Chapter 68: Cleanse the Body Before Surgery

“If they truly lacked the ability to think for themselves, why would the Third Hokage and his peers bother trying to deceive them?”
“This…” Fugaku was left speechless.
Orochimaru glanced at Fugaku and let the matter drop.
It seemed that since the incident of the ‘White Fang of Konoha,’ those with even a modicum of standing in the village had grown sensitive to the concept of public opinion. Whenever similar events occurred, they felt compelled to comment.
But unlike Sakumo Hatake, Orochimaru found himself in a different situation, with a vastly different personality and ambitions.
His research into forbidden jutsu and cultivation of ‘Reanimation’ were certainly delicate matters, but as long as his chosen teachers weren’t village ninja, he wouldn’t violate the village’s rules. It wasn’t considered a mistake and would not incur punishment.
Sakumo Hatake, however, had abandoned a mission for personal reasons. Setting aside emotional considerations, he had indeed broken a ninja’s code and caused loss to the village.
Breaking the rules and causing real harm couldn’t simply be ignored; that was why the ‘White Fang of Konoha’ was subjected to such fierce public condemnation.
Of course, a few harsh words alone are inconsequential; even multiplied a hundred or a million times, they could never kill a shinobi of Kage level.
Yet, Sakumo Hatake aspired to become Hokage—not merely seeking the position as Danzo did, but hoping to become the Hokage in the hearts of Konoha’s people.
Such ambition and will meant that the villagers’ condemnation inflicted deep, overflowing wounds upon him.
When the beloved denied his ninja path and everything he stood for, Sakumo’s life collapsed entirely. Even if he didn’t take his own life, he would become dispirited and depressed—a different form of death.
But did Orochimaru desire to be Hokage? Did he love the village or its inhabitants?
Not at all.
Thus, the spiritual pressure brought by public opinion could hardly be considered an enemy.
Rules, and things that could cause actual losses, were the only concerns he needed to heed within the village.
Perceptions and opinions weren’t useless; for instance, later on, Orochimaru would hint to Fugaku and the Uchiha Police Force that ‘Reanimation’ was another transaction with the Third Hokage.
But for ordinary Uchiha who had neither awakened the Sharingan nor even become ninja, these matters held no value for them.
In the upcoming experiment with the First Hokage’s cells, they could contribute little, if anything at all. And the money they might offer wasn’t theirs to command, so it wasn’t worth considering.
“…”

After a few moments of silence, Fugaku spoke again, shifting the subject, and Orochimaru followed suit, nodding occasionally to acknowledge him.
The brief interlude with the Uchiha clansmen had left no impact; the chain of interests was solid and not easily disturbed.
Soon, the two arrived before the cylindrical building of the Uchiha Police Force, then turned into a small square-shaped building nearby.
This building had two floors: the first was an ostentatious medical room, the second a living area, while the basement was the site for the upcoming surgery.
Orochimaru had just settled into a chair when someone brewed tea and brought it over.
Taking a sip, Orochimaru waved his hand to dismiss the servant, his gaze settling on Fugaku with a smile.
“Clan Leader Fugaku, have you decided who will undergo the experiment? I must state clearly: the subject must volunteer. If he does not cooperate, the difficulty of the surgery will increase greatly.”
“I understand.”
Fugaku nodded, producing a list from his sleeve. “These five are Jonin from the clan. After speaking with them privately, each expressed strong willingness. Moreover… none of them are opposed to bodily modification.”
Truth be told, Fugaku himself was quite interested in Orochimaru’s ‘physical enhancement surgery,’ and he believed the risks for himself would be far lower than for others.
But as the Uchiha Clan Leader and liaison between Orochimaru and the Uchiha, he could not afford to take any risks now.
Orochimaru nodded slightly and took the list for inspection.
He was not unfamiliar with these five Uchiha Jonin; they had stood out during the ‘Tailed Beast Simulated Battle’ and the war against the Cloud Village, their abilities fluctuating between ordinary and elite Jonin.
After numerous medical procedures, Orochimaru had gathered extensive data and could claim to know their bodies better than they themselves did.
According to his research, Uchiha ninja generally fell into two categories: Ninjutsu specialists and Genjutsu specialists.
Outwardly, this was evident in the quantity of their chakra and the precision of their control—both of which correlated with the strength of their mental faculties.
For this first experiment with the First Hokage’s cells, Orochimaru was uncertain whether chakra reserves or mental strength had greater impact on the cells. To maximize success, he intended to choose someone balanced between the two.
“Jinsuke Uchiha—let’s go with him.”
Fugaku nodded, then summoned a clansman to bring Jinsuke Uchiha over.
He placed a scroll on the table. “Lord Orochimaru, this is the fee for the surgery.”
Orochimaru’s lips curled into a smile, more genuine than before. The white-haired youth in glasses behind him, on cue, collected the scroll.

“Clan Leader Fugaku, for safety reasons, you cannot observe the physical enhancement surgery. You will need to wait here for some time.
Also, there are inherent risks to this procedure. Should anything go awry, I ask you to help cover it up.”
“You are too kind, Lord Orochimaru.”
Fugaku replied, sipping his tea with a trace of regret on his face. But since Orochimaru insisted, he had no choice but to remain in the building and await the outcome.
Before long—about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea—Jinsuke Uchiha arrived.
Entering the medical room and seeing the setup, he immediately understood what was about to happen. Suppressing his excitement, he bowed to the two men.
“Lord Orochimaru, Clan Leader!”
“Excellent, the subject has arrived. Clan Leader Fugaku, I’ll leave things in your care.”
Orochimaru rose and headed for the basement.
Entering the surgical room below, Jinsuke Uchiha was taken aback. “So many devices! I didn’t expect the physical enhancement surgery to require so much equipment.”
The medical apparatus before him were diverse and dazzling; he could only name one or two, but witnessing such a scene gave him reassurance about the surgery.
Orochimaru glanced at Jinsuke Uchiha without explanation.
Actually, the equipment for implanting the First Hokage’s cells accounted for only about thirty percent; the rest were used to monitor the subject’s vital signs.
Their role during the surgery was limited, but they would prove invaluable for later research on the cells.
“Drink this, then head to the washroom and take care of your personal hygiene.”
The voice beside him made Jinsuke Uchiha stop his inspection. He accepted a packet of medicine from the white-haired youth, puzzled. “What is this?”
“A medicine to empty your bowels.”
Kabuto Yakushi, pushing up his glasses, eyed him indifferently, his smile cold and mocking. “Unless you want to defecate and urinate all over the operating table.”