At this time, Director Matsumoto—who was responsible for the hospital's finances and project approvals—knit his brows. He briefly estimated the hospital's liquid funds in his mind and calculated that it would be enough for Hyuga Yu to squander for a while as he set his new directorial agenda, before lifting his head and asking: "Yu-kun, four research projects, what exactly do you want to do?"
He pulled his hand out of Hyuga Yu's grasp and habitually tucked his hands behind his back, attempting to persuade him with his characteristic stinginess: "It's not that this old man doesn't support you, but I feel... young people shouldn't aim too high. Aren't four projects a bit too cluttered? Can you even handle them all? How about cutting it down to two so you can be more focused..."
Within the Konoha Hospital, Director Shiraishi only cared about treating patients and saving lives, with an attainment in medical ninjutsu second only to Tsunade; Furofuki focused on cultivating the younger generation; while the Director Matsumoto before him handled the hospital's various expenditures, being a cautious man who kept an exceptionally tight grip on funds.
Hyuga Yu was naturally well aware of the personalities of these three executives and had long prepared his rhetoric to deal with Director Matsumoto. At this moment, he drew the two old men a step closer, lowering his voice as he spoke: "Directors,"
"Three months ago, the Yang Release project established by the Kirigakure Hospital—have you two heard about it?"
Hearing this, the expressions of the two old men shuddered in unison, and the gaze they directed toward Hyuga Yu turned solemn. The essence of medical ninjutsu was fundamentally Yang Release, and advancements in Yang Release would inevitably drive immense progress in medical ninjutsu. The information that Kirigakure had established the shinobi world's first Yang Release laboratory, published papers regarding Yang Release, and was vigorously developing it was no longer a secret. The medical departments of various shinobi villages were all trying to scout related intelligence, hoping to get first-hand information regarding controllable Yang Release.
Director Shiraishi immediately opened his mouth to ask: "Yang Release, three months ago... Weren't you exactly executing a mission in Kirigakure at that time after faking your death to slip away?"
His gaze shook as he said in astonishment, "Could it be that you managed to obtain first-hand internal intelligence from the Kirigakure Hospital?"
"No." Hyuga Yu shook his head and looked at the two of them, dropping a bombshell piece of intelligence: "The Yang Release laboratory in Kirigakure was precisely initiated and pushed forward by me!"
"At that time, in order to execute the mission, I had no choice but to publicly disclose a portion of the projects that the Foundation had been secretly researching..."
Hearing this, the two old men froze in unison. Instantly, connecting it to Hyuga Yu's status within the Foundation and recalling the research projects the Foundation had been secretly conducting in the past, the gaze they cast toward Hyuga Yu suddenly trembled violently.
"Are you saying, that project Konoha once terminated... that adult's cells..."
Hyuga Yu nodded.
"You fool!" Director Shiraishi's breathing hitched, instantly feeling his heart bleed. Given his seniority, he had participated in the research of Hashirama cells back in the day, so he naturally knew what kind of priceless treasure it was. Konoha's entire medical ninjutsu system, which led the shinobi world, was inseparable from the research of those years.
Even if it wasn't a direct leak of Hashirama cells, merely leaking a portion of the Yang Release data was an exceptionally severe loss for Konoha.
At this moment, Hyuga Yu immediately urged: "The leakage of Yang Release has already become a reality. Moving forward, the various nations will likely begin to place heavy emphasis on the research of Yang Release, triggering a technological arms race in Yang Release."
"If Konoha falls behind at this time, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore..."
"I want to restart the Yang Release experiments!"
Hearing this, Shiraishi and Director Matsumoto exchanged glances, both seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes. Director Matsumoto's stance also softened. After pondering for a moment, he hesitated: "This reason can indeed convince the higher-ups, but as for Tsunade's side..."
Facing this question, Hyuga Yu could only silently add a sentence, "Lady Tsunade will understand."
Director Matsumoto shook his head, deciding to cast this question aside for the time being. Very quickly, he knit his brows again, staring at Hyuga Yu. "That's the first project, what about the remaining three?"
"The remaining three are also projects related to Yang Release, and they can cross-verify one another."
Hyuga Yu stepped aside, allowing the two Directors to see Hiruko—whose face was slightly awkward—along with the completely calm Sasori of the Red Sand and Kakuzu behind him.
"The first one is the Chimera project presided over by Hiruko. You two Directors should have heard of this jutsu; it is a project focused on cross-species cell fusion and gene editing."
The two Directors looked at Hiruko, scrutinizing him for a long time before finally recognizing that this was the thief who had stolen quite a bit of top-tier research equipment from the Konoha Hospital back then...
The two old men's breathing suddenly turned heavy and ragged, but very quickly, thinking of the project Hiruko had handled, their eyes flashed slightly. "The Chimera Technique... The prospects of the jutsu are indeed decent, but regarding human ethics..."
Hyuga Yu immediately guaranteed, "I will keep an eye on him and absolutely won't allow him to use Konoha shinobi for experiments."
