The outpost was small. Three buildings, maybe a dozen shinobi total. Low-level jonin at best.
Sasuke observed from the trees for two days. Mapped their patrol routes. Identified the command structure. Pinpointed where they kept records.
Infiltration would be easy. The hard part was staying undetected.
He waited until night. New moon—minimal light. Activated his Sharingan and moved.
Silent steps. Careful chakra suppression. He'd practiced this with Kabuto dozens of times.
Past the first guard. The guy never even turned around.
Through the window of the main building. Records room was on the second floor.
Up the stairs. Avoided the creaking step three from the top. Into the records room.
Scrolls everywhere. Patrol logs. Mission reports. Intelligence gathered on Sound Village movements.
Sasuke photographed everything with his Sharingan. Memory recording. He'd transcribe it later.
Ten minutes. In and out. No one saw him.
He was back in the forest before they even knew he'd been there.
The return journey took three days. Sasuke spent the time transcribing everything he'd seen. Wrote detailed reports. Included analysis of their defenses and recommendations for countering their patrol patterns.
Orochimaru read the report with obvious pleasure.
"Excellent work. Thorough. Professional. Exactly what I needed." He set down the scroll. "You've proven yourself capable of independent operations."
"Does this mean more missions?"
"Eventually. But first, more training." Orochimaru's expression turned serious. "Tell me, Sasuke-kun. How much do you know about Kekkei Genkai integration?"
Sasuke's heart rate spiked. This was it. The opening he'd been waiting for.
"Some. I know there have been experiments. Attempts to combine bloodline limits."
"Attempts that failed," Orochimaru corrected. "The human body rejects foreign DNA aggressively. Only a handful of successful integrations exist in history."
"But they do exist."
"Yes." Orochimaru pulled out a different scroll. This one was labeled "Senju DNA Integration Attempts."
"Hashirama Senju possessed unique cellular properties. Enhanced healing. Massive chakra reserves. Wood Release. Every shinobi in history has wanted those abilities."
Orochimaru unrolled the scroll. It was covered in notes. Diagrams. Photos of failed experiments—bodies twisted and mutated.
"I've tried sixty-three times to integrate Hashirama's cells into living subjects. Sixty-two failed catastrophically. Only one subject survived—and only because the integration was performed in infancy."
"Why tell me this?"
"Because you're an Uchiha. You have the Sharingan. And I'm beginning to think..." Orochimaru leaned forward. "That the Sharingan might be the key to successful integration."
Hook set. Now to play it carefully.
"How?" Sasuke asked.
"The Sharingan perceives chakra at a cellular level. It could theoretically monitor and guide the integration process. Control the cellular merger instead of just enduring rejection."
"Theoretically."
"Yes. Theoretically." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with manic excitement. "Would you be willing to test that theory, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke pretended to consider it. Let silence stretch. Made it look like he was weighing the risks.
Finally: "What would I gain?"
"Everything. Enhanced healing. Massive chakra reserves. Potentially Wood Release. The power of both Uchiha and Senju bloodlines in one body. Exactly what Madara Uchiha spent his life pursuing."
"And if it fails?"
"Then you die screaming like the other sixty-two." Orochimaru said it matter-of-factly. "But I don't think it will fail. Not with you."
Sasuke let another moment pass. Then nodded slowly.
"I'll do it."
Orochimaru's smile was triumphant. "Excellent. We'll need months to prepare. Your body needs to be in peak condition. Your chakra control must be perfect. And your medical knowledge needs to be comprehensive enough that you understand exactly what's happening during integration."
"How long?"
"Six months minimum. Possibly longer." Orochimaru stood. "But when we're done, Sasuke-kun, you'll be something this world has never seen."
Sasuke allowed himself a small smile.
Everything was going according to plan.
To be continued...