Chapter 32

Kushina did not press the matter further and immediately focused on studying the new version of the Eight Trigrams Sealing Jutsu with Uchiha Yan.

She truly had a good grasp of Sealing Jutsu. With the Four Symbols Seal and Pseudo-Eight Trigrams Seal as her foundation, she picked it up extremely quickly.

At this rate, she would thoroughly master it in just a few more days at most.

"That was about it."

Seeing that Kushina had found the knack, Uchiha Yan stopped explaining. "Practice more on your own afterward. Once you are familiar with it, you can replace your own Eight Trigrams Seal. Of course, I can lend a hand if you need me to."

"Mm!"

Kushina nodded with a smile, her tone resolute. "I still want to do it myself. I want to suppress it completely with my own strength."

"Then let's continue learning Sealing Jutsu. I'll explain, and you listen."

"Okay!"

The atmosphere in the Hokage Office was somewhat chilly.

The Third Hokage wore a grim expression, his eyes fixed on Tsunade. "What exactly are you thinking? Why did you take Uchiha Yan to see Kushina?"

"Do you not understand that Kushina is a Jinchuriki?"

"Do you not know what a threat the Sharingan poses to a Jinchuriki?"

He had only just received reports from the Anbu and Danzo, learning that Tsunade had actually taken Uchiha Yan to see Kushina Uzumaki.

This was absolutely not part of the Third Hokage's plans.

The Jinchuriki carried far too much weight—for him and for the entire village.

Moreover, he had long since arranged a complete plan for the Jinchuriki. It was currently at a critical juncture, and the last thing he wanted was for something to go wrong.

Even if Uchiha Yan was someone he intended to recruit and bring under his control, it was still unacceptable.

"Tch."

Tsunade curled her lip disdainfully, her voice full of mockery. "Old man, don't think I can't see through your little schemes. Let me tell you, Kushina is my younger sister, not some Jinchuriki."

"Who I take to see her is my business."

"She barely has any friends around her to begin with. Are you people planning to lock her up too?"

"When my grandmother was still around, why didn't you dare treat her like this?"

"Besides, Yan is my disciple. I trust him. What is wrong with letting him meet Kushina? It is not like he is doing anything bad. He is only learning some Sealing Jutsu from Kushina."

Tsunade flung the document in her hand straight at the Third Hokage's face, her voice as cold as ice chips. "Didn't you want Kushina to forge deeper ties with the village? Letting Yan befriend her is perfect, isn't it?"

The Third Hokage furrowed his brow tightly, his expression turning unpleasant. "You know that is not what I mean. Yan's identity is too sensitive, and the Uchiha Clan is too dangerous."

He knew perfectly well that back then, the Nine-Tails had been as obedient as a dog before Uchiha Madara's Sharingan. He still remembered that feeling of being completely suppressed with absolute clarity.

What if Uchiha Yan got the Nine-Tails' control in his grasp? How would the village even function then?

Hearing that, Tsunade immediately let out a cold laugh. "Now you are saying Yan is dangerous?"

She hurled the document at him viciously. "Put your hand on your heart and tell me—who has been trying to recruit Yan all this time? Wasn't it you?"

"Yan wanted to create Medical Talismans and reduce the casualties among our shinobi on the battlefield, so he had no choice but to seek Kushina out to learn Sealing Jutsu. Yet you people are guarding against him behind his back?"

"Take a good look at this!"

She had prepared this document in advance. It contained all the surface-level information she had selected from the Medical Talisman proposal Uchiha Yan had given her, compiled into an official report.

She had long anticipated that the Third Hokage and his group would stir up trouble.

She believed that once the Third Hokage saw this, even if Danzo was as sinister as ever, he would have no choice but to shut up.

The Third Hokage took the document. When he heard the words "Medical Talisman" and "reduce casualties," his pupils suddenly contracted.

He quickly flipped through the pages.

The more he read, the more alarmed he became.

He abruptly looked up at Tsunade, his voice tightening. "Is what this says true? How far has the Medical Talisman research progressed? When will there be a finished product?"

