"Brat, it's not time for Anbu to get off work yet, is it?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi reluctantly put down the newspaper and looked at Ren, speaking.
"Ah, I took another day off."
Ren propped his chin with one hand and nodded.
"There were some things I needed to handle, so I took a day off."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, looking at Ren with a half-smile.
"Tell me, what have you been busy with today?"
"Hmm, let me think."
Ren organized his thoughts for a moment, then began.
"First, I sent Hidan to learn from Uncle Dai; second, I went to negotiate with the Nine-Tailed; and third, I went to Orochimaru's place for a bit."
"Hmm?"
These three matters were stranger than the last, and Hiruzen Sarutobi unconsciously straightened his body, his face filled with surprise, asking in confusion.
"Hidan, that's the kid you brought back from the Land of Hot Springs, right? What are you having him learn from Uncle Dai?"
"Taijutsu!"
Ren's eyes widened, and he pointed out the window, saying.
"In Konoha Village, is there anyone whose taijutsu mastery is stronger than Uncle Dai's?"
"Uh..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, then after a careful thought, he reluctantly said.
"Alright, then what about negotiating with the Nine-Tailed?"
"Oh, Kushina-nee is about to give birth, isn't she?"
Ren picked up an orange from the fruit plate nearby, peeling it as he spoke.
"I figured, relying on the friendship between Tailed Beasts, I'd see if I could persuade the Nine-Tailed to behave itself in a couple of days."
As he spoke, Ren fell silent again, focusing on the orange in his hand, which immediately displeased Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was sitting opposite him. He unconsciously leaned forward, asking somewhat eagerly.
"And then?"
Ren threw the peeled orange into his mouth, and only after finishing it did he unhurriedly say.
"Then the negotiations fell through."
At this point, Ren's expression turned gloomy, and he cursed.
"Damn stinky fox, if you don't want to talk, then don't talk, why such a bad temper? Is being strong so great?"
If he couldn't beat the other party, Ren would have released that guy and called a group of people to beat him to death. As for now, he'd just have to bear with it.
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched twice, then he picked up the tea on the table and took a sip before continuing.
"Orochimaru, you went to Orochimaru's place?"
"Ah, I went to see him and deliver some research materials."
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes changed. He looked at Ren with a serious expression and said in a deep voice.
"Research materials? How could you give him such things!"
He had been troubled by Orochimaru's actions recently, and Ren's actions, in his opinion, were simply fanning the flames.
"Hold on, calm down, old man."
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression, Ren knew he had misunderstood him, so he quickly stopped him and explained.
"Those are all cultists from the Evil God Cult in the Land of Hot Springs, just a bunch of homicidal maniacs. Using them for experiments is just putting waste to good use."
"That's still not right."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows furrowed, his usual kind demeanor gone. He looked at Ren and said sternly.
"Don't you know about Orochimaru touching forbidden jutsus and doing human experiments? It's bad enough you didn't stop him, but now you're even providing him with materials."
Towards the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice suddenly rose.
"Do you know what you're doing, Ren?!"
"Doing what?!"
Grandma Biwako's head poked out from the kitchen, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi with dissatisfaction.
"Lower your voice, can't you talk things out properly? Ren is still a child."
But Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of explaining, only staring at Ren with a serious expression.
"Grandma Biwako, please go back to what you were doing, it's nothing."
Ren, on the other hand, acted as if nothing was wrong, smiling brightly.
"Oh, dinner's almost ready, just a little longer."
Grandma Biwako looked at the two with some concern, then returned to the kitchen to continue working.
Ren turned his head and saw that Hiruzen Sarutobi was still staring at him, which made his hand reaching for the fruit plate pause. Then he said somewhat helplessly.
"I say, old man, don't look at me like that. What's wrong with human experimentation? Don't tell me Yamato's Wood Release is innate."
"Uh..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression instantly stiffened. He was stunned for a moment, and just as he was about to retort after realizing, Ren spoke first.
"Don't say anything, take a break and let me speak.
Yamato's Wood Release isn't innate, it's the product of human experimentation, isn't it? Dozens of children, and only Yamato survived. I've investigated, and this is exactly what Orochimaru and Danzo did years ago, isn't it?
The Root, buried deep underground, has long since touched forbidden jutsus in the darkness. Do you truly know nothing about it?"
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent. His hands drooped onto his lap, and his face grew somewhat dejected. After a few seconds, he slowly spoke.
"I'm very sorry about the Root. But Danzo is already dead, which can be considered atonement for his wrongdoings. As for Orochimaru, I will not stand by and watch him go down the wrong path again."
"Tsk."
Looking at the somewhat unconfident Hiruzen Sarutobi, Ren leaned forward directly and retorted.
"Old man, let's be frank. Which Village or country isn't secretly conducting these dark experiments now?
Lord Second Hokage Tobirama Senju created so many forbidden jutsus; I don't believe they were all conjured out of thin air."
For example, Edo Tensei, a forbidden jutsu that is, in a sense, defying heaven. Even if Senju Tobirama was possessed by the Six Paths Sage, he certainly couldn't have achieved it in one go.
The vast number of test subjects required before, during, and after that, Orochimaru's amount compared to that is just a drop in the ocean.
"This..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was instantly speechless. After all, as a disciple of Senju Tobirama, he knew better than anyone.
His teacher was basically either in the Hokage Office or in the laboratory every day. Spies and enemy Ninja from Konoha Prison were taken out daily, never to return.
And no one dared to question this, because at that time in Konoha, Senju Tobirama, as the Second Hokage, held absolute power. All the great clans of Konoha followed him, even the Uchiha.
Unlike the current Hiruzen Sarutobi, who is constrained by the so-called Elder Advisors and various clans.
At that time, Senju Tobirama, relying on his powerful strength and iron-fisted methods, kept all the clans in line. The forbidden jutsus he researched by himself shone brightly in the First Ninja World War.
Especially Edo Tensei, it helped Konoha quickly break the stalemate and swiftly secure victory.
If he hadn't chosen to stay behind to protect his comrades in the end, Konoha's strength now would not be what it is.