In the secret chamber.
"Tsunade, even Tobirama has praised your talent in the past. Yet, you spent so much ti indulging in gambling and drinking, wasting such a long period. But it's not too late now. Your current idea is excellent."
After listening to Tsunade's thoughts on the derivative direction of the Yin Seal technique, Uzumaki Mito rarely showed a look of relief.
At the very least, it proved that her granddaughter wasn't rely coming up with excuses to distract her but was genuinely imrsed in her research.
Especially after seeing the direction Tsunade was pursuing, Uzumaki Mito secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her greatest fear had always been that Tsunade might walk a dark path.
After all, the secret scrolls left behind by the Second Hokage, Tobirama, contained many dark forbidden techniques.
Thankfully! Thankfully, while Tsunade had begun to pursue power, she had not beco obsessed with those cruel and dark forbidden arts.
"Grandma, back then, you were also a genius. Even Second Grandpa regarded you as a legendary kunoichi with talent and strength no less than his."
With a flattering smile, Tsunade first complinted her grandmother and then coquettishly added:
"Grandma, I've been so busy lately. There's so much to handle in the dical Division. Could I trouble you to help research this forbidden technique together?"
Facing her granddaughter's playful request, Uzumaki Mito smiled with relief. Knowing that her granddaughter hadn't taken the dark path she feared was her greatest comfort.
"Alright. Grandma doesn't have much to do these days. I'll gladly help you perfect this forbidden technique."
Deep in her eyes, Uzumaki Mito showed a resolute look. If her granddaughter's idea for this forbidden technique could truly be perfected, it would serve as a significant safeguard for her life after Mito was gone.
She had to do her utmost to help complete it!
"Thank you so much, Grandma! But you must also rember to rest. I'll have Kushina keep an eye on you to make sure you're taking proper breaks."
With Tsunade's playful laughter, she escorted Uzumaki Mito out. Once alone, the smile on her face froze instantly, and a cold glint appeared deep in her eyes.
In the silent chamber, Tsunade looked at the various forbidden scrolls on the table.
"Perhaps I now know what to sacrifice. Sacrifice the unimportant, and in the end, the Senju clan will achieve its rebirth!"
After experiencing so much, Tsunade was no longer the carefree, reckless woman she once was. She had grown into soone who could truly bear the heavy responsibilities of the Senju clan.
What she sought was a unified, fully controllable clan—not one where mbers would betray her at critical monts.
As she unfurled a scroll, the contents revealed were none other than records of human experints conducted by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. Tsunade's gaze turned grave as she focused on the docunt.
"After Grandpa's death, Second Grandpa tried to create a forbidden technique to resurrect him. When this failed amidst the turmoil of the ninja world, he turned his attention to researching Wood Release's power, attempting to awaken it on a large scale within the clan."
"But there's no record in Senju clan history of Wood Release ever being a Kekkei Genkai ability. It seems to have been so kind of mutation that Grandpa awakened. Later, through research, Second Grandpa discovered that Grandpa's chakra contained a unique energy…"
As she read the secret details on the scroll, Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply. The description of this energy left her astonished.
"This unique energy is very similar to the special chakra produced in the Uchiha clan when they awaken the Sharingan. Yet it's also like two opposing forces, yin and yang in nature. When combined with a ninja's chakra, it generates imnse power…"
When she reached the end of the scroll and found no further records, Tsunade frowned.
"What? That's it? Impossible! If Second Grandpa researched this, how could the records be incomplete? This…"
Just as Tsunade was beginning to feel irritated, her eyes fell on the ti record at the end of the scroll. Her expression froze, and her frustrations dissipated.
"So that's when it was…"
Muttering to herself, Tsunade realized that the research dated back to the ti when her Second Grandpa had gone to negotiate with the Land of Lightning and t his untily end.
"In other words, Second Grandpa's research didn't fail; it was simply left incomplete."
Tsunade's brows furrowed even more deeply as her mind raced.
"Second Grandpa never finished his research. And what exactly is this unique Wood Release-related cell?"
Her thoughts began to piece together fragnts of the past. After her Second Grandpa didn't return, her teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took over as the Third Hokage.
Along with him ca the formation of the Root and the advisory council, consolidating the Third Hokage's power.
"In other words, everything Second Grandpa left behind remained in the village. And when these old schers rose to power under the Third Hokage…"
Tsunade's mind grew clearer, pointing to one possible conclusion.
