Chapter 280: It’s Not That I Can’t Do It Myself
Third Hokage looked at the few Uchiha who rarely appeared in the Hokage’s Office and were excluded, saying:
“Clan Head Zhong, don’t mind certain statements from Danzo Advisor.
Uchiha Madara’s deadly threat to the village lingers like a dark cloud, so Danzo’s attitude is somewhat intense.
I trust you. I believe the Uchiha Clan will prioritize Konoha Village and not follow Uchiha Madara.
Let Fox chat with you. You should also learn about Uchiha Madara’s current strength.”
Uchiha Kane, Fugaku, and Uchiha Touka all looked curiously at Fox.
The Uchiha Clan did not want to suffer following Uchiha Madara, but they knew the strength of this old senior, Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara was ridiculously strong, a figure second to none but one during the Warring States Period.
Aside from the First Hokage, Uchiha Madara mocked and scorned everyone he fought, crushing them with overwhelming strength.
Unexpectedly, Fox had survived from Uchiha Madara’s hands.
Third Raikage, Uchiha Madara—these big shots could not kill Fox. Fox’s strength and reputation were forged through repeated beatings. He was truly strong.
Yoru said: “Clan Head Zhong, Uchiha Madara’s figure is hunched, but his chakra amount is astonishingly large.
I believe Uchiha Madara’s chakra amount has not declined with age. His taijutsu may have weakened, but his ninjutsu remains formidable.
I don’t know how Uchiha Madara mastered Wood Style, but he mainly fights with Wood Style.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, Flower Tree Release, Wood Dragon Technique, Thorn Technique.
These four techniques crushed 5 Root members, two squads from Lynx Squad, Lord Jiraiya, as well as me and Flower Deer Squad.
Uchiha Madara’s ninjutsu has an enormous range, great power, and shocking impact. Even toxins, a method rarely used by ordinary ninja, are extremely refined in his hands.
Uchiha Madara’s legs seem weak. From start to finish, he stood on the wooden bridge or Wood Dragon without moving.
I believe Leaf Ninja below three battalions should flee upon seeing Uchiha Madara without struggling if they can run.
Leaf Ninja of three battalions, led by Sannin-level ninja like Lord Orochimaru, can attempt to resist Uchiha Madara using combination ninjutsu, delaying him for some time.
As for defeating Uchiha Madara, it would require more people and greater strength.”
Third Hokage and Lord Kiiroinu exchanged a glance, acknowledging Fox’s judgment.
Three Sannin-level leaders could attempt to resist Uchiha Madara.
This was still the aged version of Uchiha Madara. No one knew how strong peak Uchiha Madara truly was.
The good news was that Uchiha Madara’s legs were inconvenient, a key piece of intelligence that eased Hiruzen Sarutobi’s tension considerably.
Uchiha Kane asked: “Fox Captain, how strong is Uchiha Madara’s Sharingan?”
Yoru honestly said: “We only saw four Wood Style ninjutsu, no opportunity to verify Uchiha Madara’s Sharingan.
From appearance, Uchiha Madara’s Sharingan is Three Tomoe Sharingan, not the special patterned Mangekyo Sharingan recorded by Anbu from his battle with Lord First Hokage.”
In that battle between Danzo and Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Madara had used Susanoo.
But Danzo’s intelligence was all secret and would not be leaked to the Uchiha Clan.
Mangekyo became a legendary ability after the Uchiha Clan’s annihilation.
Uchiha Kane sighed and said: “Third Lord, Uchiha Madara seems to prefer using Wood Style.
I have little advice on how to deal with Uchiha Madara.
Why not chat with the Senju Clan and see if they have any records or research on Wood Style.”
Third Hokage would not chat with the Senju Clan. If the matter of Nagato Uzumaki was exposed, Tsunade would erupt in fury.
Third Hokage said: “Clan Head Zhong, that’s all for this discussion. Inform the village immediately of any new clues.”
Uchiha Kane stood up and said: “Third Lord, there have been many casualties in Anbu and Root. Please help convey our deep apologies to Lord Danzo.”
Danzo was about to rage again. Uchiha Kane truly feared Danzo.
Third Hokage said: “I understand. I will persuade Danzo.”
The implication was that if persuasion failed, there was no choice.
Uchiha Kane left dejectedly.
After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha Fugaku asked: “Father, Teacher, is Fox hiding his strength? Can he really return alive from Uchiha Madara’s hands?”
Uchiha Touka said: “Copper Fox Jonin hard-countered Third Raikage’s full-powered strike. He can be called the strongest in Konoha defense. His survival is not surprising.”
Uchiha Kane said: “Yes, not surprising. Fortunately he returned alive, or Third Hokage would be as furious as Danzo.
I see that Third Hokage and Lord Kiiroinu seem in good spirits now. With Anbu’s Top Expert still around, they won’t be as exasperated as Danzo.
