Chapter 232: Long Time No See, Minato-kun
Minato Namikaze’s startled exclamation was not loud, but it was enough to catch the attention of the man not far away.
Orochimaru, or rather, Orochimaru occupying a female body, slowly turned his head.
Orochimaru’s signature golden snake pupils slightly shifted, immediately detecting the unusual aura on the seemingly ordinary couple not far away.
It was the unique chakra fluctuation belonging to the dead, cleverly masked by Transformation Jutsu, yet it could not deceive him, an expert in manipulating life-and-death forbidden jutsu.
A trace of extreme interest appeared on his pale face, the corners of his mouth slightly hooked up, revealing an enigmatic smile.
Orochimaru casually waved his hand, signaling the researchers and Star Ninja officers behind him to continue the handover and transport supplies, while he himself walked toward Minato and Kushina with elegant yet slightly effeminate steps, unhurriedly.
He stopped in front of the two, his golden slit pupils scanning them up and down with fascination, as if appreciating two precious collections rediscovered.
He stuck out his tongue, habitually licking his lips; this action performed by his current female body appeared particularly eerie.
“Truly… a surprising reunion.” His voice still carried that distinctive husky magnetism, but the pitch was a bit higher than Minato remembered, more fitting his current appearance.
“Long time no see, Minato-kun… and Kushina.”
Minato and Kushina were not surprised that Orochimaru could see through their Transformation Jutsu and recognize their identities at a glance.
This man before them had long reached an unbelievable level in research ability and understanding of forbidden jutsu.
They were more curious about another question.
“Lord Orochimaru,” Minato remained vigilant, his gray eyes staring straight at the other: “Why are you here?”
He could not understand how one of Konoha’s legendary Sannin would appear in this emerging Land of Stars, and even seemed to be cooperating with the Star Ninja Army here?
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle, as if finding Minato’s question amusing: “It seems you’ve just ‘returned’ not long ago and aren’t too familiar with the situation here.”
He turned sideways, making a “please” gesture: “I now have a cooperative relationship with the founder of this city—’Lord Shura.’ How about it? Interested in touring my laboratory? It might give you a more intuitive understanding… of the current state.”
Facing Orochimaru’s invitation, unclear if benevolent or a trap, Minato and Kushina exchanged a glance.
Minato pondered for a moment, then nodded.
He did indeed need more information, especially regarding Orochimaru’s relationship with this country.
Although before his “death,” Orochimaru’s crimes in human experimentation had not yet been exposed, as a candidate for Fourth Hokage, he vaguely knew some of Danzō and Root’s darkness, and had heard that Orochimaru’s research involved using death row inmates or enemy spies from prisons.
He needed to confirm with his own eyes what nature this “cooperation” here truly was.
After all, as a father, he was still worried that his eldest son’s cooperation with Orochimaru might cross the bottom line.
“Then… we’ll intrude.” Minato said solemnly.
“Heh heh, follow me.” Orochimaru turned, leading the two toward a heavily guarded building complex in the military zone on the east bank of the Ghost River.
On the way, Minato could not help but ask again: “Lord Orochimaru, have you… left Konoha?”
This was a question that had always lingered in his heart.
Orochimaru was the Third Hokage’s most favored disciple, with exceptional talent and great strength; he should have been a key pillar of Konoha.
Orochimaru did not turn his head, his voice flat as if narrating an unrelated trivial matter: “Why? Simple. I once accepted Shimura Danzō’s invitation to join Root, developing some… special ninjutsu for him, which naturally involved some necessary human experiments.”
He paused, his tone laced with sarcasm: “Later, because the source of experimental materials… ‘accidentally’ used some ‘our own people’ from the village, it was discovered by my teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi. So, I had no choice but to leave.”
Upon hearing “used some of our own people from the village,” Minato and Kushina’s brows furrowed tightly simultaneously, disgust and anger appearing on their faces.
No matter the purpose, extending the slaughtering blade toward companions was an absolutely intolerable bottom line!
But as Hokage, Minato thought more deeply; he pressed: “Did Danzō instruct you… to use people from the village for experiments? Or was it your own choice?”
Orochimaru slightly turned his head, glancing at Minato from the corner of his eye, his gaze as if saying “you’re actually asking such a naive question.”
“Does it make a difference, Minato-kun?” He chuckled lightly in retort: “Danzō provided resources and protection, while I provided technology and achievements. Each got what they needed. As for the specific source of materials… does it matter? In that environment, some boundaries blur easily by nature.”
