After school, Kitazawa went to Konoha Hospital.
Instead of returning to his own office, he headed for a room outfitted with all kinds of medical equipment—a room usually used to analyze unfamiliar poisons or examine especially complicated cases.
As an attending medical-nin at Konoha Hospital, Kitazawa naturally had the authority to use it.
Once he closed the door, he took out a summoning storage scroll and laid out a White Zetsu spore sample and Uchiha Obito's severed arm.
Using the instruments, Kitazawa examined them both.
Just as expected.
Obito's severed arm was composed of Hashirama's cells mixed with White Zetsu's cells.
After all, pure Hashirama cells are too violent on their own.
And the White Zetsu "spores" were, essentially, White Zetsu cells.
Kitazawa pondered.
If limb regeneration were performed on a base of White Zetsu cells, it would no longer carry the life-shortening side effect.
The only pity was the quantity—there wasn't much White Zetsu tissue. At most, this was enough for three patients.
Once the limb-regeneration medical technique was ready, he could ask Maruboshi Kosuke if he'd like to be the first subject.
Kitazawa thought of Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru hadn't defected, his cloning tech would have been invaluable.
Not only cloning—White Zetsu cells in his hands would probably yield all sorts of applications.
He is, after all, the shinobi world's scientist.
Obito's severed arm was valuable too.
In theory, by balancing Hashirama cells with White Zetsu cells, one could mass-produce Wood Release users.
Beyond that, it could also help lighten the strain that the Mangekyō Sharingan places on members of the Uchiha clan.
But the same problem remained.
Too few White Zetsu cells—and not many Hashirama cells either.
And considering Tsunade, he couldn't just use Hashirama cells freely.
Not that he needed to.
People use Hashirama's cells to gain Wood Release; he could obtain Wood Release via his system quests.
Kitazawa put away Obito's arm and the White Zetsu spores.
He was once again reminded how important it was to have a power base of his own.
Otherwise, he had to run to Konoha Hospital even for basic tests, never mind more complex experiments.
But he couldn't set up a lab right now—it cost too much.
In the original story, one big reason Orochimaru founded the Hidden Sound was to make money.
High-end experimental equipment is incredibly expensive—
especially in a world where technology develops sideways.
With the little cash he had, he probably couldn't even build half a lab.
Kitazawa thought of Yakushi Kabuto.
In the original, the shinobi world's scientists were Orochimaru and Kabuto.
Without Orochimaru's mentorship, Kabuto's growth would be slower.
Even so, it might be worth nudging him in that direction.
But all of that would have to wait until Tsunade became Hokage.
Once that happened, he would have some real clout.
Kitazawa went home.
Kurenai wasn't there.
He didn't have to guess—she was out back training Monster Strength.
After the fight with Shinnō, she'd grown a lot more diligent.
That battle had made her realize her shortcomings.
If she didn't hurry and get stronger, the gap between her and Kitazawa would only widen.
Kitazawa sat on the sofa, thinking about how to modify the Heavenly Foot of Pain.
Fortunately it was a matter of subtraction, not addition; simplifying downward wasn't as hard as it sounded.
He quickly had an idea.
He took out pen and paper and started writing.
Time slipped by; the door opened.
Kurenai, damp with sweat, came in.
She paused when she saw Kitazawa, wiped her forehead, and asked, "When did you get back?"
Kitazawa set down his pen and patted his thigh without saying anything; his meaning was obvious.
"I'm covered in sweat. I'm showering first," Kurenai said, shaking her head.
"I'll help you wash," Kitazawa said with a grin, giving her a once-over.
A great beauty after a workout had a different kind of allure—elegant and a little wild—beads of sweat glinting faintly on pale skin.
"Can you even hold back?" Kurenai shot him a look.
"I think I can. Try me."
"Nope. You have zero credibility in matters like this."
With that, she turned toward the bathroom, leaving Kitazawa a lovely view of her back.
Kitazawa smiled.
He kept writing the new jutsu for Kiba.
This technique, adapted from the Heavenly Foot of Pain, he named War Stomp.
Pretty fitting for a three-headed hellhound.
When he was about done, Kurenai came out of the bath.
She'd changed into a dark red nightdress, her long black hair pinned up.
"What are you writing?" Kurenai asked, settling onto his lap.
"A jutsu for Kiba."
Kitazawa slipped his left arm around her waist; his right hand drifted toward the hem of her dress.
Kurenai's breath hitched.
She could feel his warm palm brushing across her stomach.
"We still have to eat," she murmured, body relaxing against him, but reminding him anyway.
"You're the one with your mind in the gutter," Kitazawa teased, exhaling softly by her ear.
"You're the one getting handsy!" Flustered, Kurenai nudged his chest with her elbow—
then winced, cheeks flushing as her breathing quickened.
"What's for dinner?" Kitazawa asked, face unreadable, savoring the warmth at his fingertips.
Fresh from her bath and only in a nightdress, she was, to Kitazawa, practically undefended.
