Darkness and cool air covered the village as Daichi stepped out of the Hokage Tower and onto the main avenue. As he began making his way home, he quickly began checking his system messages.
'Time to see how much progress I made in the medical skill tree.'
[Skill Herbology has leveled up.]
[Skill Toxicology has leveled up.] x2
[Skill Health Manipulation has leveled up.] x3
[Skill Pharmacology has leveled up.] x3
[Skill Mana Manipulation has leveled up.]
Daichi quickly opened his skill list to check the effects of the Toxicology and Pharmacology skills.
[Toxicology - Passive/Active (LV.84): A crafting/combat type skill learned after studying and creating numerous poisons. This skill helps the player with identifying, studying and creating poisons/venoms/antidotes and improving their effects. This skill pairs well with stealth and trap builds. This is also a strong defensive utility skill when fighting poison users.]
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[Effects]
Passive Effects:
Poison resistance 50.4%
Antidote potency 58.8%, Brew time -33.6%.
Offensive toxic efficacy 58.8%
Auto diagnose toxin family.
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Active Effects:
Micro purge - Cost: 5 CP - removes one poison stack.
Cool down: 60s.
Coagulant Edge - Coat weapons to increase damage to the enemy. Increase toxicity with higher INT stat vs target condition/physique.
Aerosol Neutralizer: Neutralizes airborne toxins in 24 meters for 45s. - Cost: 85CP.
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[Notes]
Increasing intelligence stat will increase the potency and effectiveness of poisons and antidotes used.
Increasing Wisdom stat will increase the speed of poison diagnostics and antidote creation and reduces cooldown time.
'Still have 16 more levels to go before this reaches the max level. The Pharmacology skill on the other hand…'
[Pharmacology - Passive/Active (LV.96): This is a crafting/support type skill. This skill helps the player design, optimize and deliver drugs/serums. This skill reduces the side effects of the drugs created by the Player and extends the duration of its effects.]
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[Effects]
Potency of medicinal items made by the Player is increased by 57.6%
Beneficial duration 48%
Side effects severity -57.6%
Consumable cooldown -19.2%
Can safely combine 3 serums with interlocks. Cooldown: 12h.
Can use Micro dosing array seals in conjunction with the created drugs.
Helps the player in creating time-released doses.
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[Notes]
Increase in INT stat increases potency.
Increase in WIS stat increases safety and lowers the chance of a misdose.
'Once all this mess with Tsunade is over, I need to focus on leveling up my skill to the max.'
He cut across the square, past the closing shutters of a dango stand and onto a small road that led to his home. Soon, as he neared the gates, he saw that the lights were on in his home.
'Seems the old man is home.'
Daichi opened the gates and stepped inside and his guess was right. The old ninja was relaxing on the porch with a cup of tea and a small book. When he saw Daichi, he placed his cup on the table and greeted his grandson.
"Welcome home."
Daichi blinked, then smiled. "You're back. When?"
"I got back a couple days ago. And before you ask– yes, I already spoke to the Hokage. I know what happened."
Daichi nodded. He quietly took off his shoes and found a seat on the porch. "You left the morning I got the news. I thought you'd be at the Hidden Sand village by the time news reached you."
Kensei sighed. "I was halfway across the border before I noticed a shift in the Hidden Sand's patrol squad patterns and numbers. I knew something was up. I delayed going further and soon got orders from the Hokage himself to return."
Daichi was surprised to hear that. 'What? The Hokage asked him to come back? That's strange?'
"I turned around, took a longer route and got back just two days ago. The moment I set foot here, there was an Anbu waiting for me." Kensei had an unreadable expression as he said those words and looked at his grandson.
"I take it the Hokage told you everything."
Kensei nodded. "About Tsunade's abduction, the attack on Danzo and your rescue mission. I still can't believe he summoned the Second Hokage from the dead. Of all people, Hiruzen was the last person I expected to use that jutsu." Kensei was shocked when he met the Hokage and learned what had happened.
"Yeah. You're not the only one."
Kensei's gaze shifted to Daichi's forehead where his headband was tied. He looked as if trying to see past the metal band and look at the seal on the forehead.
Daichi noticed the look and had a small smile. "He told you huh."
"Yup. To think you would master that jutsu at your age… He also told me how you outclassed Orochimaru and finished him." Kensei had a proud grin as he looked at the boy.
"There were several factors in play. He was already in a weakened state when we began our fight. And he completely underestimated me. Two main factors for my victory." Daichi had analyzed his battle with Orochimaru these last several days and he came to the conclusion that if circumstances were different, even though he would have won in the end, it wouldn't have been such an easy victory.
"A win is a win, Daichi. You should be proud of your strength." Kensei stood and placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Have you eaten anything? I know you must have been busy trying to find a cure for Tsunade." Kensei looked at the boy and asked with concern.
