5. A bet and invitation

(First PoV)

In my previous world, chakra didn't exist. That's why, the medical technology of my previous life almost looks ancient in front of the Shinobi World.

The best form of prosthetic limbs currently is undoubtedly biological, White Zetsus to be exact.

I am not a reincarnation of Indra, so there is a change that a prosthetic created from Hashirama cells directly might turn me into a tree. White Zetsus probably have less vitality, so that even a twelve year old Obito with only a two-tomoe Sharingan was able to survive. And, White Zetsus may have some special properties as well.

But for now, I don't have any means for acquiring a White Zetsu.

So, the next best bet is certainly mechanical limbs.

Fuinjutsu and chakra can replace the chips, and after experiencing how troublesome it is to loose my limbs, I want to have plenty of replacements ready anytime.

It is a good thing that I have trained lightning chakra nature to the fullest. Afterall, pulling off Kirin is very difficult. I have killed my own Shadow Clones many time because I couldn't control all the lightning precisely. But now, I have better lightning manipulation than even Raikage.

So, I can probably create prosthetics that are not as rigid like my last life and can function smoothly.

But, I will certainly need medical knowledge for successfully creating prosthetics that will fit me, and will have all the necessary chakra networks, connect to my body well, and such. I don't want to get poisoned by my prosthetics, like Iron Man got poisoned by his Arc Reactor.

And Tsunade unexpectedly showed up. Hiruzen must have called her to calm me down. Since he won't be dealing with Danzo.

I explained the rules of Ludo to Tsunade, and it was time to decide what to gamble on.

"Tsunade-sama, if I win, how about taking me as your apprentice, and help me with a project of mine? You just need to stay in the village for a year, and teach me everything you know. Everything."

Tsunade considered it, and with a face full of pity, agreed.

"And if I win..., 30 million Ryo?"

Afterall, Tsunade has everything. Except money. Whenever she gets some money, she looses it all.

For me, 30 million Ryo isn't much. Afterall, I earned 40 million just by turning in Onoki's son's body to the bounty station. He was worth 5 million more than Asuma will be in the future.

Konoha wouldn't have paid me, considering that the war is going on for so long.

We started playing, and soon enough, all my pieces have qualified, and I won.

Tsunade could only get one piece out of home in the entire game, which got sent back inside in the next turn.

I knew that Tsunade's luck is bad... but this bad!? She got 6 only once!

"This is rigged!"

"Umm, no. It isn't. If anything, you were also using chakra to try to get 6 towards the end of the game."

Even with cheating, she couldn't get six.

Tsunade's badluck is more skilled than her skills with chakra.

Tsunade sighed, and said, "Alright. I will teach you. And your project is creating prosthetics, right?"

I nodded.

"Suna's puppeteers are able to create wooden prosthetics. But, they are brash, only usable for simple tasks, and would not be effective for a non-puppeteer who fights herself, and relies on taijutsu a lot.

And even though your chakra control is enough to recreate some of my taijutsu, the main thing is that you wouldn't be able to use handsigns with the most developed prosthetic I have seen.

You will need to create artificial chakra networks with something very conducive, like Chakra metal or your own cells... thought that will be difficult, since your liver is the organ that can regenerate the most, but using those cells to grow and hand and legs isn't something developed right now.

And the most important thing of all, it will need a lot of time and money."

"I understand. Well, I would rather focus on mechanical prosthetics and biological.

Mei, go to the Hokage Office and tell him to come here. Alone. Wait, let me borrow your hand. No, that one."

I made a Shadow Clone by using one of Mei's hand, and sent it on another wheelchair with Mei.

As Mei left with my Shadow Clone, Tsunade asked.

"Do you think Hokage will assassinate you?"

"Danzo definitely will. He has tried already, and that's why I am crippled. And what will Hokage do? Give a tired sigh, self-pity himself, look at the previous Hokages' portraits and tell himself that he is a failure, at most scold Danzo a bit, and get on with his paperwork, forgetting about the people who are keeping this village standing.

Everyone knows what happened with Sakumo-sama."

"Girl, your thinking is too far-fetched. Do you think mere ROOT ninjas will able to assassinate Sakumo-senpai?"

"Of course. After making a ninja depressed, using Aburame clan's mosquitoes that are indistinguishable from normal ones and wouldn't reveal anything in autopsy, and then framing it as a suicide with no one in the house is very easy for Danzo.

Thinking that Sakumo-sama will leave behind his 5 year old kid alone in this cold world is the more far-fetched thing instead."

Tsunade was seeing a pattern here. If anything bad happens, this girl blamed Danzo. And she sounds oddly convincing.

Afterall, Danzo is really shady.

Maybe she should investigate him now that she has decided to remain in the village for one year anyway?

Atleast by passing on all her skills, she would be able to escape Konoha without any guilt. Since Kei was able to recreate her chakra enhanced taijutsu.

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(3rd PoV)

In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen sighed before allowing Kei and Mei in.

Mei is just a 12 year old girl, whose parents had died in the war, and Kei has taken her in as her disciple.

Mei was in the police, but Hiruzen wanted to send her on the battlefield as the number of genins is running low.

But bringing out this matter would probably make matters worse, so he gave up.

Kei, sitting on the wheelchair, didn't greet him, but looked at him straight in the eye. Though her hostility when she arrived in Konoha wasn't present now, she clearly didn't respect him.

"Where is Danzo?"

"On the Iwa battlefield."

"Then I hope he encounters Onoki."

The atmosphere turned icy at that.

Kei did not bother mincing her words, and said to Hiruzen.

"Come to my house. It is damn time you rewarded me for contributing more to the village than you."

Before Hiruzen could say anything, she puffed away.

'So... she suspects that I will assassinate her, so she sent a Shadow Clone?'

Hiruzen sighed in his heart, filled with guilt.

He dismissed Mei, and then looked at the portraits of First and Second Hokage, wallowing in self-pity.

'I am a failure of Hokage.'

Sighing, he stood up from his chair, and headed back towards the Uchiha clan compound.