Naruto: Reborn as Neji Hyuga After Dying in One Piece-Chapter 36. Hormone

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"My Lord."

Kabuto stood before Orochimaru, awaiting orders. Truthfully, he was intrigued by the mysterious gifts too.

Internally, he was slightly impressed. Whoever sent these items clearly understood Orochimaru's obsession to the core.

After all, the one thing Orochimaru pursued above all else was...

[Eternal Life].

"How interesting..."

Orochimaru licked his lips with that unnervingly long tongue. His golden eyes gleamed.

This mysterious sender... had piqued his interest.

"Let's see what your definition of 'the meaning of life' looks like."

At his word, Kabuto reached for the strange spiral-shaped shell, labeled the [Sound Shell].

It felt surprisingly light in his hand. He examined it, noting a slight indentation on its top.

That must be the activation point.

"My Lord, I suggest you step back just in case it's booby-trapped."

"No need," Orochimaru said smoothly. "Go ahead."

"Yes, sir."

With a deep breath, Kabuto pressed the shell's activation point.

A deep, resonant voice echoed out, catching both of them off guard.

The [Sound Shell] was... a recording device. And a sophisticated one at that.

But it was the contents of the message that truly changed their expressions.

The voice spoke of genetic theories, bloodline evolution, and cellular framework concepts so intricate that even Kabuto struggled to follow them.

But Orochimaru?

He listened with rapt fascination, eyes narrowing, mind spinning.

The deeper the voice delved, the more Orochimaru's understanding of bloodline engineering sharpened. There were terms he'd never heard before, but he pieced them together quickly.

And just as it approached the most critical part—

Crack!

The [Sound Shell] shattered.

Orochimaru's brow twitched. Even with his usual detached demeanor, a bulging vein crept across his forehead.

"Well now," he hissed, voice calm but menacing, "This one... knows how to get my attention."

Kabuto tensed. Orochimaru was actually angry a rare sight. The pressure in the room thickened, his killing intent tangible.

Kabuto's spine stiffened instinctively.

But then—

"My Lord," Kabuto stammered, eyes widening. "There's something else."

When the shell shattered, a small compartment cracked open, revealing two syringes and a folded slip of paper.

He picked up the paper and read aloud:

> "[Estrogen Hormone] — capable of fully converting male physiology to female."

Kabuto flinched. He eyed the labeled syringe, hesitated... and carefully placed it on the table.

Whatever its actual effects, he wasn't about to volunteer for that experiment.

Orochimaru, however, was utterly delighted. If someone could engineer this, then surely a [Testosterone Hormone] version existed as well capable of reversing the process.

"What about the second one?" he asked.

Kabuto read again:

> "[Regenerative Hormone] — may cure terminal illness at the cost of ten years of lifespan. Success rate: 1–2%."

"That's it?" Orochimaru's smile faded, voice turning cold.

"That's all it says, my Lord," Kabuto replied obediently, handing over both syringes.

'This sender is dangerous... and a little twisted' Kabuto thought.

He glanced at Orochimaru's current female body due to the last transfer Kabuto himself had assisted in. If Orochimaru were to inject that [Estrogen Hormone] again...

Nope. Not going there.

Thankfully, Kabuto's position within Konoha gave him some protection.

For now.

A low chuckle broke his thoughts. Orochimaru's eyes were glowing again.

"My Lord," Kabuto said carefully, "This makes me think of someone."

Orochimaru's smile disappeared. He'd thought of it too.

This gift... felt tailor-made.

"Kimimaro Kaguya."

He fingered the [Regenerative Hormone], slitted eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts.

He hated being manipulated but whoever sent this had done it flawlessly. Every detail was calculated.

The more they analyzed it, the more certain they became:

It wasn't from any Konoha shinobi.

None of the candidates from Team Guy, a Hyuga boy, and two civilians, had the reach, the access, or the knowledge to create this.

As for Might Guy himself?

That dumb ninja was immediately ruled out.

Why?

Because the only thing he's ever constructed... was a perfectly choreographed warm-up routine at 5am on a cliff shirtless while crying about youth.

He was immediately ruled out.

If he was behind this, then the only explanation was possession... or divine comedy.

"My Lord, do you think Kimimaro could—"

Kabuto didn't finish. He didn't need to. They both knew Kimimaro had once been Orochimaru's ideal vessel.

But his genetic disease had rendered him too fragile.

"Perhaps," Orochimaru mused, licking his lips.

After all, this kind of foreign, high-risk formula needed a test subject. And Kimimaro might just serve.

He withdrew a sample from both syringes, sealed it in a vial, and set it aside for later analysis.

"Prepare Kimimaro for testing. I'll call for you soon."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Kabuto bowed low and turned to leave, wiping sweat from his brow as he stepped out of the lab.

As for the final item, the mechanical [Mono-Eye], he didn't ask. That... was above his clearance level now.

Orochimaru stared at the [Mono-Eye], the two syringes still in hand.

"You've given me all these 'gifts.'"

His voice dropped to a hiss.

"What is it you're hoping to take in return?"

Orochimaru didn't believe in coincidences. And he definitely didn't believe in free favors.

This sender had a motive. And that motive had weight.

He mentally cycled through every face, every name but none matched.

"So cautious... hiding behind clever tricks."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Someone who walks in the light yet thrives in the shadows."

"Could it be Konoha? Or... another of the great nations?"

His mind spun through old memories.

Enemies. Allies. Betrayals.

A cold smile curled his lips.

Old man... I'm coming for you soon.

---

Moments later, two figures arrived.

Kabuto returned with Kimimaro at his side.

White-haired. Green-eyed. Crimson markings beneath the eyes. Calm. Controlled.

"Follow me," Orochimaru said without turning.

The two followed silently, deeper into the lab.

---

Konoha.

Neji sipped from his tea as a faint sensation flickered through his senses.

The [Sound Shell] had broken.

He smiled.

The third item, the [Mono-Eye], hadn't been activated.

Not yet.

"Looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer," he murmured. "But not for long."

He set the cup down and stood. Time to meet up with Tenten and the others.

It was going to be a good night.

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