Uchiha Madara descended in his strikingly bright red car, the screech of brakes announcing his arrival, leaving clear skid marks on the ground with a drift.
"Mr. Deng, you've arrived."
The people in the Laboratory Base greeted Uchiha Madara with great respect.
"Mm."
Uchiha Madara responded.
"Mi, you haven't conducted any detonation experiments for so long. Has your so-called science hit a bottleneck?"
Uchiha Madara walked into Mi's Laboratory, saw her engrossed in some research, and immediately spoke with a mocking tone.
"Bottleneck? Old Deng, my research won't hit a bottleneck even if you die!"
Mi glared at Uchiha Madara with an unfriendly look and said, "The day you die, I'll set off hundreds of firecrackers near the Mountain Graveyard to celebrate your death! Given your age, it'll definitely be a joyous funeral! I'll invite famous rappers and celebrities from TV to send you off, and even dance at your grave to make your departure festive and lively!"
"Such a sharp-tongued little girl!"
Uchiha Madara raised an eyebrow. Mi's words were utterly vicious, not even letting him rest in peace after death.
"Ignorant caveman!"
Mi gave Uchiha Madara the middle finger, her eyes full of disdain for him. "You've experienced the convenience of science, and you still dare to look down on my research?"
"Hmph! What use is your research in front of powerful Ninja? Look at Land of Whirlpools, destroyed by the invasion of the Four Great Shinobi Villages, and you'll understand how insignificant the power of technology is."
Uchiha Madara wasn't angry at all. In his opinion, Mi's research was useless against true powerhouses.
"Since you despise technology so much, then return the car I gave you. A sedan can sell for 30 million Ryo on the black market, which is enough research funding for me for half a year."
Mi held out her hand, gesturing for Uchiha Madara to return the car's registration key.
"…"
Uchiha Madara fell silent. Asking him to hand over his beloved car was like asking for his life, wasn't it?
"I admit your research can change lives, but among Ninja, in the battles of the strong, it's of no use."
Uchiha Madara's old face under his mask flushed, and he spoke insincerely.
"Tch! Hypocritical old Deng!"
Mi pointed her finger at Uchiha Madara.
"I'm telling you, don't underestimate the power of science. When you get older…"
Mid-sentence, Mi suddenly realized that given Uchiha Madara's age, he wouldn't have the chance to see how powerful science could be. She waved her hand and said, "Hmm… it seems you won't have the chance at your age, so never mind."
"You!"
Uchiha Madara was so angry he wanted to strike, yet he couldn't. Even though his strength had weakened to a very low point, a casual punch was not something this woman, who spent her days in the Laboratory, could withstand.
"Oh, you want to fight because you can't win an argument? That perfectly matches my impression of Ninja."
Mi stood with one hand on her hip, looking as if to say, 'go ahead and hit me if you dare,' which made Uchiha Madara grit his teeth in frustration.
"It's precisely because Ninja are all hotheads like you that they are treated as tools! They don't even have their own thoughts, you un-enlightened old fossil!"
Mi wasn't worried about Uchiha Madara striking at all; on the contrary, she doubled down on her mockery.
"Such a sharp-tongued little girl, I won't stoop to your level!"
Uchiha Madara realized that besides resorting to violence, he couldn't win an argument against Mi, so he turned and walked out.
"Tch! Old Deng, don't forget to bring the car in for inspection after a while. If anything breaks down, I don't want to clean up your mess."
Every car needs to be inspected periodically to prevent issues with its parts.
Uchiha Madara heard Mi's words, which carried a hint of concern, and responded, "I know."
"Also, things haven't been peaceful lately. The Land of Iron isn't staying put either; it's eager to make a move on neighboring countries. Old Deng, don't get involved."
Mi continued her research, speaking without lifting her head. The intelligence she mentioned came from her people stationed in the Land of Iron. It wasn't just the Land of Iron; various countries also wanted to profit from the ongoing conflicts among the Five Great Nations.
Mifune, the General of the Land of Iron, had defeated the previous leader and had only recently become the leader of the Land of Iron. This was when his ambition was at its peak, and he wanted to expand the Land of Iron's territory while the Five Great Nations were in constant friction.
The Land of Iron… Uchiha Madara thought of the intelligence he had gathered.
The current General of the Land of Iron seemed to be a young man named Mifune.
---
In the vast underground space of the Laboratory, Orochimaru observed the Zero-Tailed Beast, which was unusually calm and showed no signs of trying to break free from its seal.
Even a beast driven purely by instinct couldn't be this well-behaved… Orochimaru recalled the Zero-Tailed Beast's behavior after it was sealed. Rather than her using a Sealing Technique to bind the Zero-Tailed Beast to extract its blood for research and experiments, it seemed more like the Zero-Tailed Beast was cooperating with her experiments.
Could it be… the Zero-Tailed Beast has developed self-awareness?
This wasn't impossible.
Then let's test it.
Orochimaru looked up, gazing at the Zero-Tailed Beast's high-raised neck and head, and stated with certainty, "Zero-Tailed Beast, you've developed self-awareness, haven't you?"
"How… did… you… know?"
The Zero-Tailed Beast lowered its head, its mask-like face with slightly parted lips, and spoke haltingly.
"I just took a shot in the dark."
Orochimaru spread her hands. She suspected the Zero-Tailed Beast had developed self-awareness, but wasn't sure, so she thought she'd try a bluff.