"The research didn't stop. Those old schers continued experinting in secret, likely steering it toward a new direction—and now they've proposed the Wood Release project!"
At this thought, Tsunade couldn't help but smirk sarcastically.
"I thought I'd already assud the worst of you all, but you're even more rotten than I imagined. You're corrupt to the core!"
Her voice was calm and gentle, yet it carried an icy indifference.
At this mont, her eyes were filled with endless coldness. She had pushed her imagination to its limits, trying to envision just how vile they could be, yet reality still exceeded her expectations.
"What in this world could be worse than humans?"
Suddenly, a thought surfaced in Tsunade's mind, causing her expression to freeze. She realized she had never encountered anything more evil than humans.
…
Konoha.
The village, hailed as the strongest in the ninja world, had developed five major divisions since its founding: the ANBU, Root, Intelligence Division, Barrier Division, and Police Force.
While Root technically fell under the ANBU, it had grown increasingly independent over the years and was now responsible for espionage and intelligence-gathering missions in other nations.
Now, Konoha had added a sixth division: the dical Division. With this, Konoha's six departnts each had distinct responsibilities. Of these, the Barrier Division and dical Division had no enforcent powers.
The dical Division's new building stood behind the hospital, with Tsunade serving as its head.
"The dical Division is recruiting dical ninjas. Although the village is currently short on funds, we cannot afford to lack dical ninjas. Prepare to deploy with the ninja forces at any mont."
"This is the latest hospital managent system. Head Tsunade has already signed off on it. All hospitals in the village must operate under a unified frawork. Minor injuries should be treated and discharged promptly. Unless necessary, there's no need for hospitalization."
"Additionally, triage must be planned according to the severity of injuries. Don't waste dical resources. I've seen elite dical jōnin in the ward rushing to treat every patient brought in, rely because soone panicked…"
In the dical Division's office, dozens of Konoha ninjas skilled in dical ninjutsu sat respectfully, listening to their deputy head speak.
Uchiha Shirou, the division's deputy head, had taken on a nominal role in the Police Force after returning from the frontlines, before transferring to the dical Division.
Looking at the group of mostly female dical ninjas, Shirou spoke gravely:
"Do you realize how wasteful this behavior is? In chaotic situations, if a severely injured ninja—say, one with a severed limb—cos in, it might seem critical. But in reality, a chuunin dical ninja can stabilize their condition with basic treatnt. Instead, you're wasting an elite jōnin's chakra."
"And what happens when a poisoned jōnin arrives while that elite jonin dical ninja is drained?"
Faced with his question, the female dical ninjas exchanged uneasy glances, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.
"Deputy Head Shirou, while what you're saying is logical and we understand your point, sotis we have no choice. For example, when a patient is rushed in by their teammates. Even if a regular dical ninja can handle it, if their teammate is a high-ranking jōnin and demands the best, what are we supposed to do?"
A young female dical ninja nervously voiced the group's concerns.
dical ninjas were inherently the weaker group and couldn't afford to offend these high-ranking, temperantal jōnin—especially when their comrades were injured and emotions ran high.
Hearing this, Shirou calmly regarded the murmuring crowd.
"I will arrange for personnel from the Police Force to patrol the hospital and maintain order. When dealing with injured ninjas, no one is allowed to break protocol. If soone has an issue, direct them to the Police Force—or Head Tsunade!"
The powerful voice of Shirou echoed through the room, causing a silent sigh of relief among the others. If the Police Force had stepped in to maintain order, things would certainly proceed more smoothly. After all, they would simply be following established protocols.
"Of course, if it were during tis of abundant dical resources and such demands were made, we in the dical Division would welco it with open arms! Treatnt fees for such cases could be multiplied tenfold!"
Since Tsunade entrusted him with the task of managing the dical Division, Shirou had no intention of slacking off. While everyone else underestimated the dical Division, he was fully aware of its imnse potential.
By establishing a more comprehensive dical system, Shirou intended to tie the Uchiha clan, the dical Division, and even the other major families allied with them into a cohesive force. After all, no one understood the profitability of the dical field better than he did.
To control dical technology was to control the future!
As Shirou invoked the backing of two powerful clans—Tsunade's Senju family and his own Uchiha family—along with the Police Force, the dical ninjas in the room began to smile.
It wasn't that they didn't know how to properly utilize dical resources—it was simply that dical ninjas were in a weak position of influence.
