Just as expected, Xuanhui and Pakura returned to Konoha safe and sound.
Not only did Kumogakure stop making trouble for them, it even offered compensation of its own accord.
However, the plan apparently hadn't come from A. Dodai had proposed it and seen it through.
Starting that very day, A had gone into Hell Valley to train!
Dodai could only temporarily take over the Raikage's duties and handle government affairs.
With that, even the Hidden Cloud Village settled down considerably. As A secluded himself to train, the militant faction gradually quieted down as well.
Neji Hyuga's tragic fate-being branded with the Caged Bird Seal and having his father willingly die out of brotherly love-had been completely rewritten.
Guided by fate, this character, whose life had always been steeped in tragedy, had found the light of a new beginning.
All Xuanhui needed to do next was stay alert for any unfamiliar, powerful chakra appearing near the Hyuga Clan.
During this time, Xuanhui had been busy researching the genetic engineering project Orochimaru had sent him.
These were genetic cells Orochimaru had specifically developed using modified Hashirama cells.
They could use chakra to envelop fragments of an organism's genes and carry out simple genetic fusion.
For now, they could only be used between animals, so he needed to run a few simple tests.
There was a Summoning Island within the Land of Lightning. He, Orochimaru, and Kakuzu had all set foot there before.
There really had been all kinds of summoning beasts there, but none of the three had intended to acquire one at the time.
Xuanhui and Kakuzu weren't interested, while Orochimaru dealt in snakes.
The three had made a couple of rounds there and seen many bizarre creatures. There were so many species that Orochimaru could never have finished studying them