"I'm fine, old man. Not really in the mood to eat right now. Maybe something in the morning." Daichi smiled and waved his hands. He wasn't really feeling hungry.
"How is Tsunade?" A few moments of quiet passed by before Kensei asked his question. He knew Daichi was in charge of her treatment. He wanted to know if Daichi had made any progress.
Daichi exhaled a breath. "The integration from the serum Orochimaru introduced into her system is pushing her into full metamorphosis. I slowed down the process and healed her worst injuries. Bought time with some new drugs I made."
Kensei's eyes narrowed a fraction. "And?"
"I built something that can reconcile the two bloodlines without either cannibalizing the other." He met his grandfather's gaze. "No deformities. No loss of self. I'll try it on her tomorrow. I need to run a few more tests in the morning but the solution will be ready to administer by noon."
Hearing Daichi's confident voice, Kensei's mouth tugged into a small smile. "You're certain it'll work?"
"One hundred percent."
Kensei smiled and nodded. "I'm not going to bet against you. Well done Daichi."
Nearby, in a tree, a night bird called out and became quiet.
"It's getting late. You look like you haven't slept in a real bed in a week." Kensei said mildly.
"I was on a deadline." Daichi replied with a small huff.
"But now that you're here it's time for you to get some proper sleep."
The Genin nodded and soon went upstairs to his room to get some rest. Meanwhile Kensei was still on the porch thinking about his meeting with the old Kage.
Flashback.
Kensei met the Hokage and he learned about the abduction of Tsunade. The attack on the Root, Danzo's death and his planned coup.
"I warned you, Hiruzen. You didn't listen." Kensei wasn't too surprised that Danzo would plan a coup.
"Yes. You were right. Is that what you want to hear?" Hiruzen sighed as he looked at his old comrade.
The Hokage then explained the rescue mission the team conducted and Daichi's role in bringing the Sannin home.
"You're kidding me. He really defeated Orochimaru?" Kensei was shocked when he heard that.
"Yeah. We saw it with our own eyes."
Another voice appeared near them. It was Jiraiya.
But Kensei's attention quickly found its way to the reanimated Second Hokage.
"L-lord Second… you."
"It's been a long time. The last time I saw you was when I gave you the Chunin vest." Tobirama looked at the man and recalled the face.
"How?" Kensei asked with utter shock.
"I summoned him." Hiruzen replied and Kensei turned to him. The Hokage told him a few reasons but Kensei knew he was holding back a lot of information.
"Why did you summon me here so urgently?" Kensei asked. He knew whatever had happened had nothing to do with him so he was curious about this urgent summon.
"It's about a man calling himself Monkey D Dragon. Have you heard of him?" Hiruzen asked the man while keeping a neutral expression.
"No. This is the first time I'm hearing that name. It sounds like an alias." Kensei replied calmly.
Hiruzen glanced at the Second Hokage and he saw the man give a small nod. The Hokage then turned to his former student. "Jiraiya."
The Toad sage quickly used the Transformation jutsu and turned into the form of Dragon. He had the iconic Dragon mask and soon he took off the mask to show the face behind it.
"Do you recognize that face?" Hiruzen asked again.
Kensei looked at the transformation and when he saw that mask and the face behind it, he was shocked.
Hiruzen and the others immediately noticed the change in the man's expression. They came to a conclusion. 'He knows him.'
"Where have you seen this man?" It was Tobirama who asked this time.
"Why do you want to know?" Kensei quickly composed himself and replied with a question of his own.
Hiruzen sighed. "This man attacked Danzo shortly before I began my raid on his headquarters. He stole several highly classified intelligence and hidden jutsus of this village stored in Danzo's vault. He also attacked a member of the Earth royal court. I've declared him an S Rank enemy ninja. This man is Monkey D Dragon."
Hiruzen explained the attack on Root but he decided to omit the part about the reanimated Hotaru. He didn't want to reopen any old wounds.
"He did all that?" Kensei's eyes widened in shock.
"Yes. You just said that you haven't heard that name. That was the truth. But you clearly recognize this man. How?" Tobirama stepped forward and asked.
Kensei sighed and closed his eyes for a few moments. He then opened and began telling them what he knew.
"I've only met him two times in my life. The first time was on a mission during the Third World War. During that mission I found out about some of Danzo's nefarious schemes. Things I wasn't supposed to find. Danzo learned of that and sent his people to kill me. He released some secret intel and I was attacked by Root, the Hidden Mist ninjas and the Hidden Cloud ninjas."
Hiruzen quickly recalled that incident. "Your battle at the Moromu mountain..."
"Yes. I was poisoned, lost a leg and was on the verge of death, when a masked figure suddenly appeared. He took down everyone in seconds with brutal efficiency." Kensei recalled the memory of the battle. And the fight he saw still shook him to this day. "I had never seen anything like that before. I thought he was there to kill me. But instead of sending me to the otherworld he removed the poison, healed my injuries and saved me from death."
