Chapter 210: Epilogue (Part 1) Aftermath and Arrangements
The master and disciple were silent for a good while.
Haruno Sakura clenched her fists and said nothing.
Then Tsunade finally said, "That's how it is with Yūgao's matter. You should go back and rest too. She can start accepting visitors tomorrow."
She picked up her cup and took a sip of water, signaling that Sakura could leave.
But Haruno Sakura suddenly turned her head and stared blankly at Tsunade.
"Wait a minute, Master!" she said seriously. "This stem cell thing, you've said it before. As long as you open up the research on human clone experiments, you can complete the application of this stem cell technology within a few months!"
Tsunade rubbed her forehead.
"Stem cell research is a prerequisite for cloning technology... Humans have two types of stem cells. One is the totipotent stem cell that can be used to clone a human body; the other is the pluripotent stem cell that can be used to replicate various organs and repair tissues. I think you've already learned this," she said, looking at the girl. "As long as we complete the research on stem cells, we can directly cultivate a new heart for Yūgao, and her physical problems will be solved."
"But the problem is, as the Hokage, am I supposed to take the lead in violating Konoha's rules and personally conduct human experiments?"
Tsunade sighed.
It wasn't that she couldn't think of this solution, but that she couldn't use it.
If the current Hokage were to be involved in such a scandal, the consequences would not be comparable to an elite Jonin temporarily retiring for a few years.
"Of course, after the ban on human experimentation is lifted in the future, Yūgao can still get a suitable heart and return to the ranks of front-line ninja," she added.
Haruno Sakura shook her head.
Unable to accept such a result, she said, "That will delay her for three or four years. Her most precious growth period as a ninja will be ruined. At that time, let alone making any more progress, she might not even be able to recover to her current state!"
"It can only be this way. Do you have any other ideas?"
"This research... you can leave it to me," Sakura said firmly, subconsciously stroking her fingernails.
Tsunade looked straight at the girl, her gaze sharpening for a long time.
Only then did she speak, "...You've already gotten the materials?"
"Yes." In front of Tsunade, Sakura didn't need to be evasive about anything and directly admitted the truth. "Including the experimental equipment and materials, I also took some. It should be enough for me to use for a period of time."
It seems she really is prepared, and this isn't just a decision made on a whim...
Tsunade stared at her, looking deeply into her clear eyes.
"You've already prepared everything... are you sure you're establishing the base in the Land of Snow?" she asked, as if casually mentioning it. "The daimyo of the Land of Snow seems to have a very good relationship with you."
"Hn, Kazahana Koyuki and I can be considered very good private friends..." the girl admitted gracefully. It was a bit inappropriate for a ninja and a daimyo to have a private relationship, but the Land of Snow was, after all, too far from Konoha, and the country was too small. There was almost no connection between the two, so the relationship between them couldn't be considered a taboo.
"I just need to let her know. At that time, she will come to Konoha to issue a follow-up mission sheet for the previous Land of Snow mission..."
She had also thought through the matter of leaving the village. To leave the village for a long time without permission was suspected of defection, and she was not Jiraiya... Even Jiraiya wandered outside in the name of a long-term mission.
However, Sakura had already made an agreement with Kazahana Koyuki long ago. With a mission sheet from the daimyo of the Land of Snow, and with her being specifically requested to carry out the mission, there would be no problem.
She was the ninja who had carried out the last Land of Snow mission. This time, to be named by the Land of Snow to complete the follow-up mission was also to be expected. After all, she was more familiar with the local environment and had more mission experience. Many missions with a continuous nature would have such a requirement, to name the ninja who had carried out the last mission to continue to carry out his mission this time. It was a very reasonable matter.
For a major event like establishing a base overseas, she of course had to consider it thoroughly.
This matter had already been simulated in her mind several times, and she roughly had an outline. But the specific details still needed to be perfected.
"Is it purely stem cell and cloning research?"
"Of course!" Sakura replied without thinking. "I will definitely not be like Orochimaru and experiment on real, living people!"
Her moral bottom line was not that low...
She couldn't control what others did, but at least when she did it herself, she wouldn't do that kind of outrageous thing.
Of course, to experiment on her own clones, in the eyes of others, was already very evil.
Tsunade looked at the righteous and resolute girl, and a smile couldn't help but appear on her serious face.
"You can also use enemies for experiments..." Tsunade smiled faintly. She didn't have that many moral hang-ups. Back on the battlefield, dissecting enemy corpses and testing ninjutsu on living enemies was not something she hadn't done. These things were nothing at all. Konoha believed in being as warm as a spring breeze to its own people, not in being friendly and merciful to its enemies.
"That Hidan you encountered is a good experimental subject. It's a pity you couldn't keep him."
The moment that bizarre Hidan was mentioned, Sakura thought of his evil appearance, covered in black and white paint. She hadn't felt anything during the battle, but now, when the scene appeared in her mind, she suddenly got goosebumps all over half of her arm.
"No, no, no, let's just forget about him," Sakura shook her head vigorously, wanting to get rid of that disgusting feeling. "That kind of person is already completely different from a normal person. Who knows if the data collected from his body has any reference value for a normal person."
"And at that time, there was really no way to continue fighting. The strength gap between our Squad 14 and them was still quite large. I couldn't beat Kakuzu either. If he hadn't been misled by my ninjutsu and had two of his hearts and a large number of tentacles taken out by the Wind Blade Raging Stream and the Monstrous Strength Technique, I might have been the one being chased and beaten."
Sakura let out a wry smile. "I might not have even lasted ten minutes."
If Kakuzu had known her true information from the beginning and had hidden underground with Earth Style, and then constantly consumed her with ninjutsu, then she really might not have lasted ten minutes...
But on the other hand, if she had watched Shippuden and had known the information on Kakuzu and Hidan, then Kakuzu would have had no chance of winning against her!
At this moment, she kind of regretted why she hadn't caught up on the series before...
"Forget it. It's good that you all came back!" Tsunade waved her hand, no longer discussing the issue of why they hadn't been able to keep the Akatsuki duo. "At least we've also obtained intelligence about the Akatsuki. Although those two's secret techniques are bizarre, once you're on guard, their effectiveness is greatly reduced."
"...Of course, on the other hand, your intelligence has also been leaked," Tsunade said, pointing her finger at Sakura.
The pink-haired girl just shrugged indifferently.
"If that Akatsuki organization of theirs is really that harmonious and friendly, mutually respectful and humble," she said nonchalantly.
Sakura really couldn't imagine an organization composed of unruly S-rank rogue ninja sitting down in a circle, chatting idly, caring for each other, and sharing her intelligence... To be able to say in a mocking tone, "watch out for that Haruno Sakura's ninjutsu," would already be quite good.
And, she couldn't just not fight because she was afraid of her intelligence being leaked, right?
To hide and tuck things away, to pretend to be a pig in normal times, and then suddenly erupt to eat the tiger in the final battle? That was an idea that only someone who had never been in a life-or-death battle would come up with. Such a method was simply not feasible. A ninjutsu that had not been tempered in a life-or-death battle was just armchair strategy. To use it rashly would be extremely dangerous.
And besides, not to mention that she didn't even know if there was a "grand finale" style final battle in the manga; even if there was, after she had messed with it so much, the subsequent trend had already been greatly changed...
Taking it ten thousand steps back, even if all her intelligence was known by the Akatsuki, so what?
The next time they met, she would definitely not be at this current strength.
And the bloody example of Kakuzu also showed that unreliable intelligence was sometimes even more harmful than no intelligence at all!
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