The Adventurous Gamer Ninja - Daichi Hekima [Vol. 02]

Chapter 377 - Time to take you home, Sensei.

With Dragon (Daichi's Shadow Clone)

Dragon moved like a shadow through the dimly lit corridors of Orochimaru's western base. The metallic scent of sterilized surfaces were mixed with a faint, lingering odor of chemicals and preservatives. The further he advanced, the more unsettling the environment became.

Walls lined with reinforced glass cylinders which were filled with organic tissue samples, half-formed appendages suspended in glowing green liquid, and intricate machinery humming with activity.

'Orochimaru certainly spared no expense for a diversion. Or maybe...' The eyes behind the mask narrowed as Dragon thought of the possibilities. 'I doubt he expected us to even make it this far. Even if we figured out that sensei was in this country he must have had a lot of confidence that we wouldn't get to him or trace his shipments...'

Dragon walked up to one of the large circular glass chambers and inspected it. 'So then that means this could be one of Orochimaru's secondary research stations. Given the sophistication of the equipment, this might even be a redundancy lab. A backup in case the main base was compromised.'

"I'll need to work fast," Dragon muttered under his breath, pushing open a reinforced door.

The chamber in front of him buzzed with faint mechanical hums. Rows of cylindrical glass tubes stood in rigid order with some of them half-filled with amniotic-like fluid.

'Cloning vats,' he realized. Each connected to a tangle of wires and pipes. 'I can't believe he's progressed this much in cloning technology.'

The shadow clone's sharp eyes scanned the area, noting the complex interface of control panels. A long console stretched across the far wall, its flickering monitors displayed bio-readouts, chakra simulations, and genetic data.

Inside the incubation chambers were half-formed and grotesque—failed clones, incomplete cellular structures, and what appeared to be experimental tissue growth projects. 'So he's already started experimenting here huh. This is similar to the medical technology I found in his base in the Land of Rice. I was right. This is one of his contingencies, huh... To create these kinda labs all over the world, how much money did he spend? Where in the world did he get the funding for it?'

Dragon shook his head, steeling himself. "No time for curiosity. Must gather everything." He reached into his pouch and unfurled a sealing scroll. A swirl of ink spread across the floor, forming an array of intricate sealing circles. Churning up a surge of chakra, he began the standard storage technique.

'Orochimaru was planning something major. This level of advanced tech isn't just for minor experiments. He was working on long-term modifications... perhaps even trying to create the most perfect vessels. Hmm. It seems he's trying to perfect the art of bodily reconstruction. If he succeeds, he might be able to create new hosts with enhanced abilities.'

One by one, the giant machines vanished into the swirl of mystic symbols: the cloning vats, the fluid containers, monitors, tubes, each sealed away in a single large scroll. The clone strained at times, but Orochimaru's absence granted him precious minutes.

'Now that he's preoccupied with Danzo and the others, I'll have time to take everything. Combined with all the stuff I took from the other hideouts, I'll be able to create one of the most advanced laboratories in the world. Once all this mess is sorted out I'll have to start putting my plans into motion.'

Dragon crossed the lab to another set of consoles. They bore several monitors, each flickering with readouts of cell growth rates, strain tests, wood-style data. "So he was analyzing the possibility of replicating Senju DNA here too," Dragon muttered, scanning the screen. 'He must have made these experiments to show the finance minister. A proof to keep him on the hook.'