Chapter 17: Can You Give Me a Strand of Your Hair?

Gene fusion? Fusing two or more genes together?

As Orochimaru pondered over the concept, his eyes narrowed slightly. This ability sounds impressive, he thought, but without diving deeper into the specifics, he couldn't yet assess its true usefulness. He spent the next two hours skimming through the information related to the gene extraction technique.

Well, this ability is quite interesting as well, he noted. It contained detailed methods for extracting various genes from living things.

Orochimaru nodded to himself, satisfied. "Exchange for the genetic detector."

"The exchange is successful. 1,000 technology points have been consumed."

In a flash, a palm-sized gadget appeared in Orochimaru's storage. It resembled a small wireless camera compact and easily concealable. Orochimaru glanced at his attribute panel, noticing a few changes.

---

Host: Orochimaru

Mastered Technology: Basic Gene Enhancement Serum

Current Stage Technology: Gene Extraction Technique

- Plant Specimens (0/100)

- Animal Specimens (0/100)

Next Stage: Gene Fusion

Remaining Technology Points: 4000

Equipments: Gene Detector: Capable of analyzing the genetic information of any species.

---

"So, I need to extract the genes from a hundred kinds of plants and a hundred types of animals to complete this phase of the technology?" Orochimaru muttered to himself. "This shouldn't be too hard."

A hundred types of living organisms? Between the snakes, insects, rats, ants, birds, and other wildlife in the area, it wouldn't be difficult to gather the samples. As for the plants, there were easily over a hundred types of weeds and flowers scattered throughout the village.

However, it was already late in the day, and Orochimaru wasn't particularly in the mood to start gathering samples just yet.

---

The next morning, Orochimaru arrived at the training ground as usual. However, his mind continued to wander, reflecting on the hardships he'd faced during the past six months while conducting his experiments.

The raw materials for the basic genetic enhancement serum had been numerous and complex. Many of them had required careful decomposition, purification, and sometimes fusion. A slight miscalculation in the formula, even by a fraction, often led to failure. Each time he failed, he had to start all over again. At times, even a basic purification experiment would take over ten days to complete.

It was, without a doubt, a difficult journey for someone who had only just begun his foray into scientific research.

Still, there were always more solutions than problems in this world. To avoid wasting precious raw materials, Orochimaru had chosen to practice his skills using common plants and food until he became proficient. Once he felt confident, he moved on to using the proper ingredients. Along the way, he'd also frequented Konoha's library, purchasing and reading numerous books related to his work.

It had taken him half a year to finally complete what was considered a "simple" experiment. But simplicity was only in comparison to veteran scientists people with decades of experience. For a beginner like Orochimaru, it had been anything but easy.

As he strolled along the road to the training ground, Orochimaru's eyes drifted to the weeds growing along the roadside. An idea sparked in his mind. The genetic detector he had exchanged for was tucked away on the inside of his arm, concealed under the sleeve of his robe. Pulling out a small test tube, he plucked a random weed and began the analysis.

"Ding, a mountain weed specimen has been detected. However, the specimen is too low-level to provide any energy for fusion."

As expected, collecting random weeds works toward completing the task, Orochimaru thought.

"Ding, plantain specimen detected. This specimen is too low-level to provide any energy for fusion."

"Ding, analyzing…"

He continued picking up various plants as he walked, testing them with the gene detector. After collecting samples from more than ten species, he had already gathered several plant genes.

Of course, the genetic detector repeatedly informed him that these plants weren't powerful enough to provide energy after fusion, which piqued his curiosity.

"System, can these plants still be fused, despite their low energy potential?" he asked.

"Yes, host."

"How does the fusion process work?"

"Please unlock the next technology."

The next technology… Orochimaru glanced at the label on his interface that read "Gene Fusion." I see.

Gene extraction involved collecting samples from animals and plants, then extracting their genes through various methods such as decomposition, heating, or burning. But gene fusion this would allow him to combine the extracted genes, creating something new.

A sudden thought crossed his mind. If I can fuse animal and plant genes, shouldn't human genes also be capable of fusion? His eyes gleamed with excitement at the idea.

The cells of the First Hokage…

Orochimaru's mind raced. If he could obtain the cells of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, who had the legendary Wood Release, gene fusion could open up unprecedented possibilities. His hands clenched at the thought.

---

"Hey, Orochimaru! Good morning!" a voice called out.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Orochimaru looked up and saw Tsunade waving at him from a distance. He had arrived at the training ground without even realizing it.

Tsunade had become a familiar presence in his life over the past half year. After being assigned to the same team, they had spent a considerable amount of time training together. Orochimaru's indifferent demeanor had faded slightly over time, and he now regarded her with a certain familiarity.

"Morning," Orochimaru replied with a nod, acknowledging her greeting.

"You seem to be in a good mood today!" Tsunade said with a smile, noticing his relaxed expression. She walked closer to him and added, "By the way, I've noticed that every time we finish training, you rush off somewhere. Do you have something important to do?"

"I'll explain later," Orochimaru replied calmly, not offering much in the way of details. These advanced technologies were powerful, and given his current age, it wasn't the right time to reveal them. He preferred to keep his work a secret for now.

Tsunade blinked, slightly taken aback by his nonchalant response. A faint blush crept up her cheeks. "It seems like you're really in a good mood today!"

To be honest, Orochimaru was quite handsome, especially now in his youth. His fair skin and long, flowing hair made him more attractive than many girls their age. Whenever he walked through the village, he often drew attention from other girls, leaving them blushing after a mere glance in his direction.

Because of this, Tsunade had begun to develop a subtle admiration for him. In the original timeline, if Orochimaru hadn't been so reclusive and uninterested in women, Kato Dan might never have entered Tsunade's life. Perhaps Orochimaru and Tsunade would have had the opportunity to grow closer.

Suddenly, Orochimaru's voice broke through her thoughts. "Can you give me a strand of your hair?" (Bruhhh?)

"Huh?" Tsunade blinked, caught off guard. Why would he want that?

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