Back above ground, Hikuro remained suspicious, but followed Danzō into the Hokage Building anyway.
When they stepped into the office, Hikuro saw that it was not just the two of them present.
The village advisors—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane—were also there.
Even Orochimaru had arrived, along with Jiraiya and his student, Minato Namikaze.
Tsunade was in attendance as well.
Beyond them sat clan heads and elite shinobi from every major family: the Hyūga, the Uchiha, the Nara, the Akimichi, and the Yamanaka.
The room was packed.
“Hikuro… it has been a long time.”
Orochimaru fixed him with a cold, serpent-like stare that sent chills down Hikuro’s spine.
Both were researchers at heart; they understood each other far too well.
That look in Orochimaru’s eyes clearly meant: I want to dissect you.
Hikuro nodded and smiled.
“Orochimaru—how are your studies progressing lately?”
“Quite well,” Orochimaru replied calmly.
And so the two began conversing as if no one else was there.
Jiraiya, ever the overly familiar type, spotted Hikuro right away.
He strode over, slapped him heavily on the shoulder, threw an arm around his neck, and grinned.
“Hikuro!
Long time no see—still the same as always, I see!”
“Things are going well,” Hikuro answered flatly.
“With the village’s support, I draw ever closer to the truth.”
He and naturally gifted prodigies like Jiraiya spoke entirely different languages.
Though rumors had already branded them the “Two Lechers of Konoha,” Hikuro wanted nothing to do with Jiraiya.
He found far more in common with Orochimaru, who shared his interest in dissection and experimentation.
Leaning forward, hissing slightly like a snake, Orochimaru asked with a smile: “Have you successfully perfected that Life Formula No.
1 of yours?”
Hikuro shook his head.
“Not quite.
But it does greatly enhance the power of a Genin.
It is now ready for mass production.
Once we roll it out, the strength of Konoha’s lower ranks will jump to a whole new level.
There are minor side effects, of course—but I’m sure everyone will see past that.”
Speaking of research brought back memories of his early work on Hashirama’s cells.
That project had been led by Hiruzen and Danzō, and formally headed by Orochimaru.
Back then, Hikuro was still a newcomer, only allowed to assist with parts of the work.
Countless volunteers from the Senju clan had been sacrificed, yet the success rate remained zero.
Seeing no hope, the Third Hokage had ordered the research sealed and forbidden—he refused to let more lives be wasted in vain.
But once Pandora’s box is opened, it can never be closed again.
Hiruzen might have put a stop to it, but not Danzō—the man who always took the blame—and certainly not Orochimaru, his former student.
And least of all Hikuro, a stranger from another world.
He knew full well that Hashirama’s cells held the key to immortality; how could he possibly let that chance slip away?
Orochimaru ran his tongue over his lips, eyes gleaming with excitement.
“It is far too difficult for ordinary people to gain the qualifications to become shinobi.
But the by-products of your research… they seem quite promising.”
“Your approach is clever.
Instead of forcing Wood Release, you focus purely on strengthening the human body itself.”
His words carried a clear meaning: Hikuro’s work had earned him temporary leeway from the Third Hokage, the “good old man.”
“And your subject mortality rate is noticeably lower than mine.
It seems you value your test subjects, Hikuro.”
As he spoke, new thoughts began to turn in Orochimaru’s mind.
If Hashirama’s cells could strengthen the body, then mastering Wood Release itself could not be far off.
Applying that power directly to living humans was only a matter of time.
He could hardly wait to discuss the details with Hikuro once the meeting ended.
The First Hokage’s power—even a fraction of it, used only to enhance ordinary people—was incredibly tempting.
What Orochimaru did not yet know was that among those early failed Wood Release experiments, one lucky survivor still lived.
Hidden secretly by Danzō, the child was now nearly ten years old.
Hikuro waved a hand casually.
“Once the trials are complete, I’ll send you a copy of all the data.”
Orochimaru nodded.
“And is there anything you need in return?”
Hikuro smiled.
“If you really want to help… catch me a few more female shinobi.”
No one in the room reacted.
Everyone knew Hikuro’s only flaw: he was utterly, shamelessly obsessed with women.
Unlike Jiraiya, who was merely a harmless peeping tom, Hikuro was the type who took what he wanted.
It was a habit they had all grown used to.
His favorite pastime was what he called “private research sessions.”
Even now, the Kekkei Genkai user of Blaze Release, Yagura Karatachi’s former subordinate Kurenai no Yagura—Yūhi Kurenai’s predecessor?
No, Yekura of the Scorching Style—still resided in Hikuro’s estate.
She had been brought back for him by Danzō, and remained his most prized “trophy.”
Hearing this, Tsunade could not help but roll her eyes, her expression turning sour.
Both Hikuro and Jiraiya had once courted her.
But this Hikuro was a soul from another world who had replaced the original, merging with his alternate self.
As a result, he was far more handsome and charismatic than Jiraiya, easily overshadowing his rival.
When they first met, young Tsunade had been quite fond of him—drawn to his pursuit of knowledge and his carefree, rebellious charm.
He seemed more willing to listen to her than Jiraiya ever was.
But the moment she learned his ultimate dream was to build himself a vast harem, Tsunade immediately backed off.
She was Konoha’s princess, after all; she could never accept such a frivolous man.
Hikuro, however, was in no rush.
In his mind, he only needed to perfect the Wood Release serum first.
Then he could come back and win Tsunade over.
After all… “Tsunade, you wouldn’t want the secrets of Wood Release falling into the hands of other clans, would you?”
As for Dan Katō?
He was no longer a problem.
For daring to pursue the Senju princess, he had long since been quietly dealt with by Hikuro’s patron, Danzō.
Orochimaru smirked, his voice rough and teasing.
“Hikuro… you are always so generous.”
Clearly, he was pleased with his old colleague.
With Hikuro’s data, he could replicate the Life Formula himself, build his own army, and perhaps push his research even further.
Standing nearby, Danzō narrowed his eyes, plotting something unknown.
“Tch!”
Cut from the same rotten cloth, all of them!
Tsunade clenched her fists, veins popping on her forehead as she glared at Hikuro.
She looked ready to punch him straight in the chest and show him exactly what “small but mighty” felt like.
Of course she knew exactly what they were discussing—talking openly about experiments involving her grandfather Hashirama’s cells right in front of her.
It made her blood boil.
This was the same man who had once courted her… and now he was dissecting her own grandfather’s remains!