Hiroshi sat back at one of the tables, a relaxed grin on his face as he watched the chips pile up in front of him. Beside him sat 4.0. they are in a gambling house of mist. From last week , Hiroshi has been testing 4.0 .
"Jackpot again!" Hiroshi declared, pulling the mountain of chips toward him. "4.0, we're on fire tonight."
4.0 nodded slightly, laying down another perfect hand. "Probability of winning was 98.7%, Master. This is hardly surprising."
Hiroshi chuckled. "It's not about the odds, my friend. It's about the thrill! You should try to enjoy yourself. Loosen up a little!"
"I don't think that's part of my programming," 4.0 replied flatly, but Hiroshi swore he saw the faintest flicker of smugness in his synthetic eyes.
At the next table, a burly man with a face like a disgruntled walrus slammed his fists down.
"You cheated, you mechanical freak!" he roared, pointing a trembling finger at 4.0.
Hiroshi sipped his drink casually. "Oh, come on. Just admit you're bad at cards. Happens to the best of us."
The walrus-faced man wasn't buying it. He grabbed a half-empty beer mug and hurled it straight at 4.0.
It was an impressive throw—but unfortunately for everyone else, Hiroshi used chakra string and changed its trajectory, the mug missed 4.0 and smashed into the face of a fellow gambler seated two tables over.
The room went silent for a fraction of a second.
Then chaos erupted.
"You're dead!" the man roared, leaping over. Chairs toppled, food went flying, and fists started swinging in every direction.
Hiroshi dodged a stray chicken drumstick, grinning ear to ear. "Now this is entertainment!"
4.0 ducked as a bowl of ramen soared past him, his reflexes honed to perfection. "Master, this is highly inefficient behavior."
"Relax, 4.0," Hiroshi said, ducking under a flying chair. "It's just a good old-fashioned brawl. You might even learn something!"
Before 4.0 could respond, the walrus-faced man, now covered in spilled sake, pointed at him again. "Fight me, you cheating ass hole!"
Hiroshi clapped 4.0 on the shoulder. "Go get him, buddy. Let's see what you're made of."
The crowd quickly formed a circle around 4.0 and the enraged gambler, cheering wildly as bets were hastily placed. Hiroshi, of course, made sure to put a generous sum on 4.0.
"Alright, everyone!" Hiroshi shouted. "Place your bets! My money's on the quiet guy with the perfect posture. Any takers?"
The walrus-faced gambler swung first, a wide, clumsy punch. 4.0 leaned back slightly,
dodging it with ease. "Your form is inefficient," 4.0 noted calmly, stepping aside as another punch whooshed past him.
The crowd laughed, and Hiroshi shouted, "Get him, 4.0!"
4.0 finally retaliated, delivering a precise jab to the man's gut, followed by a clean uppercut that sent him sprawling to the floor, unconscious.
The crowd erupted into cheers, and Hiroshi pumped his fist in the air. "That's my boy! Told you he'd win!"
As the chaos died down and the other gamblers returned to their tables—now with a few bruises and less dignity—Hiroshi collected his winnings from the side bets.
"Nice work, 4.0," Hiroshi said as they exited the gambling house, pockets heavy with cash. "See? A little fun doesn't hurt."
4.0 tilted his head. "If you say so, Master. But next time, I suggest avoiding environments prone to... food-based projectile warfare."
"Where's the fun in that?"Hiroshi laughed.
"Now about your first mission…"
…
4.0 moved soundlessly through the dimly lit corridors, his synthetic eyes scanning every corner for traps or hidden shinobi.
"Area is secure for now," Nova said. "Proceed cautiously. Orochimaru is unpredictable."
His mission is to investigate Orochimaru.
4.0 nodded subtly as he slid into the main chamber undetected. The room was a chaotic blend of brilliance and madness: shelves lined with jars of preserved organs, scattered notebooks filled with barely legible scrawl, and glowing vials containing liquids of various colors.
A massive chalkboard dominated one wall, covered in diagrams, formulas, and unsettling sketches.
