The Frightened Konoha High-Ranking Officials, Hiruzen Sarutobi Requests an Audience

(The new book's recommendation count broke 300 in just three days. Deeply moved, I hurriedly added an extra chapter.)

Uchiha Dan could not help but give Orochimaru a mental thumbs-up.

That mind, that speed of reaction, that anything-goes spirit in pursuit of research.

He could only say that this was Orochimaru indeed.

Dealing with smart people was simply comfortable.

If it had been Jiraiya, he would have immediately scrambled to his feet and demanded, "Why did you hit me for no reason?"

"I was somewhat impulsive as well." Uchiha Dan blamed himself. "Indeed, we could have discussed this privately. My apologies, everyone. I deeply regret disturbing you all."

With that, Uchiha Dan directly took Tsunade's hand and left, while Orochimaru immediately followed.

They left behind only a crowd of baffled onlookers.

Hokage's office.

"Say that again?" Hiruzen Sarutobi shot to his feet, staring at Hatake Sakumo, who had come to report, with an incomparably terrifying gaze. His voice trembled as he asked, "Are you certain it was the Flying Thunder God Technique?"

"Not Flying Thunder God!" Hatake Sakumo explained.

"You dare submit false intelligence?" Hiruzen Sarutobi flew into a rage, his face flushing red with anger.

At a time like this, he still dared to submit false intelligence? Did he really think Hiruzen would not act against him?

"No, Lord Hokage, I said from the start that it was a ninjutsu very similar to Flying Thunder God." Hatake Sakumo hurriedly explained.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was instantly left speechless, because Hatake Sakumo had indeed reported it that way just now.

In his urgency, he had assumed Hatake Sakumo simply did not recognize the Flying Thunder God Technique, which was why he had used the phrase "very similar."

He had not expected it to be a misunderstanding, because it really was only similar.

"Tell me, then. How was it similar? And what was different?" Hiruzen Sarutobi calmed down somewhat and continued questioning him.

"More precisely, it should be teleportation!" Hatake Sakumo explained.

"Because when Uchiha Dan teleported, he did not rely on a Flying Thunder God Formula, nor did he need a kunai marked with a Flying Thunder God Formula to travel through space like the Second Hokage."

"Simply put, it was a Flying Thunder God Technique that could teleport without needing a formula."

"A Flying Thunder God Technique that can teleport without a formula..." Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered, feeling utterly terrible.

"Guards!" Hiruzen Sarutobi called toward the door.

As an Anbu Ninja entered, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately ordered, "Have Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Torifu Akimichi come see me."

"Yes!"

Elsewhere.

"Lord Dan, this is my latest research plan. What do you think?" After finishing his explanation, Orochimaru stared intensely at Uchiha Dan, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Tsunade was stunned as well. She had never imagined that Orochimaru... possessed such great ambition.

If this research, which Orochimaru had named Gene Engineering, succeeded, Konoha truly could make every person extraordinary.

It was just that the research process...

"Dan, isn't this research too cruel?" Tsunade began to hesitate, hinting at her concerns to Uchiha Dan.

She had promised Orochimaru that she would speak on his behalf, but this research was simply too cruel.

Although Orochimaru said he would use death-row prisoners, rogue ninja, and wanted criminals as test subjects, what if there were not enough test subjects?

Would Orochimaru take desperate risks and touch upon taboos?

"You..." Uchiha Dan pinched Tsunade's nose and smiled. "Humans and animals do not differ much in the composition of their genes."

"In the early stages, we can conduct all experiments on animals. Only after the trials succeed will we need the final verification."

"Animals..." Tsunade also felt it was somewhat inappropriate, but it was no longer unacceptable.

"Tsunade, no one knows when the next war will arrive." Uchiha Dan spoke seriously.

"Doesn't Konoha often receive missions to help villagers and citizens hunt down wild beasts?"

"Since they have to be killed anyway, it would be better to let those animals make some contribution."

"You are a ninja. There is no need for you to feel compassion for animals."

Tsunade nodded and did not argue further.

But she had never felt compassion for them in the first place.

As a ninja—and a Medical Ninja—who had grown accustomed to death and injury, how could she care about whether animals lived or died?

She could barely concern herself with whether Konoha's ninja lived or died.

What worried her was the sharp gleam that had flashed in Uchiha Dan's eyes.

Uchiha Dan was an exceptionally strong-willed person. Orochimaru could not influence him, nor could Orochimaru lead him astray.

Based on her understanding of Uchiha Dan, Tsunade was simply worried that once he threw himself into research, he would become oblivious to everything else.

A taboo?

Uchiha Dan did not care about such things at all.

"Tsunade!" Seeing Tsunade's concern, Uchiha Dan took her hand and reassured her, "I promised you I wouldn't lie to you. I always keep my word."

Only after receiving Uchiha Dan's assurance did Tsunade finally let out a sigh of relief.

As long as she could remain informed of the experiment's progress at all times—and knew the truth—there was naturally no need to worry about anything going wrong.

"Lord Dan!" An incomparably radiant smile appeared on Orochimaru's face, making him seem nothing like his former self. "May our cooperation be a pleasant one!"

"Orochimaru, don't celebrate too soon." Uchiha Dan's tone suddenly turned cold as he warned, "This time, over your use of Tsunade, I only pretended to strike. Consider it a warning."

"If there is a next time, I will strike to kill. Even if I cannot truly kill you, I will immediately end all cooperation with you."

"Please rest assured, Lord Dan. There will absolutely not be a next time!" Orochimaru promised with a serious smile.

Orochimaru was serious. After all, he had already achieved his goal, so naturally he would not waste any more time on other matters.

Once the discussion was over, Hatake Sakumo appeared again.

"Senior, did Hiruzen Sarutobi ask you to bring me over?" Seeing Hatake Sakumo's hesitant expression, Uchiha Dan asked.

"Uh... how do you know everything?" Though Hatake Sakumo was powerful, he was somewhat single-mindedly innocent, and he asked in confusion.

"Obviously, that was my goal from the start. If he wasn't going to summon me, why would I make such a scene?" Uchiha Dan could not be bothered to explain further to Hatake Sakumo.

"I'll go with you!" Tsunade immediately said.

"I'll go too!" Orochimaru spoke up as well.

This was the perfect partner he had worked so hard to secure. His reluctance to see anything happen to Uchiha Dan was exactly the same as Tsunade's.

"Fine. If you go, you can help keep those people in check and give me some room to talk with them."

"Lord Hokage... asked for you to come alone..." Hatake Sakumo reminded him.

"When you came to notify me, these two were right there with me. After hearing it, they insisted on coming. What could I do? What could you do?" Uchiha Dan said irritably. "Senior, hurry up and lead the way!"

No, Brother Dan, was it really okay for you to openly defy the shinobi regulations?

To the higher-ups, something like this could be treated as either a minor or major matter.

But they were trying to deal with you now. Wouldn't they seize any excuse to crush you?

Hatake Sakumo really wanted to warn him, but in the end, he did not say it aloud.

Nearly five years had passed. His understanding of Uchiha Dan was far beyond that of ordinary people. Once this guy made up his mind, what use would a few words be?

Before long, the group of four arrived at the Hokage Building.

After Hatake Sakumo knocked on the door, all four of them entered the Hokage's office together.

Seeing so many people arrive together, the five Konoha High-Ranking Officials present were all taken aback. Then, their expressions turned extremely unpleasant.