Hiruko and Orochimaru arrived together.
The two chatted and laughed along the way.
Hiruko had shed his usual gloomy demeanor. Even his fair complexion seemed to carry a healthy flush, the picture of a man invigorated by happy news...
After all, he was no longer an invisible figure among the Jonin.
Instead, he was one of the future "Konoha Committee Members," a golden ninja personally appointed by the Hokage!
Even if he could not match Orochimaru's good fortune of being taken as a disciple early on by the talented and discerning Lord Third... he had not wasted too much time himself!
It was still quite good... He had returned to the same circle as the three members of Team Hiruzen!
Orochimaru was also quite satisfied with the current situation.
His teacher strongly supported his research and had practically made it clear that he would become the next Hokage, provided that no one could outshine him.
After all, he still had to win everyone over...
But Orochimaru had no objections to that. He did not believe anyone could challenge him...
Shimura Danzō?
He seemed imposing, and his brain had gotten a little sharper, but in the end, he was nothing more than a stray dog lurking in the shadows!
Hiruko was also one of the supporters Orochimaru had prepared for his eventual bid to become Hokage.
Although the Land of Fire lay in a plain region and theoretically had no factions...
Once enough people gathered together, factions naturally formed.
For example, the two of them could be called the "Scientific Research Faction."
"Lord Hokage!"
"Good, sit down. I'll keep this brief."
Hiruzen Sarutobi handed Hiruko a copied volume of Mito Uzumaki's Sealing Jutsu.
"This is a Sealing Jutsu developed by Lady Mito. Its function is to create a special environment that weakens the mutual repulsion between cells and Chakra."
Hiruko's eyes lit up.
Mito Uzumaki? It was actually a technique created by that lady!
A person's reputation was like a tree's shadow. Simply hearing her name was enough to make Hiruko anticipate it.
He felt even more keenly just how much support came with joining the village's inner circle...
It had only been a few days since he submitted his research results, hadn't it?
"This should help guide your thinking. The village has always hoped for a breakthrough in reconnecting severed limbs, for the sake of those ninja left disabled."
"And also to reduce the casualty rate if war breaks out again."
Hiruko listened solemnly.
Strangely enough, ever since learning that he would become a "Konoha Committee Member," he had once again turned his gaze toward the Chunin and Genin...
Perhaps this was how one's "identity" forced a change in one's "stance," and how power and responsibility became bound together.
"Lord Hokage, please rest assured!"
Hiruko said in a low voice, "I will definitely make contributions to Konoha..."
"Good. Go get to work!"
After Hiruko left, Orochimaru casually poured himself a cup of hot tea, his tone considerably more relaxed. "Teacher, what about mine?"
When others were present, he still had to use a title.
When no one else was around, of course he could call him Teacher.
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes and pointed at the cup before him. "There's none for you! If you want it, submit a report and copy it yourself in the archives..."
Orochimaru's lips curled upward. He poured Hiruzen Sarutobi a cup of hot tea while deliberately complaining, "What a biased teacher!"
Though he said that, Orochimaru understood perfectly well.
This was precisely proof that his teacher did not treat him as an outsider...
"This is an excerpt from Lord Tobirama's research notes."
Hiruzen Sarutobi handed another scroll to Orochimaru. After taking a sip of the sweet tea, his expression turned solemn.
"This is top secret."
"It records that the cells of the Senju and Uchiha seem capable of suppressing one another, but Lord Tobirama did not fully develop the specific causes, mechanisms, or details."
"I'm leaving it to you, Orochimaru."
"This may be our opportunity to make Hashirama Cells universally applicable."
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils involuntarily narrowed into slits, a sign of intense interest.
As a research genius, aside from immortality, he particularly enjoyed difficult and strange subjects like these.
Besides, the powerful vitality within Hashirama Cells could not exactly be said to have nothing to do with immortality.
"Teacher, I understand your line of thinking now..."
Orochimaru deftly accepted the scroll and quickly analyzed it. "You want to use Uchiha Clan cells to suppress the activity of the First Hokage Cells and weaken their violent properties?"
The difficulty of transplanting Hashirama Cells lay in how their abundant vitality contained an almost "absorptive" quality. Recipients often could not control it and would instead have their Chakra drained by that characteristic.
"That's right. For now, examples like Yamato are far too rare."
"I'm thinking of pursuing both avenues at once: trying to extract from Yamato whatever gives him resistance to the First Hokage Cells, while also finding a way to weaken their violent nature..."
"In a sense, Wood Release is similar to the Nine-Tails. In their complete forms, both are powers the village cannot control."
"Power that cannot be controlled cannot be called power. It is merely an uncontrollable factor that threatens the village's stability."
"So there is no need to concern ourselves with whether weakened First Hokage Cells can still inherit Wood Release. The Chakra and vitality they provide alone already possess tremendous strategic value."
Hiruzen Sarutobi laid out his reasoning, while also concealing another objective.
Regenerating severed limbs and researching Hashirama Cells were both things he, as Hokage, genuinely wanted to accomplish for the village. If these two lines of research succeeded...
Then Konoha ninja's disability problems and average Chakra capacity would both see major breakthroughs.
But on the other hand...
These were also crucial techniques for perfecting that experimental subject.
Severed limbs corresponded to damaged meridians, while the Senju and Uchiha corresponded to the complete fusion of their cells and Chakra...
"Interesting, very interesting, and practically valuable research!"
Orochimaru lightly applauded. "Teacher, it really is a waste for you not to do research. Being Hokage might not even be what you're best at!"
"It's only an idea. The one who can actually make it work is the truly capable one."
Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged flattery with his disciple. "Like you, brat!"
For a moment, both teacher and disciple laughed, and the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.
Orochimaru also thought of his nearly perfected technique—Living Corpse Reincarnation.
If Teacher learned about this technique, would he still be able to tolerate and care for me so generously?
Taking another person's body to reincarnate held almost no practical value for the entire village. It also ran counter to the core tone of the Will of Fire, which emphasized inheritance.
But the problem was...
Hiruzen Sarutobi had clearly noticed his research into souls.
Giving him the parts of the Second's notes concerning souls and questioning him repeatedly were the best proof of that...
Although Orochimaru believed his teacher had become far more accepting now, the enhanced Living Corpse Reincarnation had effects that were simply astonishing.
Preliminary "immortality" seemed to be within sight.
I truly hope this can continue forever...
Orochimaru murmured inwardly, But even if telling Teacher is risky, I still want him to know...
Compared with hiding Living Corpse Reincarnation and casually making up excuses to fob off Hiruzen Sarutobi...
As an unparalleled genius in scientific research, his feelings toward Hiruzen Sarutobi—somewhere between teacher and father—carried a peculiar obsession...
He wanted his teacher to understand and support every part of him!
It was impulsive, but it was also the result of Orochimaru's rational consideration.
How long could he keep it hidden?
If his teacher saw through him, a crack in their trust would appear...
Especially after Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken the initiative to reconcile, given him resources, and placed complete trust in him, Orochimaru's desire to conceal it had grown increasingly faint.
"Even if Teacher cannot understand, perhaps that would be a good thing."
"It would prove that bonds truly are shackles, and I could obtain absolute freedom..."
Orochimaru consoled himself like this.
Yet even so, deep down, he understood that what he truly wanted was complete acceptance...
At that moment.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura knocked and entered, their expressions solemn.
"Hokage, something has happened. Danzo is already on his way here!"
"Kumogakure has discovered our retaliatory actions and issued a severe condemnation of the village!"
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