"I… I'll make dinner."
Kurenai leaned into his arms, tilting her chin up, ruby eyes meeting his.
"Let's cook together," Kitazawa said, struck by a sudden idea.
"Together?" she asked, puzzled.
"Hold on tight. Don't fall."
Kitazawa lifted her and stood, then loosened his hands.
Kurenai gave a muffled yelp, pupils trembling.
With her feet suddenly dangling, a wave of discomfort ran through her and she reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck.
It took several seconds before she recovered from the scare.
"Pervert!" she huffed, a little angry.
Kitazawa arched a brow and took two steps forward.
Kurenai's gaze went hazy; she bit her lip without thinking.
"Who's the pervert now?" Kitazawa asked with a faint smile, supporting her by the hips.
"This is all your fault!"
Kurenai snapped out of it and rolled her eyes, refusing to concede.
"At this point the only thing about you that's still tough is your mouth," Kitazawa chuckled.
He headed for the kitchen.
Just as they reached the doorway, Kurenai straightened up and wrapped both hands around his head, pulling him into her embrace.
"If you do that, I can't see—mmph."
Kitazawa's next words were swallowed.
At that point, there wasn't much left to say.
As for dinner—skipping a meal isn't a big deal for shinobi.
And it's not like they skipped everything.
At least Kitazawa got to eat some fruit.
Another sleepless night.
A new day—Wednesday.
Only one day left until the monthly exams.
Kitazawa was still sleeping when a knock sounded.
He opened his eyes, checked the wall clock: eight-thirty.
Normally he'd already be on his way to the Academy by then.
Today he'd stayed in bed a little longer with Kurenai.
"You keep sleeping," Kitazawa said when he noticed the slight flutter of Kurenai's eyelashes.
"Mmm."
Sore and drained, Kurenai answered softly and drifted off again.
She was paying dearly for last night's tough talk.
After all, seventy percent Senju blood is no joke—very much a carnivore.
Kitazawa got dressed and went to the door.
He opened it and blinked in surprise.
"Itachi? What brings you here so early?"
"There's something I wanted to ask you," Uchiha Itachi said. He'd planned to go to Tsunade, but after thinking it over, he came to Kitazawa first.
"What is it?" Kitazawa asked, a little puzzled.
Did Obito go to Itachi? Impossible.
Even with Hashirama's cells, a severed arm and a pierced heart aren't the kind of wounds you recover from in a day.
"Yesterday the Hokage ordered the Anbu to search Konoha for a one-armed man," Itachi said quietly. "But he gave me a different assignment—to make a trip to Sunagakure."
Kitazawa raised a brow. He'd put the pieces together.
The one-armed man was Obito.
And the reason for sending Itachi away was to keep him out of it—Sharingan and Wood Release made things sensitive.
Did Hiruzen suspect a collaboration between the Uchiha and Danzō? Or suspect a connection between the masked man and the Uchiha clan?
Kitazawa could understand Hiruzen's thinking.
Sharingan—whether transplanted or innate—comes from the Uchiha.
If it's transplanted, fine.
But if it's innate, Hiruzen would naturally think the clan couldn't be uninvolved.
In a way, that suspicion is human nature.
What Hiruzen would never imagine is that the masked man was Uchiha Obito, believed dead and remembered as a war hero.
Add Kamui to that, and the Anbu's investigation was doomed from the start.
"I want to know whether something happened yesterday—and whether it involves the Uchiha clan," Itachi said, worried.
His worst fear was a clash between Konoha and the Uchiha.
Just when things had been looking up thanks to Tsunade, everything had taken a sudden turn for the worse.
"I do know a bit," Kitazawa said after a moment's thought. "Have you ever met a Sharingan user who wasn't from the Uchiha?"
Itachi froze.
His first thought was Hatake Kakashi.
But Kakashi wouldn't make the Anbu mobilize the whole village.
Just then a memory surfaced: the masked man.
Long ago, on a mission outside the village, he'd encountered a mysterious masked man.
The man killed his teammate, then, after witnessing Itachi awaken the Sharingan, let him go.
When Itachi awakened his eyes, he'd sensed a familiar aura on the man.
But after combing through the Uchiha family registry, he could find no match.
"I've met one," Itachi said, and described the masked man's features truthfully.
"Sounds like the same person," Kitazawa said, feigning surprise. "He showed up in Konoha last night. Kakashi and I severed one of his arms."
"No wonder," Itachi said at once, grasping why Hiruzen had kept him out of it.
The Hokage must have thought the masked man had something to do with the Uchiha.
But in fact he didn't—and even if there was a connection, it was as enemies.
For a moment, murderous intent flared in Itachi's eyes.
He'd killed his teammate, and now he was here to sabotage the hard-won progress the Uchiha had made in Konoha. Unforgivable.
Kitazawa noticed the change in him.
That had been the plan—to make Itachi resent Obito even more.
That way, any future "cooperation," like in the original timeline, would be out of the question.