Minato fell silent.
He understood Orochimaru’s meaning.
Danzō’s Root was a massive quagmire; once stepped into, it was hard to remain clean.
Orochimaru, pursuing forbidden jutsu and truth, and Danzō, needing dark power to consolidate authority, were essentially accomplices.
No matter who led, Orochimaru participated, Danzō acquiesced or even supported, and Konoha’s ninjas became sacrifices—this was the most naked display of Konoha’s dark side.
During the conversation, they passed through several layers of strict identity verification and barriers, entering Orochimaru’s laboratory underground in the Star Capital’s military research and development zone.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the sunny city outside.
The air was filled with the faint scent of disinfectant and formalin, occasionally mixed with a trace of blood.
Cold metal walls reflected stark white light, with various precision instruments and glass containers filled with unknown liquids everywhere.
The laboratory interior was vast, filled with various precision instruments and culture tanks.
Most striking were the dozens of observation rooms in the central area, separated by transparent reinforced glass.
Each observation room contained one or more human bodies restrained on special devices, with clear numerical codes branded on their foreheads or arms.
Minato roughly scanned; the numbers had already exceeded one hundred.
Some researchers in white coats were busily recording data or injecting different medicines, chakra, or even tissue samples emitting eerie glows into the experimental subjects via tubes.
Occasionally, suppressed groans of pain or inhuman roars faintly emanated from the well-soundproofed observation rooms.
The scene before them made Minato and Kushina feel extremely uncomfortable, even though they were long accustomed to the cruelty of the battlefield.
This was a cold, systematized cruelty that completely objectified humans.
Orochimaru seemed very satisfied with the two’s grave expressions; he said in a tone like introducing artwork: “As you see, this is my main research site now. Although Lord Shura has imposed some… restrictions on my research direction,”
His tone was playful when mentioning “restrictions”: “Prohibited from using commoners and Land of Stars nationals, and encouraged to use alternative materials. But fortunately, the Land of Stars’ heavy criminals and death row inmates are mine to pick.”
“Of course, even heavy criminals must sign ‘voluntary’ agreements to participate in experiments; survivors get sentence reductions.”
His golden snake pupils swept over those numbered ones, continuing: “Moreover, thanks to our neighbors—the Land of Wind and Land of Earth continuously sending spies to the Land of Stars, we never lack high-quality ‘enemy ninjas’ as experimental equipment.”
“Recently, the Land of Stars just annexed the Land of Shadows, Land of Swamps, and Land of Snow. Apart from the stubborn Snow Ninjas of the Land of Snow who became prisoners, the Land of Shadows and Land of Swamps also have many wandering samurai and ninjas who once served the old nobles and daimyo, unwilling to lay down arms and accept reform. Most of these people… are now here, contributing their final value to scientific progress.”
Though inwardly filled with disgust for human experimentation, after hearing Orochimaru’s explanation, Minato and Kushina’s expressions softened slightly.
As ninjas, they knew well that mercy toward enemies was cruelty to oneself.
Using these stubborn hostile elements for experiments was more “valuable” than letting them roam free or simply executing them.
This cold logic, though hard to accept, was not incomprehensible in the ninja world.
At that moment, Minato’s gaze was drawn to a figure in the corner of the laboratory.
The man was not tall, with messy white hair; most unusual were his scarlet eyes. He wore a white restraint garment like a hospital gown, casually pacing outside an observation room, watching a prisoner inside convulsing in pain from injected cellular tissue, his gaze cold as if looking at a stone.
Orochimaru also noticed Minato’s gaze; he followed it, a smile of unclear meaning hooking his lips.
“Oh? Seems you’re also interested in my ‘neighbor’?” Orochimaru said, raising his voice to call out.
“Bishamon.”
The white-haired man named Bishamon turned his head at the sound, a trace of irritation at being disturbed on his face.
He walked over slowly, his scarlet eyes scanning Orochimaru, then indifferently glancing at Minato and Kushina, seemingly unaware of their true identities, merely slightly curious about the reanimation chakra with its deathly aura.
“What’s the matter, Orochimaru?” Bishamon’s voice was somewhat hoarse and dry, lacking inflection.
Orochimaru chuckled lightly: “You’re still the same, only caring about your research. I’m just curious, how do you have time to stroll in my laboratory?”
Bishamon snorted lightly, raising a small scroll in his hand: “My White Zetsu experimental materials ran out. Heard you have stock here, came to get some.”
