru climbed onto its body.
Using the Djinn's visual guidance, he scanned the massive form, carefully determining the surgical point.
Though a snake's chakra pathways were vastly different from a human's, its heart still remained the center.
There was no need to test on the Uchiha first. Not when this python would do.
He would choose the position with the highest chance of success—and strike.
Orochimaru secured the nutrient solution device to the underside of the gray boa constrictor. Then, he retrieved a Chakra intensity monitor and handed it to one of his shadow clones for observation. With everything in place, the experiment officially began.
He injected the prepared first-generation cell fusion solution directly into the python's body. Then he activated the nutrient injector to maintain a steady supply of vital compounds to the target area. After that, he stepped back and signaled the shadow clones to administer the antidote to the paralytic.
But before the injection could be made, the gray python suddenly roared, arching its massive body and violently flinging the clone aside.
It seemed the antidote wasn't needed after all.
"Tsk tsk tsk… For such a large creature to react so quickly—how impressive, these first-generation cells."
Unfazed, Orochimaru anchored himself to the snake's body. His gaze followed the flow of chakra through its meridians, crossing over the heart, and he couldn't help but be impressed.
The first-generation cells were responding powerfully—thriving even more aggressively inside this host.
Although the python's body had long been saturated with natural energy, the cells of the First Hokage were on a different level. Not only were they resisting, but they were also assimilating the host's cells and generating terrifying levels of chakra from the fusion.
And yet, compared to Uchiha Shinsuke, this python was in a much better position—larger size, greater strength, and an abundance of chakra.
As long as it could—
"Aaaargh!"
The snake's back arched violently, forming the shape of a bowstring, while its head shot upward, shrieking in pain.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. He turned sharply toward the monitor—only to see a nearly vertical spike on the chakra graph.
The chakra produced by the first-generation cells had just shattered some internal limit, exploding upward in power.
"It's the natural energy," the Lamp God behind him remarked, tilting his head in mild surprise. "Hashirama Senju was also skilled in Sage techniques, but I don't recall him ever practicing the Ryūchi Cave variant."
Orochimaru agreed. Even if it was only residual energy, it typically took time for a body to adapt. Jiraiya, for instance, had mastered the Toad Sage arts, but that didn't mean he could withstand the White Snake's version.
Still, something was off. Orochimaru's gaze flickered with realization as he activated his sensory abilities. A distinct glow—representing natural energy—flared within his vision.
It was being drained rapidly from within the python.
All the energy it had long stored to enhance its body was now being consumed at an alarming rate—fuel for the invading first-generation cells.
Seeing this, Orochimaru couldn't help but lick his lips.
In general, warrior-type pythons first adapted their bodies to natural energy and only then extracted high-quality chakra through their enhanced cells. That gave them physical stability.
Mage-type snakes, on the other hand, channeled natural energy directly to their chakra, sacrificing durability for raw power.
But now, the gray python was entirely on the defensive. The first-generation cells, empowered by both their natural vitality and the snake's own energy reserves, were dominating the host. Apart from its size, the python was being outclassed in every other way.
Orochimaru made a swift decision. He sent a shadow clone to the snake's heart and ordered it to inject large doses of inhibitors.
The cellular invasion finally began to slow—but the affected snake cells were already breaking down the inhibitors faster than expected. Time was running out.
Orochimaru frowned slightly. He had never expected full success, but this rapid rejection made it difficult to gather useful data.
"AAARGH!"
The python let out another anguished cry. Despite the brief moment of calm, its body began to swell again.
Cracks split open along the snake's dark gray scales, leaking thick mucus. Its outer layer was beginning to peel.
The python was shedding its skin.
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