C 52

"Hiruzen, you got the message, right?"

In the Hokage's office, Danzo pushed the door open, waved away the Anbu agents standing guard on the left and right, and directly confronted Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"So what if you know, Danzo? Do you still want to do something small?" Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, still focused on the secret letter in his hand.

Although the war between the major countries was over, the secret struggle for dominance had not ceased.

To secure resources and missions from the smaller countries, the Five Great Ninja Villages continued to send out Anbu operatives or mission teams, engaging in covert operations on the territories of these smaller nations.

Danzo had failed in his previous schemes, which had only increased the other party's vigilance. He used to visit Konoha regularly to check on business interests, but now he had nearly abandoned those pursuits, opting to stay away for an extended period.

This time, however, he had followed Tsunade all the way to Konoha and even stayed at the Senju tribe during the night, which had caused some alienation between Hiruzen and both Kushina and Tsunade.

Reflecting on this, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a twinge of regret. He had been in a position of power for so long that he had nearly forgotten that the most crucial asset for a ninja was information.

"Danzo, I need to consider the implications of your actions. I won't make the same mistakes this time."

"Hiruzen, Anbu found some unusual medicines in the Land of Water. This is from a shipment that was passed down, and it is said that Kirigakure sent it there," Danzo explained, pulling out two vials of medicine brought back by his root ninjas and placing them on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.

Although they looked impressive, only Kain in the ninja world could produce such exquisite concoctions.

Danzo's assertion indicated that Kirigakure was also purchasing medicines in large quantities. Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly.

This was a direct consequence of the previous incident. Although the operation had ultimately failed, Namikaze Minato's inadvertent leak of information had provided a significant advantage to their adversaries.

"Hiruzen, what are you planning to do about this?" Danzo pressed further.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his cigarette before shaking his head. "Danzo, do you have any idea how many Anbu I dispatched to gather intelligence on Kain? There are three teams stationed outside Konoha Village, but they have not discovered anything substantial. The only lead we had was when a perception ninja detected someone using Earth Style ninjutsu; however, the signal vanished in an instant."

"Earth Style ninjutsu?" Danzo frowned, pondering the implications. A shadow flickered across his face as he spoke again, "In that case, why not just capture him?"

"If you haven't even investigated his background, don't make such reckless suggestions. If you can't gather intelligence, it's better to wait. Otherwise, with the financial resources at his disposal, Kain could become a serious problem for Konoha," Sarutobi Hiruzen countered without hesitation. It was easy to eliminate an individual, but capturing Kain without gaining any intelligence would be foolish.

"By the way, Hiruzen, now that Kain and Tsunade have returned to Konoha, does that mean the research Tsunade mentioned is underway?"

After leading up to it for some time, Danzo finally voiced his real interest. He had been injured during the battle with the Sand Shinobi Village, specifically at the hands of a puppeteer.

Although he had received treatment, his right arm and eye were still incapacitated and wrapped in bandages.

Even the best medical ninjas had been unable to restore him to his former self. After hearing the news about Kain's Extremis virus serum, which could reportedly heal all injuries, Danzo's hopes reignited.

"I'll ask Tsunade, but you know that Kain controls the Extremis virus serum, and Tsunade doesn't have much information on it," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, shaking his head.

If the recent incident hadn't occurred, Tsunade might have intervened on Danzo's behalf, but now it would be a difficult task.

"I understand; I was merely inquiring. The village's interests must come first…" Danzo's tone suddenly darkened, reflecting a man dedicated to his cause yet feeling sidelined.

This shift in Danzo's demeanor softened Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart; after all, his old comrade was suffering for the sake of the village.

Taking a puff from his cigarette, Sarutobi Hiruzen contemplated for a moment before responding, "I will discuss it with Tsunade, but I cannot guarantee any results."

…

"Sister, is this true?"

In the Senju tribe, Nawaki asked excitedly. When he first heard the announcement, he thought he must have misheard. After confirming it, however, his eyes filled with tears of joy.

"It's true, Nawaki, and it will grant you great power. You must use this power wisely when the time comes."

Tsunade stroked Nawaki's hair, her own heart swelling with happiness. Seeing her brother's genuine delight was perhaps the most rewarding outcome of her recent endeavors.

"When can I go?" Nawaki asked eagerly.

Tsunade patted him on the shoulder, urging him to calm down. "We need to wait for Orochimaru's notice. There's only been one successful case thus far. I will take some cells from your body, and once I have the final product, you will be fully restored, Nawaki!"

"So Orochimaru-sensei is helping me too!" Nawaki exclaimed, his laughter echoing through the room. However, Tsunade's expression shifted slightly at his words.

With a playful strike on Nawaki's head, she chastised, "Be careful about how you say that! Just because he's helping doesn't mean you should idolize him too much."

Nawaki rubbed his head, apologizing profusely as he continued to grin widely.

Once Tsunade had finished sharing the news with Nawaki, Kain had already returned to his guest room.

He was set to meet Nanami the next day and planned to recommend Yakushi Nono to Tsunade. With her talent, she might be able to master Tsunade's techniques in a few years, becoming his most powerful assistant.

Tsunade insisted on accompanying Kain; this was her strong request, as she didn't want any potential troubles caused by Danzo's roots.

Knock, knock.

Suddenly, a few knocks echoed on the door of Kain's guest room. When he invited the person in, the door opened to reveal a small head of red hair poking in.

"Kushina, next time don't come to a man's room late at night," Kain warned, recognizing it was her. It could easily lead to misunderstandings. Though he was a businessman, he didn't operate in that kind of "business."

"It's fine, Boss," Kushina muttered under her breath, stepping inside and closing the door. She then sat on the edge of the bed, curling her slender legs beneath her.

Noticing that Kushina seemed a bit off, Kain couldn't help but ask, "Kushina, is something bothering you?"

Kushina paused, contemplating her response. She remained silent for several moments while Kain patiently waited for her to find the words.

After about five or six minutes, she finally spoke in a slightly aggrieved tone, "Boss, what should I do if I become a monster?"

…

patreon.com/Vks_sh