His tone was matter-of-fact, but he added: “Of course, I won’t take them for free; I’ll trade you my latest preliminary research data on Storm Release chakra nature transformation.”
Orochimaru’s golden slit pupils flashed with interest; he was clearly intrigued by Bishamon’s research data.
After all, Kibaku Nendo was a technology even Lord Shura valued.
Orochimaru took the scroll, quickly browsing it, interest flashing in his eyes: “Storm Release data? Has some value. However…”
He drew out his tone: “White Zetsu stock is low now too; I can give you at most three portions. Next time you want more, apply to Lord Shura yourself.”
“Three portions? So few!” Bishamon was clearly dissatisfied, but seemed to dread “applying to Lord Shura,” muttering a few words before finally nodding: “…Three it is! Hurry up and give them!”
Their conversation shocked Minato and Kushina inwardly.
White Zetsu? What was that?
It sounded like an extremely special and precious experimental material.
And they discussed applying to “Shura” so casually, as if Menma was their superior supplier.
Minato’s gaze fell on Bishamon again.
Bishamon’s defection occurred early in the Third Great Ninja War; Minato was not yet Hokage then, and they had no interactions.
But after becoming Fourth Hokage, while reviewing village rogue ninja files, he had seen Bishamon’s profile: a ninja from the same era as the Sannin, with outstanding strength and talent, who defected due to forbidden jutsu research and was later listed as an S-rank rogue ninja.
He hadn’t expected this legendary dangerous figure to also be subjugated by Menma?
What caught his attention more was the subtle difference in their attitudes during the exchange.
When Orochimaru mentioned “Shura,” his tone was like that of an equal, even slightly teasing collaborator.
But when Bishamon heard the name “Shura,” a trace of undisguisable dread and fear instinctively appeared in his eyes—an instinctive reaction of a subordinate facing an absolute controller.
Menma… how exactly did you make these unruly, extremely dangerous rogue ninjas willingly serve you?
Watching the scene before him, Minato gained a deeper understanding of his eldest son’s abilities and means, while a more complex emotion surged within.
The country built by his son was far more mysterious and unfathomable than he had imagined.
Over the next half month, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki’s figures traversed nearly every inch of land in the Land of Stars.
With their reanimation bodies and extraordinary mobility, they meticulously observed the nation their son had single-handedly established.
The sights they witnessed repeatedly shattered their ingrained perceptions.
In the Land of Stars’ original Bear County and Demon County, the cities’ prosperity was beyond imagination.
Streets were wide and clean, shops lined the ways, pedestrians thronged.
Chakra-driven public lighting systems, convenient railcar traffic networks, and increasingly popularized civilian chakra devices all demonstrated the close integration of technology and life.
People’s faces mostly bore busy yet fulfilled expressions, with little of the numbness and fear common in the ninja world.
They ventured into the Land of Stars’ heartland rural areas.
Vast plains were neatly planned with large expanses of farmland.
Many strange-shaped steel farming machines they had never seen roared across the fields, plowing, sowing, fertilizing, irrigating…
Their efficiency left even Minato, the experienced former Hokage, in awe.
Only a few technicians guided local farmers on operation and maintenance; the farmers’ faces glowed with anticipation of bountiful harvests.
Even in remote mountain villages, they saw active figures of Land of Stars grassroots officials.
These young officials, with enthusiasm and expertise, promoted new farming techniques to villagers, distributed carefully cultivated high-yield drought-resistant seeds suited to mountainous areas, and patiently explained the Land of Stars’ agricultural policies.
Villagers shifted from initial wariness and doubt to acceptance and gratitude.
They followed the Ghost River onward.
In Ghost County, they witnessed shocking scenes.
Once flood-prone, muddy wastelands had been transformed beyond recognition by massive Earth Release Ninjutsu combined with manpower.
Sturdy embankments wound like giant dragons, meticulously dug irrigation systems channeled river water everywhere, turning former swamps and barren beaches into vast fertile fields.
Countless farmers and organized construction teams bustled in the fields, the joy of spring plowing filling the air.
Large-scale water conservancy facilities were under construction, clearly for long-term water resource allocation and disaster prevention.
In Swamp County, they witnessed a public trial assembly for former Land of Swamps great nobles.
On the high platform, the former nobles knelt, faces ashen, listening to countless commoners below tearfully denouncing their crimes.
