Dodai was as efficient as ever. After discussing in depth with the laboratory supervisor and confirming that further research on the specimens was fruitless under current conditions, he canceled the clone and transmitted its memories back to his original body. He then reported directly to the Third Raikage, who was reviewing progress on the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki program.
The Third Raikage approved the proposal after a brief moment of thought. Dodai promptly sent a new clone to the research department. There, he retrieved all the sealed Sharingan they had previously acquired from fallen Uchiha and handed them over to Tamura Hao. Then, he led Hao deeper into the restricted materials archive.
They stopped in front of a freezer labeled "Second Hokage." Dodai unsealed it, revealing multiple preservation jars. He spoke with slight regret.
"These are internal organs harvested from Senju Tobirama. When we returned his body to Konoha after the ceasefire, we secretly retained some tissue for study. Although not as revered as the First Hokage, Tobirama was still the most formidable member of the Senju after Hashirama. His tissues retain cellular activity even after twenty years, thanks to nutrient immersion."
Despite their efforts, Cloud researchers failed to reproduce any of his Water Release techniques or secret arts. Without a breakthrough, the project had been shelved due to lack of funding.
Tamura Hao stared at the jars with blazing eyes, especially the preserved heart. These were rare and invaluable materials—remnants of the genius who invented Flying Thunder God, Edo Tensei, and Shadow Clone.
Without hesitation, Hao took out a sealing scroll and stored all the jars. These would become key catalysts for strengthening Kaguya's shadow.
Dodai didn't object. This transfer had already been approved by the Raikage. These remains had sat dormant for years with no progress; granting them to Hao as a reward was justifiable.
"Golden and Silver Brothers—are these the ones who killed Tobirama?" Hao soon noticed two nearby freezers labeled "Kinkaku" and "Ginkaku," interest sparking in his eyes.
Dodai nodded. "Yes. After the Third killed them in battle, their bodies were recovered. We hoped to learn how they managed to survive after devouring the Nine-Tails' chakra and to recover the Six Paths Tools they stole. Unfortunately, the secrets remained locked away."
He unsealed the containers, revealing the well-preserved corpses, extracted organs, and separately sealed blood samples.
"The blood must be preserved in case future breakthroughs allow us to recover the Six Paths Tools they consumed. You may take the rest."
This generosity reflected the Raikage's approval. Now that Cloud was refining the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki division method, the raw flesh of these brothers was no longer essential. Devouring Tailed Beast chakra had proved too dangerous and unrepeatable.
Worse, their bloodline—allegedly descended from the Sage of Six Paths—may have been the true reason for their success. That couldn't be reproduced or shared. So while the corpses were once priceless, their research value had diminished over time.
More importantly, Tamura Hao had earned it. Cloud's reward system valued contribution over ideology. Concrete results, not vague ideals, built a loyal village.
Tamura Hao quickly unsealed two more scrolls and stored everything. He glanced over the other freezers but found nothing else noteworthy.
"Don't experiment on yourself. Even if you're smart, human experimentation is dangerous," Dodai warned seriously.
"I value my life," Hao said with a laugh. He wasn't planning to use the tissues on himself—Kaguya's shadow would be the test subject. These were supplements, not transplant material.
"By the way, Dodai-sama, does the village currently have any mature Tailed Beast sealing techniques?"
He knew it was unrealistic to get the Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei sealing method anytime soon. And infiltrating Konoha would take time. For now, he needed a reliable ritual to anchor Kaguya's shadow in the material world.
"You plan to adapt the Jinchūriki concept for those... entities?"
Dodai caught on quickly. "Interesting. But there's a fundamental difference between human cells and Tailed Beast chakra. It won't be easy."
He paused, then added, "However, once we conquer the Uzumaki, we'll obtain advanced sealing jutsu—maybe even techniques made specifically for Tailed Beasts."
The Hidden Cloud's assault on Uzushiogakure had been meticulously planned. All that remained was to signal Danzo to ensure Konoha's cooperation.
The entire military force was preparing for deployment—including the Third Raikage himself. The spoils would be tremendous.
"So the operation is imminent…" Hao grew solemn. The Uzumaki Clan's sealing jutsu was terrifying. Even the Nine-Tails could be bound by their Fuinjutsu. Clashing with them head-on would be devastating.
"Which is why we won't fight them directly. The plan is to draw in the other villages. The Uzumaki will be isolated. Then, we persuade them to surrender through pressure, not destruction."
Dodai's voice was calm, but it betrayed respect for the Uzumaki. Even Cloud wouldn't risk direct confrontation.
"Your infiltration mission is key. Danzo's people are cunning. Don't get caught."
Dodai's tone grew grave. Intelligence on Shimura Danzo painted him as a ruthless, pragmatic manipulator. One slip could mean death—or worse.
"I understand."
Tamura Hao replied seriously. He knew better than to underestimate Danzo. That man trained monsters like Kabuto and manipulated geniuses like Itachi.
For this mission, Hao planned to use self-hypnosis. Unlike simple acting, hypnosis—technically a form of Genjutsu—could deeply alter his mindset. By combining it with minor drug enhancement, he could temporarily become a perfect Root agent.
He had practiced this technique not for combat, but to recover fragments of his past life. It had helped him recall vital information—and even some rather questionable literature.
Now, he would apply it to his mission. Once properly hypnotized, even Root's sensors wouldn't easily detect deception.
In truth, he had already begun forming ties with Root. With a proper emotional hook, Danzo would naturally grow to trust "Tian"—especially after following the emotional arc of Kabuto's manipulation in the canon script.