She had long been disgusted by the way the Third Hokage and the others wanted to control and manipulate Kushina as if she were nothing more than a chess piece.
In their eyes, what exactly was Kushina?
Was this still the village her grandfathers had once hoped to build?
Hearing her, the Third Hokage felt a headache coming on. Frowning slightly, he said, "You know that's not what I mean. It's just that Sora's identity is too sensitive, and the Uchiha are too dangerous."
Back then, under Madara Uchiha's Sharingan, the Nine-Tails had been no better than a dog.
It had been controlled completely.
And that frightened him.
What if Uchiha Sora managed to control the Nine-Tails too? What if control of the Nine-Tails fell into the hands of the Uchiha clan?
"Heh! So now Sora is dangerous?"
The moment Tsunade heard that, she let out a cold laugh and flung a document straight at the Third Hokage's face.
"And who's been trying to win Sora over this whole time? Wasn't it you?"
"He's been trying to develop medical talismans to contribute to the village, to reduce shinobi casualties. For that, he had no choice but to learn sealing techniques from Kushina. And this is how you people choose to see him?"
"Take a good look at this document."
Tsunade had anticipated this kind of follow-up trouble. Earlier, she had extracted some of the more surface-level information and explanations from Uchiha Sora's medical talisman drafts and compiled them into this file.
It was specifically meant to be shown to the Third Hokage and the others.
She believed both the Third Hokage and even Danzo would compromise once they saw it.
"Medical talismans? Reducing shinobi casualties?"
The Third Hokage caught the document. Hearing Tsunade's words, he was briefly stunned.
Then, frowning slightly, he opened it and began reading.
Very soon, the contents left him visibly shaken.
He abruptly raised his head and looked at Tsunade, asking urgently, "Is everything written here true? How far has the research on these medical talismans progressed? When will results be produced?"
It was no wonder he was so agitated.
If medical talismans truly came into existence, then every Konoha shinobi carrying a few of them would, in effect, be carrying a medical ninja proficient in the Mystical Palm Technique at all times.
That would massively increase Konoha shinobi's chances of survival.
"Heh."
Tsunade crossed her arms and gave him a disdainful smile.
"Half true, half not. Sora and I have basically worked out the medical ninjutsu theory side of things."
"What's lacking is the sealing technique side—how to stably seal Mystical Palm Technique chakra into specially prepared paper. That's the key."
"That's exactly why I took Sora to Kushina to learn sealing techniques. Is there a problem with that?"
In truth, all of the current theory had been researched by Uchiha Sora alone.
But when Tsunade spoke, she deliberately included herself.
Not to steal credit, but to stand beside him and share the pressure.
Otherwise, if the Third Hokage and Danzo and the rest of the Konoha higher-ups saw how young he was, they might try to seize the fruits of his work by force or through manipulation.
With Tsunade's name included, the Third Hokage and Danzo would naturally show far more restraint.
That way, Tsunade felt she could help Sora secure quite a few benefits and advantages later.
"How could there be? Of course there's no problem!"
The Third Hokage immediately put on a full smile and waved his hand.
"You handled this very well. It was I who was too hasty and failed to think it through."
"Since it concerns the research of medical talismans, then it's only natural for Sora to learn sealing techniques from Kushina."
The speed of that change in attitude was truly astonishing.
Even Tsunade wanted to click her tongue in amazement.
Bang!
Before the Third Hokage could continue speaking, the next moment Danzo suddenly shoved open the door and stormed out from the small side room.
Filled with anger, he turned to the Third Hokage and demanded, "Hiruzen, how can you do this?"
"Do you not understand the importance of the Jinchuriki? How can you allow that Uchiha brat to continue approaching the Jinchuriki?"
"What if something goes wrong? Who will take responsibility?"
"If you ask me, that brat should be—"
At that point, Danzo suddenly felt an extremely dangerous gaze lock onto him.
His whole body stiffened.
A quick glance told him exactly why—Tsunade was standing there with her fists clenched, eyes gleaming coldly as she stared at him.
He stopped speaking at once, not daring to continue.
Damn it! I got carried away. I forgot this madwoman was still here!
Danzo cursed inwardly, then was just about to change course and say something else to the Third Hokage when—
The Third Hokage directly flung the document in his hand into Danzo's face and said expressionlessly, "Before you talk, read this first."
At the same time, the Third Hokage thought to himself, So this is what it feels like to slap someone in the face with a document. Refreshing.
Danzo: "..."
He gloomily caught the paper before it fell, then opened it and skimmed through it quickly.
Afterward, he looked up at the Third Hokage and Tsunade in surprise.
Combined with the conversation he had overheard earlier, he finally understood what the two had been discussing.
And why the Third Hokage had let the matter go and agreed to allow the Jinchuriki to continue having contact with Uchiha Sora.
So that was it—there was something this good involved.
Why didn't you say so earlier?
He shot the Third Hokage a resentful glance.
"Hiruzen, this kind of medical talisman is far too important. It could even be considered a strategic resource. It must be held in the village's hands, not monopolized by an individual."
Danzo immediately switched expressions and declared this with righteous seriousness.
In short, he absolutely could not allow that Uchiha brat to possess this technology alone.
Whether the village truly held it or not was secondary to him. What mattered was that Root had to obtain it.
And if he could restrict or even forbid Uchiha Sora from using it himself, that would be even better.
"Mm! That makes sense."
This time, the Third Hokage did not refute Danzo. Instead, he nodded and turned to Tsunade.
"What do you think, Tsunade?"
"Tch."
Tsunade let out a mocking laugh and looked at the two of them with open ridicule.
"You two really are something, aren't you? The egg hasn't even been laid yet, and you're already thinking about how to snatch it away by force. And you expect me to have a good opinion of that?"
"Don't forget, I have a share in this too. You think you can take it from me and Sora?"
"I'm telling you now—over my dead body."
The expressions of both the Third Hokage and Danzo darkened.
The Third Hokage immediately responded in a firmer tone, "Tsunade, this is not the time for you to act on impulse. Since you and Sora have developed something like this, then you should understand its strategic significance and importance."
"Only by handing it over to the village can it fulfill its true potential."
"This medical talisman technology must be controlled by the village."
At this point, his tone softened again.
"Of course, I haven't forgotten your contributions. Neither you nor Sora will be shortchanged in merit or reward."
"I can make the decision right now—each of you may choose one ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals. How about that?"
The Third Hokage knew full well that if he didn't offer Tsunade and Sora some benefits, this matter might collapse entirely.
After all, the thing had not yet been fully completed.
If Uchiha Sora and Tsunade felt there was nothing in it for them, they would definitely not just let it go.
At the side, Danzo frowned, clearly wanting to object.
But in the end, he restrained himself.
In truth, he did not want Uchiha Sora to have any chance to obtain a ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals.
He knew better than anyone how many extremely dangerous techniques were recorded inside it.
But if they offered nothing, then the medical talismans might go up in smoke.
So he could only endure it for now.
"Tch."
Tsunade immediately curled her lip in disdain and flicked at her fingernails.
"Not interested. The ninjutsu in the Scroll of Seals holds no appeal for me. Have you forgotten that most of the techniques in there were created by my second grandfather?"
Her combat style was already complete—centered on the Strength of a Hundred and monstrous strength, supported by taijutsu and medical ninjutsu.
What use would she have for those ninjutsu?
Unless one day she awakened the Wood Release bloodline...
No, in that case there'd be even less need to think about it.
Her family had the First Hokage's complete collection of Wood Release techniques.
In fact, theirs was even more complete than the village's.