Chapter 1: The Dark Laboratory

Drip… 

Drip… 

Drip… 

The sound of dripping water echoed through the dark corridor, causing Hyuga Kagami to instinctively tighten the robe around his body.

He hated this place. The pitch-black corridor ahead seemed to lead straight to hell, conjuring all sorts of ominous thoughts in his mind. However, the one-eyed viper on his shoulder dissuaded him from turning back.

He had no choice!

At the end of the corridor, Hyuga Kagami pushed open the door, revealing a fully equipped laboratory. Inside stood a shadowy figure.

The figure turned around. "Oh, it's Kagami-kun."

Hearing the raspy voice, Hyuga Kagami's heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head. "Lord Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru observed Hyuga Kagami thoughtfully for a long moment before finally speaking. "This laboratory is yours from now on."

Feeling Orochimaru's palpable gaze on him, Hyuga Kagami didn't dare think recklessly and quickly bowed. "Rest assured, I will work even harder!"

Orochimaru shifted his gaze, glancing around the lab. For a brief moment, a trace of melancholy appeared in his eyes.

"I may have to leave the village soon. You'll have to figure out the materials on your own from now on."

"Yes!"

Hyuga Kagami obediently nodded, without a hint of hesitation. Meanwhile, the one-eyed viper lazily flicked its crimson tongue.

Casting one final glance at Hyuga Kagami, Orochimaru said no more and disappeared with a Shunshin no Jutsu.

As Orochimaru left, the immense and oppressive chakra that had filled the laboratory gradually dissipated.

"Phew..."

Hyuga Kagami exhaled softly.

Lately, Orochimaru's aura had become increasingly cold and seemed to carry a hint of bloodlust. Even reporting experimental progress from a distance made Hyuga Kagami feel extremely uncomfortable.

Fortunately, it seemed like these difficult days were coming to an end.

But then, a thought crossed his mind, filling him with doubt.

According to the vague memories from his previous life, Orochimaru had been forced to flee after being caught red-handed by the Third Hokage's squad during a raid on his secret lab.

However, Orochimaru's behavior just now seemed to suggest he had long been prepared for this and was ready to make his move at any moment.

"Where did the deviation occur, causing Orochimaru to flee on his own accord? Is it because of me?"

After carefully going over everything, Hyuga Kagami couldn't figure it out. Still, Orochimaru's defection was ultimately a good thing for him. Whether it was a voluntary or forced defection didn't matter much; there was no point in overthinking it.

Hyuga Kagami's feelings toward Orochimaru were complicated.

If it weren't for Orochimaru's protection, Hyuga Kagami knew he wouldn't have survived the war so easily. After all, of his peers, at least seven or eight out of ten had already died on the battlefield.

Even a genius like Kakashi had barely escaped death on the battlefield. During their academy training, Hyuga Kagami couldn't even take a single hit from Kakashi.

In this world, weakness is a sin!

It had been over ten years since he had transmigrated here, yet even now, Hyuga Kagami still struggled to adapt to the violent, war-torn world of ninjas. This was one of the reasons why he had willingly sought out Orochimaru. When it came to combat talent, he lagged far behind his peers. In life-and-death situations, his reactions were always slower than others'.

Sometimes, he truly admired the ninjas of this world. Most could kill by the age of six or seven, and by ten, it was common to be sent to the battlefield. Take Kakashi, for example—he had become a Jōnin who had slain countless enemies by the age of twelve.

Hyuga Kagami didn't have that kind of talent. Fortunately, he was born into the Hyuga clan and naturally possessed the Byakugan. Thanks to the Byakugan, he had narrowly escaped death on the battlefield several times.

But luck wouldn't always be on his side. Watching one classmate after another die in battle, Hyuga Kagami resolutely decided to pledge allegiance to Orochimaru.

Surviving was the most important thing!

Hyuga Kagami wasn't without his advantages. Thanks to the education he received in his previous life, his comprehension ability far surpassed that of his peers. Coupled with the natural advantage of the Byakugan, he quickly stood out in Orochimaru's laboratory, becoming one of his more valuable assistants. From Orochimaru, he learned a great deal about genetic technology.

Perhaps due to witnessing so much death, Orochimaru had become obsessed with the mysteries of life by the end of the war.

The most obvious sign of this was that Orochimaru no longer feared the Third Hokage, nor did he maintain what little moral code he had left. He began conducting large-scale, cruel human experiments.

Additionally, Orochimaru had developed a keen interest in Kekkei Genkai such as Mokuton, Byakugan, and Sharingan.

Hyuga Kagami's willingness to pledge loyalty allowed Orochimaru to more easily study the secrets of the Byakugan. So, in return, Orochimaru was rather diligent in guiding Hyuga Kagami.

It was a mutually beneficial relationship, leading to the scene just now.

Of course, another reason Hyuga Kagami dared to pledge allegiance to Orochimaru was that he knew Orochimaru's attention would soon be drawn to forbidden techniques such as Edo Tensei and Yamata no Jutsu. Moreover, with the Caged Bird Seal protecting him, he wasn't worried about being used for experiments.

Yes, for Hyuga Kagami, the Caged Bird Seal was indeed a form of protection.

Or more accurately, for all the weaker, more vulnerable members of the Hyuga clan, the Caged Bird Seal was not a shackle but a shield. Its existence allowed the branch family to avoid much of the greed and desire, both within and outside the village.

The other reason Hyuga Kagami sought out Orochimaru was the Tenseigan!

Given his mediocre talent, Hyuga Kagami couldn't think of any other way, besides the Tenseigan, that would allow him to change his fate and take control of his destiny.

As for Sage Mode, even Orochimaru had difficulty mastering it, so it was out of the question for him.

In fact, even a genius like Neji Hyuga, according to Hyuga Kagami's memories from his previous life, was ultimately relegated to a minor role, dying an unremarkable and tragic death.

The Byakugan indeed gave the Hyuga clan an unparalleled advantage at the Genin, Chūnin, and even Jōnin levels.

But once you reached Kage-level and beyond, the advantage of the Byakugan became less apparent. For the Hyuga clan, who specialized in Gentle Fist, it was almost impossible to compete against enemies like Susanoo, Jinchūriki, or Sage bodies using Gentle Fist alone. Thus, the Tenseigan was almost the Hyuga clan's only hope of participating in battles at the super Kage level.

This was something Hyuga Kagami had been obsessed with since the moment he arrived in this world.

But evolving the Byakugan into the Tenseigan was no easy feat. Hyuga Kagami had little knowledge of Kekkei Genkai, so if he wanted to achieve this goal, the only person in the village who could help him was the scientific genius Orochimaru.