Danzo's Scheme

"Danzo, you know the other villages have all faced problems with their Tailed Beasts running wild. Konoha is the only one that hasn't.

"That's because we have Lady Mito.

"Kushina Uzumaki has Chakra comparable to Lady Mito's. She can suppress the Nine-Tails, making her the best choice." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe and spoke earnestly.

"Sarutobi, you know the Uzumaki Clan's Chakra and Sealing Jutsu aren't the only things that can restrain the Nine-Tails. There's also the Sharingan and Wood Release." Shimura Danzō's meaning was clear. "Kushina Uzumaki may never truly accept Konoha. With her talent, she might one day control the Nine-Tails' power just as Lady Mito does. If she decides to leave Konoha then, what could we do?"

Danzo's words silenced everyone present.

Could they trust Kushina Uzumaki?

None of them trusted the girl. They had barely known her.

They had rescued Kushina Uzumaki from the destruction of Uzushio Village, and without them, she would have died. Even so, getting her to feel that she belonged in Konoha would be difficult.

They had already planned to help Kushina Uzumaki form bonds in Konoha, which might help. But if she truly mastered the Nine-Tails' power, she would be able to sense good and evil.

None of them could be sure what they truly felt toward Kushina Uzumaki.

As for limiting her growth, that was nearly impossible.

Lady Mito, for one, would do everything she could to train Kushina Uzumaki. They could not stand in her way.

So Kushina Uzumaki was not the best choice to become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"The Sharingan is the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai, while Wood Release belongs to the Senju Clan. Teacher Tobirama studied Wood Release and made some progress. If the First Shinobi World War hadn't broken out, he might well have succeeded.

"I propose restarting the Wood Release Experiment. Leaving the Sharingan aside, Wood Release is the most effective way to restrain the Nine-Tails." Shimura Danzō fixed Hiruzen Sarutobi with an intense gaze. "Besides, you must have noticed that every nation is building up its military.

"Another Shinobi World War could break out at any moment.

"The destruction of Uzushio Village may well have been those Ninja Villages testing our attitude and strength.

"They likely obtained some of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu too. Incidents of Tailed Beasts running wild will probably become less frequent, and that is certainly no good for Konoha.

"We need to prepare to face Tailed Beasts in the future."

By the end, Shimura Danzō's eyes had turned cold. As a member of the Hawk Faction, he saw those Ninja Villages' attack on Uzushio Village as a slap in the face.

Uzushio Village had been enormously valuable to Konoha. As long as it stood, Konoha had no need to worry about an attack by sea from the Land of Water.

It could have served as Konoha's Sea Fortress!

The Uzumaki Clan had also been a capable fighting force. Now that Uzushio Village had fallen, Konoha would have to devote considerable resources to guarding against Kirigakure if war broke out.

Sometimes Danzo thought the First Hokage had been clever to distribute all eight Tailed Beasts and receive a substantial sum of money in return.

Over the years, those beasts had caused the other villages no end of trouble, while Konoha had rested easy.

But now that the other villages might be able to control their Tailed Beasts, Danzo pictured them attacking Konoha and wondered whether the First Hokage had been thinking clearly at all.

Why had he given the Tailed Beasts away?

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent at Shimura Danzō's proposal.

Restarting the Wood Release Experiment was not a problem in itself. Tobirama Senju had started it, after all, and the cells and research data were still there.

Mito Uzumaki had not stepped in to stop it back then, either.

At the thought of another Shinobi World War breaking out at any moment, and of facing Tailed Beasts, even Hiruzen Sarutobi could not remain calm.

He gazed at Kushina Uzumaki and Uchiha Yi in the crystal ball. After narrowing his eyes and taking several pulls on his pipe, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally said, "Very well. Restart the Wood Release Experiment. But until we're confident it can work, there will be no human trials."

"Monkey, once the experiment begins, human trials will be unavoidable." Danzo had been delighted when Hiruzen Sarutobi supported the experiment, but the ban on human trials left him visibly displeased.

He did not merely want to create a few Wood Release Experiment Subjects. If possible, he wanted to transplant Wood Release Cells into himself.

This operation had shown him just how inadequate his strength was. If Kagami had not stayed behind to cover their retreat, Danzo might have died too.

At his current level, growing stronger would be difficult. He could only pin his hopes on the Wood Release Experiment.

"The Wood Release Experiment is too dangerous." Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated. Of course he understood Danzo's reasoning, but as Hokage, could he make such a decision?

"We can start with criminals and wandering ninja. Once we have a reasonable chance of success, we can let Konoha's citizens volunteer." Danzo gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a meaningful look. "The Senju Clan may have disbanded, but if its members had a chance to gain Wood Release, they wouldn't turn it down.

"Who could be better suited to the Wood Release Experiment?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

He understood what Shimura Danzō meant. The experiment could also eliminate some former members of the Senju Clan and weaken its influence.

But they would not be deliberately targeting the Senju Clan. Taking part would be each person's own choice, and anyone who succeeded would become an inheritor of Wood Release.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not heartless. He would still take good care of Tsunade and Nawaki and treat Mito Uzumaki with respect.

But as Hokage, he needed to take action.

Besides, the one who had done the most to undermine the Senju Clan was not Hiruzen Sarutobi. It was Tobirama Senju!

When the Senju Clan disbanded, many of its members had left behind most of their ninjutsu. They had been forbidden to pass on their surname or even tell their descendants about it.

By comparison, anything Hiruzen and Danzo might do was insignificant.

"Then what about Yi and Kushina Uzumaki?" Utatane Koharu glanced at Kushina Uzumaki, who kept sneaking looks at Uchiha Yi, and asked hesitantly.

"What happens between them is not for us to interfere with," Hiruzen Sarutobi said after a moment's hesitation. "Nothing that happens to Kushina at the school escapes Lady Mito's notice. If even Lady Mito has tacitly approved, what is there for us to say?

"Besides, don't forget that although Yi is an Uchiha, he is also an inheritor of the Will of Fire. Wouldn't it be better for Kushina to spend time with him and embrace the Will of Fire herself?"