The room didn't appear large enough for the forty some inhabitants to each have a cell to their own. From the looks of it, there were two to a cage. Maki nodded solemnly, "Alright... Let's go on."<br/><br/>They spent awhile going through room after room. In one, there were operating tables surrounded by shelves and books. Unlike in the 'prisoner's room', they had left here in a hurry. Scrolls and tomes were scattered around. Maki picked a few up and read through them... They were everywhere, some of them were about techniques far beyond a genin's understanding. Others were logs, details on the experiments' progress...<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">The maruta Kitano sent has actually been preforming splendidly. Of the sixty subjects undergoing drug therapy, only he and subject 9 have shown satisfactory development. We tested them on a number of factors. Even Ryoichi-sama could barely keep up with their nociceptive withdrawal reflex, and they showed a marked improvement on intelligence and aptitude tests. Muscle mass has shown only a moderate overall increase, but exertion tests revealed an improvement beyond what is normal. Further study will be needed.<br/><br/>On a related note, subjects 9 and 41 share a cell. There is no way to verify if it is merely a coincidence... but they have developed a rather close bond.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Maki was still carrying a book as they walked, her interest in it almost to the detriment of what was ahead of them... Thankfully they hadn't ran into any traps or other nasty surprises, or she too would have been caught unawares. But when they came through into the next room, her eyes widened and she stopped dead in her tracks.<br/><br/>They came upon a large chamber with sunlight peering through the ceiling... part of the ceiling collapsed, illuminating on the ground... a pile of skeletons. (http://youtu.be/nI1KiUoHBHU) Many of them were only partially developed- adolescents or teens. Were any of the shinobi to guess the exact number, they would accurate in assuming thirty nine. Atop the pile of skeletons, there were two birds, a raven and a hawk... They were surrounded by balconies above for onlookers to presumably watch the matches that went on in this arena-like room.<br/><br/>The jounin sighed, lowering her gaze away from the unfortunate sight, "It was said that the Bansentennin were heroes. They healed the sick... Some even said that the clan possessed the ability to bring the dead back to life, just as they were. But I guess it was all a bunch of lies." Maki said with a frown.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Subjects 41 and 9 seem to have developed a rather... peculiar affliction. They are degenerating at an accelerated rate. That is to say, aging. We've had them for only a year and a half and yet they appear to have matured at twice that rate. I believe it has something to do with the regimen. We're starting to wean them off of it a bit and we'll halt all ongoing tests. I believe we can slow down the process if they refrain from using chakra. I'm saddened to admit it; but it appears this project was a failure as well. Still, they have proven to be invaluable assets. They shall make fine additions to the ranks of Bansentennin, and hopefully with their talent- we can at long last achieve His dream.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"It's easy to lose your way..." The woman remarked, "Even the most virtuous man or woman... can become tainted in the pursuit of power. Or perhaps, inescapably<em>because</em>of it." The raven cawed and hopped down from the top of the pile, while the hawk ascended up into the sunlight above. After a noisy caw, the raven took flight after the other bird. "I think... we've seen enough."