Land seizures, exorbitant taxes, grain price manipulation, human trafficking, disregard for life… irrefutable evidence, each case heinous.
Ultimately, these heinous nobles were sentenced on the spot, receiving due punishment.
But at the same time, Minato noted that not all nobles were purged.
Some with lesser crimes or past good deeds, after being stripped of noble privileges and illegally acquired lands and properties, were allowed to continue living as ordinary commoners.
Some leveraged knowledge and skills to find new positions in the Land of Stars’ administrative or commercial systems; others chose to become ordinary farmers, self-sustaining.
This differential treatment showed that the Land of Stars did not blindly slaughter but sought to establish a new order based on law and merit.
They headed north into the cold Snow County, formerly the Land of Snow.
The changes here were equally massive.
A brand-new railway like a steel artery pierced the continuous snow mountains, closely linking this frigid land with the warmer other counties.
Via railcars, vast amounts of grain, vegetables, cloth, medicine, and other living supplies continuously flowed into Snow County, greatly improving locals’ lives.
Meanwhile, Snow County’s rich mineral resources and unique northern fishery products were efficiently exported, converted into wealth supporting national development.
Once desolate towns due to cold and barrenness now bustled gradually from trade and resource development.
Many Land of Snow residents ate fresh southern vegetables in winter for the first time; children’s faces gained rosy hues.
After half a month’s visit, an ironclad fact became crystal clear in Minato and Kushina’s hearts.
On this land without traditional nobles and daimyo classes, while depriving a few of privileges, the lives of the vast majority of commoners had tangibly improved!
Ninjas and chakra were no longer synonyms for slaughter; they also drove productivity liberation, technological progress—the Land of Stars’ society advanced at an unprecedented speed.
This subversive reality clashed violently with the education they received from youth, their cognition of the “one country, one village” system, and their belief in achieving peace through balance.
Minato fell into prolonged silence and contemplation.
When they finished the inspection and returned to the Star Capital, walking the quiet, special street leading to Menma’s mansion, Minato noticed many mansions along the street had different clan crests hanging at their gates.
“These are…?” Minato asked curiously.
Kushina followed his gaze, smiling as she explained: “You know, these are the ninja clans Menma sheltered and protected. Some like our Uzumaki Clan on the brink of extinction, others like the Kaguya Clan wiped out by their original ninja village due to rebellion, with only surviving remnants. Menma gave them new homes and protection.”
She pointed to clan crests nearby: “See, that’s the Uzumaki Clan’s, over there Snow Clan, Kaguya Clan, even the very mysterious Otsutsuki Clan…”
“Oh, and that one is the Iburi Clan’s surface clan territory; due to their special bloodline limit, some unstable clan members live in the underground clan territory.”
“Uzumaki Clan?” Surprise and astonishment flashed in Minato’s gray eyes: “Besides you, are there surviving clan members?”
He had always thought the Uzumaki Clan had completely perished in the wars.
“Of course.” Kushina’s face showed a warm smile, pointing to a nearby mansion with the Uzumaki Clan Crest: “Menma, in his early years in Kusanagi Village, rescued a mother and daughter—mother Uzumaki Kushina, daughter Karin Uzumaki. They live next door now. Kushina works in the administrative department; Karin is in school, a very lively child.”
Mentioning clan kin lightened Kushina’s tone considerably.
Minato felt endless emotion; Menma not only built a nation but quietly saved and gathered these scattered bloodlines.
Meanwhile, in the Star Capital’s military research and development zone, underground in a highly secured experimental field.
Menma stood with hands behind his back, watching the test area ahead; Uchiha Hikari stood beside him with arms crossed, her scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan coolly scanning the field.
Behind them stood many others: the calm and capable Uzumaki Kushina, Natsuhi in standard Star Ninja vest and her husband Hotaru, the fierce Kisame Hoshigaki with his shark-like face, and several Star Ninja jonin including Gōta.
All eyes focused on the several Anbu Ninjas in special uniforms at the field center, and their striking gear—Chakra Armor.
These armors were deep blue overall, with sleek, tech-sense lines; key areas like chest, shoulders, elbows, knees were covered in reinforced protective plates, ensuring flexibility while boosting defense.
Completely different from the somewhat bulky Chakra Armor of the Land of Snow, these improved Land of Stars models appeared more lightweight and modern.
A Menma shadow clone numbered 019 acted as commentator, his voice amplified via earpiece, clearly reaching everyone’s ears: “What you see now is our research and development department’s latest achievement—Chakra Powered Armor, first-generation prototype.”
