The boy sitting in front of the desk was named Yamato, his Root code was 'Jia'. He was the only ninja in the world with the ability to control Mokuton (Wood Release).
At around 11 years old, he had experienced more in his short life than most would in an entire lifetime.
Both of his parents had died when he was very young, leaving him an orphan. He wandered aimlessly until he was selected as a test subject by Genbu. He survived experiments that should have killed him—experiments that left him with the rare ability known as the "Wood Release"
Deng Shen stroked his chin as he examined Yamato, his gaze appraising the boy.
Despite the immense potential within him, this child seemed like the "chosen one," destined for greatness. However, the harsh reality of the ninja world was that bloodlines mattered more than anything else. If it followed the path of the original timeline, Yamato's future would have limited him to being an elite jonin, a position far from extraordinary.
But now, in front of Orochimaru, there was a chance for the boy's destiny to change.
Orochimaru sat at his desk, flipping through the research materials. His eyes moved swiftly, skimming through the documents with ease.
The records of the first-generation cell experiments were numerous, though often repetitive. In less than half a day, Orochimaru had read through all the data, sorting the important findings and setting them aside.
Deng Shen looked up, noticing Orochimaru's pleased expression.
"You seem to have found something useful."
"Exactly," Orochimaru replied, his grin widening with excitement.
"With Yamato and these new data, we can restart an abandoned experiment..."
He briefly explained the experiment before the two of them set off for the laboratory located outside the village.
Throughout the journey, Yamato's demeanor remained unchanged. Even though he knew he was heading back into another experiment, his blank expression betrayed no fear—only numbness, not resistance.
---
Konoha Forest, Underground Laboratory
In the depths of the laboratory, Orochimaru worked with careful precision.
He was extracting Yamato's cells, planning to use them as the foundation for creating a genetic agent that could allow others to control Mokuton.
The principles and steps for the experiment were already established—there were no technical difficulties.
The only reason the original project had been abandoned was that the first-generation cells, when separated from their original body, behaved like cancer cells. They absorbed the nutrient solution and self-proliferated endlessly, growing into enormous, uncontrollable trees.
But the cells from Yamato, based on the data from his Root experiments, were far more stable than those of the first generation.
Even with this improvement, Orochimaru faced six failures before finally succeeding.
He stood over a container of light green liquid, a look of satisfaction in his eyes as he shook the vial. With a deep breath, he downed it in one gulp.
In the past, such experiments required meticulous control, handling mice and carefully adjusting variables. But now, after learning a special breathing technique, Orochimaru had achieved greater control over his own body. Even if there were issues with the experiment, he was confident he could minimize the consequences.
"Ahh... ahhh..."
The light green liquid hit his system, and Orochimaru fell to the ground, convulsing. His body spasmed, and a short wail of pain was suppressed in his throat.
Rejection—just as expected.
Although Yamato's cells had been weakened, they still retained the aggressive nature of the First Hokage's cells. To control them, one needed strong chakra and powerful will.
Across the lab, Yamato watched Orochimaru's transformation. A flicker of emotion stirred in his usually lifeless eyes, though his thoughts remained unreadable.
The experiment didn't take long.
Orochimaru stood up, a hint of confusion on his face.
The expected rejection response had vanished. His body felt normal—too normal. There were no visible changes. He hadn't awakened Mokuton.
"No, the experiment succeeded," Deng Shen said, his voice slightly odd. "You've gained a new ability. I can see it clearly—it's just not Wood Release."
He had been observing the experiment from within Orochimaru's body, and he understood the changes better than anyone.
From his perspective, Orochimaru had gained a new piece of "information"—the sign of an awakened ability.
Without further explanation, Deng Shen took control of Orochimaru's hand, picked up a scalpel, and sliced a shallow wound across his arm.
The sharp pain interrupted Orochimaru's thoughts. He looked down, eyes narrowing.
The wound was healing on its own. It wasn't as fast as medical ninjutsu, but it was definitely healing—and consuming chakra in the process.
Orochimaru hadn't done anything to trigger it.
It was as if the body had developed a will of its own.
"Interesting," Orochimaru murmured, licking his lips. "Could this be the First's legendary regenerative power?"
"Not quite, but you've definitely gained part of the Immortal Body—a very incomplete version," Deng Shen replied, visibly intrigued. "It's passive, not activated like ninjutsu. Think of it as… a passive skill."
He sounded amazed—it was the first time he'd witnessed a host awaken a passive ability.
Orochimaru already possessed many passive traits. His chakra affinity was excellent in nearly every nature type.
But these abilities were always hidden—intertwined with the noise of the human body's natural functions. They weren't like actively cast jutsu, which Deng Shen could easily detect.
However, during this recent experiment, the process of Orochimaru's body developing new passive traits gave Deng Shen an idea. Perhaps he could devise a method to detect and analyze passive skills.
"I'll need to go quiet for a while," Deng Shen said suddenly.
Orochimaru frowned. "What, now? What about the layout we've been planning?"
"We had a deal—I'd help you, but if you start relying on me for everything… you'll die sooner than you think," Deng Shen said sternly. "You need to learn to stand on your own."
Deng Shen's tone was serious, but it was clear he was also trying to motivate Orochimaru with a dose of tough love.
From the beginning, Deng Shen's goal was clear: to evolve and grow stronger.
Ninjutsu and knowledge were quantitative gains—but the ability to extract and manipulate passive skills? That was a qualitative leap.
Now that a door to a new path had opened, he couldn't waste the opportunity—even if it meant leaving Orochimaru to fend for himself for a while.
Besides, Konoha wasn't going to collapse any time soon. Even if things went south and Orochimaru defected, like in the original timeline, it wasn't the end of the world.
Deng Shen's motivational words didn't quite land. Orochimaru scowled as his companion disappeared without finishing what they had started.
Still, in the end, Orochimaru knew—some things had to be faced alone.
He was more irritated at the broken promise than anything else.
As Deng Shen's voice faded into silence, he left one final message:
"Oh, and teach Yamato the Breath of Water. His potential is far greater than you think."
And with that, he was gone.
_________
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