It was no wonder he was so excited.

If this thing could truly be developed, then Konoha's shinobi carrying a few talismans on them in the future would be equivalent to carrying a medical ninja capable of the Mystical Palm Technique.

That was a guarantee of survival.

Tsunade crossed her arms, a mocking smile on her lips. "About halfway. Yan and I have pretty much worked out the theoretical side of Medical Ninjutsu."

"Now all that remains is the Sealing Jutsu step. The key is how to stably seal the Mystical Palm Technique's chakra into specially made talisman paper."

"That is why I took Yan to Kushina to learn Sealing Jutsu. Is there a problem?"

The moment he heard that, the Third Hokage immediately put on a smiling face and waved his hand. "Of course not. You handled this beautifully. I was too hasty and did not think it through! Since it is tied to Medical Talisman research, it makes perfect sense for Yan to learn Sealing Jutsu from Kushina."

The change in his expression was as quick as turning a page.

Tsunade almost wanted to applaud in admiration.

Bang!

Before the Third Hokage could continue, Danzo suddenly shoved open the side door and stormed out of the room.

He glared furiously at the Third Hokage and demanded, "Hiruzen, how can you do this? Do you not understand how important the Jinchuriki is? How can you let that Uchiha brat keep getting close to her? Who will bear the responsibility if something goes wrong?"

"In my view, that boy should be—"

Halfway through his sentence, Danzo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

A freezing, piercing gaze pinned him in place.

He glanced sideways and saw Tsunade clenching her fists, staring at him with icy light in her eyes.

Danzo shuddered and immediately swallowed the rest of his words.

Damn it, I got carried away and forgot that crazy woman was still here.

He cursed his bad luck inwardly and was about to change the subject and continue arguing with the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage directly flung a stack of documents into his face and said coldly, "Before you speak, look at this first."

At the same time, the Third Hokage secretly felt delighted. So this is what it feels like to slap someone in the face with documents. Feels great!

Danzo: "..."

With a resentful expression, he reached out and caught the documents sliding down from his face. Frowning, he opened them and quickly scanned through them.

After reading them, he looked up at the Third Hokage in shock, then at Tsunade.

Connecting it with the conversation he had overheard earlier, he finally understood why the Third Hokage had let the matter go and even agreed to let the Jinchuriki continue interacting with Uchiha Yan.

So there was something this good.

You should have said so earlier!

He shot the Third Hokage a resentful glance.

"Hiruzen, these Medical Talismans are far too important. Calling them strategic resources would not be an exaggeration. They must be controlled by the village and cannot be allowed to become private property."

Danzo immediately put on an expression of righteous indignation, changing his tune.

In any case, that Uchiha brat could not be allowed to monopolize it alone.

He did not care whether the village controlled it or not, but Root had to have this technology firmly in its grasp.

If they could restrict Uchiha Yan or even render him unable to use it, that would be even better.

"Mm, that is right." The Third Hokage nodded.

After hearing that, the Third Hokage did not say anything. Instead, he turned to Tsunade. "What do you think?"

Tsunade gave a cold laugh, the corner of her lips hooked in ridicule. "Heh, the egg has not even hatched yet, and you are already thinking about taking it? You are asking what I think?"

"Do not forget that I have a share in this too. You want to take it from me? Not a chance."

The Third Hokage and Danzo's expressions immediately darkened.

The Third Hokage's tone hardened somewhat. "Tsunade, do not throw a tantrum at a time like this. Since you and Yan developed this, you should understand what it means."

"Medical Talismans must be managed by the village to achieve their greatest value."

By the end, his tone softened again. "Of course, you will not be denied credit. I will make the decision: you and Yan may each choose one ninjutsu from the Book of Seals. Will that do?"

He knew perfectly well that without offering some incentive, this matter would never go through. After all, the thing had not been completed yet. If Uchiha Yan and Tsunade quit, that would truly be troublesome.

Danzo frowned at the side, but swallowed the words that had reached his lips.