Konohagakure.
Sora's figure appeared at the orphanage entrance, covered in dust.
He had stayed in that underground cave for over twenty days. He only began his return to Konoha five days before the mission deadline. On the way back, he took out a few Iwagakure logistical supply points located on remote routes, thus putting a perfect end to this S-rank reconnaissance and sabotage mission.
The mission report submission went smoothly. Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the detailed reconnaissance records on the scroll and the coordinates of those destroyed supply points. Not much emotion could be seen in his eyes. He just offered a few words of encouragement as usual and granted Sora another two days of leave.
Sora felt no ripple of emotion in his heart about this.
...
Returning to the orphanage, Sora immediately found Kabuto, who was buried in his books in his room.
"Sora brother. Look what I brought for you."
A gentle smile appeared on Sora's face as he took out several thick new books from his ninja tool pouch.
Kabuto looked up and pushed his glasses up his nose. When he clearly saw the words on the spines, 'Advanced Detailed Explanation of Human Meridians', 'Cell Activity Theory and Clinical Applications', 'Advanced Applications of the Chakra Scalpel', his eyes instantly lit up, as if seeing the most precious treasure.
"Sora brother." Kabuto exclaimed in delighted surprise as he carefully took the books, gently stroking the covers. "These books... they must be very hard to obtain, right?"
"It's fine. I just happened to come across them while on a mission outside." Sora said lightly, not mentioning that he had specifically sought them out from the black market in the Land of Earth. "Are you having any difficulties with your studies?"
Kabuto nodded vigorously, then shook his head somewhat sheepishly.
"There are some parts I don't quite understand, especially the part about stimulating cell regeneration with chakra. It feels like what the books say is a bit different from what I've actually observed... But I've noted it down and was planning to ask you when you returned, Sora brother."
Looking at Kabuto's thirst for knowledge, Sora's resolve to 'cultivate his own people' grew even stronger.
He patiently answered several of Kabuto's questions. Although he himself was not highly proficient in medical ninjutsu, relying on his foundational biological knowledge from his previous life and his powerful chakra control, he could always give Kabuto some enlightening ideas.
This exchange not only resolved Kabuto's confusions but also deepened Kabuto's dependence on and trust in Sora.
This was precisely the effect Sora wanted. Emotional investment was the strongest adhesive for maintaining this 'bond'.
After reassuring this future 'seed', Kabuto, Sora did not rest. He immediately began the real preparatory work.
...
Night quietly fell, and the orphanage gradually grew quiet.
Sora's figure flitted like a ghost around the outskirts of the orphanage.
He formed hand seals. Chakra flowed like fine threads from his fingertips, silently merging into the ground and the surrounding trees and walls.
This was a small-scale isolation barrier and warning seal. It wasn't particularly profound, but it was sufficient to warn against and block casual probing by ordinary ninja and even some special jonin.
The effect was similar to a soundproof wall plus a simple alarm system. Once any unit not permitted by his chakra signature intruded into the barrier's range, he would sense it immediately.
After completing this, Sora went to a small, abandoned warehouse at the back of the orphanage.
This place was piled with dust, and no one usually came here. It was the ideal entrance to the underground laboratory.
"Well then, let's begin."
Sora stood in the center of the warehouse and forcefully pressed both hands onto the ground.
"Earth Release, Excavating River Technique."
Chakra surged forth. The ground beneath his feet softened and writhed like water, but without making much noise.
A vertical channel about one meter in diameter extended downward at a visible speed.
Sora leaped into the channel. As his body fell, his hands continuously changed hand seals.
More Earth Release ninjutsu were performed.
"Earth Release, Earth Flow Rampart."
"Earth Release, Stone Pillar Prison."
His movements flowed smoothly, his control over chakra precise and meticulous.
A vast underground space rapidly took shape under his ninjutsu, divided into a main experimental area, an equipment storage area, a sample isolation area, and a small rest area.
Just creating the space wasn't enough. The laboratory needed to be clean, dry, and ventilated.
However, because his chakra reserves were insufficient, Sora rested for a while. Sensing his internal chakra gradually refilling, he took a deep breath.
"Fire Release, Great Fireball Technique. (True)"
A compressed small fireball slowly rotated in the center of the laboratory, emitting uniform heat, baking the newly formed rock walls and floor, dispelling moisture, and performing initial sterilization.
"Wind Release, Great Breakthrough."
"Water Release, Water Cleansing Wave."
"..."
Looking at the rudimentary laboratory, Sora clapped his hands, somewhat satisfied with his night's work.
"Indeed, in the Naruto world, when it comes to infrastructure, ninjutsu is the primary productive force."
"If this were in my previous life, a project of this scale wouldn't be completed without a construction crew working for several months."
Then Sora took out several sealing scrolls from his ninja tool pouch.
"Release."
Poof. Poof. Poof.
Accompanied by bursts of white smoke, the basic laboratory equipment he had purchased earlier from the Land of Earth black market appeared one after another.
Microscopes, culture dishes, surgical instruments, incubators, various reagents and medicinal herbs... Sora carefully placed these items, which Kabuto could currently use, on the stone tables in the main experimental area, categorizing them appropriately.
As for those expensive cloning devices, he did not take them out.
This was Konoha after all. Hiding it underground beneath the orphanage was relatively safe, but placing too many sensitive devices here would be impossible to explain if discovered. Moreover, Kabuto wouldn't need these for a while yet.
These high-end items would have to wait until later, when they were transferred to the Land of Whirlpools to establish a secret base, before they could be activated.
After arranging the equipment, Sora took out several pieces of 'Star Pattern Iron' of varying sizes from another scroll and placed them in several key corners of the laboratory. He then simply input a trace of chakra.
Hum...
A faint resonance sound arose. The natural energy and chakra fluctuations within the laboratory also became somewhat more obscure.
This was a small experiment by Sora. The good chakra conductivity and high density of 'Star Pattern Iron' could, to a certain extent, interfere with and absorb stray energy signals, enhancing the laboratory's concealment.
After doing all this, Sora began the final tests.
...
'Good. Everything is under control.'
After completing the tests, Sora stood in the center of the empty laboratory, looking around at this secret space that had consumed a large amount of his funds and effort, and which would play a key starting point in the future 'Kekkei Mora Plan'. A sense of achievement, hard to describe in words, welled up in his heart.
Starting from here, he was no longer just relying on foreknowledge to avoid risks and obtain resources. In a real sense, he was using his own planning and power to actively create and change the future.
"Next, it's a matter of patient waiting."
Sora's gaze seemed to penetrate the layers of rock, seeing Kabuto sleeping soundly above.
Waiting for Kabuto to digest that foundational knowledge, to grasp preliminary medical and biological techniques.
Then, he could gradually guide him to touch deeper things, starting from basic cell culture, then to the initial practice of cloning technology...
Ultimately, to become his most capable assistant in implementing the 'Oni Bud Technique' and ascending to 'Kekkei Mora'.
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