The salty scent of the sea clung to the air as Orochimaru crouched beside the strange flying craft. His sharp, golden eyes scanned the damage on the left wing, the deep cut unmistakably left by a blade.
"This clearly shows the craft has seen battle," he said, tapping the torn edge with a long finger. "And since it was carried here by the tide, that battle must have taken place at sea."
Uzumaki Chigusa watched quietly while Orochimaru examined the vehicle. Its smooth, metallic frame still hummed faintly with residual energy. Intrigued, he ran a stream of chakra into the machine. At once, a rush of air burst from its wings and tail, causing a low whistle that blended with the sound of distant waves. Orochimaru released the craft, and it lifted for a moment before dropping heavily to the sand.
"As I thought," he murmured. "It requires a constant chakra supply to remain airborne."
He turned to Chigusa, eyes glittering with the thrill of discovery. "Chigusa, you don't mind if I take this apart, do you?"
A faint smile curved her lips. She knew that look—the restless excitement of a man whose curiosity demanded satisfaction. "Please, go ahead."
Orochimaru's hands practically itched as he knelt to begin. Perhaps it was the influence of the Shadow Clone he had stationed at a home-appliance factory, a clone that spent its days dismantling everyday machinery for research. Whatever the reason, the urge to see the machine's secrets laid bare was irresistible.
Within minutes, screws and small panels lay neatly beside him. "Interesting," he muttered, eyes narrowing at the intricate seals etched inside. "Here—a Transformation Formula. It converts ordinary chakra into Wind Release chakra. This is the heart of the technology, the most valuable piece. The rest is merely support."
Chigusa leaned closer as he carefully lifted the etched plate. "Transformation Formula?" she echoed.
"Yes," Orochimaru said. "It's not impossible to develop other formulas from this one. Imagine transforming chakra into Lightning Release—electricity as power." His voice betrayed an excitement rare for the normally reserved shinobi.
He sketched the formula with swift precision, committing every line to memory before handing the original to Chigusa. "Here. This belongs to you."
Her eyes shone with admiration. "Orochimaru, you're incredible! You understood all of this after only a glance?"
He smirked, one pale hand resting on his hip. "Don't you know me by now? A device like this is hardly advanced."
Chigusa chuckled and, caught in a sudden impulse, leaned forward to brush a kiss against his cheek. Orochimaru froze, golden eyes wide.
"Hey!" He stumbled back, a rare flush coloring his pale face. "Scary adult, mind your manners!"
Chigusa laughed, making a playful face. "I've been kidnapped~!"
Orochimaru huffed, trying to hide his embarrassment, but the corner of his mouth twitched in spite of himself.
---
A knock interrupted the moment. The door slid open and Uzumaki Nano burst in, eyes widening as she spotted the disassembled craft. "This… isn't this the thing I found on the beach? Clan Leader, did you dismantle it?"
"You're ignoring the living person standing here," Orochimaru said dryly, giving her a look that carried quiet authority.
Nano's gaze finally dropped to him. She blinked, startled at how short he seemed compared to her. Bowing hastily, she clasped her hands and squinted one eye shut. "Ah! I'm so sorry, Lord Orochimaru!"
The deliberate way she bent forward made Orochimaru's brow twitch. Was she mocking him? "For the record," he said, "I am the one who dismantled it, not Chigusa."
Nano picked up a detached wing and turned it over curiously. "I thought it was a… kite."
"A kite?" Orochimaru stared, momentarily speechless. Did her idea of a kite include metal plating and chakra seals? Truly, ignorance was terrifying.
"Hey, what's with that look?" Nano demanded, placing her hands on her hips and leaning closer. "Are you thinking something rude?"
"You're overthinking," he replied curtly, giving her forehead a gentle push. "And you're standing too close."
Her curiosity remained undeterred. "So if this really is a flying device… can it still fly?"
"If you're willing to hold a cross-like stance and keep feeding it chakra," Orochimaru said, "it can lift you into the air."
Nano imagined herself hovering above the village while everyone watched. Her cheeks burned. "Uh… maybe not. That's too embarrassing!"
"Thought so." Orochimaru smirked as he reassembled the craft with deft efficiency. The wings and tail folded inward with a soft click. Chigusa and Nano watched, awed.
"That fast?" Chigusa whispered.
"I told you," Orochimaru said with a shrug, "its technological content is minimal."
"Hmph," Chigusa teased. "You're making a fuss over something so simple."
She exchanged a glance with Nano. In silent agreement, both women suddenly moved. Orochimaru barely registered their mischievous smiles before they flanked him.
"What are you two—" He flickered, ready to teleport using the Flying Thunder God Technique, but Nano lunged, grabbing his sleeve.
"Clan Leader, now!" she cried.
"Got it!" Chigusa grinned, reaching for his side.
"Hey! What do you think—" Orochimaru's protest dissolved into helpless laughter as their fingers found a ticklish spot. "Hahaha! Stop! This is ridiculous!"
"Childish? Perfect for you," Chigusa teased.
"You two are… hahahaha! Impossible!"
Their laughter mingled with his in the small room, a rare moment of levity for the legendary shinobi.
---
Later that night, the laboratory shimmered under bright lights. Orochimaru stood alone, twin syringes in hand. Each contained a small amount of blood—one from Chigusa, one from Nano—obtained after a bit of playful persuasion.
Hyuga Mio entered quietly, the veins around her eyes still faintly bulging from her Byakugan. She stopped short at the sight of the syringes. "Orochimaru, what is this blood?"
"Uzumaki clan samples," he said casually, handing them to her. "Important research material. Have a Shadow Clone analyze them."
Mio accepted the samples but raised an eyebrow at his nonchalant tone. "Important, yet you treat them like nothing."
Orochimaru only offered a thin smile before vanishing in a flicker of the Flying Thunder God Technique. Mio exhaled, baffled by his indifference.
Meanwhile, on a secluded island laboratory, one of Orochimaru's clones—disguised as Mio—examined a row of chakra-infused explosive tags.
"This is the maximum chakra capacity we can currently achieve," the clone mused, eyes reflecting the glow of the seals. "Increasing the power of these chakra bombs merely requires wrapping them in more sealing paper."
The legendary "Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags" were said to detonate endlessly, but in truth they demanded painstaking preparation. Without a ready supply of specialized exploding tags to summon, the technique could fizzle embarrassingly.
"That means," the clone murmured, "Senju Tobirama must have maintained an entire storage just for this purpose."
It was a costly method of warfare—literally throwing money at the enemy. A single confrontation with an Ōtsutsuki could consume resources amassed over years.
The clone sighed, echoing Orochimaru's own frustration. "Money, money, money… more is always needed."
He had once believed his wealth sufficient. Yet the production of chakra bombs alone devoured funds at a staggering rate. Just preparing enough explosive tags required tens of millions of ryō. The thought made even Orochimaru's heart ache.
"Mi-sama, should I inject more chakra?" an assistant asked, breathing heavily. "Any more might exceed the tolerance limit."
"Your instincts are correct," the clone replied calmly. "The chakra bomb is at its maximum capacity."
Orochimaru—through the clone—watched the glowing seals with a spark of anticipation. "Place the chakra bomb in the testing field."
"Yes, Mi-sama!"
The assistants exchanged uneasy glances. Why did Lord Orochimaru insist on taking Mio's appearance and demanding they address him as "Mi-sama"? None dared to question him. Whatever his reasons, they trusted his genius.
---
Thus, amidst laughter, discovery, and the quiet hum of dangerous experiments, Orochimaru's mind raced ahead—always calculating, always searching for the next secret that would push the limits of shinobi science.
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