028 The Hokage is sickly, you should encourage him?

"Where did this come from?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi toyed with the severed tentacle of the Eight-Tails, Gyuki. "Quite capable, aren't you? You even brought back a Kumogakure specialty. It doesn't look much different from an octopus tentacle..."

Orochimaru felt reassured.

His teacher had not immediately asked why he had failed to report it...

That settled half the matter.

"When the Eight-Tails was caught in Kurama Genshin's genjutsu, I used the Kusanagi Sword to cut some of it off from a distance..." Orochimaru added softly. "There wasn't just this. There was another piece."

He roughly gestured its length with his hands.

"You brat..." Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a chuckle. "If you'd kept it hidden, probably no one would ever have found out."

Orochimaru smiled as well. "It's a Tailed Beast, after all. How could I not tell you, Teacher?"

"I just wasn't sure of your attitude. This thing is dangerous, after all. I was thinking of keeping a little for experimental data, just to get a taste of it, but overall, I'll follow your opinion."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat surprised inwardly.

As expected of his most outstanding student... He had already become adept at the conversational tactic of retreating in order to advance!

It really was pleasant to hear!

But so-called routines and techniques could not create something out of nothing. At most, they made words sound better and reduced friction and internal conflict.

The core lay in whether both sides' "bottom lines did not clash and their interests could align."

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew very well that for a ninja like Orochimaru, demanding one hundred percent obedience to the rules was basically impossible.

That kind of self-awareness was sometimes precisely the source of their ability to create value.

So long as they did not touch the bottom line, they should be given a certain degree of freedom.

"So that's your fixed impression of me..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, taking out his pipe. "To some extent, the history of war in the Shinobi World can also be seen as the history of ninjutsu's evolution. I've never held any aversion toward research."

"It's just that research and development often come with bloodshed. What I worried about in the past was that the results had yet to bear fruit, while the price had already become more than the village could bear."

"Now, I've come around. We just need to find a way to shift the cost elsewhere. The village can provide you with assistance."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke.

"But don't do things like half-deceiving, half-coaxing members of the Iburi and Tsuchigumo Clans away, then using their physical traits to research the First Hokage Cells."

"Though they are not Konoha ninja, they have lived within the Land of Fire for a long time. Once our finances are more comfortable, you and I can draft a charter and tie up this loose end."

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. "I understand, Teacher!"

How could he not understand what shifting the cost and receiving the village's assistance meant?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's bottom line was also clear: without permission, he was not allowed to lay a hand on members of the village or even the Land of Fire.

That was not excessive.

"We are both Konoha ninja. I grew up under the protection of Lord Hashirama and Lord Tobirama.

"And you were raised bit by bit by me, holding Konoha's ninjutsu texts in your hands and relying on the village's resources..."

"Now that you've grown up and become strong, you should always think of giving back to the village. So long as you have that intention, what does researching Tailed Beasts amount to?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke to Orochimaru with both emotion and seriousness.

"Teacher, with those words from you, if anything similar happens again, I'll definitely report it immediately..." Orochimaru grinned.

Hiruzen Sarutobi seemingly shook his head helplessly, then laughed and scolded, "You brat!"

"Take this list and have a look."

Orochimaru took it, raising a brow.

It was clearly a list of "Konoha Committee Members," with several names highlighted in red.

The first was his own, followed by Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans.

Next came the heads of the Inuzuka Clan, Aburame Clan, and Kurama Clan, along with Hatake Sakumo and Yuhi Shinku.

"These eleven people are the overlap among the lists each drawn up by Koharu, Homura, and Danzo. They're also the ones I approve of," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

Orochimaru nodded. What caught his attention more were two pairs of names.

They were Hizashi Hyuga and Hyuga Tenzo, as well as Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Isshin.

He gave the rest a cursory glance. They were all non-clan ninja, such as Shirakumo Kosan.

There was even one name he did not know—Maruboshi Kosuke. "This one... he's probably not a Jonin, right?"

Orochimaru raised a brow, noticing that two slots were still vacant.

"Do you have anyone in mind? I'd like to hear your opinion." Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile.

Orochimaru's heart stirred.

Oh? What was his teacher trying to do here?

He was merely a Jonin, and only one of the "Konoha Committee Members." How could he be involved in such major personnel decisions?

This wasn't appropriate, was it?

Yet his body honestly broke into a grin, as though a voice were telling him, "This is Crown Prince treatment!"

"Hmm... I have a friend who is also a Jonin. His name is Hiruko," Orochimaru said slowly after pondering for a moment.

"His combat ability isn't outstanding among Jonin, but he has considerable insight into ninjutsu and understands research far better than ordinary ninja."

Hiruzen Sarutobi searched his memories and realized he had no particularly deep impression of this ninja.

He was fairly average in every respect.

