Inside Orochimaru's laboratory.
Diarmuid watched intently as Orochimaru finished stabilizing a strange fluid inside a glass tube, preparing to inject the concoction straight into his veins.
Though the exact molecular makeup of the serum remained an enigma, according to the joint theories of Orochimaru and Sasori, this exact compound would act as a catalyst to force his physical eyes to evolve, granting him the Sharingan.
Holding the loaded syringe up to the light, Orochimaru cast a piercing gaze at Diarmuid. "Are you absolutely certain you want to proceed with the injection right now? To be frank, given your current volatile condition, I cannot guarantee a flawless success rate."
Diarmuid lowered his gaze to inspect his partially translucent, spiritualized arm. A look of mild helplessness crossed his face as he muttered, "In this current state, I wouldn't dare step foot into the Pure Land. My only option is to remain in the living world and rely on the Spirit Transformation Jutsu to slowly grind away at this transition phase. At my current rate, I estimate it will take at least five long years to settle. I simply cannot afford to wait that long. Furthermore..."
If he tried to infiltrate the Pure Land right now, there was no telling what catastrophic anomaly might occur. If something went sideways in that realm, no one would be able to pull him back. It was far wiser to play it safe, stay put in the living world, and protect his vessel.
"I don't think there is anything left to debate," Sasori interjected flatly. "Diarmuid's current state can fundamentally be defined as a comprehensive 'reconstruction' of his entity. Therefore, it is actually superior to introduce the genetic power of the Sharingan right now, before his Spiritualization runs its course. This way, the ocular power can merge into the 'reconstruction' process alongside his changing biology, truly morphing into a power that is natively his."
Based on the rigorous analysis conducted by the three men, comprising the subject himself and two world-class scientists, they had established a definitive conclusion.
The process of Spiritualization was, in essence, a deep restructuring and integration of Diarmuid's physical vessel and core status.
Whether it was the power of a Devil Fruit, the integrated cells of the Wood Release, or the volatile essence of eternal life force, all of these elements, when traced back to their roots, were technically 'external forces' grafted onto his being. They were not traits he had been natively born with.
This violent spiritualizing process, however, was acting as a total systematic purge and alignment.
The moment this Spiritualization reached absolute completion, Diarmuid's physical form would literally be rewritten from the genetic level up. It was highly analogous to a total biological reset, returning to the womb to be forged anew.
Consequently, all these foreign elements would be thoroughly synthesized during the transition, transforming into powers that were, in the truest sense, natively and uniquely his own.
His soul would become entirely pristine. Everything would be redefined as an innate attribute.
Diarmuid hadn't actually considered this angle initially; it was Orochimaru who had first pitched the revolutionary theory.
According to Orochimaru's personal philosophy, the soul was the absolute blueprint of a human being, while the physical flesh was merely an interchangeable outer shell. Take Orochimaru himself, he walked the path of immortal consciousness, utilizing the Living Corpse Reincarnation every few years to hop into a brand-new vessel.
From that analytical perspective, one had to admit that the snake's logic was entirely flawless.
The soul was the true essence of life, whereas the physical body was merely a delivery vehicle. The vehicle could be swapped out indefinitely, but an individual possessed only one true soul.
Right now, Diarmuid's Spiritualization was effectively converting every single facet of his existence into spiritual energy, forging a pristine, sublime soul.
Once the process concluded, every single power he previously wielded would be hardcoded into his core soul.
Thus, Sasori's proposal to inject the Sharingan serum right now, capitalizing on this evolutionary window, was exceptionally logical. While it introduced a marginal element of risk, the absolute payoff was undeniably massive. It could potentially erase the minor biological defects of their previous prototypes entirely.
"Precisely. My thoughts align exactly with yours," Diarmuid agreed with a firm nod.
There was no time to waste; it had to be now.
Seeing that Diarmuid had completely resolved his mind, a razor-sharp smirk tugged at the corners of Orochimaru's lips. "Do not mistake my words; I have no intention of delaying you. It was merely a professional advisory. If anything, I am far more impatient than you are to see this 'experiment' reach its ultimate conclusion. Hehehe..."
"Experiment?" Diarmuid cast a deadpan look at the scientist, sighing. "You know, ever since the day we first met, you've done nothing but view me as a walking piece of prime laboratory material, haven't you?"
"But of course. You are, without a doubt, the most magnificent specimen I have ever laid eyes upon," Orochimaru replied with absolute matter-of-factness.
With that, he aligned the tip of the gleaming syringe with a prominent vein on Diarmuid's exposed arm.