He then proceeded to point at Kakuzu and Sasori behind him one by one, introducing: "The second one is presided over by me, based on the development of the Takigakure secret jutsu Earth Grudge Fear. It primarily focuses on highly controllable extracellular matrix and vascular tissue engineering, capable of achieving various technologies including circulatory system modification, limb regeneration, and telomere extension."
"The third one is based on Sunagakure's chakra regeneration core technology, focusing on the development of Yang Release controllability. As long as we resolve project difficulties such as neural stem cell clusters, the architecture of telomere maintenance systems, and DNA repair enhancement, Yang Release might be able to be mastered by shinobi just like medical ninjutsu."
Listening to Hyuga Yu's introduction, Director Shiraishi turned his head suspiciously, staring at Hyuga Yu as he pondered: "Technically it makes sense..."
"However, Yang Release, Chimera, Earth Grudge Fear, regeneration core... What exactly do you intend to create by putting these together? Once these things are fused, it doesn't seem... as simple as you claim."
Hyuga Yu acted as if he didn't hear these words, smiling as he pulled the two Directors to the blackboard in the office. "Since that's the case, let's not waste any time. Directors, listen to my derivation of the entire experimental project and give some guiding opinions."
Hearing this, the two old men froze simultaneously, only now realizing that Hyuga Yu intended to make these two old men, who were waiting to retire, exert some remaining warmth. "Wait a minute, you brat—"
But by this time, Hyuga Yu was already facing the blackboard, rapidly writing various formulas with one hand while beginning to explain the overall workflow of the entire Yang Release experiment to the gathering of Konoha Hospital executives who had squeezed into the office.
This explanation lasted for a full three hours.
Hyuga Yu's overall blueprint was truly far too massive, and the various technical theories involved could only be understood and discussed by this group of executives from the Konoha Hospital who had been active at the cutting edge of the medical field for a long time.
"These are the general processes for the initial stage of the experiment. Next, let me talk about the matters for the mid-stage—"
Just as Hyuga Yu finished explaining the planning for the initial phase of the project and intended to continue brainstorming with everyone, knock, knock, knock!
The heavy doors of the laboratory were knocked.
Interrupting his train of thought, Hyuga Yu raised his eyes and saw that it was actually Terai and Yamato wearing masks and clad in standard Anbu uniforms.
"Lord Tennin, Lord Danzo requests your presence!"
"Didn't I say I would come over once I finished up here?" Hyuga Yu knit his brows slightly, reprimanding them with dissatisfaction.
Terai rolled his eyes and pointed toward the window of the small office, saying helplessly: "My Lord Tennin, Lord Danzo has already been waiting for you for an hour."
Hyuga Yu turned his head to look, only to find that the view outside the window had completely darkened. The entirety of Konoha was gradually being swallowed by the night sky. Outside the Konoha Hospital, the rows upon rows of massive Konoha residential areas had already lit up into a continuous stream of flowing lights.
Only now did he realize that time had flown by incredibly fast. He immediately nodded in apology to the gathering of Konoha executives inside the office, yet he had no intention of letting the people present escape. He designated Hiruko to continue the meeting in his stead: "Apologies, I have to go out for a bit. Moving forward, everyone please discuss among yourselves. Hiruko, you take over to preside over the meeting and discuss the difficulties of the project you are responsible for."
Very quickly, Hyuga Yu followed Terai out of the Konoha Hospital, rapidly maneuvering across the roofs of the various houses in Konoha, leaping toward the primary headquarters of the Foundation located behind the mountain of the Konoha Hokage Rock.
The base of Konoha's Anbu was located inside the village near the Hokage Residence, establishing multiple departments including the Anbu Torture and Interrogation Force. Anbu squads responsible for rotating shifts to guard the Hokage like Kakashi Hatake mostly clocked in for work at the Hokage Residence, where there was a dedicated Anbu locker room.
The Foundation, however, was completely different from the Anbu. The original intention behind establishing the Foundation was to serve as a training organization for the Anbu, being allocated a massive underground training ground as a training base. In the later stages, after the training functions weakened and the authority in other aspects strengthened, the Foundation resembled more of a private army under Danzo Shimura. However, this training base was preserved as the primary headquarters of the Foundation.
At this moment, arriving at the back mountain of Konoha, behind a lush, densely forested, and deserted training ground, Hyuga Yu followed Terai to circle several times within the massive and complex forest. Halting midway to report the passwords several times, they arrived before a spiraling downward staircase of an abandoned facility within the training ground. Following the staircase as it wound downward and passing through a layer of earth dozens of meters thick that was pitch-black, the environment suddenly brightened. A massive underground world appeared before their eyes. Its overall shape resembled a colossal circular pit. The staircase winding around the curved cliff face of the pit could rotate all the way down into the darkness where the end could not be seen. Above this darkness stood a steel tower shaped like a water intake tower inside a dam, with steel pathways intersecting through the center of the tower. Shinobi from the Foundation walked through them in a hurried rush from time to time.
And this place was precisely the Anbu Training Department, known as the Foundation.
"Lord Danzo is waiting for you in the office at the highest point of the base."