In the original storyline, every ti a disaster struck Konoha, one glaring issue beca evident: no matter how skilled Sakura was as a dical ninja, even minor injuries required her attention. This was because the injured were almost always brought in by acquaintances, leaving her no choice but to help.
Thus, rules and systems needed to be established from the very beginning rather than waiting for issues to arise later, which would only make things more difficult.
With the implentation of the dical Division's improved policies, along with the support of the Police Force, Konoha's hospitals quickly beca more organized and efficient.
...
In the dical Division office, Shirou had just finished a eting when Kushina and Mikoto walked in, smiling.
"Shirou, everything has been arranged with the Police Force," Mikoto said. "It might take a bit of ti for them to adjust, but it won't be long before they adapt."
They had been back from the front lines for several days now, and Kushina had her work to focus on.
While Shirou held a nominal position in the Police Force, Mikoto was able to represent him, serving as a signal to avoid internal conflict within the clan.
Since returning, Kushina had also been spending most of her ti learning from Uzumaki Mito, finally enjoying a rare period of relative relaxation.
"Wow, our Deputy Head of the dical Division is quite impressive," Kushina teased, her straightforward personality shining through. "You're surrounded by so many beautiful dical ninjas."
Shirou shook his head with a smile at her playful jab. "Why don't you lend a hand as well?"
Kushina pouted and waved her hand dismissively. "I'm busy training with Grandma Mito right now—I don't have ti to help you."
Although she declined, her tone hinted that it wasn't a lack of willingness but simply a lack of ti.
"Lord Shirou!"
At that mont, Konan entered the office, carrying a stack of docunts, and greeted him respectfully. Shirou smiled warmly at her.
Since returning from the Land of Rain, he had brought Konan back with him. Disrupting the original tiline? That didn't matter to him. As long as it strengthened him and worked in his favor, nothing was off-limits.
Letting a ninja-like Konan's imnse potential go to waste elsewhere? That would be foolish.
As for Nagato, it wasn't that Shirou didn't want to bring him along—it was simply that he didn't yet have the strength to challenge Uchiha Madara's bottom line.
But that didn't matter. The seeds had already been planted; it was just a matter of waiting for them to bear fruit.
"Just place the docunts here," Shirou said. "I truly appreciate your ticulous work, Konan."
Konan's face flushed slightly at the praise. Bowing her head respectfully, she replied, "Not at all—it's all thanks to your guidance, Lord Shirou."
Watching this exchange, Kushina couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She wanted to stay here too, but she simply couldn't—Mito's health required her to improve her strength as quickly as possible.
"Shirou, have you heard?" Kushina suddenly interjected, her tone filled with dissatisfaction. "We accomplished so much on the front lines—especially you, fighting Salamander Hanzo to the death—and yet all you got was this useless position as dical Division Deputy Head?
anwhile, that Minato Namikaze managed to gain the Third Hokage's favor just by completing a few missions. I even heard he's being rewarded with one of the jutsu from the Scroll of Seals!"
Kushina huffed in frustration while Mikoto, standing nearby, remained silent but couldn't hide the cold glint in her eyes, revealing her displeasure.
"Kushina, you really shouldn't say things like that out loud," Shirou said, shaking his head with a smile. However, inwardly, he mused that Minato Namikaze's path to success seed inevitable.
Kushina, feeling comforted by Shirou's seemingly caring tone, couldn't help but feel warm inside, though she maintained her defiant deanor outwardly.
"Oh, co on! You, Mikoto, and Konan-chan are all on my side. Why should I care? If they're going to act like that, why shouldn't I call them out?"
Shirou smiled, shaking his head at her stubborn attitude.
"As for the Scroll of Seals, there's no need to dwell on it. Unless the Uchiha produce a Hokage, we shouldn't even think about receiving such things."
His casual smile seed to imply that the Uchiha clan had long grown accustod to such unfair treatnt. No matter how great their achievents, it would never be enough to earn genuine trust.
This resignation to others' prejudice made Kushina feel a pang of sadness. Looking at Shirou, her gaze softened.
"Tch, co to my house tonight!" she suddenly blurted out. Realizing what she had just said, Kushina's face turned bright red. Trying to cover it up, she added, "And Mikoto too! Grandma Mito wants to see you both. Sister Tsunade might also have sothing to discuss with you. I'm just passing along the ssage."
"Lady Mito?" Shirou paused, his mind already racing to analyze the situation.
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