"And here I thought we were genuine friends," Diarmuid grumbled, throwing in a dry retort.
"As a dedicated man of science, calling you my 'magnificent specimen' is the absolute highest form of validation and praise I could ever bestow upon our bond," Orochimaru chuckled softly.
Diarmuid couldn't help but let out a brief laugh at the sheer absurdity of the statement.
In the very next second, Orochimaru went dead silent. The needle pierced cleanly into Diarmuid's flesh, and with a swift, fluid motion of his thumb, the plunger was depressed.
The refined serum was seamlessly introduced into Diarmuid's bloodstream.
Much like the day Orochimaru had surgically grafted the Wood Release cells into his body years ago, this injection triggered absolutely zero immediate sensory feedback. It felt as though nothing had been introduced into his system at all. There was no pain, no burning sensation, and no sudden biological reaction.
"It's exactly like last time. Are you sure you didn't grab the wrong vial and inject me with standard vitamins?" Diarmuid remarked dryly as Orochimaru smoothly withdrew the needle.
"This is merely a testament to your monstrous physical constitution; it has nothing to do with the efficacy of my serum. Though, if my calculations are correct, a reaction should manifest right about now," Orochimaru stated smoothly.
"What kind of reac—" Diarmuid began to press for details.
Before he could finish his sentence, his entire field of vision abruptly dropped into absolute, pitch-black darkness.
"What is... this?" Diarmuid muttered, a trace of genuine surprise slipping into his voice.
Wait, did I just go completely blind?
"The reaction triggered that instantaneously? I was under the impression it would require an incubation window," Sasori remarked, a rare hint of astonishment surfacing on his face.
Looking at Diarmuid's eyes right now, one would notice that the sclera had completely vanished. His entire eyeballs had transformed into a deep, abyssal black. There wasn't a single trace of alternate color remaining, just a hollow, bottomless darkness that looked entirely vacant, as if his sight had been permanently extinguished.
"It appears the progression matches our theoretical model flawlessly; no anomalies have occurred. Tell me, has your vision failed completely?" Orochimaru inquired calmly.
Diarmuid nodded slowly. He didn't show a single shred of panic despite the sudden loss of sight.
To a powerhouse of his caliber, physical vision was merely a supplementary tool used to navigate daily life and take in the aesthetics of the world. When it came to high-intensity combat, there were far too many entities whose velocities far outstripped human optical tracking. Relying solely on one's eyes to fight at that level was nothing short of a death wish.
Thus, this sudden state of blindness wouldn't hinder his functionality in the slightest. His remaining heightened senses were more than capable of compensating for the loss, to say nothing of his advanced Observation Haki.
"Yes. My entire field of vision is locked in total darkness, as if my consciousness has slipped right into the Pure Land," Diarmuid explained.
"This is an entirely standard biological response. Your ocular nerves are undergoing a fundamental metamorphosis," Orochimaru reassured him.
"So, what is the estimated duration for this phase?" Diarmuid pressed.
While losing his sight wouldn't cripple his daily routines, he certainly didn't enjoy being left in the dark. It was only natural to want this transition over with as quickly as possible.
"My professional assessment is that it will conclude within a brief window. It could be a matter of three to five minutes, or perhaps a full day. In any case, it will not drag on," Sasori analyzed after a moment of thought.
Diarmuid offered a slight nod of acknowledgment before catching a nuance in the puppet master's wording. "Based on how you phrased that, I take it Orochimaru holds a differing theory?"
"Naturally. I am, after all, the true authority in this specific field of genetic engineering. I believe Sasori's deduction is fundamentally flawed because he views this as your body adapting to the modification of the new eyes. Whereas I..." Orochimaru trailed off, letting out a low chuckle.
Diarmuid arched an eyebrow, turning his vacant, pitch-black eyes toward the snake. "And your hypothesis is?"
"My hypothesis is that your new eyes are currently desperately struggling to adapt to the sheer magnitude of your body," Orochimaru stated with absolute calm.
Diarmuid blinked blindly. "...Is there a tangible difference?"
"Of course there is; it is a question of structural mass. If your body were adapting to your eyes, it would be a massive system assimilating a minor component. But with your eyes adapting to your body, it is a minor component attempting to process a colossal, overwhelming system. Given how deeply anomalous your physical constitution is, I suspect this assimilation will prove to be a remarkably drawn-out process. But do not fret, the outcome will be flawless. Consider this the necessary toll for inheriting a godlike power," Orochimaru explained, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Diarmuid remained silent for a long beat before asking flatly, "Give me a timeline. What is your estimated duration?"