Terai pointed toward the steel tower in the center of the underground base, preparing to leave after speaking, as if he still had other matters to attend to. Hyuga Yu reached out his hand to stop him, "Wait a moment, Terai. Aren't you my subordinate? Why are you running off so fast? I haven't assigned you any missions."
"Please, Lord Tennin, I am also very busy—" Terai sighed. "It is precisely because you don't assign us any matters and always like to operate alone, being unwilling to let me bring men to follow you, that Lord Ryoma thinks I am very idle."
"Next, I have to go monitor the clan meeting that the Uchiha clan will be convening shortly. Once this mission concludes, I still have to investigate who exactly has been pulling strings behind the recent public opinion within the village; we have already locked onto several targets..."
Terai word for word brought his entire schedule to light.
Hyuga Yu scratched his head and let out a dry laugh, swallowing back the question he had originally intended to ask regarding what Danzo wanted with him. "Then... then you are indeed quite busy..."
Terai nodded, turning around to leave, but he paused, suddenly as if guessing something as he spoke to Hyuga Yu: "Lord Danzo holds no malice toward you, and looking for you this time is by no means a bad thing."
"If there has to be a specific matter, it should be regarding Lord Orochimaru's campaign for Hokage, as well as..."
Speaking up to this point, Terai thought about it, the corners of his mouth behind the mask hooking into a peculiar arc, "Regarding the 'Tennin Contender' matter put forward by Hizashi Hyuga, right?"
Hearing this, Hyuga Yu raised his brows. "Tennin Contender? What is that?"
"Haven't you received the invitation card? It should have already been placed at your doorstep."
Terai pondered for a moment, realizing that Hyuga Yu had indeed not returned home, so he explained: "It was something from several months ago."
"At that time, during your funeral, Hizashi Hyuga stated that he would challenge the head of the main house, Hiashi Hyuga, to decide the true position of the Hyuga Tennin."
"After today's celebration concluded, he suddenly voiced out to the public, stating that he would officially commence this challenge three days from now. He wants to defeat the entirety of the main house led by the head of the main house, Hiashi Hyuga, and openly claimed that he would defeat you as well, saying things like 'I am the true Tennin of the Hyuga' and 'make the Hyuga clan great again'..."
These words left Hyuga Yu stunned, thinking to himself: Has Hizashi Hyuga lost his mind?
Challenging Hiashi Hyuga?
Judging from the single matter of today's celebration, Hiashi Hyuga was a man of exceptionally deep calculation, capable of bending and stretching, and he laid low to an absolutely absurd extent. Hyuga Yu couldn't even find a reasonable excuse to slaughter him on the spot...
On the other hand, Hyuga Sodo, who had once launched an attack against him, was directly abandoned by Hiashi Hyuga, played to the point of turning hysterical in broad daylight, even launching a suicidal attack against him.
This was entirely intentional. If Hyuga Sodo succeeded, then the main house would rejoice; if Hyuga Sodo failed and was beaten to death by Hyuga Yu, that would also eliminate the excuse for Hyuga Yu to subsequent find trouble with the main house using that matter.
Hyuga Yu predicted that even if this matter were investigated further, the main house and Hiashi Hyuga could mostly distance themselves from it. He simply handed the person over to the village in exchange for benefits. Unsurprisingly, given the usual style of the main house, the branch house would ultimately end up taking the blame for this matter anyway.
Yet Hizashi Hyuga, who was mostly a part of this play, suddenly claimed that he would defeat him, his brother? Defeat himself?
Listening to this, Hyuga Yu always felt it was a bit surreal...
No, what exactly are you relying on?
"Alright, I truly must leave. Any later and I am afraid I won't be able to slip into the Uchiha compound at the Naka River."
Terai clasped his hands toward Hyuga Yu to express his gratitude to the Tennin boss for letting him go, disappearing from the spot with a swoosh via Body Flicker.
The empty base of the Foundation turned silent once more. Hyuga Yu could only hear his own breathing, along with a slightly anxious heartbeat...
He raised his head slightly, looking toward the office at the top of that steel tower. He pursed his lips and slowly exhaled a breath, stepping forward to walk toward that direction.
Regarding Danzo Shimura, Hyuga Yu's heart was truly somewhat complicated.
On one hand, he was a villain in the substantive sense. In his past life, seeing this bird of a man seize the position of the 5.5th Hokage while Tsunade was unconscious made Hyuga Yu wish he could chop him to death on the spot. But now, having truly arrived in this world at a time node where Danzo Shimura had not yet committed the series of events that Hyuga Yu deemed heinous, no matter from which angle one looked at it, the current Danzo Shimura had been gracious to Hyuga Yu. The rescue in the nameless forest, bestowing the eighteen experimental Hashirama cells, taking him as a disciple, and now even exhausting all political assets to build momentum for Hyuga Yu's campaign for Hokage...
However, up until now, despite this person having sacrificed a great deal behind the scenes for him, in Hyuga Yu's eyes, this was merely a stranger he had only met twice, much like a ghost.
Therefore, what kind of person exactly was Danzo Shimura?
————
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