The Obsession of So-Called Geniuses, Kumogakure's Furious Denunciation

Hiruko and Orochimaru arrived together.

The two chatted and laughed all the way there.

Hiruko had shed his usual gloomy demeanor. Even his fair complexion seemed to have taken on a healthy flush, the picture of a man invigorated by happy events...

After all, he was no longer an invisible figure among the Jonin.

Instead, he was one of the future "Konoha Committee Members," a ninja personally appointed by the Hokage, precious as gold!

Even if he could not match Orochimaru's good fortune—having been taken in early as a disciple by the wise and discerning Lord Third—he had not wasted too much time himself!

It was still quite good... He had once again entered the same circle as the three members of Team Hiruzen!

Orochimaru was also very satisfied with the current situation.

His teacher strongly supported his research and had all but explicitly indicated that he would become the next Hokage, provided no one managed to outshine him.

After all, he still had to win everyone's approval...

But Orochimaru had no objections to that. He did not believe anyone could rival him...

Shimura Danzō?

He looked imposing, and perhaps he had become a little smarter, but in the end, he was merely a stray dog lurking in the shadows!

Hiruko was also one of the assets Orochimaru was preparing for his future tenure as Hokage.

Although the Land of Fire lay in a plain region and theoretically had no factions—

Factions emerged wherever enough people gathered together.

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 purpose 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 from that great lady!

As the saying went, a person's reputation cast a shadow like a tree. Merely hearing her name was enough to fill Hiruko with anticipation.

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 be of some help to your line of thinking. The village has always hoped to make breakthroughs in severed-limb reattachment, for the sake of those disabled ninjas."

"And to reduce the casualty rate should another war break out."

Hiruko listened solemnly.

Strangely enough, ever since learning that he would become a "Konoha Committee Member," he had, after a long time, begun turning his attention toward the Chunin and Genin...

Perhaps this was how one's "status" forced a change in one's "stance," and how authority and responsibility became bound together.

"Lord Hokage, please rest assured!"

Hiruko said in a deep voice, "I will certainly make contributions to Konoha..."

"Good. Go get to work!"

After Hiruko left, Orochimaru poured himself a cup of hot tea. His tone became much more relaxed. "Teacher, what about mine?"

When others were present, he still had to address him by his title.

But when no one else was around, of course he would call him Teacher.

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes and pointed at the cup before him. "None for you! If you want it, file a report and go copy it yourself in the archive room..."

The corners of Orochimaru's lips rose. 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...

"These are excerpts from Lord Tobirama's research notes."

Hiruzen Sarutobi handed another scroll to Orochimaru. After taking a sip of the sweet tea, his gaze turned solemn.

"This is top secret."

"It records that the cells of the Senju and Uchiha clans seem to have a mutually stabilizing effect on one another, but Lord Tobirama did not complete the specific causes, mechanisms, or details."

"I'm leaving it to you, Orochimaru."

"This may be our chance to make Lord Hashirama's cells broadly applicable."

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils involuntarily narrowed into vertical slits, a sign that he was intensely interested.

As a research prodigy, aside from immortality, he loved challenging and unusual subjects like this.

Moreover, the powerful vitality within the Hashirama Cells could not be said to be unrelated to longevity.

"Sensei, I understand your line of thinking..."

Orochimaru deftly took 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 potency?"

The difficulty of transplanting Hashirama Cells lay in the fact that their vigorous life force carried an element that could almost be called "absorption." Recipients often could not control it and would instead have their Chakra drained dry by that trait.

"That's right. At present, cases like Yamato's are far too rare."

"I was thinking, could we approach it from both directions? Try extracting antibodies against the First Hokage Cells from Yamato, while also finding a way to weaken the First Hokage Cells' potency..."

"Wood Release is, in a sense, 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."

"Therefore, there is no need to fuss over whether the weakened First Hokage Cells can still pass down Wood Release. Judging solely by the Chakra and vitality they provide, they already possess extremely high strategic value."

Hiruzen Sarutobi laid out his reasoning, while also concealing another purpose.

Regenerating severed limbs and researching Hashirama Cells were both, in earnest, things he wished to do for the village as Hokage. If these two research projects succeeded...

Then Konoha ninja's disabilities and their average Chakra levels would both see major breakthroughs.

But on the other hand...

They were also essential techniques for perfecting that experimental body.

Severed limbs corresponded to damaged meridians; Senju and Uchiha corresponded to the complete fusion of their cells and Chakra...

"Interesting—very interesting, and a subject with real practical value!"

Orochimaru lightly applauded. "Sensei, it really is a shame you don't do research. Being Hokage may not be what you're best at!"

"It's only an idea. The ones who can put it into practice are the ones with real talent."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and his disciple traded compliments. "Like you, kid!"

For a moment, both master and disciple laughed, and the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.

Orochimaru also thought of the technique he had nearly perfected—Living Corpse Reincarnation.

If his teacher learned of this technique, would he still be able to tolerate and care for him so generously?

Seizing another person's body for reincarnation had almost no practical value for the entire village, and it ran even more contrary to the Will of Fire's central emphasis on inheritance.

But the problem was...

Hiruzen Sarutobi had clearly noticed his research into souls.

Giving him the sections on souls from the Second's notes, and asking him about it repeatedly, were the best proof...

Although Orochimaru felt that his teacher was highly accepting now, the enhanced Living Corpse Reincarnation's effects were simply astonishingly good.

Preliminary "immortality" already seemed to be within sight.

I really hope this can continue forever...

Orochimaru murmured inwardly, But even though telling Sensei is risky, I still want him to know...

Compared to concealing Living Corpse Reincarnation and casually making up excuses to brush off Hiruzen Sarutobi...

As an unparalleled genius in scientific research, the feelings he held for 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 an impulse, but it was also the result of Orochimaru's rational consideration.

How long could he keep it hidden?

If his teacher saw through him, it would create another crack in their trust...

Especially after Hiruzen Sarutobi had proactively reconciled with him, given him resources, and placed full trust in him, Orochimaru's desire to conceal things gradually faded.

"Even if Sensei 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...

And at that moment...

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura knocked and entered, their expressions grave.

"Hokage, something has happened. Danzo is already on his way here!"

"Kumogakure has noticed our retaliatory actions and issued a harsh condemnation of the village!"