"Human experimentation? Orochimaru is involved in this recently?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face became somewhat serious after hearing Jiraiya's words. He had previously suspected Orochimaru's reclusiveness, as he was nearly impossible to find. Originally, he planned to keep Orochimaru in the village as support, but didn't expect him to use human experimentation for researching Ninjutsu.
"Yes, but old man, Orochimaru's human experiments are all conducted on prisoners on death row from various prisons in the Land of Fire, and he even bought them. I've already confirmed this..."
Jiraiya quickly explained when he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen put down his pipe, appearing very serious.
He didn't want any misunderstandings due to his slow explanation.
"Death row prisoners? What's going on, explain in detail to me."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said to Jiraiya, annoyed, as he was about to summon the Anbu.
Then, Jiraiya recounted how he had tracked Orochimaru, from the village all the way to when he left Orochimaru's research base, missing hardly any detail, except for asking about Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave.
"I see...."
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe again; seeing that the fire was about to go out, he replaced the tobacco and lit it again. After a moment's silence, he spoke.
"Since they're death row prisoners, don't bother with it anymore. But the Anbu haven't received any news of Orochimaru bringing people in... maybe the Security Team helped him out."
Jiraiya asked in surprise, "Old man, aren't you going to say anything about the human experimentation?"
"What should I say? If I speak against Orochimaru, then who will speak against the Second Generation Hokage? The First Generation Hokage?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said irritably, "If you had seen my teacher when he researched Forbidden Techniques, you wouldn't have thought of this idea. Besides, Orochimaru is indeed not wrong, as he's using death row prisoners..."
Back when the Second Generation Hokage researched Forbidden Techniques, enemy village ninjas in Konoha Prison didn't survive for more than a month; batches entered and were sent out, or else how did the Second Generation Hokage come up with so many Forbidden Techniques, out of thin air?
Although powerful Forbidden Techniques can affect a ninja's psyche, the same applies to researching Forbidden Techniques. But if Orochimaru evokes the Second Generation Hokage, then Sarutobi Hiruzen, as a teacher, can't really say much against Orochimaru.
"Death row prisoners have to die eventually. Jiraiya, you've been a ninja for so many years; don't be so easily startled by this."
Sarutobi Hiruzen admonished Jiraiya. Among the three students, he liked Jiraiya's character the most, but sometimes he was a bit naive.
Moreover, it often led him to do foolish things, like staying in an enemy Ninja Village during the Second Ninja World War to care for orphans of war; which had greatly angered Sarutobi Hiruzen. There were many war orphans in Konoha Village, and if he wanted to take care of them, he could have returned to do so.
He's done similar things countless times, and all three of his disciples have similar bad habits.
"Anyway, as long as you think there's no problem, that's fine. I told you about it anyway; by the way, Orochimaru asked me to tell you to pay attention to the Genin from our village participating in this Chunin Exam, maybe they'll surprise you..."
After Jiraiya finished speaking, he jumped out of the window, intending to find an opportunity to treat Orochimaru to a drink, then get him drunk and ask some things.
"Use the door... this fool."
Sarutobi Hiruzen knocked his pipe irritably when Jiraiya jumped out the window without turning back, then he sat back down.
However, remembering Jiraiya's earlier words, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't resist looking at the situation in the Chunin Exam.
He took out a crystal ball, then performed the Telescope Jutsu. The crystal ball displayed the exam scenes within the Forest of Death.
"Hmm? That's Asuma. They're fighting... Team 8 over the scroll, and they've been defeated?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened. He had previously watched Asuma train hard, mastering two Fire Release Ninjutsu before the Chunin Exam, along with Shinnosuke saying their squad had great potential.
But unexpectedly, they were about to be eliminated in the second round.
Despite there being two days left until the end of the second exam, the last two scrolls aren't easy to find; if they can't grab scrolls from others, they'll essentially be eliminated.
"Who is this... I remember, it's a Genin recommended by Root, Wood Release!?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen switched the crystal ball, suddenly witnessing a shocking scene. The Root Genin suddenly unleashed Wood Release Ninjutsu, entangled and killed three Grass Village Ninjas.
No wonder Orochimaru told him to pay attention to the Chunin Exam, Root has a Wood Release Bloodline Ninja... could this be the result of Orochimaru's research?
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew Danzo couldn't have researched a Wood Release Bloodline, even their teacher, the Second Generation Hokage, hadn't achieved it, and Danzo's Root was far behind.
And Orochimaru liked researching Ninjutsu, and in human experimentation, he's very similar to the Second Generation Hokage.
"Looks like I'll have to have a good talk with Orochimaru...."
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Inside Ryuchi Cave.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive amount of Chakra surged from Uchiha Yoichi's Wood Clone, followed by a rumbling from underground. A gigantic Wood Dragon burst out from beneath, quickly wrapping around the stone mountain in front.
The enormous Wood Dragon quickly ensnared the small stone mountain, continuously tightening, shattering the stone mountain within seconds.
Nearby, Shinga watched, a look of fear and awe flickering in its large snake eyes; the entwining strength of this Wood Dragon was even greater than its own, and this was just one of its master's clones.
On the empty ground not far from Ryuchi Cave, four similar Wood Clones were practicing Wood Release Ninjutsu.