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The meeting concluded.
The Daimyō of the Land of Fire, Enishi Maru, returned to his residence. Though shaken by today's events, he wasn't foolish. The Land of Fire still relied on the protection of Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had been Hokage for so long that his prestige was immense. Even if Enishi could punish him, there was no real need. Unless he ordered Hiruzen's execution—which would be meaningless—any other punishment would be toothless. Besides, Tsunade was set to become Hokage tomorrow. After this, he wouldn't have to deal with Hiruzen again anyway.
After the Daimyō left, Hiruzen promptly relinquished his authority. Exhausted both physically and mentally, he still had a funeral to arrange at home. Managing Konoha's affairs was beyond him now.
Danzo Shimura returned to his "Root" hideout, seething in impotent rage.
Meanwhile, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado carried on as if nothing had happened, continuing their roles as Hokage advisors. In fact, they realized that under the current circumstances, their influence had only grown.
With Hiruzen and Danzo retired, the only real authority left was the Hokage. Given Tsunade's temperament, she might despise them, but she wouldn't punish them—at most, she'd argue with them.
And indeed, that's exactly how things played out in the original timeline. Despite their strained relationship, Koharu and Homura remained advisors throughout Tsunade's tenure as the Fifth Hokage.
[Due to your actions, Tsunade's fate has been altered. You have gained 99 Fate Points.]
[Due to your actions, Hinata Hyūga's fate has been altered. You have gained 99 Fate Points.]
[Due to your actions, Ino Yamanaka's fate has been altered. You have gained 99 Fate Points.]
[Due to your actions, the fates of Shin Uchiha, Danzo Shimura, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, Sai, and others have been altered. You have gained 220 Fate Points.]
With Tsunade becoming Hokage earlier—and with Sōma's presence—the future was undoubtedly going to be different.
Ino and Sai likely wouldn't end up together. After all, neither Sai nor Sasuke Uchiha could compare to his looks.
As for the others, Sōma could understand most of the changes—but why Hinata?
After a moment of thought, he realized the only explanation was his plan to upgrade her Byakugan into the Tenseigan. That meant Kabuto's experiments would succeed.
But why now?
Could it be because of Shin Uchiha?
His greatest use was his ability to accept any tissue or organ transplant without rejection.
Sōma's eyes lit up—he understood now.
The goal was to regress Shin's chakra back to its Ōtsutsuki origins.
With White Zetsu cells, Hashirama's DNA, the Sharingan, and the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse), along with a suitable vessel for fusion, it was indeed possible.
All that remained was time.
With that in mind, Sōma stopped eavesdropping outside the Hokage's office and quietly left, heading for the Land of Lightning to retrieve Shin and bring him back to the orphanage.
As for Orochimaru? Well… too bad for him.
After using the Flying Thunder God Technique, there was no way Orochimaru could continue tracking him—the trail had been severed.
Sōma felt no guilt about stealing from Orochimaru.
It wasn't his fault the guy was basically a walking treasure trove of valuable assets and brilliant intellect.
Right?
Besides, he'd spared Orochimaru's life multiple times already. Consider this repayment for those "mercies."
Ahem.
Sōma tossed Shin Uchiha in front of Kabuto.
Kabuto glanced at the unconscious body. "What is this? And what's it for?"
"Shin Uchiha. His eyes are three-tomoe Sharingan, and his body has a unique trait—it can fuse with any tissue without rejection, including Hashirama's cells."
Kabuto's face immediately lit up with excitement. For a researcher like him, this was an invaluable specimen.
"Kabuto, let me tell you a story."
Instead of leaving right away, Sōma sat down opposite him and began explaining the origins of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
If Kabuto wanted to regress chakra back to its Ōtsutsuki roots, he needed to understand their lineage and history. Otherwise, he'd be working blind.
"The Ōtsutsuki… are aliens?!"
Kabuto felt his entire worldview shatter.
In the current legends of the shinobi world, the Sage of Six Paths was said to have brought chakra into existence. But his origins were a mystery—no one had ever speculated he might be extraterrestrial.
At most, people assumed he was a once-in-a-millennium genius who founded the Shinobi Creed and spread chakra.
"No wonder the bloodline limits of certain clans are so superior," Kabuto muttered, his smile tinged with bitterness.
Like Orochimaru, he was a shinobi from a common background—no inherited kekkei genkai. Learning about the Ōtsutsuki made him realize how absurd this world was. It wasn't about strength or talent; it was about bloodline.
For an ambitious man like him, that was a bitter pill to swallow.
"But in the end, they're just specimens in your hands now," Sōma said, patting his shoulder. "You're the one who's truly exceptional."
"…"
Kabuto's lips twitched. "I see. You're just using me as a tool."
"I prefer to think of it as sponsoring your passion," Sōma replied, completely unashamed. "Besides, you enjoy it, don't you?"
"Instead of sweet-talking me, how about you find me more test subjects?" Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "And I'll need a new lab."
"Fine."
Sōma thought for a moment. "We'll set up the new lab in the Land of Waves. With the Flying Thunder God Technique, travel won't be an issue."
"Whatever." Kabuto didn't care about the location. But then he added, "But the equipment has to be top-tier."
Research was an expensive endeavor. In the original timeline, even Orochimaru had to establish Otogakure just to fund his experiments.
Sōma had thought inheriting Gato's wealth made him rich—but now he realized it wasn't enough. Building this lab alone would cost billions, with ongoing expenses piling up endlessly.
But if it meant awakening Hinata's Tenseigan?
It would be worth every ryō.
"Alright, get back to work."
Sōma left the orphanage.
Outside, notices were already being posted, announcing Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage. He wandered around, eavesdropping on villagers' reactions.
As expected, almost no one objected.
Tsunade's reputation was stellar—legendary kunoichi, master medic, and a descendant of the Senju. Though the clan had faded from the public eye, their influence lingered in the shadows.
In truth, she had plenty of supporters.
Even in the original story, after decades of wandering, she'd returned to Konoha and immediately become Hokage.
That was the weight of her legacy.
In the entire village, few could rival her qualifications.
(If you ignored her crippling gambling debts, Sōma was essentially living off her success.)
Heh.
Soft, fragrant, and oh-so-comfortable.
Sōma returned home.
Tsunade and Shizune were out.
No matter. He took out pen and paper and began drafting his Kirigakure Development Plan.
As a coastal village, Kirigakure's greatest resources weren't just fishing and shipping—it was the ocean itself.
Since shinobi didn't engage in conventional labor and civilian technology was underdeveloped, the seabed remained an untapped goldmine. With water-style jutsu, they could easily harvest rare materials from the depths.
Even in shipping and fishing, there were opportunities.
Simple branding, for instance—designating certain fish as luxury goods for nobles, complete with high-end packaging—could turn massive profits
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