4.0's eyes locked onto a large desk cluttered with files. He moved to it, his fingers skimming over the papers as he uploaded the data to Hiroshi's control room in real time.
Experiment 1: Human-Animal Hybrids
The first set of files detailed experiments on fusing human and animal traits. Diagrams showed amalgamations—a human torso with wolf-like limbs and another with wings.
4.0 tilted his head. "Highly inefficient designs."
He flipped through the pages, noting Orochimaru's attempts to incorporate these hybrids into combat scenarios. "Master," 4.0 transmitted to Hiroshi, "Orochimaru seems to lack your precision. These experiments are crude."
"Focus, 4.0," Hiroshi's voice came through, calm but tinged with amusement. "We're not here to critique his artistry."
Experiment 2: The Will of the Universe
The next section stopped 4.0 in his tracks. It was labeled "Hypothesis: The Will of the Universe." Diagrams sprawled across the pages, illustrating a complex network of channels connecting planets, stars, and celestial bodies.
Orochimaru's notes theorized that these channels carried natural energy, forming a structure akin to a massive neural network, with planets functioning as neural cells.
4.0 scanned the pages, transmitting them back to Hiroshi.
"Interesting," Nova commented. "The hypothesis suggests a grand-scale interconnectedness. If correct, this could redefine our understanding of natural energy."
"Ignore it," Hiroshi's voice cut in sharply. "We don't have time for Orochimaru's philosophical daydreams. Focus on the practical applications."
4.0 hesitated for a fraction of a second before closing the file. He continued his search.
Experiment 3: Sharingan
"Not surprising," Hiroshi said, "He's always been obsessed with forbidden knowledge. Keep going."
Experiment 4: Building Block of Life.
4.0's eyes narrowed as he reached the final set of files. It described an experiment eerily similar to Hiroshi's Miller-like experiment. However, instead of using natural energy as Hiroshi had, Orochimaru infused the chemical mixture with chakra.
The results were startling. Orochimaru had successfully created rudimentary life forms—virus-like entities capable of replicating themselves using chakra. 4.0 froze momentarily, the implications racing through his processors.
"Master," 4.0 transmitted, "you'll want to see this."
The live feed from 4.0's perspective appeared in Hiroshi's control room. Hiroshi's brows furrowed as he analyzed the data.
"Chakra as a catalyst for life..." Hiroshi murmured. "He's replicating my experiment, but with chakra instead of natural energy. This changes things."
"What's the plan, Master?" 4.0 asked.
Hiroshi's voice was cold and decisive. "I need to talk to him. Get to Orochimaru now. I want to have a conversation face-to-face."
4.0 moved deeper into the lab, following Nova's directions until he reached a large, dimly lit chamber. Orochimaru stood at a table, hunched over a jar containing a writhing, glowing organism. His golden eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he scribbled notes.
"Orochimaru," 4.0 said, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The snake-like man turned, his expression briefly puzzled before twisting into a grin.
"Zetsu? What are you doing here? Obito didn't mention sending you."
4.0 didn't respond. Instead, his form began to shift, his black-and-white features morphing into the blond-haired disguise Hiroshi often used. Orochimaru's grin faltered as he stepped back, his instincts kicking in.
"Who are you?" Orochimaru hissed.
Hiroshi, now fully in control, crossed his arms. "Someone who understands your work better than you do."
"Is this some sort of trick?" Orochimaru sneered. "A ploy by Obito?"
Hiroshi smirked, gesturing toward the jar on the table. "Your experiment... creating life using chakra. You're close, but you're missing the point."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"
Hiroshi leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but commanding. "Natural energy, not chakra. Chakra is limited. Flawed. If you want to perfect this, you need a purer source."
Orochimaru's suspicion wavered, replaced by intrigue. "You speak as if you've done it."
Hiroshi's grin widened. "I have. And I can help you. But first, I need something from you."
Orochimaru's curiosity turned to wariness. "What do you want?"
Hiroshi's tone darkened, his eyes gleaming with purpose. "The location of Ryūchi Cave."
...