Seeing Kakashi as if he had found his faith again, Itachi felt a strange emotion welling up in his heart—something inexplicable and unclear.
The night passed without much conversation.
---
By the next day, after constant nurturing of his chakra, Kakashi's physical condition had improved significantly. He no longer needed Itachi to create a shadow clone to carry him.
However, his pace was still slightly slower than usual.
"Kakashi, my Sharingan seems to have evolved into a Mangekyō. Do you know why this happened?"
As they walked along the road, the air was heavy with silence.
Kakashi broke the quiet by asking.
"Hmm. In truth, it had evolved quite some time ago. You just hadn't acknowledged it or fully awakened its power."
…
Itachi kept walking without stopping or looking back as he replied.
Kakashi fell silent at Itachi's words.
In the past, he had always been cautious when using the Sharingan left to him by Obito.
On one hand, he was afraid of damaging it.
On the other hand, he didn't want to disgrace Obito's legacy.
Not being an Uchiha himself, Kakashi naturally hadn't received any guidance on how to use this power.
What outsiders knew about the Sharingan was scarce at best.
---
Due to their slow pace, it took them two days to reach Orochimaru's hideout.
Unlike Kakashi, who was looking around with curiosity, Itachi relied on his memory to guide Kakashi deeper into the base.
"Itachi, you've returned..."
As the two entered the main hall, the large doors automatically opened, and Orochimaru's voice echoed through the room.
Orochimaru's tone was lazy and fatigued, yet carried an inexplicable excitement.
Hearing Orochimaru's voice, Kakashi was slightly stunned and glanced at Itachi.
Noticing no reaction from Itachi, Kakashi's surprise gradually subsided.
"Hmm, you're done with your work?"
Upon hearing Orochimaru's distinctive voice, Itachi quickened his pace, stepping into the hall and fixing his gaze in the direction of the voice.
Orochimaru was eating.
His snake-like pupils were bloodshot, and his hair was disheveled, giving him a haggard appearance.
---
"Oh? Kakashi... Have you turned rogue?"
Orochimaru, about to answer Itachi's question, suddenly seemed intrigued, as though he had discovered something new.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Under Orochimaru's gaze, Kakashi was reminded of his current allegiance alongside Itachi. Without hesitation, he reverted to addressing Orochimaru as "Lord."
Orochimaru took a long, thoughtful look at Kakashi before smiling faintly.
This brat seems to have changed quite a bit.
But even so, his incomplete Sharingan still fails to catch my eye...
Kakashi, who no longer covered his Sharingan with a headband, now displayed it openly.
Although he couldn't deactivate it, which made him look a bit odd, it wasn't entirely out of place.
---
Itachi, noticing the subtle exchange of glances between Orochimaru and Kakashi, walked over to Orochimaru and sat down. Without hesitation, he began eating from Orochimaru's plate.
"Itachi, are you that hungry? My servants are preparing food; there's no need to rush."
Orochimaru smiled faintly, seemingly indulgent toward Itachi's actions.
"Do you have any subordinates skilled in medical ninjutsu? Have someone tend to Kakashi's injuries."
Mouth full of food, Itachi spoke indistinctly.
"Oh? Kakashi is injured?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, surprised by Itachi's words. Without further questions, he rose to make the arrangements.
---
"Get treated first. I'll handle everything else."
Seeing Kakashi, who seemed a bit tense and curious about his surroundings, Itachi spoke softly.
"Alright. Thank you..."
At Itachi's words, Kakashi nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
It wasn't long before Orochimaru arranged for someone to take Kakashi away.
"Itachi, can you tell me about anything interesting that happened? Kakashi joining you as a rogue ninja is quite unbelievable."
The hall was soon left with just the two of them. Orochimaru asked with interest.
"Nothing much. But I'll need to trouble you to enhance his abilities. My idea is to first create a serum that gives Kakashi the Uchiha Clan's bloodline, and then inject him with Hashirama's cells."
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Itachi didn't feel like offering any explanations. Instead, he softly shared his plan to modify Kakashi.
"Giving him the Uchiha Clan's bloodline isn't difficult, but Hashirama's cells…"
Orochimaru appeared slightly puzzled upon hearing Itachi.
He couldn't help but feel that Itachi's interest in Hashirama's cells was unusually intense.
…
"Hashirama's cells are indeed powerful. Most people naturally cannot withstand them, nor can they fully unlock their potential," Itachi explained calmly in response to Orochimaru's surprised reaction.
"Is that so? But the power of Hashirama's cells is too wild. If someone injects them carelessly, they could turn into wood. And the process is irreversible—I can't think of a way to stop it."
As Orochimaru spoke, experimental data flashed through his mind.
"How are your experiments with the Shikotsumyaku and Byakugan combined with Hashirama's cells coming along?"
Itachi suspected Orochimaru's progress was lacking; otherwise, he wouldn't seem so concerned.
"The cloned test subjects all suffered from explosive failures… So I decided to take a break and regroup."
Orochimaru waved his hand casually in response to Itachi's inquiry.
"You really…"
Itachi let out a sigh of exasperation at Orochimaru's words.
…
"Itachi, do you have any better ideas?"
Orochimaru smiled faintly despite Itachi's mild irritation.
"Orochimaru, many times, cloned bodies aren't the solution, you know~"
Itachi didn't hesitate to share his thoughts in response to Orochimaru's question.
"You're suggesting human experimentation? But cloned bodies are almost identical to humans, right? If the transplants fail, doesn't that just mean there's a problem with the technique, not something else?"
Orochimaru seemed unbothered as he discussed his technical shortcomings after hearing Itachi's reply.
…
"Orochimaru, have you ever considered that the reason why Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, was so powerful wasn't just his physical body? More importantly, his unwavering conviction and mental fortitude matched his immense strength. Spiritual power is also an incredibly formidable force."
Itachi's explanation introduced a new perspective on the human body.
"You're saying the failures in transplanting Hashirama's cells aren't due to technique but rather the will within those cells? That only someone with a will as strong as or stronger than Hashirama's can subdue the cells and make them their own?"
Orochimaru's eyes lit up after hearing Itachi's explanation.
He recalled past failures in Wood Release experiments and realized that the issue might not lie in density, compatibility, or ratios.
"But Hashirama fought his way out of the Warring States period. Who else could have such an indomitable spirit?"
Orochimaru's excitement dimmed after considering the challenge.
…
…
---