But after thinking it over, that was only natural. After all, not every research talent was like Orochimaru, who had the status of the Hokage's disciple as well as abundant resources.

Even gold would not shine if buried in a pile of sand, much less a research-oriented talent cultivated over the long term.

"Good. Have him come see me tomorrow." Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his brush and wrote Hiruko's name on the paper.

Orochimaru found this deeply satisfying.

Regardless of whether Hiruko would ultimately be selected, having his name personally written onto the candidate list was already a form of recognition.

"I'll keep this portion of the Eight-Tails..."

"As for the rest of the Eight-Tails' tissue, make sure to pay attention to safety during your research. If you have any ideas, come discuss them with me. I'm also very interested in the peculiarities displayed by Tailed Beasts."

Tailed Beasts were something Hiruzen Sarutobi still could not fully comprehend.

At times, they existed as pure Chakra; at other times, they were living organisms, and they also seemed like aggregates of resentment.

Some records stated that Tailed Beasts would be reborn several years after death. As though they were creations of heaven and earth, they followed rules distinct from those governing all other living things.

There had to be some great secret hidden within.

"I understand, Sensei. I also have great need of your wisdom..." Orochimaru replied with a smile.

"You were puzzled when you saw Isshin, Fugaku, Hizashi, and Tenzo's names. You were wondering why I added them to the list, weren't you?"

"My core purpose in sending Hizashi into the Anbu wasn't to suppress the Main Branch, but to make the Hyuga serve the village..."

"Giving the Main Branch a seat preserves their dignity and keeps them from being driven to extremes. It also confines the framework of the struggle to the Branch Family and the Main Branch, so the front line of the conflict won't be the village against the Hyuga."

"Uchiha Isshin and Fugaku are a different case..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laid out his reasoning for Orochimaru. "Uchiha Isshin is actually somewhat like my former self—or Homura and Koharu, for that matter. At heart, he is an extreme conservative."

"Making him a Committee Member won't change his mindset in any way. It is meant to create a numerical balance between the Uchiha and the Hyuga."

"Judging from Sakumo's report, Uchiha Fugaku was quite positive from the very beginning about having his clansmen participate in the Patrol Force. That is where he differs from Isshin. He is someone we can win over."

"Establishing a bridge for communication in advance will benefit the relationship between the village and the Uchiha."

"You probably already have a vague sense of these things. As your teacher, I'm merely helping you sort them out. It will help with your work in the future."

Patting his disciple on the shoulder, Hiruzen Sarutobi said with emotion, "I'm no longer young! The future will depend on all of you..."

The Hokage was growing old; it was up to them to strive on?

"Sensei, don't say that..." Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly. Doing his best to calm his heart, he offered an auspicious reply. "You can still lead Konoha for another hundred years!"

"More jokes? Only a Sage could work for a hundred years without growing weary, I'm afraid." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand.

Yet inwardly, Lord Hokage was thinking that he truly might not lack the possibility of living a long life...

If that happened, he wondered whether Orochimaru would cry out, "How could there be a Crown Prince of fifty years?"

The thought was rather amusing.

But that possibility ultimately had to be put into practical action before him, allowing both the village and his own talents to flourish together.

So he only let such thoughts pass through his mind occasionally, lest they distract him.

"How is your research into the Second's notes coming along?" As if to change the subject, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked casually.

"I've found many very interesting points. I'm close to completing a Forbidden Technique."

"Once I've completely finished it, I'll give you a surprise. Though it may also be a fright..." Orochimaru joked mysteriously.

In the past, Orochimaru had hesitated. A Soul Transfer technique capable of achieving the effects of Soul Transfer was still too shocking; it would be best if his teacher did not know about it.

But after reading through the techniques and concepts Senju Tobirama had researched, Orochimaru was at ease.

Compared to that, he was actually rather restrained. For true uninhibitedness, one had to look to this Senju of love.

His teacher was the Second's disciple. His capacity for acceptance should be quite strong!

"Alright, then I'll look forward to your technique..."

"There are no incorrect techniques, only incorrect uses." Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to see through Orochimaru's thoughts. "Don't burden yourself. At worst, it can be placed in the Scroll of Sealing."

Orochimaru listened with great comfort.

After Orochimaru took his leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi considered his next move.

After Kushina and Tsunade visited Mito Uzumaki, it would be his turn to pay her a visit.

The wind blown by the Administrative Department toward the Land of Fire had already begun to stir. The Daimyo had shown intense interest in the "miraculous elixir" and had repeatedly asked for Hiruzen Sarutobi to come see him.

It was time to establish this steady stream of cash flow...

"I should take another look at Sensei's Secret Archive." Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flashed.

If Orochimaru's line of thought was similar to his own, then it was time to prepare a new identity and a new body for his teacher!