"Lord Hokage!"
"You... what is this?"
Orochimaru's voice carried an uncontrollable excitement, his snake eyes fixed firmly on the "garbage" scattered on the ground.
Dozens of pale humanoid objects, some still twitching slightly, like maggots stripped of soil.
"White Zetsu. Consider them... special life forms."
Kaze withdrew his gaze and glanced at the White Zetsu on the ground.
"Special life forms?"
Orochimaru stepped forward quickly, squatted down, and poked the cheek of one White Zetsu with his gloved finger.
The touch was soft, a bizarre mixture of bark and muscle.
"This isn't an ordinary artificial body... this is... this is a perfect fusion of plant and human cells!"
"And the fusion method is extremely primitive and pure, as if directly stripped fragments from some huge life form!"
"This structure... if it can be analyzed, maybe the secret of the Shodaime Hokage's Wood Release can be unlocked!"
"Even... even create brand new artificial life!"
Orochimaru's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
Looking at Orochimaru's fanatic expression, Kaze suddenly recalled that in the original work, this guy's research on White Zetsu indeed advanced "Artificial Humans" and "Improved Impure World Reincarnation".
"You want them?"
Kaze asked lightly.
"Yes!"
"Please bestow these... White Zetsu to the Research Department!"
"I promise, within three months, to produce preliminary research results!"
Orochimaru didn't hesitate, turning to look at Kaze, his eyes full of unconcealed desire.
Because at this moment, Orochimaru also confirmed one thing.
These White Zetsu before him seemed somewhat similar to the Zetsu in the Akatsuki organization...
Could it be...
"Sure."
"But remember three points: First, research must be conducted in an absolutely closed environment; these things might transmit intelligence."
"Second, they cannot be used for human experimentation, at least not within the borders of the Land of Fire."
"Third... if there are any discoveries, report to me immediately. Especially information regarding their 'source'."
Kaze thought for a moment and gave a response.
"Source?"
"You mean, these are not natural products, but... derivatives of some existence?"
A sharp light flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
"Sort of."
"Take them away. Don't leave them at the village entrance; what if they scare the kids?"
Kaze didn't explain much and waved his hand.
"Yes!"
Orochimaru immediately formed seals, summoning several large snakes.
Those snakes opened their huge mouths and swallowed the White Zetsu on the ground one by one into their bellies.
This was the safest transport method, isolating Chakra fluctuations and preventing accidental leakage.
After doing all this, Orochimaru remembered his original purpose.
"By the way, Lord Hokage, I originally wanted to report to you about the preliminary fusion of Sharingan and Wood Release cells..."
"Talk about it tomorrow."
"Deal with these White Zetsu first. The Sharingan matter is not urgent."
Kaze interrupted Orochimaru, carrying Naruto into the village.
"Understood."
Orochimaru took a deep look at Kaze, bowed, and disappeared in a puff of white mist.
He knew this Lord Hokage was telling him: distinguish priorities.
And these White Zetsu in front of him might be more important than the Sharingan.
...
Hokage Building, top floor office.
When Kaze pushed the door open and entered, Nara Shikaku was already waiting at the desk.
A thick stack of documents was piled on the table, the top few marked with red labels "Urgent".
"Lord Hokage."
"Welcome back."
Nara Shikaku bowed.
"Get to the point. What happened while I was away?"
Kaze walked to the window, looking at the Konoha streets outside that had basically returned to normal.
"Infrastructure within Konoha, villagers' houses, and streets have basically completed restoration."
"School reopened, teacher selection confirmed."
"Mission Department is running smoothly; most ninjas have started executing missions."
"However, there is a problem that needs attention. The Intelligence Department found traces of Kumogakure and Kirigakure ninjas within the Land of Fire."
Nara Shikaku concisely stated all the changes in Konoha during this period.
After the crimes of the Konoha higher-ups were published, most Konoha ninjas accepted Uchiha Kaze becoming Hokage.
Coupled with a series of actions after Uchiha Kaze became Hokage, the terror they imagined did not appear, so emotions gradually stabilized.
On the contrary, after the news of Konoha's internal strife spread, other villages had some ideas.
"Ninjas from outside villages?"
"Detailed information?"
Kaze spoke with interest.
"Kumogakure is at the northeast border, at least two squads, appearing to establish a temporary stronghold."
"Kirigakure is on the southeast coast, moving covertly, suspected reconnaissance."
"In addition, according to the border patrol report, Iwagakure... is unusually quiet."
Nara Shikaku handed over a map, marking the approximate activity areas of the opponents in red and blue.
"Unusually quiet?"
Kaze looked at the markings on the map, somewhat curious about Iwagakure.
"Yes."
"Previously, Iwagakure's harassment of the border was constant."
"But recently, not a single Iwagakure ninja appeared on the border line, as if... all withdrawn."
Nara Shikaku nodded, pointing out the issue.
"Not withdrawn, but waiting and watching."
"The Third Great Ninja War dealt a huge blow to Iwagakure's new generation, so even if they know our Konoha's intelligence, they dare not make trouble."
"Plus that old guy Ōnoki, he probably knows the actions of Kumogakure and Kirigakure, and wants to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight."
Kaze looked at the map, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Then the movements of Kumogakure and Kirigakure..."
Nara Shikaku was still somewhat worried.
After all, the current Konoha really couldn't withstand bigger turmoil.
"Probing."
"That reckless man Yondaime Raikage A definitely wants to personally test my weight."
"As for Kirigakure..."
Kaze turned around, looked out the window again, and stopped when mentioning Kirigakure.
Kirigakure was probably already controlled by Obito.
What mission did he assign through Karatachi Yagura's hand this time?
"Need to strengthen border defense?"
Nara Shikaku looked grave.
It wasn't that he didn't believe in Uchiha Kaze's strength, but the current Konoha was already operating crazily under Uchiha's control, changing and developing forward.
Once something went wrong with the core Uchiha, then...
"No need."
"Let Akimichi Chōza issue a mission. Ninjas from other villages found invading can be killed directly."
"Consider it a... B-rank mission."
Kaze finished speaking and waved his hand.
Seeing this, even if Nara Shikaku had more doubts, he pressed them down temporarily.
Responded, and withdrew from the Hokage Office.
Because Nara Shikaku was getting used to it.
After all, if you insist on asking a madman for a reason, aren't you the sick one?
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