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Whoosh.
The infusion of Hashirama Senju's chakra was complete. On the back of Sasuke's neck, the Cursed Seal had transformed entirely into a pure, stark white.
The White Cursed Seal.
Sasuke could no longer sense the lingering 'consciousness' that had once resided within the original mark. He had his own theory about this.
The technique known as the Cursed Seal shared fundamental similarities with the 'Karma' used by the Ōtsutsuki clan for reincarnation in the future.
And Karma had two forms: 'Black Karma' and 'White Karma'. The former housed the consciousness of an Ōtsutsuki, while the latter was purely a vessel for transferring power.
In Boruto's era, Isshiki had implanted 'Black Karma' on Kawaki and 'White Karma' on Code.
Therefore, Sasuke concluded, was this White Cursed Seal Orochimaru's development based on the principles of White Karma? A means to fully entrust the power of Hashirama Senju to him!
Sasuke immediately tried to release the White Cursed Seal.
White patterns erupted from the seal, spreading over his left arm before crawling further across his left chest and upper back.
"Ungh…" He couldn't push it any further. And the left side of his body covered by the markings… it was agony. A white-hot, numbing pain that stole all sensation.
"The chakra of Hashirama Senju… is this heavy a burden for my current body?" he gritted out. "The pain from my first Susanoo doesn't even compare to half of this. And this is just the first stage of the seal's release… What comes after…"
Orochimaru interjected, "Do not reference your past experiences with the Black Cursed Seal. The change from black to white isn't merely cosmetic; the underlying principles are fundamentally different. The Black Cursed Seal was always an external power source. The White Cursed Seal is a vessel. It stores power you cannot currently bear, power that will inevitably become a part of you."
"As you release the seal, your body will gradually absorb Hashirama's power stored within it. Your physical cells, your chakra… they will all become Hashirama-fied."
"Therefore, what you must do now, Sasuke-kun, is maintain this released state in your daily life. I trust you can deduce the reason yourself."
Sasuke pondered. "Like… weighted training for a taijutsu practitioner?"
Orochimaru nodded. "Precisely. Adaptation is the prerequisite for absorption. It will be difficult at first. But once your body begins to adapt, the absorption rate will increase exponentially. However… your body is currently too young, and Hashirama's power is too vast. To fully absorb the White Cursed Seal, you will require at least three years."
Sasuke's gaze darkened. "Three years… A full three years, just to master Hashirama's power?"
To close a gap of thousands of years against Shibai in thirty… Even accounting for a tough start, three years felt like an eternity.
"Which is why," Orochimaru said, a sly edge returning to his voice, "we must employ… extraordinary methods to accelerate the process."
"Extraordinary methods?"
"Nothing promotes growth like combat. Especially battles against overwhelming odds. When body and mind are pushed to their absolute limits, facing imminent destruction… that is when potential erupts most violently."
"That… is true."
Sasuke agreed wholeheartedly.
The reason he and Naruto had surpassed the achievements of Madara and Hashirama by sixteen wasn't just their inherent capacity. It was the series of extreme, life-or-death battles they'd been thrown into one after another.
"Therefore," Orochimaru continued, "I propose a Ten-Battle Project. If successful, it can compress the three-year timeline into one. One year is the absolute minimum. Any faster would cause irreversible damage to your foundation, crippling your future potential."
"Explain."
"For the first two months, you will maintain the released state of the White Cursed Seal at all times—walking, sitting, sleeping. To adapt and begin the initial absorption. Then, starting the third month, you will undergo one 'extreme battle' per month. Ten months in total… How fitting, it mirrors the gestation period of a human infant. After these ten battles, your metamorphosis will be complete."
Sasuke listened intently, then asked, "I see. And you've already selected opponents for these ten battles?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Not at all~. A fixed roster lacks reference value. I will select your opponents dynamically, based on your growth after each battle."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "So… for the first two months, I truly can do nothing else?"
Orochimaru's tone turned piercingly direct. "Sasuke-kun, I understand your urgency after being reborn. But excess in anything is counterproductive. Impatience will only breed negative results. Be at peace with these two months."
Sasuke focused on his left side—stiff, paralyzed by pain.
He's right. I can barely move, let alone fight. A two-month buffer is acceptable. I can use the time to… adjust my mindset.
A good thing… I'm not fighting alone.
"Fine, Orochimaru. We'll do it your way."
Whoosh.
Orochimaru released the Shinigami manifestation, reverting to his normal form. He looked weary.
Sasuke glanced at him. "The Shinigami's power… it's a significant burden for you as well."
"Naturally," Orochimaru admitted, wiping his brow. "Fortunately, unlike the Ten-Tails, the Shinigami's oppressive force is primarily mental. Without the protection from my future self, I truly couldn't have borne it~."
"Even so… five minutes is my limit for maintaining that state."
When the trio emerged from the underground base, it was deep night.
Standing in the biting wind, Orochimaru contemplated their next move. "First, we need to establish a base. The mission we carry permits no errors. Our old hideouts are unusable. We require a location completely undetectable, a stable, long-term headquarters."
Sasuke gazed up at the cold, clear moon. "I know a place. An island in the seas beyond the known ninja world, near the Land of Water. A unique magnetic field causes ships to lose their bearings if they approach. It's uncharted, isolated… a ghost island. I only found it once by accident, using the spacetime ability of my Rinnegan, and later figured out how to return."
"I named it Azure Moon Island. From its shores, the moon appears… pale blue."
Orochimaru nodded. "Good. Azure Moon Island will be our base. But before we go there, we have another destination. After all, there is a 'good eye' we should secure for ourselves…"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his gaze turning serious. "Lord Orochimaru… you speak of that eye?"
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