"Why did he save your life?" Jiraiya asked.
Kensei sighed again. "I asked the same question. To me he was a stranger and even a possible enemy. But he just said, because he wanted to."
"You didn't ask his name?" Hiruzen asked with a frown.
"I did. He said his name was not important anymore. And I wouldn't have heard of him even if I knew."
"He wouldn't have saved you without a reason. What did he want?" Tobirama asked, crossing his arms.
Kensei became silent for a moment. 'It looks like I can't hide it anymore.'
After a moment of contemplation, Kensei continued. "After saving my life, he said he would come back one day and I would have to repay that debt. After that he vanished."
Tobirama, Jiraiya and Hiruzen were tense as they looked at the man.
"The Second time I saw him was nearly four years after the Nine Tails attack. When I was visiting Fumiyo's grave, he came to me. He wanted me to repay the debt for saving his life."
"What was the favor?" The Hokage asked with a slightly tense tone.
"He wanted me to adopt someone from Aiko's orphanage."
Those words shocked everyone else in the room.
"He didn't ask you for village secrets or intelligence?" Tobirama couldn't believe it but his senses told him that Kensei was telling the truth.
"Wait! Wait! So the favor for saving your life is for you to adopt someone?" Jiraiya looked at the man incredulously.
"Yes."
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "Daichi! He wanted you to adopt Daichi?"
Kensei shook his head from side to side. "No. He never told me to specifically adopt Daichi. Just that I adopt someone."
"I don't understand Kensei. What exactly are you saying?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"He wanted me to visit Aiko's orphanage and adopt someone a year later. He said I'd find someone interesting there. But he never said anything about Daichi. He left soon after and I never saw him again."
The Second and Third Hokage and the Toad sage kept silent as they listened to the story.
"He didn't ask for anything else. And since he saved my life, I decided to humor him. I visited the orphanage and soon met a child who resembled my son. I thought he would be Hotaru's son and thus my grandson so I had Aiko run a blood test. But it came negative. But it didn't matter. I decided to adopt that kid on a whim. I'm sure you know the rest."
Hiruzen studied Kensei's face and soon came to a theory. "He told you to adopt anyone but you're absolutely certain he wanted you to adopt Daichi, aren't you?"
"Yes." Kensei replied after a few seconds.
"Wait. So does Daichi know Dragon?" Jiraiya asked.
Kensei shook his head. "No. Daichi has never met or heard about him. If Daichi has any connection to Dragon it could only be through his deceased parents. But since they died in the Nine Tails attack, that's a dead end."
"And you've never had any contact with him since?" Hiruzen asked for clarification.
Kensei shook his head. "No."
"Why didn't you tell me about him?" Hiruzen wanted to know why Dragon was left out of the mission report all those years ago.
"What exactly was I supposed to say? Danzo had half convinced you that I turned traitor. If I said that an unknown shinobi saved my life, how do you think it would have looked for me." Kensei replied with anger in his voice and the Third Hokage calmed down.
Kensei asked what Dragon did and the Hokage explained in detail what had happened.
The retired ninja sighed. "He may have saved my life but I wouldn't put the village's safety in jeopardy. If he had asked for something unreasonable, I wouldn't have done it or I would have come to you. You should know that, Hiruzen."
The Third sighed and had an apologetic face. "I'm sorry to doubt you."
Kensei was about to say something more but decided to keep quiet. 'Can't exactly blame him. His position will force him to ask difficult questions.'
He then turned to Jiraiya. "You said you've met him. Did he look exactly like he did in your transformation?"
The Toad Sage nodded his head. "Yeah. Why?"
"Because that's exactly how he looked when I first met him. It's as if he didn't age a bit after all these decades."
Kensei's words further deepened the mystery of Dragon. Tobirama and Hiruzen looked at each other and knew the unknown man would become a headache sooner or later.
The Hokage asked Kensei a few more questions and soon the meeting came to an end.
Flashback End.
As Kensei sat in his chair and looked up at the stars he had one question on his mind.
'Who are you Dragon?'
Meanwhile, in Daichi's room, the Genin was also facing a dilemma. 'Should I tell him about Hotaru…? If the old man finds out that Danzo used him as a reanimated puppet then he's gonna be seriously pissed off.'
Daichi then thought about the meeting the old man had with the Hokage. 'The Hokage told him about Danzo and the raid on Root but he clearly didn't tell him about Hotaru…'
Soon Daichi came to a decision. 'He's already at peace with what happened to his family. If he knew what happened then it'll only put him in more pain. Looks like it's another secret I'll have to take to my grave.'
He looked at the clock and groaned. "I should get some sleep. It's a big day tomorrow."
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Author's Note:
So I decided to fill the secret gaps I laid out. Check out chapter 75. Also I'm back. haven't given up on this. Sorry for making you all wait so long.