We all owe Fox our thanks.”
Now, besides the title of Copper Fox, Yoru had gained the title of ‘Anbu’s Top Expert’ like Yamato in the original.
The latter held greater prestige, recognized as the top strong individual inside and outside Anbu.
In the Hokage’s Office, Yoru said to White Sheep and Hanashika: “You two return to Anbu first.”
After White Sheep and Hanashika left, only Third Hokage and Lord Kiiroinu remained in the office.
Before coming to Third Hokage’s office, Yoru said: “Hokage, Lord Kiiroinu, I have important matters to report privately.”
Third Hokage tapped out the charred tobacco from his pipe and loaded new tobacco, saying: “Important matters? What is so crucial?”
Yoru said: “Third Lord, I think Flower Deer’s report mentioned that Uchiha Madara had some subordinates who looked identical.
I obtained a corpse of one of Uchiha Madara’s subordinates.
I suspect Uchiha Madara’s subordinates are some kind of Wood Style replication.”
He took out a scroll and unsealed it before the two.
Third Hokage stood up, and with Lord Kiiroinu, they circled from behind the desk, staring at the white smoke from the sealing jutsu.
After the white smoke cleared, a white corpse appeared on the ground.
This was a confidant matter, key intelligence, so it warranted a private report.
Lord Kiiroinu squatted down to examine it.
“White skin like birch bark, tough and high strength.
No reproductive gender, neither male nor female.
Many traces of Wood Style on the body…”
Lord Kiiroinu looked up at Third Hokage.
Third Hokage’s mood improved further—not only had he seen Fox return alive, but he also obtained a corpse of Uchiha Madara’s subordinate, and such a bizarre one at that.
Yoru said: “Third Lord, Lord Kiiroinu, I’m not skilled in research. Please have the two lords organize forces to study this strange corpse.”
This was resolve—good things only given to one’s direct superiors, who would naturally appreciate it.
Lord Kiiroinu stood up and said: “Fox, well done. I’ll apply for another S-rank mission for you.”
“Thank you, Lord Kiiroinu.”
Third Hokage suddenly realized that with this, he could legitimately intervene in Danzo’s Hashirama Cells research.
Third Hokage said: “Fox, you are responsible for delivering this corpse to Lord Orochimaru’s laboratory. Tell Orochimaru to report any breakthroughs in the experiment to me at once.”
Yoru thought to himself, just as he expected.
Third Hokage surely wanted to intervene in Danzo and Lord Orochimaru’s Wood Style experiments but lacked an entry point.
Now with this White Zetsu corpse, Third Hokage had the qualification to know about Lord Orochimaru’s experiments.
Crucially, as the middleman, Yoru could openly contact Lord Orochimaru.
He was still Lord Orochimaru’s spy—fair treatment all around.
“Understood, Third Lord!”
Root’s underground laboratory.
C escorted Lord Kiiroinu and Fox through the dark corridor.
Yoru looked at C. C was the last Root veteran, the only one still loyal to Danzo.
Gui was dead—would C be far behind?
C arrived at the laboratory entrance and said: “Lord Kiiroinu, please enter. I won’t go in.”
It seemed C disliked Lord Orochimaru’s laboratory.
Lord Kiiroinu and Yoru entered the laboratory and saw about 10 experiment personnel in white coats.
In the dim room, four experiment tables each had four sets of shadowless lamps.
Experiment personnel bustled around the experiment tables.
Yoru saw the nearest experiment personnel holding an aluminum tray with a severed palm inside.
The palm’s fingers had turned into 5 branches, curved brown branches still sprouting green buds.
The body unable to withstand Wood Style power had transformed into tree trunk and branches.
This experiment personnel walked to the wall under the laboratory and opened one of a row of jars.
This wall had densely packed jars in three rows—upper, middle, lower. The lower row jars contained palms at various degrees of tree transformation.
Some palms had fingers turned to leaves, some had palm lines cracked with bones and flesh turned to wood fibers, others were fuzzy with fine roots on the skin.
Yoru looked at the other two rows of jars. The middle row contained ears, the upper row hearts.
The laboratory was hexagonal, with all six walls lined with various jars and tree-transformed organs.
Just the displayed experimental body parts proved at least a hundred people had died in Lord Orochimaru’s laboratory.
Lord Kiiroinu came to Lord Orochimaru’s side.
Lord Orochimaru was intently staring at a human head whose hair had turned into soft tendrils like tree roots.
Lord Orochimaru ignored Lord Kiiroinu and Fox standing before him, saying to an experiment personnel nearby: “Continue the report.”
The experiment personnel then said: “Lord, this test subject is dead, but its tendril hair is still absorbing nutrients and growing naturally, at three times the growth speed of a normal human head.”
