Torifu Akimichi Leaves the Mountain, Konoha's Ultra-High Standard Laboratory

Konoha.

A secret underground base.

This had once been the site of Orochimaru's clandestine research.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi exposed Shimura Danzō's compromising material, Orochimaru had voluntarily handed it over to the village.

Yet Orochimaru had been quite pleased, because after handing it over, he had openly applied to the village for research funding—and it had been approved with remarkable ease and generosity...

As a result, the place had been completely transformed.

This experimental base used to lack proper equipment. For the sake of secrecy, the lighting had been dim and ventilation inadequate, leaving it foul-smelling and the floors slick, like an underground Exchange Office...

Orochimaru had been quite dissatisfied with that as well.

Just because he was close to "snakes" did not mean he liked cave-like environments.

What scientist would not want their Laboratory to be at least "sterile and dust-free," with fully equipped facilities?

But things were different now...

His teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, strongly supported his technological development!

Inside the bright, spotless Laboratory, large-scale sterilization and dust-removal equipment, as well as constant-temperature and humidity-control machines, ran at full capacity. There were high-end centrifuges, microbial analyzers, reaction kettles, chromatographs—all piled up without regard for cost...

Every instrument he could possibly need was available.

If it could be bought, he bought the best.

If it could not be bought, Orochimaru purchased the finest materials and built one himself. If any equipment needed to be modified with ninjutsu, he could openly call people over to help.

Orochimaru looked at the report in his hands, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose.

A Laboratory of this caliber was absolutely one of a kind in the shinobi world! Not to mention that it would continue expanding...

Just staying here made him unwilling to go home.

Orochimaru felt that he was merely smiling.

But to Nara Kashan and Torifu Akimichi beside him, the boy had not simply been smiling these past two days—he had been in a constant state of intense excitement!

As if he had been pumped full of stimulants...

That was because, to Orochimaru, working in an environment like this was a form of enjoyment...

At that moment, Orochimaru felt more keenly than ever how comforting it was to have Hiruzen Sarutobi's support...

Having a Hokage and a powerful Hidden Village at his back was simply wonderful!

"Everyone, busy?" Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the Laboratory wearing a white hooded sterile suit.

"Lord Third!"

"Teacher!"

The moment they saw Hiruzen Sarutobi arrive, everyone immediately greeted him.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi properly dressed, Orochimaru's eyes flickered as he silently mused, Teacher still respects technology...

When he had worked with Shimura Danzō before, it was not as though Orochimaru had never asked him to do the same. But the Darkness of the Shinobi World always wanted to flaunt his special status and would swagger right in.

Over time, Orochimaru had simply given up, and a perfectly good Laboratory had ended up looking like a slaughterhouse.

"Old brother, what brings you here?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up when he saw Torifu Akimichi. He quickly stepped forward and gave him a hug.

Torifu Akimichi clearly had not expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to be so enthusiastic, and his expression showed slight surprise.

All these years, he had voluntarily withdrawn from Konoha's upper ranks, not because of injuries or illness...

It was because, back when Senju Tobirama had taken it upon himself to stay behind, he had unconsciously said this: "A decoy? Then someone will definitely die. Who's going?"

After the Second Hokage died, Torifu Akimichi could never forgive himself whenever he thought of those words.

Whether it was Hiruzen, who had stepped forward to stay behind, Kagami, who had died in battle, Danzō, who had risen up after realizing too late, or Homura and Koharu, who had been analyzing their chances of breaking out...

He felt unworthy compared to all of them.

"Kashan told me that you, Hiruzen, were planning a major move for the village, and that you wanted to develop medicine to secure funding..." Torifu Akimichi lowered his head slightly.

"I know it's a wonderful thing. I may not be good at much else, but I do know a little about pharmaceutical development..."

"I thought I could at least contribute something to the village. I was worried the younger members of the clan might not be reliable enough, so I came myself."

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt deeply moved.

Ninja had survived for centuries as tools of killing, yet the emotions in their hearts burned intensely.

Torifu Akimichi's experience reminded him of another person from the same generation in the village.

Maruboshi Kosuke.

He possessed Jonin-level strength and had great seniority, but because an early mistake had led to the deaths of his teammates, he had willingly remained a Genin and always charged at the front during war.

"With a little polishing, this is excellent material for the Will of Fire..."

"What great propaganda material..."

Such thoughts flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind as he grasped Torifu Akimichi's hand. "There's nothing to be done about the past, but without you here, I've always felt something missing."

"Among the few of us, you really aren't suited for combat, but when it comes to managing logistics, you've always been the best..."

"This time, now that you're coming out of retirement, don't even think about going back. Do more for the village! If Tobirama-sama is watching from above, he would definitely want you to do this."

Torifu Akimichi nodded heavily.

Why did those words make his heart feel so warm?

"The laboratory has been set up very well, Orochimaru..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked around, raised a brow, and teased with a smile, "The equipment has been organized quite thoroughly, hasn't it?"

Clearly, much of the equipment would not be needed for developing the "Health Secret Medicine" used by the Nobles.

"It's a rare opportunity, after all, Sensei..." Orochimaru blinked. "It hasn't been easy! Please rest assured that this equipment will all be used for Konoha's development in the future."

"If you need funding or support with jutsu formulas, write me a report. The village has your back."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand generously. "Research and development naturally requires costs in the early stages. I understand that."

"These investments are all necessary. Science and technology are the primary productive forces—I've always believed that."

Upon hearing those words, Orochimaru mulled them over repeatedly, and his eyes lit up.

As expected of Sensei...

Even if Shimura Danzō thought for a hundred years, he would never be able to say something like that. He would only fuss over the so-called costs.

He wanted the ox to grow well, yet also wanted it not to eat grass...

Wasn't that sickening?

"Let me see your progress. How is it? Do you have a sample yet?"

"Over at the Administrative Department, Homura and Koharu have already begun sounding out the Land of Fire. We're proceeding on both fronts."

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"The preliminary sample is already complete. Using the Nara Clan's secret medicinal formula manual as the foundation, combined with Tsunade's adjustments and the ideas provided by Uncle Torifu, I also made some adaptive modifications."

"First is the fast-acting layer. After ingestion, it activates the body, creating a sensation of full-body comfort and light limbs. Snake Scale Extract is added to provide a calming effect."

Orochimaru introduced it in detail:

"Next is the long-term layer. Taking it repeatedly on schedule has anti-fatigue effects for ordinary people and will significantly increase the user's energy."

"With the Toad Skin Oil provided by Mount Myoboku, the prepared medicine has a gentler effect and better highlights its nourishing properties."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, fairly satisfied.

The effects he had requested had more or less been achieved in the initial product.

But when the sample was presented before him, he could not help but laugh.

Why did it look so much like a Military Ration Pill?

No matter how good its effects were, it could never fetch a high price looking like this...