Perhaps the Zero-Tailed Beast, having just developed self-awareness, hadn't yet experienced the treachery of human hearts, and thus honestly admitted it.
Orochimaru hadn't expected it to go so smoothly, almost too smoothly.
"What… do you… plan… to do with me?"
The Zero-Tailed Beast felt the seal on its body; its power was almost unusable under the seal's restraint. It looked at the person before it, who gave it a strong sense of threat. If this person wanted to kill it, it would be powerless to resist.
"Are you going to kill me?"
The Zero-Tailed Beast twisted its body uneasily. Even though it had only recently been born, it possessed the survival instinct common to all life; it wanted to live.
"How about we sign a Summoning Contract? I need your cells for research, and in exchange, I'll provide you with the Natural Energy you need."
Orochimaru held out her hand, and Natural Energy condensed in it, appearing as a very hazy mist.
"Food!"
The Zero-Tailed Beast couldn't control its craving and lunged forward.
Orochimaru instantly activated Sage Mode, her body suddenly growing taller. She caught the Zero-Tailed Beast's charging head with one hand, and her white snake tail struck its jaw, causing its massive body to arch backward and crash heavily to the ground, creating strong tremors in the Laboratory above.
The Kikaichu were startled and all returned to their hives.
"Orochimaru, what happened?"
Hyuga Mio, hearing the sound, rushed in and saw the Zero-Tailed Beast lying on the ground amidst the dust, and Orochimaru with a white snake tail behind her.
"Nothing, I'm having a friendly chat with the Zero-Tailed Beast."
Orochimaru smiled slightly, looking at the Zero-Tailed Beast, not expecting it to react so strongly to Natural Energy.
"Friendly… chat?"
Hyuga Mio looked at the Zero-Tailed Beast on the ground and then at Orochimaru, who was in Sage Mode. It didn't look like a friendly chat at all; rather, it seemed like Orochimaru was suppressing the rebellious Zero-Tailed Beast.
Food, huh… Orochimaru remembered what the Zero-Tailed Beast had cried out when it lunged.
Its ability to absorb Natural Energy, inherited from the Nine-Tailed Beast, seemed far inferior to the Nine-Tailed Beast's, otherwise it wouldn't have lunged for such a small amount of Natural Energy.
Is this the flaw of an artificial Tailed Beast?
No wonder, when it had no self-awareness, it instinctively wanted to devour the Nine-Tailed Beast. To devour the Nine-Tailed Beast and become a true Tailed Beast?
So the question is, if the Nine-Tailed Beast were eaten by the Zero-Tailed Beast, would it still revive?
Or would it merge with the Zero-Tailed Beast?
"Have you calmed down?"
Orochimaru looked at the Zero-Tailed Beast, which had coiled its body and was watching her warily.
The Zero-Tailed Beast nodded. Now, Orochimaru gave it an even more dangerous feeling, an existence it couldn't resist.
It nodded?!
Hyuga Mio stared in shock at the Zero-Tailed Beast, which had developed self-awareness.
"So, what do you think of my proposal? Sign a contract with me, become my Summoning Beast, assist me in research, and I will provide you with the Natural Energy you need."
Orochimaru couldn't possibly release the Zero-Tailed Beast. Even if she let it go, it might fall into the hands of others. Even an artificial Tailed Beast is still a Tailed Beast; once discovered, its fate would most likely be to be sealed within a Jinchuriki.
Just as the two Hokage Advisors thought, to be used as a weapon.
"I agree."
The Zero-Tailed Beast lowered its head and agreed to Orochimaru's proposal. It realized that even if it didn't agree, the person before it wouldn't let it leave, and its situation wouldn't change.
"Zero-Tailed Beast, you've made the right choice."
Orochimaru stepped forward and signed the Summoning Contract with the Zero-Tailed Beast, condensing Yin Release Chakra and Yang Release Chakra in her hands respectively.
"Two Extremes Sealing: Release!"
Orochimaru clapped her hands on the Zero-Tailed Beast's body.
The Zero-Tailed Beast twisted its body uneasily, and the Sealing Technique on it quickly disappeared.
While releasing the seal, Orochimaru prepared to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique to transfer the Zero-Tailed Beast. If the Zero-Tailed Beast attacked her, she would seal it again and treat it only as an experimental subject, not as an intelligent life form with self-awareness.
The Zero-Tailed Beast stretched its body, coiling its snake-like form, and looked down at Orochimaru, saying, "My name is Void. I don't like the name Zero-Tailed Beast; I am not a Tailed Beast."
"Then, as you wish, Void. You can also call me Orochimaru. I believe our future interactions will be very pleasant."
Orochimaru reached out, intending to condense Natural Energy in her hand, when she saw Void extend a hand and place it on hers, as if shaking hands.
"…"
Orochimaru looked at Void with a strange expression.
"Did… I… do something wrong?"
Void looked at Orochimaru's expression and asked cautiously.
"I was condensing Natural Energy to feed you."
Orochimaru looked at Void's hand on her own. The meaning was clear: with your hand here, how can I condense Natural Energy?
Void quickly retracted its hand, acting like a snake-dog hybrid, waiting for Orochimaru to feed it.
Why is this snake acting so much like a dog?
Foxes are canids… The Nine-Tailed Beast is a fox, and the Zero-Tailed Beast Void was created from a part of the Nine-Tailed Beast… Realizing this, Orochimaru understood where the problem originated.
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