NARUTO: Ninja World Scientific Revolution

"Lord Orochimaru, it's quite late. Is there something you need?" Hyuga Mirai's expression wasn't one of exhaustion, but rather frustration. He had been interrupted while working on the electromagnetic sensor circuit system for his bio-mechanical assistant, which soured his mood.

"Heh heh heh, Mirai-kun, are you working on a new project?" Orochimaru's hoarse voice chuckled. He was well-acquainted with Hyuga Mirai's expression. It reminded him of how he had felt not long ago when his research on Hashirama Cells wasn't progressing. Danzo, that fool, had even come to check on him every couple of days, and Orochimaru had worn the same expression—perhaps even more severe. Seeing Mirai with that expression now, Orochimaru found it rather amusing. Could Danzo have been motivated to pester him so frequently because of his own disgruntled face back then?

"An idea came to me suddenly. So, Orochimaru-sama, do you already know about this?" Hyuga Mirai asked, as he began to suspect that this late-night meeting had something to do with his research.

Orochimaru nodded slightly, a faint smile on his lips. "During your mission, you didn't forget to take the puppets from Sunagakure. If it weren't for your treatment of the injured and the impressive completion of your task, the interrogation department would have already come after you."

Hyuga Mirai twitched his mouth slightly. "This little thing is being reported? Isn't collecting ninja tools during a mission completely normal?"

"But you specifically targeted the puppet masters. But these are just minor issues; after all, no matter how they complain, the ones who handle this matter will be me," Orochimaru laughed. Earlier that afternoon, someone had reported that Mirai had "recklessly" been collecting Sunagakure's puppets during his mission. Someone had suggested calling him in for questioning. After all, the puppets from Sunagakure were useless without proper knowledge of their techniques, and yet a branch member of the Hyuga clan had been collecting them in large quantities. It certainly seemed worth investigating.

In wartime, even the smallest anomaly must be scrutinized thoroughly. But Orochimaru dismissed their concerns. He knew that Mirai was a deeply hidden figure. If there were no pressing reason, Mirai wouldn't act out of the ordinary. Yet now, he was openly collecting Sunagakure puppets on the battlefield—he must be working on something new.

"It's a new type of bio-mechanical assistant. Once the energy drive problem is solved, the cost, loyalty, and convenience will only be slightly lower than a clone body. For now, it suits my needs quite well." Mirai casually tossed the half-finished design for the bio-mechanical limb system to Orochimaru for him to examine. This was the second version, and although there were still many parts to improve, Mirai had already moved on to the seventh version. Even after manufacturing, it would require more adjustments.

"Within the village, there are too many restrictions. With this assistant, I'll have an extra pair of eyes when I'm outside. By the way, Orochimaru-sama, do you have any predictions about the village's reaction to all of this?"

"Reaction? It'll be nothing more than scolding me. What, could they strip me of my position as Commander? Mirai-kun, what are your thoughts on the energy drive and mental control of bio-mechanical assistants?" Orochimaru inquired, although his tone carried a hint of amusement. Mirfai wasn't sure if Orochimaru had summoned him at this hour to discuss experiments.

Mirai squinted his eyes, not pleased with the interruption, but Orochimaru was blissfully unaware, still admiring the design of the bio-mechanical assistant. Using mechanical power was an intriguing idea. The human body had limitations due to pain and other factors, but the fusion of biology and machinery could break those limits. Orochimaru's mind wandered, contemplating how he could further enhance his own experiments. He had three test subjects who had merged with Hashirama's Cells—one of whom had awakened Wood Release and was given to Danzo. The remaining two had superior cell activity and chakra reserves. With Mirai's suggestion, Orochimaru had already taken them as his subordinates, and even though they had no special talents before, their new genetic advantages made them qualified to become Chuunin-level ninja. After returning, Orochimaru planned to use the bio-mechanical modification to enhance their abilities, turning them into useful subordinates.

As he pondered, Orochimaru found himself reluctant to return the design scroll. "Mirai-kun..."

"Take it, Orochimaru-sama. This is just a rough idea still under development," Mirai replied. He could already tell what Orochimaru was thinking; it was practically written on his face. To him, it was just an 'outdated' design. But he had something else to discuss with Orochimaru now.

"Orochimaru-sama, are you short on funds?"

Orochimaru froze for a moment before answering. "I'm fine for now, but I'll definitely need a lot of funds soon…" After all, who in research wouldn't want more money? If Orochimaru had enough funding, he could create ten of his own clones and conduct a massive number of experiments with Hashirama's Cells.

"Well then, we could make use of this war to gain some resources. You see, war is all about resources—ninja are no exception. I'm well-versed in medical supplies, and if you give me the assignment, I can handle it without anyone noticing. We could even procure shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags…"

The words that escaped Mirai's mouth were like whispers of temptation, revealing a whole new avenue for Orochimaru—an avenue to secure the funds necessary for his research. However, despite this enticing offer, Orochimaru was still a Konoha ninja. He didn't want to see the village lose the war. Research was important, but he didn't harbor no feelings for Konoha either.

"It's not about making Konoha lose the war or harming the lives of our fellow ninjas. With a thousand-man camp, if each ninja reports just a few extra shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags, it could add up to nearly ten million ryo in research funds. With your abilities, Orochimaru-sama, I'm sure Sunagakure won't last many more battles…" Mirai continued, pushing the idea further.

"Let me think about it, Mirai-kun." Orochimaru's mind was starting to waver, though he still hesitated. Manipulating the supply lines wasn't difficult, especially with Orochimaru's position as one of the Sannin—he could arrange anything in the camp.

Seeing that the conversation was reaching a crucial point, Mirai decided not to push further. The rest was up to Orochimaru's decision. However, he had one more request to make, which he took the opportunity to voice.

"Orochimaru-sama, could you assign me more independent missions in the future?"

"More freedom, you say? What do you mean by freedom?"

"Long-term reconnaissance missions."

"I see. Don't worry, Mirai-kun. Given the strength of your team, those types of missions are definitely a good fit for you."

(End of Chapter)