"There is no 'but'! Hiruko will understand our position," Koharu Utatane stated firmly.
In the heavy silence that followed, Danzō finally spoke, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Even if the Uchiha have grievances, let them bring them to me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke before replying softly, "Being from the same village... it's not ideal to be so confrontational."
His meaning was clear: If you want to interfere, go talk to Orochimaru and Hiruko yourself.
Danzō, Homura, and Koharu shared a look. They didn't push Hiruzen any further; instead, they left the office in silent accord. They hadn't come expecting a definitive "yes" from the Third. In their eyes, as long as Hiruzen didn't explicitly forbid it and remained characteristically vague, it was permission enough.
They knew the Third too well. He was no longer the decisive "Shinobi no Kami" of his youth. And as long as there was no direct order to stop, Danzō was more than willing to wrap himself in the Hokage's banner to get things done.
Meanwhile, Hiruko followed Orochimaru through a series of chillingly cold underground tunnels. They eventually arrived at a subterranean storage vault where the air was thick with the scent of frost and preservation seals.
Gazing at the rows of frozen coffins, Hiruko glanced up at Orochimaru. "This is...?"
"Corpses, of course," Orochimaru replied with a thin, pale smile.
Hiruko frowned, looking around the gloomy, cramped space. He let out a sigh. "I'm telling you, Orochimaru, you really should find a more spacious, well-lit place for your research. Spend too much time in a hole like this and your soul starts to turn gray."
"Heh..."
Orochimaru let out a soft, sibilant chuckle. "For a man like you to lecture me on darkness... Aunt Mito would be quite heartbroken to hear it."
Hiruko gave him a dry look but didn't argue. While Hiruko maintained an image of gentle warmth and kept his own lab meticulously clean and bright, the darkness lurking in the depths of his heart was something Orochimaru could sense with predatory clarity.
Orochimaru didn't linger on the topic. He gestured toward the ice. "These are all shinobi who possessed specialized skills or unique Kekkei Genkai."
Aside from his unofficial title as the "Principal of Konoha's Orphanage," Orochimaru also had the reputation of being a grave robber—a title earned from his habit of raiding the ancestral plots of powerful clans.
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"You wanted to study bloodline limits, didn't you? There are plenty of materials here, though most are quite dead."
Orochimaru led Hiruko through the rows, acting as a macabre tour guide. "Ice Release, Steel Release, members of the Uzumaki, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans."
The Uchiha and Hyuga corpses, naturally, had empty eye sockets. The Branch House Hyuga members had their eyes destroyed by the Caged Bird Seal upon death, but their physical constitutions remained high-quality research material.
Noticing Hiruko's interest in the Hyuga remains, Orochimaru elaborated. For Orochimaru, living subjects were a scarce resource, and once a subject became a corpse, only Hashirama's cells or truly potent Kekkei Genkai could pique his curiosity.
"You may take what you need. A shinobi's body contains a wealth of data even after the heart stops," Orochimaru said. He had been very pleased with Hiruko lately; Hiruko had shared a significant amount of new technical data, and in return, Orochimaru was happy to share his "treasures."
Hiruko nodded, satisfied. These resources were essential for his research into the Chimera Technique. Collecting them himself would have been a logistical nightmare.
As they walked, Orochimaru added casually, "One more thing. While the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu allows for multitasking, the mental and physical toll of long-term use is immense."
"Especially for someone like you—your 'inner darkness' is exceptionally potent. The strain on your psyche could eventually shatter your will if you aren't careful."
"Don't push your limits. You have plenty of time to grow," Orochimaru warned. Though he believed Hiruko had likely hit his ceiling as a shinobi and might never reach the "Kage" level in raw combat, he didn't want to see a like-minded friend die young from overwork.
Hiruko had made it a habit to use three clones simultaneously to handle research and study. Seeing Hiruko's increasingly pale complexion, Orochimaru was genuinely concerned that the mental feedback from the clones would crush him.
"I'll manage my health," Hiruko replied. He selected two ice coffins, and a specialized robot he had brought along began hauling them out.
Orochimaru didn't pry. He knew Hiruko was thorough enough not to let his own research kill him. "In a few days, you should pay a visit to Minato. If you want to systematically master high-level Fūinjutsu, only a few people in this village are qualified to teach you."
"The old man, Jiraiya's student Minato, or the Uzumaki girl."
"I've already spoken with Jiraiya regarding Kushina Uzumaki. After he talks to Minato, I'm sure Minato will be willing to guide you through the deeper mysteries of sealing."
Orochimaru himself was a master of sealing—he wouldn't have been able to develop the Reanimation Jutsu (Edo Tensei) without it—but for the absolute pinnacle of Fūinjutsu, one could not bypass the Uzumaki lineage.
Knock, knock, knock.
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It was midday when Hiruko stood at the front door of the Fourth Hokage's residence. The door creaked open to reveal Kushina Uzumaki. When she saw it was Hiruko, a bright, welcoming smile broke across her face.
Hiruzen and Orochimaru had clearly paved the way; she knew Hiruko was there to delve into the secrets of her clan's seals.
"Lord Hiruko! Please, come in, come in!" Kushina said politely, ushering him inside.
As Hiruko crossed the threshold, he glanced toward the roof. He could sense an Anbu guard lurking there, radiating a cold chakra signature laced with the familiar scent of Wood Style energy.
Is that Kakashi? It seems he's integrated the 'Life Type-3' Wood Style serum. Hiruko thought with a mental smirk. At least he won't have to worry about chakra exhaustion anymore. In the future, Kakashi will be...
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