Hashirama Cell Transplant Plan

"Damn it."

Kakashi looked at the forest destroyed by Wood Release in the distance, his heart sinking.

He had just given his all in pursuit, finally managing to subdue that Root jonin.

"Am I still too late?"

Everywhere he looked, there were scenes of massive destruction left behind by Wood Release.

If Uchiha Yatsuhashi had met with an accident...

Kakashi's gaze sharpened, and the lightning in his hand crackled even louder.

He would never allow anyone to kill his comrade.

"If that really happened, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Kakashi held back no longer, preparing to exact a blood debt from that Wood Release Root ninja, to avenge his teammate Uchiha Yatsuhashi.

However, when he rushed into the center of the ruins with killing intent, he saw a scene completely different from what he had expected.

Standing atop the ruins were two figures.

One was the girl Yukimi from the Iburi clan, shrinking back timidly, and the other was a youth in an Anbu uniform, looking down to examine the corpse on the ground.

Was that not Uchiha Yatsuhashi?

Kakashi froze for a second, then his heart finally relaxed, and the lightning in his palm quietly dissipated.

"Captain Kakashi."

Uchiha Yatsuhashi looked up, his face expressionless.

"Uchiha Yatsuhashi, you're alright?"

Kakashi landed beside him, his gaze quickly sweeping the surroundings.

"Where is that Root Wood Release expert?"

"He left after destroying the laboratory."

Uchiha Yatsuhashi replied indifferently, deliberately downplaying the situation. "What should be done about Sano Yuji?"

Kakashi nodded, not pressing for more details.

After all, everyone had their own secrets.

"Good work."

Kakashi quickly pulled a scroll from his ninja tool pouch, spread it out, and performed hand seals to seal Sano Yuji's remains inside.

This was the proof required to report back to the village, and an explanation for the Fourth Hokage.

"Let's take Yukimi back to the village first. As for that Root Wood Release ninja, we'll report it to the Hokage first."

Yukimi followed closely behind Uchiha Yatsuhashi, and the three of them did not linger, speeding off in the direction of Konoha.

As for Tenzō, under the reasonable persuasion of Uchiha Yatsuhashi, he unilaterally and actively withdrew from Danzo's Root.

He ultimately chose to return to the cave to prevent Danzo from sending Root members to silence Gota and the other members of the Iburi clan.

After all, compared to Danzo's ethereal promises, this Uchiha Yatsuhashi, who had once healed their clan's bodies, was clearly more trustworthy.

The setting sun stretched the shadows of the three people long.

Kakashi looked at the two walking side by side in front of him, filled with emotion.

If Uchiha Yatsuhashi hadn't stepped forward at the critical moment to stand in front of him, he wouldn't have completed this mission so quickly.

"Get some good rest after we return to the village."

Kakashi said softly, "You performed very well on this mission."

Inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere was heavy.

Although three people returned, one Anbu member had been lost.

One had to know that cultivating a ninja was no easy feat for the village, let alone an elite Anbu ninja.

The cost was simply too high.

Minato Namikaze sat behind his desk, listening quietly to Kakashi's report.

Upon hearing that "Sano Yuji was a spy planted by Danzo," Minato's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed slightly, though the chill in his eyes did not dissipate.

"Sano Yuji..." Minato murmured the name, then picked up his pen and quickly signed the document. "Give him a burial with the honors befitting an Anbu ninja who died in the line of duty."

Kakashi was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Understood, Hokage."

Even though he knew the man was a spy planted by Danzo within the Anbu, as Hokage, Minato still granted him his final dignity.

However, upon hearing that "Danzo is still secretly executing the Hashirama Cell Transplantation Project," a flash of shock crossed his eyes. "Wasn't the Hashirama Cell Transplantation Project declared a failure long ago?"

"The archives clearly record that all test subjects..."

"Hokage, it was not a failure." A calm voice interrupted. "I was one of the participants at the time; the Hashirama Cell Transplantation Project did not fail. At the very least, in the batch I participated in, quite a few people survived."

Minato Namikaze and Kakashi both turned their gazes toward Uchiha Yatsuhashi, who stood in the corner. He was still wearing that Eagle Mask, but the voice emanating from beneath it carried a heart-stopping certainty.

Minato's pupils contracted sharply, and even Kakashi's dead-fish eyes froze in a rare display of shock. The office fell into a deathly silence.

So that's how it is... He finally understood. Why, after Orochimaru defected, Danzo had been so eager to send Yatsuhashi and the others to the Land of Water on a suicide mission. It wasn't to clean up Orochimaru's remnants, but to silence them.

Once everyone connected to the Hashirama Cell Transplantation Project was dead, the secret that the project had actually succeeded would be buried along with them. Danzo could then continue using kidnapped children for his experiments, even pinning all the incriminating evidence on the rogue Orochimaru. If Yatsuhashi hadn't miraculously returned alive, the village would still be kept in the dark to this day.

Minato closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, only biting killing intent remained. "If you hadn't stopped it in time, I fear all this evidence would have eventually been framed onto Orochimaru by Danzo to cover up the truth."

Minato Namikaze looked at Yukimi, who stood beside Yatsuhashi. The little girl representing the Iburi Clan stood there timidly. "Yukimi." Minato's voice softened. "In the name of the Fourth Hokage, I pardon you and your clansmen for your crimes. You no longer need to serve Danzo; you may live like normal people under the protection of Konoha."

Yukimi jerked her head up, her large eyes instantly brimming with tears. She dropped to her knees with a thud. "Thank you, Hokage! Thank you, Brother Yatsuhashi!" Yukimi's voice was nearly choked with sobs.

Although Minato indicated that the village's resources could not be used to support clans outside the village, the mere word "pardon" meant that their Iburi Clan could finally emerge from their dark caves and live upright in the sunlight!

After Yukimi followed Yatsuhashi out to be settled, only the master and student remained in the office. Minato looked at Kakashi. "Kakashi, what do you think of this man, Yatsuhashi?"

Kakashi scratched his silver hair, uncharacteristically setting aside his usual laziness. "Teacher, he is a qualified Anbu, and during the incident with the Iburi Clan, he even avoided large-scale bloodshed." He paused, then added, "At least for now, he poses no threat to the village. On the contrary, he possesses 'humanity' and is not a bloodthirsty person."

Minato Namikaze nodded, affirming Kakashi's assessment.

"The relationship between the village and the Uchiha Clan has not yet fully eased.

We need more Uchiha clansmen like Yatsuhashi to help alleviate the tension between us.

I am entrusting the task of guiding Yatsuhashi to you, Kakashi."

Perhaps reminded of Uchiha Obito, Kakashi's eyes dimmed for a brief moment.

But he immediately offered a faint smile, "Understood, Sensei."

Minato Namikaze walked slowly to the window, overlooking the bustling Konoha below.

The glow of the setting sun spilled over his golden hair, yet it could not dispel the gloom in his eyes.

"Every child in the Land of Fire is the future of the village."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

"Danzo using children for experiments is the greatest desecration of my position as Hokage."

Minato turned around, "Kakashi, go notify all available Anbu captains and have them come to see me immediately."

Kakashi's pupils constricted, "Sensei, are you planning to..."

"I will never allow anyone to conduct such inhumane experiments on children right under my nose!"

Minato Namikaze's voice echoed through the empty office.

"It is time to deal with Danzo and his Root."