"Indeed."
Xi nodded solemnly.
"Based on all available intel, the Senju, Uzumaki, and Uchiha—now united under Uzumaki Mito—completely severed ties with the Third Hokage over six months ago. They've become open enemies, even if they're still pretending to coexist peacefully to avoid civil war."
"But this balance won't last forever. Sooner or later, conflict will erupt—and when it does, one side will fall."
Xi's eyes sharpened.
"Honestly, I suspect the decisive moment will arrive during or after the next Great Ninja War. That's the opportunity we're waiting for."
He paused, then added darkly, "And Mito's death may be the catalyst. Once she's gone, the fragile balance inside Konoha will collapse. We may not even need a war—chaos will break out on its own."
The Third Raikage grunted.
"So we bide our time. For now, forget about kidnapping Kushina or Uchiha Ren Takashi. It's too risky."
"No perfect opportunity, no reckless moves. Just keep watching."
"But... if the right chance appears, I'll go myself."
His eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint.
Xi bowed.
"Yes, Lord Raikage."
Meanwhile, in the Senju Research Institute...
"Output is stable. Slightly above expectations, actually," Orochimaru reported, tapping a clipboard.
"This prototype thermal power unit has been running uninterrupted for ten days. I believe we're ready to move into mass production."
Ren Takashi studied the squat, three-meter-high thermal power reactor humming before them.
"Good. That's enough for now with standard thermal tech."
"I'll ask Lady Mito to join the meeting later—we'll arrange public tenders for full-scale construction."
He grinned suddenly.
"Let's bundle the entire project: thermal plants, plus manufacturing for electric appliances—refrigerators, fans, lights, ovens. We've already verified their blueprints. Why bid them one at a time?"
"With production running, we can sit back and watch the profits roll in."
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"I've been waiting for this day."
After funding cuts from the Third Hokage and Danzo, his experiments had stalled. But with industrial revenue, he could finally free himself from their purse strings.
"Come," Ren gestured. "Let's inspect the sealing technique-enhanced power plant."
They walked toward a second facility. Unlike the first, this one fused conventional energy systems with chakra-based sealing arrays—an experimental marvel.
The goal? Multiply output tenfold.
Orochimaru nodded as they entered the chamber. "Readings are stable. No faults."
"But the cost is exponentially higher than the standard model," he added.
Ren folded his arms.
"We'll need to discuss which version to build long-term. But this… this is the future."
Uzumaki Luming, who had joined them, leaned forward excitedly.
"The real future," he said, eyes gleaming.
"If sealing arrays can push power output this far, and if chakra batteries are just the beginning…"
He paused for dramatic effect.
"What if we could convert electricity directly into pure chakra?"
Even Orochimaru blinked.
"Electricity into chakra?" he repeated.
Luming nodded, breathless.
"If that's possible, we'll no longer depend on the body's natural chakra synthesis."
"Every shinobi could access limitless chakra. Training would accelerate. The entire power structure of the ninja world would evolve."
"It would be the dawn of a new era—an infinite chakra era."
Ren Takashi smiled faintly.
"Technically difficult. But not impossible."
"Sealing principles, energy transformation matrices, and precise chakra harmonics—we still have a long way to go."
"But if we succeed, it's not just chakra batteries anymore."
"It'll become a spiritual resource—like natural energy. Stored, refined, consumed. The future ninja world could become something closer to a true cultivation civilization."
For Ren, who had pioneered the Chakra Circulation Method, the implications were immense.
Training wouldn't require exhausting one's own reserves. Pure chakra, produced from machines, could be refined, absorbed, and mastered.
Orochimaru, while impressed, wasn't entirely convinced.
To him, the most practical use for such tech was supplementary: a chakra "power bank" for extended combat. Useful, yes, but nothing revolutionary.
Still, he didn't voice his skepticism.
Instead, he smiled and said, "Sounds like we've found our next major research goal."
"Indeed," Luming agreed.
"Let's prioritize this—along with chakra batteries. And we should move forward on vehicles too: bicycles, electric scooters, cars. Everything needs funding and production lines."
Ren nodded.
"Those will revolutionize travel—and turn a hefty profit."
"If we could combine storage talismans with vehicle designs, we could even create capsule-style transport. Imagine popping a car out of your pocket at will."
Unfortunately, the storage talisman project wasn't ready yet.
"But for now," Orochimaru said, "bicycles are easy. Motorcycles and cars will take longer—motors, batteries, chakra-conversion engines… everything has to align."
"And don't forget quality steel," he added.
Ren chuckled.
"Let's open a bicycle factory first. We'll include it in the upcoming tender."
Uzumaki Luming frowned.
"Do we really need to tender that? It's simple tech. Why not keep it within the alliance and profit alone?"
Ren turned, expression serious.
"That kind of thinking gets you nowhere."
"Bicycles are easy to replicate. You can't expect the steel mills to supply only us."
"Any major faction could start building their own."
"The smart play is to go big—bring in partners with real influence. The Fire Daimyo, the Leaf Council, maybe even foreign daimyos. Together, we flood the market before others can react."
"That's how you own a market—not through monopoly, but momentum."
Luming's eyes widened.
"…I didn't think of that."
"Now you know," Ren said, clapping him on the back.
Orochimaru remained quietly amused.
He'd seen the angle from the beginning. For him, the best investment was one that paid dividends without draining time or attention.
Let the others handle logistics and manufacturing. He'd focus on what mattered most—science, secrets, and the pursuit of immortality.