"If the system processes it rapidly, perhaps ten days to a fortnight. If it runs slowly, upwards of thirty days... At the absolute maximum... it shouldn't exceed half a year, I suspect?" By the time Orochimaru reached the end of his sentence, a rare note of uncertainty crept into his voice.
Diarmuid's jaw nearly dropped. You couldn't have laid out these specific parameters before sticking a needle in my arm, you bastard?
"I am officially placing my full backing behind Sasori's assessment!" Diarmuid declared without a shred of hesitation.
"The absolute truth always rests in the hands of the visionary minority," Orochimaru retorted, completely unfazed.
Relying entirely on his razor-sharp sensory perception, Diarmuid stepped forward with absolute fluidity, tracking the exact position of a nearby chair and lowering himself into it without a single misstep.
Neither Orochimaru nor Sasori spoke a word. The three men remained inside the quiet chamber, waiting for any sign of a shift.
Roughly ten minutes ticked away in complete silence, yet Diarmuid's vision showed absolutely zero signs of restoring itself. Not a single glimmer of light broke through the absolute void.
Sensing the lack of progress, Diarmuid let out a heavy, defeated sigh. "It appears your grim theory was correct."
"The experiment has only just begun; perhaps it will miraculously restore itself by tomorrow morning," Sasori offered.
However, the moment the words left his lips, he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Well, I suppose I am merely offering empty consolidation at this point. Hahaha."
"You completely agree with Orochimaru's timeline too, don't you? You absolute bastard!" Diarmuid barked out, cursing under his breath.
"Seeing how effortlessly you navigated your way to that seat without your vision, it is clear this blindness won't impede your operational capabilities," Orochimaru advised smoothly. "In any case, while your body undergoes this Spiritualization, you shouldn't be engaging in any extraneous campaigns or deployments anyway. Take this window to remain here, recuperate, and let your energies settle. Cease all external operations. Wait until your eyes fully evolve into the Sharingan and your Spiritualization reaches a flawless completion before you map out your next move."
Diarmuid scoffed in dissatisfaction. "What do you mean 'cease all external operations'? I've been completely low-profile these past few years, haven't I?"
Over the last few years, he had been meticulously dedicating every waking hour to mastering the theory and execution of the Spirit Transformation Jutsu. Where exactly would he have found the time to cause chaos? He had barely stepped foot outside the borders of Amegakure!
Orochimaru chose to completely ignore the complaint, offering no response.
After grumbling for a bit longer, Diarmuid finally nodded in reluctant agreement. "Though, your point is valid. I had no grand designs for external deployments in the immediate future anyway. Moving forward, I intend to immerse myself entirely in mastering the intricate theories of Space-Time Ninjutsu. The domain is exceptionally deep, and I estimate it will command several years of intense study. This serves as the perfect window to lie low. I'll instruct Kakuzu and the others to dial back their activity levels as well. It's time for us to completely vanish into the shadows for a while."
"Did you not just state that during this Spiritualization phase, you are completely locked out of executing ninjutsu and channeling chakra from those specific sectors of your vessel? How exactly do you intend to practice?" Orochimaru interjected, raising an analytical point.
"The lockdown applies strictly to the specific zones that have phased out. Furthermore... even if that weren't the case, is there a law preventing me from mastering the raw theoretical blueprints first?" Diarmuid shot back defensively.
"Mastering theoretical blueprints? Meaning you intend to pore over ancient scrolls and texts, correct? But my dear friend, you are completely blind right now," Orochimaru pointed out dryly.
Diarmuid froze, his jaw tightening. Whose fault do you think it is that my eyes are currently out of commission? It was you who stuck me with that damn serum!
"Can I not simply commission a subordinate to read the texts aloud to me?! Where there's a will, there's a way, a lack of eyesight won't stall my intellectual advancement!" Diarmuid snapped in pure irritation.
"You are the commanding officer; whatever you say is absolute law," Orochimaru chuckled, finally backing down and ceasing his deliberate baiting.
"How incredibly tedious... I am returning to my workshop to refine my Human Puppets. The breakthrough from today's integration has granted me new insights. You two tedious fools can stay here and bicker to your heart's content. I am taking my leave." Sasori, completely drained of patience for their banter, tossed the words over his shoulder as he turned on his heel and exited the laboratory.
With that, the currently sightless Diarmuid officially commenced his deep-dive into the complex mechanics of Space-Time terminology, beginning his long-term strategy of absolute dormancy.
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