Chapter 104:
Injecting anesthetic before the experiment was just basic protocol for Orochimaru. Once the subject was under, the next step was to administer the genetic repair fluid to restore his body to an optimal condition. The fact that the prisoner was unconscious and couldn't swallow wasn't a concern chakra could easily be used to guide the fluid down his throat. In this world, chakra had many applications, and this was just one of them.
After the gene repair fluid had taken effect, Orochimaru followed it up with a dose of the genuine basic genetic enhancement fluid. Within ten minutes, the young man's body began responding to the enhancements. Orochimaru calmly pushed the operating table over to the drainage area of his lab and, with a quick hand sign, summoned a stream of water using Water Release to clean the man thoroughly. Once the procedure was complete, he moved the subject into a secret chamber he had painstakingly built over the past six months.
The chamber was hidden deep within the lab, so deep that not even Danzo knew about it. Orochimaru had used Earth Release techniques to carve it out himself. It wasn't a particularly large space, but it was well-equipped and outfitted with three glass experimental capsules. These capsules were key to Orochimaru's cloning process, allowing him to grow and develop three clones at once.
Konoha's current level of technology wasn't advanced enough for such an operation, but Orochimaru didn't rely on Konoha's technology. He had access to advanced, black-market tech through his system, which provided everything from specialized equipment to silent power generators that ensured the lab stayed off the radar.
Now came the crucial steps: wiping the subject's memory, implanting new memories, and adding the necessary skills. Orochimaru had already worked out a rough framework for the clone's abilities. He didn't want the clone to be too strong, as that could lead to potential issues with control.
The plan was simple: the clone would have basic genetic enhancements, a diluted version of the First Hokage's cells, and a pair of Three Tomoe Sharingan. These abilities, combined with the clone's natural capacity to absorb chakra, would be sufficient for now. The diluted First Hokage cells weren't powerful enough to grant the clone access to Wood Release or the rapid regenerative abilities that came with the original, but they would accelerate the clone's growth and enhance its physical durability. This, in conjunction with the genetic enhancement, would be more than enough to handle the Sharingan's strain.
For Orochimaru, the process of creating clones wasn't just about replication, it was about control. He needed soldiers, but not ones so powerful that they could challenge him. The clone's skillset was designed to ensure it was competent, but never superior to Orochimaru himself.
***
While Orochimaru was deep in his experiments, Hiruzen Sarutobi was busy scouring the land for the two rare medicinal herbs that Orochimaru had mentioned for the strengthening fluid. Unfortunately for Hiruzen, these ingredients didn't exist outside the system Orochimaru had access to. After nearly a year of fruitless searching, Hiruzen's efforts returned nothing.