“Made of special alloy and composite fiber materials, lightweight with excellent protection. Its energy core is a high energy density chakra storage battery, pre-charged by ninjas, with optimized endurance and output power.”
The shadow clone signaled an Anbu member to demonstrate: “Additionally, we adopted modular design. For example, this can be added—”
He pointed to a pair of foldable metal wing-like structures loaded on the Anbu member’s back.
“‘Swallow’ type back flight module, providing short-range low-altitude flight and gliding capability.”
He pointed to another Anbu member’s arm-mounted device like a crossbow cannon: “And this, ‘Hive’ style ninja tool launch module, for rapid-fire improved senbon, shuriken, even micro explosive tags.”
“As for the Land of Snow’s repeating crossbows,” the shadow clone shook his head: “Power is decent, but firing rate and accuracy are limited against fast-moving ninjas, better suited for clustered ordinary soldiers.”
Next came practical simulation tests.
Uchiha Hikari personally entered the field as the hypothetical enemy, facing off in several rounds against Anbu elites wearing “Type 1 Chakra”（ basic）, “Type 2″（ enhanced）, “Type 3″（ special combat） armor.
The results were impressive.
The armored Anbu Ninjas gained massive boosts in speed, strength, defense, and ninja tool use.
Especially the Type 3 armor, enabling an excellent chunin to burst to near special jonin combat power briefly, holding out ten exchanges against Uchiha Hikari before defeat.
Even though Uchiha Hikari here did not go all-out, mostly testing, it proved the Chakra Powered Armor’s strength.
Test ended, Uchiha Hikari returned to Menma’s side, nodding slightly with objective evaluation: “Good equipment. If mass-deployed, it could greatly elevate the Star Ninja Army’s overall strength and combat power floor. However…”
She shifted tone, her scarlet Sharingan sweeping the testers who looked somewhat fatigued after removing the heavy armor: “Over-relying on external aids isn’t the ninja way. Once energy depletes or armor damages in complex battlefields, can these ninjas accustomed to armor buffs survive the ever-changing cruel battlefield? Will their own strength decline rather than rise from long-term dependence?”
Her concern was valid, representing traditional ninjas’ instinctive wariness toward such “scientific ninja tools.”
However, as a transmigrator, Menma held a completely different view.
In his eyes, this was no mere “external aid” but an inevitable trend in productivity and combat power development, like guns replacing swords and tanks replacing cavalry in his previous world’s history.
The key was correct usage, continuous improvement, paired with basic training and tactical innovation.
“Hikari’s concern is valid.” Menma spoke, voice through the mask: “Any new equipment has pros and cons. What we need isn’t to abandon it out of fear, but strict drill manuals, strengthened basic training, ensuring soldiers remain qualified warriors without armor. Simultaneously, keep improving tech for reliability and endurance. Future war forms will inevitably change because of this.”
He turned to his shadow clone, asking the key question: “What’s the current production capacity?”
Shadow clone 019 immediately replied: “Currently, three models are finalized for small-batch production. ‘Type 1 Chakra’ armor enables rigorously trained ordinary people to stably achieve genin combat power when worn.”
“‘Type 2’ lets genin perform at chunin level. ‘Type 3’ lets chunin reach special jonin combat power briefly.”
“But higher up, requirements for individual basics, armor materials, and energy grow exponentially; current tech can’t break through.”
The shadow clone paused, reporting a more realistic issue: “Moreover, production capacities differ vastly among the three. With current lines and worker proficiency, ‘Type 1’ armor monthly output estimated at one hundred units; ‘Type 2’ more complex, about twenty units monthly; ‘Type 3’… involving precision cores and materials, probably at most three units per month.”
“From lab finalization to mass production takes time and process,” the shadow clone summarized.
“Per current expansion plans, in one year, ‘Type 1’ annual output can arm at least twelve hundred ‘genin’ trained from ordinary people; ‘Type 2’ about two hundred forty chunin; ‘Type 3’ roughly thirty-six special jonin-level elites. This will greatly alleviate our manpower shortages and long elite training cycles.”
Menma listened quietly, already calculating in his mind how to integrate these new forces into future strategic layouts.
The path to unifying the ninja world was destined full of blood and fire; he and Uchiha Hikari, though suppressing ninja villages, could not handle everything personally.
Thus, beyond elite forces, tech-armed mass-produced armies would become his blade to shatter the old order.