From now on, if Itachi saw Obito, he would have only one thought: take him down.
"What should I do now?" Itachi asked quickly.
"Do what you were going to do," Kitazawa said with a smile. "Let the Anbu investigate. That's how the Uchiha clear their name."
"I understand. Thank you," Itachi said, quietly relieved.
"Let's talk as we walk," Kitazawa said, slipping on his shoes. "I'll fill you in on the masked man's jutsu."
With Itachi's combat instincts, a little intel in advance would make any future encounter… interesting.
"All right," Itachi nodded.
"He uses a space-time technique," Kitazawa said, describing Kamui—without naming it.
The more Itachi listened, the more it sounded like a Mangekyō ability.
A stray Mangekyō user out there? But why only one ability? Was the other eye not Mangekyō—or just unused?
"On top of that, he can use Wood Release," Kitazawa added.
"Wood Release?" Itachi's surprise showed.
Sharingan and Wood Release—what was going on?
Now he understood even better why Hiruzen had made such a fuss.
Wood Release has an extraordinary significance to Konoha.
And a Sharingan wielder with Wood Release? There had to be a huge secret behind that.
"I see. Next time I run into him, I'll try to capture him," Itachi said, voice low.
Powerful or not, he wasn't afraid.
That innate pride and confidence slipped out without him noticing.
Kitazawa wasn't surprised.
In the original story, Itachi was the very picture of arrogance.
Whether it was the night of the massacre or how he handled Sasuke—start to finish, he always thought he could solve everything alone.
Not that he lacked the "blessings" to back it up.
In his previous life, fans even joked he was Kishimoto's favorite son, always whipping out some broken-balance ability.
In any case, Kitazawa's goal was achieved.
Obito was badly injured and wouldn't be coming back to Konoha any time soon.
And Itachi now saw him as the enemy who had wrecked the clan's favorable position.
The "night of the massacre" was no longer possible.
"Don't repeat what I told you today to anyone else," Kitazawa cautioned.
"I understand," Itachi said solemnly.
Wood Release and the Sharingan—this was the highest level of Konoha secrets.
Kitazawa was already taking a risk telling him.
Of course, Itachi assumed the instructions came from Tsunade.
"All right, I'm off to class. See you," Kitazawa waved.
Itachi nodded and vanished.
Kitazawa headed to his office.
Because of the delay with Itachi, he hadn't eaten breakfast yet, so he planned to mooch a meal.
From whom? Hyuga Hinata, of course.
"Kitazawa-sensei?" Hinata's face lit up when she saw him eating breakfast.
"Good morning, Hinata."
Kitazawa sat down across from her.
As usual, Hinata had laid out a full spread on the low table.
"Tastes great," Kitazawa said, taking a bite of a rice ball.
"As long as you like it, Sensei," Hinata answered with a tiny smile.
"Did you make all this?" he asked.
"Mhm."
"At this rate, give it two years and your cooking will surpass mine," Kitazawa praised. "You might have a real knack for it."
"It's the advantage of the Byakugan," Hinata said, a little embarrassed.
"You cook with your Byakugan on?" Kitazawa blinked.
"The Byakugan sees more precisely," she said, cheeks tinged pink at his look.
She'd discovered the advantage at Kitazawa's birthday barbecue.
"Fair enough," Kitazawa nodded. "Consider it Byakugan training."
Hinata exhaled in relief.
"Have you learned Eight Trigrams: Thirty-Two Palms?" Kitazawa asked, picking up another rice ball.
This one had pork inside—the last had salmon.
"Last night I completed all thirty-two strikes for the first time!" Hinata's eyes brightened and she looked at him expectantly.
"Nicely done," Kitazawa said with a smile.
Buoyed by the praise, Hinata chomped happily into her rice ball.
After breakfast, they went to the training field.
Nine in the morning.
Advanced Class training officially began.
Today, Kitazawa didn't practice Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique. He focused on Leaf-style kenjutsu—
more precisely, Leaf-style: Willow.
Though "Willow" is an S-rank sword style, it wasn't that hard for him.
He was very good at genjutsu, after all.
After so long "borrowing" it, he was finally at the finish line.
[Current Mission: Learn Leaf-style Kenjutsu.]
[Reward: Dance of the Crescent Moon.]
[Mission Completed. Reward Granted.]
By afternoon, three lines floated before Kitazawa's eyes.
He'd learned Leaf-style: Willow.
He immediately found a secluded spot.
Dance of the Crescent Moon is an A-rank sword technique—also part of Leaf-style.
Like "Willow," it isn't just swordwork; it weaves in the Shadow Clone Technique.
Kitazawa looked at a tree in the distance.
Dance of the Crescent Moon!
Two shadow clones appeared, and together with him attacked from the left, above, and right.
Three Zangetsu blades bit into the trunk, leaving three deep gouges.
On a human target, it would be enough to cut someone cleanly in three.
If the target was too strong, though, the effect would be limited.
~~~
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