— Land of Fire, Konoha Village —
Deep Underground
"Orochimaru, how are the results of your experiment?"
In a hidden base beneath Konoha, Danzo arrived silently with a dozen masked ANBU operatives. The underground facility was chillingly sterile — filled with surgical tools, strange glowing equipment, tanks filled with fluid, and rows of suspended artificial embryos.
Orochimaru didn't turn around. He was focused on a test-tube baby, his serpentine fingers carefully manipulating a vial containing the First Hokage's cells.
Danzo's expression remained cold. "I've provided everything you requested. But tell me — what progress have you made?"
A low chuckle escaped Orochimaru's lips. "You'll see the results soon enough. These are not ordinary trials, Danzo-sama. I'm shaping the future of shinobi evolution."
Without blinking, Orochimaru carefully injected the genetically unstable Hashirama cells into the infant. The baby twitched in the nutrient pod.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. "I expect results, not excuses."
Still smirking, Orochimaru responded, "You'll get more than results. Soon, you'll have soldiers who can wield Mokuton. The power of the First Hokage, revived in a new generation."
Danzo stepped closer. "Good. Once Hiruzen Sarutobi retires, I'll recommend you as the next Hokage — assuming, of course, your work continues without failure."
"Hehe… Then I'll hold you to your word, Danzo-sama."
But Orochimaru didn't turn. His golden eyes remained locked on the pod. The baby inside had begun to writhe violently.
Danzo's voice lowered, colder than ever. "But if you fail me, you know what comes next."
Without waiting for a reply, Danzo turned and walked away, his ANBU following like silent shadows.
As their footsteps faded, Orochimaru finally looked up. His eyes gleamed with disdain. "You scheming rat. You think I don't know you're using me?"
His gaze turned toward the pod as the baby screamed in agony — the cells of Hashirama Senju rejecting the host.
Crack. Blood. Silence.
Another failure.
"Hmph. Another one lost… how fragile." Orochimaru sneered, wiping the blood off his gloves. "But the deeper I study, the closer I get to truth. Hashirama… you are a marvel."
He moved toward another test pod, a mad grin stretching across his face.
Outside, walking beneath the orange Konoha sky, one of Danzo's ANBU finally broke silence.
"Danzo-sama, do you truly intend to support someone like Orochimaru as Hokage?"
Danzo's face remained unreadable. "Do not question what you don't understand."
They fell silent again — until Danzo stopped and looked skyward.
"Orochimaru is a tool. Nothing more. Once he's no longer useful, he'll be discarded like the rest."
He turned to his subordinates. "We're leaving."
"Yes, Danzo-sama."
— Dense Forest, Konoha Outskirts —
Evening Training Ground
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a blood-red glow across the landscape. In a remote clearing, a storm was brewing.
"Wind Style — Spiral Shuriken!!"
From the center of the field, Wukunowa — in Minato's body — hurled a spinning sphere of razor wind crackling with thin arcs of electricity toward a floating golden barrier conjured by the One Piece Card System for training.
BOOOOOM!!
The wind sphere collided, erupting into a swirling tornado of chakra, lightning, and wind. Trees were torn from the roots. The earth screamed as a deep trench carved through the forest floor.
Wukunowa shielded his eyes as debris flew past.
"What power…!"
The golden shield began to fracture. Cracks spread like spiderwebs across its surface until it finally shattered into fragments of light and gold, vanishing into the air.
The storm didn't stop.
The Rasenshuriken's upgraded version — infused with the Goro Goro no Mi's elemental traits — continued to rage for nearly five minutes before finally losing momentum.
Wukunowa dropped to one knee, panting. His right arm was scorched, nerves twitching from the feedback.
"…It's strong. But still not stable."
He glanced at the scorched mark across his arm.
"A technique of this level… It's no wonder Tsunade labeled it forbidden. It devours both the enemy and the user."
Opening the King's Treasure Room, a system-created storage space, he pulled out a gleaming vial of restorative balm, applying it with a wince.
[System Update]
[Goro Goro no Mi Synchronization: 32%]
[Next Unlock – 50%: Lightning Armor Mode]
"…Still a long way to go."
He looked up at the stars, thoughts drifting. "The system is pushing me forward, but this world… this peace I want… requires more."
He turned toward the village.
"Time to go. Kushina's probably already started yelling."
His figure vanished in a flicker of yellow light.