Seeing Tatsuma quickly grasp the Daimyo's intentions, Hiruzen nodded, feeling somewhat astonished.
After all, he had provided Tatsuma with very little information, and he estimated that he would need about three more rounds of information exchange before Tatsuma could make such a guess.
However, it seemed that he had greatly underestimated Tatsuma's abilities.
Nevertheless, Tatsuma's quick response saved him a lot of time. Hiruzen looked at Tatsuma and asked, "What is your opinion on the Daimyo's proposal?"
Tatsuma furrowed his brows tightly, his lips pressed together. This question involved too many aspects and was particularly sensitive.
Moreover, Tatsuma knew that if the Shinobi world were to see the emergence of Wood Release Ninja again, two necessary conditions would be indispensable: Hashirama's cells and human experimentation.
These two are taboos.
It can be said that if any ninja were to attempt to touch either of these, the former would become an enemy of Konoha, and the latter might even become an enemy of the entire Shinobi world.
When Tatsuma previously mentioned Senju Hashirama's cells, Tsunade was so furious she wanted to rise up and settle scores, while human experimentation, exemplified by Orochimaru in later years, earned him infamy wherever he went.
Yet, surprisingly, the Daimyo's intention was to bring these two to the forefront and conduct official experiments.
In the original work, there were indeed similar experiments. However, due to too many deaths among the test subjects, they had to be stopped. Of course, Orochimaru continued his experiments in secret and successfully cultivated Wood Release ninja like Yamato.
Yamato did play a certain role in the Nine-Tails-related events later on, but to suppress the Nine-Tails' power firmly like the First Hokage Senju Hashirama did...
After considering these points, Tatsuma spoke up, saying, "Hokage-sama, I believe there isn't a great necessity to recreate Wood Release ninja. Firstly, there are public opinion issues, which are difficult to resolve.
Following that, the success rate is too low, and such experiments are bound to carry great risks. The survival rate of the test subjects cannot be guaranteed, and if there are deaths among them, it would be difficult to justify to the village.
Lastly, Hokage-sama, do you really think that the First Hokage's ability to suppress the Nine-Tails relied solely on Wood Release?"
Tatsuma had "seen" the process of the First Hokage containing the Nine-Tails, and indeed, Wood Release Jutsu was used. However, the real focus was not on Wood Release but on the First Hokage's extraordinary power.
Without power comparable to the First Hokage's, Wood Release's effectiveness is very limited. With the power of the First Hokage, Wood Release is merely a bonus, or perhaps more suitable to say, a complement.
After hearing Tatsuma's perspective, Hiruzen nodded, his worried expression unchanged, and said, "If the Daimyo and his advisors had half of your understanding of Wood Release and the Nine-Tails, there wouldn't be so many trivial matters to talk about."
"Daimyo is insisting on it?"
"If he doesn't see failure, perhaps he won't agree to give up. Clearly, he relies more on the First Hokage's abilities than on my explanation."
Hiruzen shook his head, and Tatsuma's face showed some displeasure as he said, "If the goal is just to suppress the Nine-Tails using the power of Wood Release, then researching the Impure World Reincarnation would be much simpler and more controllable than creating a new Wood Release Ninja."
"Cough! Be careful what you say."
Hearing Tatsuma mentioning another almost taboo jutsu, Hiruzen quickly interrupted. However, in his mind, he couldn't help but ponder Tatsuma's proposal.
Instead of cultivating a new Wood Release Ninja whose success and ability to suppress the Nine-Tails are uncertain, Tatsuma's suggestion of the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu indeed seemed simpler and more controllable.
If Daimyo trusts the Wood Release of the First Hokage, then directly using the Impure World Reincarnation to summon the First Hokage and allowing him to use Wood Release to directly suppress the Nine-Tails seems to have more potential.
However, Hiruzen quickly dismissed this idea. After all, the Impure World Reincarnation was indeed too taboo, disrupting the boundary between life and death and allowing the dead to return to the world of the living, which showed great disrespect for the deceased.
At the same time, if others were to learn about such a technique and if a Ninja in Konoha were to master the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, what would happen if, before Daimyo's death, he requested to be resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation after his passing? How would Konoha respond?
Furthermore, once such a precedent was set, it would only lead to more trouble. Moreover, this technique was inherently unethical and even anti-humanitarian.
Shaking his head to dispel these thoughts, Hiruzen looked at Tatsuma and asked, "Yaksha, if the village decides to attempt the reconstruction plan for a Wood Release Ninja, how do you propose to gain Tsunade's approval?"
Tsunade is currently the spokesperson for the Senju clan. Until Nawaki grows up, Tsunade has the authority to handle all matters related to the Senju Clan, including the body of Senju Hashirama.
To recreate a Wood Release Ninja, it's necessary to study the body of Senju Hashirama, and this inevitably involves Tsunade. Only with Tsunade's consent can this plan proceed.
At this moment, Tatsuma's expression also became solemn, but fortunately, his mask concealed it.