“Not bad. Abnormally strong life force—that same life force killed him.”
After recording the experiment, Lord Orochimaru looked up and asked: “Kiiroinu, Fox, does Hiruzen Teacher have business with me?”
Lord Kiiroinu said: “Orochimaru, Hokage sent us to deliver a precious experimental material. You will surely be interested.”
“Oh? What experimental material?” Lord Orochimaru signaled the experiment personnel to clear an experiment table.
Yoru stepped forward and unsealed the White Zetsu corpse.
Lord Orochimaru’s eyes changed, like a venomous snake spotting a tasty field mouse.
“This… this is the perfect Wood Style life form!”
White Zetsu had birch bark-like skin, a tough body, with occasional woody nodules protruding.
Everything fascinated Lord Orochimaru immensely.
“Who created this! Why is there such a perfect Wood Style life form?” Lord Orochimaru’s fingers roamed over White Zetsu:
“Tight skin, tough muscle, internal organs… no digestive system? Heart and lungs are present, but how does it acquire energy?
Fiber network inside transports nutrients, from underground organic matter, just like a real tree?
Chakra inside, able to convert organic matter to chakra?”
Lord Orochimaru grew more excited. Another experiment personnel brought a report, but Lord Orochimaru threw it away forcefully.
“Trash! All previous work was trash! This is the perfect form of a Wood Style life form! But…”
Lord Orochimaru fell into thought again, then muttered to himself:
“But can such a method be applied to ninja?
The key problem: how to sustain Wood Style tissue with one’s own chakra?
No, the limit of modification is chakra sustaining Wood Style tissue, which then converts to life force, nourishing the body itself…”
After Lord Orochimaru finished his muttering, Lord Kiiroinu spoke:
“Orochimaru, this is the experimental material from Hokage.
Hokage needs to know the progress of the Wood Style experiments at all times. After all, we provided far more valuable experimental material.”
Lord Orochimaru indifferently said: “I thought Danzo would show experiment reports to Hiruzen Teacher, but he didn’t.
You’ve found a good excuse. This experimental material is indeed what I urgently need.”
Lord Kiiroinu said: “In the future, every so often, I’ll have Fox come take the experiment report.”
To deal with Lord Orochimaru, one must send someone strong enough, or gain no respect.
Sending Assistant Butterfly, who was erratic, might result in death at Lord Orochimaru’s hands.
Sending Fox was different—Lord Orochimaru could not kill Fox in under ten minutes.
Yoru thought to himself, in the future he could openly visit Lord Orochimaru to learn Hashirama Cells research progress.
He scanned the laboratory, unsure which materials contained Hashirama Cells.
After clashing with Uchiha Madara, Yoru coveted Wood Style’s versatility.
He lacked means to counter large-scale enemies.
Facing top ninja world forces like Tailed Beasts, Susanoo, Sage from holy lands, and other large summoning beasts, Yoru had few options.
Wood Style could suppress nearly all large-scale enemies—Susanoo and Tailed Beasts were both countered by Wood Style.
Lord Kiiroinu asked again: “Orochimaru, Jiraiya did not leave the village without permission?”
“No, I persuaded him. But he harbors Uzumaki Clan matters in his heart. Hiruzen Teacher still won’t let him speak, so now he hides from Tsunade, not daring to see her.”
Lord Kiiroinu and Yoru returned to Anbu and discussed Uchiha Madara briefly.
They agreed: utmost caution needed when entering the Land of Rain henceforth.
If encountering Uchiha Madara in the Land of Rain, total annihilation like Root was highly likely.
Leaving Anbu, upon returning to the izakaya, Yoru suddenly saw another woman behind the bar, not Qiao Yi!
He quickly activated sensing and found Qiao Yi in the backyard, then relaxed.
Entering the backyard, Yoru headed straight to Qiao Yi’s boudoir.
Seeing Qiao Yi fine and leaning on the bed, Yoru felt even more at ease.
“Qiao Yi, why is there an extra person in the izakaya? Scared me. I thought you sold it without telling me.”
“How could that be? How could I not tell you?”
Qiao Yi set down her needle and thread, beckoning Yoru over.
Yoru sat beside Qiao Yi, his hand naturally resting on her firm white thigh.
Qiao Yi smiled slyly: “Tonight you must behave. No more investigating me.”
“Ah? Why?”
Qiao Yi pulled Yoru’s hand from her thigh to her lower abdomen: “I went to Konoha Hospital the day before yesterday. I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a dad, I’m going to be a mom!”
“What!”
Yoru jumped up instantly!
He did not mind having a child. He had always thought nothing happened from Qiao Yi to Little Six because he was inadequate.
Now it seemed he was not inadequate.
Perhaps because he was an Anbu Ninja, tense since post-war, his baby boom came later than normal Leaf Ninja!
