Chapter 32

"How is this possible…?" Tsunade stared in shock at the slowly healing wound before her eyes.

All she had done was disinfect the area and clean the wound, but now it was visibly healing on its own.

At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. But no it was really happening.

The vial given by Orochimaru worked wonders!

Fox's wound was recovering slowly but surely, and although it wasn't quite as fast as the healing abilities of someone with an immortal body, it was eerily similar to the effect of biting Karin in the original series.

Others, hearing Tsunade's exclamation, quickly gathered around.

"What's wrong, Tsunade?"

"His wound... it's healing on its own…"

As everyone heard the news and looked closer, they saw it too the wound was closing up slowly, mending itself.

"How is this happening?"

"Incredible!"

The most astonished among them was Hiruzen. His jaw dropped, and he was momentarily speechless.

He had only ever witnessed such automatic healing in one other person the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!

While Fox's healing was slower than Hashirama's, it was still occurring without any external intervention. No surgery, no medical ninjutsu just the fox's body healing itself.

At this rate, the wound won't even need surgery… Hiruzen thought, unable to hide his amazement.

He composed himself and, after understanding the situation, called Orochimaru aside, his voice measured and serious.

"Orochimaru, did you really make this?"

Hiruzen's tone was unusually careful, as though he was treading on new, unknown ground. His young disciple had consistently impressed him, from graduation until now. Orochimaru's talent in combat, battlefield adaptability, and now, his scientific research abilities each one was extraordinary.

But this? A Fluid that could induce healing similar to the First Hokage's fabled regeneration? This was beyond impressive.

The First Hokage's power… Hiruzen thought, his mind reeling. Hashirama was called the "God of Shinobi" for a reason. His ability to heal without hand seals, without medical ninjutsu, was a power that no one else had ever been able to replicate. Until now.

Could Orochimaru have, at only eight years old, achieved something even Tobirama, the Second Hokage, had never been able to accomplish?

"Yes, Sensei," Orochimaru replied calmly, his voice betraying none of the emotions he felt inside.

While Orochimaru had planned to use his research to gain access to Konoha's experimental labs, this situation presented an unexpected but still favorable outcome. Now that his work had caught the attention of his teacher, Hiruzen, Orochimaru could proceed with his plan without needing to hide anything.

"Unbelievable," Hiruzen muttered, his eyes wide with awe. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.

It was one thing to be a talented ninja, but Orochimaru's level of excellence bordered on the unnatural. As one of the key leaders of Konoha, he knew that there was a limit to an individual's strength. Even the most powerful ninja had boundaries. But Orochimaru's potential in scientific research could change that he could drastically alter the balance of power not just in Konoha, but throughout the entire ninja world.

If word of Orochimaru's talent in this area reached an enemy nation, or worse, if Orochimaru decided to turn against Konoha, it could lead to disaster.

Hiruzen was a wise leader. At this moment, he was already thinking far ahead, weighing the potential risks and benefits of having such a genius in their village.

---

"Eagle, take the three of them back to the village," Hiruzen commanded.

Having witnessed the healing with his own eyes, Hiruzen's priorities shifted. Originally, he had intended to keep Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade on the battlefield to familiarize them with real combat situations. But after what Orochimaru had demonstrated, he couldn't take the risk of leaving him exposed in a dangerous situation.

If Orochimaru truly has mastered this kind of healing technology, then his life becomes incredibly important to the village.

"Understood, Lord Hiruzen," Eagle, one of Sarutobi's trusted ANBU, nodded without hesitation. He too had seen the healing and understood why Sarutobi was suddenly being cautious.

With that, Eagle led Orochimaru and his teammates, Jiraiya and Tsunade, back to Konoha.

Jiraiya and Tsunade seemed to realize that something unusual was happening, but they remained silent for the entire trip. Even the battle-hardened coldness Orochimaru had displayed earlier seemed to fade from their minds, replaced by a newfound respect for his abilities.

---

Three days later, the group arrived back in Konoha.

As soon as they returned, Eagle turned around and headed straight back to the front lines, leaving the three young ninjas with some unexpected downtime.

Orochimaru, for his part, took the opportunity to rest. After all, he had plans to push forward as soon as Konoha's higher-ups returned from the battlefield.

The next morning, he found himself reclining on a large tree branch, staring up at the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The peace of Konoha was a stark contrast to the battlefield they had just left, and for a moment, Orochimaru allowed himself to relax.

Next to him, a massive python coiled lazily on the branch. Orochimaru didn't even glance at it; the snake had been raised by his parents, so its presence didn't bother him in the slightest.

If I can gain access to Konoha's high-level experimental labs, I should have a chance to come into contact with the First Hokage's cells… Orochimaru mused.

According to his memories, he would eventually have access to those cells, but that would take years if he followed the normal course of events. He needed to accelerate his timeline if he wanted to start experimenting on Senju Hashirama's cells sooner.

This was precisely why he had revealed his research results to Hiruzen. It was a calculated move to earn the trust and interest of Konoha's top brass.

---

"Orochimaru…"

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Turning his head, Orochimaru saw Tsunade standing beneath the tree, blinking up at him.

"What's up?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"Um… it's nothing, really. I just heard there's a new barbecue restaurant at the end of the village. Do you want to check it out?"

Tsunade was still clearly in awe of the gene repair fluid, even though her expertise in medical ninjutsu was different from Orochimaru's scientific research. She understood just how significant that fluid was.

Although she had come to discuss its implications further, she decided to soften her approach by suggesting a casual meal first.

Orochimaru smirked and jumped down from the tree. "Sure, why not?"

"Wait for me!" Tsunade hurried to catch up with him.

As the two walked away, the massive flower patterned python that had been lounging on the tree branch vanished into a puff of white smoke, disappearing from sight.