Hiruzen's question was too harsh on Tatsuma from a personal perspective, considering Tsunade was his sensei. Privately, Tatsuma wasn't suitable to answer. However, Hiruzen was asking as the Hokage's Guard, an ANBU Ninja called Yaksha, not as Tsunade's disciple, Sakamoto Tatsuma.
If it were the latter, Tatsuma could have said he had no way to answer or directly opposed Hiruzen's idea. But in the former case, it was a matter of capability.
Tatsuma's lips moved beneath his mask several times before he answered, "Didn't the Daimyo agree to allocate funds for establishing a medical ninja training system? Let's convene a meeting and place the topic of recreating a Wood Release Ninja after that. We can introduce each topic before the meeting and then discuss them one by one."
After pondering Tatsuma's response, Hiruzen nodded, deeming it feasible. Though it carried some sense of bargaining or even a hint of threat, it was undoubtedly the easiest way to persuade Tsunade.
However, if they were to proceed like this, Hiruzen wondered if the already strained relationship between him and Tsunade, his former apprentice, could endure.
But everything came with a price. Either outright reject the Daimyo's proposal and demands, worsening relations with him, or sacrifice the bond between him and Tsunade to maintain a harmonious relationship between the village and the Daimyo's estate.
Hiruzen sat on a large rock, pondering for a long time before asking, "Are there any other options? For example, approaching Mito-sama with a softer approach to gain Tsunade's consent?"
"Hokage-sama, are you referring to the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, Uzumaki Mito-sama, or the wife of the First Hokage, Uzumaki Mito-sama?" Tatsuma countered, and Hiruzen understood his implication. If it was the former, Uzumaki Mito couldn't convince Tsunade, and if it was the latter, the village might not even be able to sway Uzumaki Mito.
Setting Uzumaki Mito's identity as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails meant she could entirely stay out of it, choosing to ignore the village's arrangements. However, expecting her to step forward and convince Tsunade? Impossible.
Setting Uzumaki Mito's identity as the wife of the First Hokage, it was also impossible for her to come forward and agree to the village's research on her deceased husband's body, let alone persuade Tsunade further.
So, Tatsuma's counter-question seemed like two choices, but in reality, there was only one: to keep Uzumaki Mito out of this. Given her love for the village, she might turn a blind eye to it.
But if the village wanted to push the boundaries...
"Sigh..." Hiruzen shook his head, then said, "Let's return to the village first and handle the post-war matters. As for the Jinchuriki and Wood Release Ninja, there's still plenty of time, years even."
Tatsuma remained silent, feeling a sense of relief. This was the last thing he wanted to get involved in. One misstep, and he would either offend the Hokage or Tsunade and Uzumaki Mito.
"Hokage-sama, why don't you rest first? Let me set up a sleeping bag for you," Tatsuma said, taking out a small scroll. However, Hiruzen waved his hand and said, "I'm not tired. Let's take a break and then set off. The village is accessible anytime; we don't need to wait for an auspicious moment."
Hearing this, Tatsuma put away the scroll and watched as Hiruzen, troubled and lost in thought, pondered something. Meanwhile, Tatsuma began to close his eyes and recall the notes he had memorized but couldn't comprehend.
After about twenty minutes, Hiruzen asked, "How's your stamina?"
"It's fully restored," Tatsuma replied, ceasing his contemplation. Hiruzen nodded and said, "Then let's go."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
With a nod, Tatsuma resumed his journey. By the next morning, they had finally returned to the village, using the secret passage to avoid attracting the villagers' attention.
Back at the Hokage's office, apart from the Jonin on standby, the other departments' ninjas hadn't started their shifts yet. Hiruzen returned to his seat and lit a cigarette.
After smoking several pipes of tobacco, Hiruzen looked at the brightening sky outside and said to Tatsuma, "Yaksha, I won't be working today. Let's call it a day for the guard duty."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Tatsuma nodded and stepped back. Although Hiruzen hadn't left the Hokage Building yet, since he said the guard duty was over, it was indeed over. Under the Hokage's orders, ANBU operatives had far fewer liberties than regular ninjas.
Inside the Hokage Building, there was a changing room specifically for ANBU ninjas. Tatsuma changed out of his ANBU uniform, put on his regular clothes, and then returned to the Senju compound.
By now, people were already training at the training grounds. Minato greeted Tatsuma, who had returned after a few days away, and then asked, "Just back from a mission?"
"Yeah," Tatsuma nodded with a smile and asked, "With your attire today, do you have a mission?"
Minato, now dressed in a Chunin uniform, nodded as well, replying, "Not exactly a mission. I've been reassigned to a new team. My new teammates are Akimichi Doto from the Akimichi Clan and Inuzuka Gaku from the Inuzuka Clan. Today is our introductory meeting."
"Is that so?"
Minato sensed something amiss in Tatsuma's response. Though Tatsuma still had a smile on his face, his enthusiasm seemed lacking. Minato furrowed his brows and asked, "Did the mission not go well?"
"No," Tatsuma was about to deny, but suddenly, there was a loud noise in the room as the door was forcefully pushed open. Tsunade, with an urgent expression, asked, "Did the mission not go well?! Did the Daimyo refuse to allocate funds to me?! Damn it! I'll go demand it myself, you lead the way!"
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