"Ding~ [Stamina+5], [Strength+3], [Ninjutsu+5]. Would you like to claim?"
In the muddy ground, Tatsuma pulled out the broken bone spur lodged in his left shoulder, silently chanting to pick it up. Then he looked at Taketsuki's body in front of him, lost in thought.
However, his right hand, as if by instinct, pulled out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound on his left shoulder.
At this moment, Caterpillar hurried over and asked, "Leader, do we need to deal with the body? Also, considering the surroundings, repair is not possible; should we proceed with destructive traces eradication?"
"I'm not in a hurry."
Regaining his senses, Tatsuma shook his head. He then took out a sealing scroll. Without waiting to tend to his left shoulder wound, he broke the seal, and in an instant, several items appeared.
Tatsuma picked up a syringe-like instrument and pierced Taketsuki's body, extracting a small amount of blood. He then put away the syringe and picked up several jars sealed with Sealing Jutsu.
Using a Chakra scalpel in his hand, Tatsuma performed a simplified version of dissection on Taketsuki right there, sampling tissues from various parts of his body, especially joints and channel-like wounds.
After sealing the jars, he infused Chakra into the lids. Instantly, the jutsu activated, completely enveloping the jars. After completing these tasks, Tatsuma picked up a few pieces of enhanced bone spurs, then used an unused sealing scroll to seal these tools away.
Standing up, he remembered to treat his left shoulder. While using Medical Ninjutsu, Tatsuma said to Caterpillar, "Caterpillar, the bodies of Kekkei Genkai ninjas are extremely precious. Make sure to preserve them well."
When it comes to human body research, especially the study of Kekkei Genkai, although every village vehemently denies it, none of the villages can afford to abandon such research.
Even after all these years, no village has truly unlocked constitution-based Kekkei Genkai barriers through artificial means.
When Tatsuma first served as Orochimaru's assistant, Orochimaru would occasionally chat about these topics. However, since their research paths diverged, Orochimaru has completely ceased discussing these matters.
This current sampling isn't at the village's request or Orochimaru's suggestion; it's Tatsuma's own initiative.
After all, he still carries a heavy burden, thinking of Mito's dying wish. Just after finishing the Medical Ninjutsu on his right hand, Tatsuma couldn't help but touch the spot on his forehead where his mask covered.
Tatsuma never learned the Yin Seal technique, even though Tsunade had earnestly mentioned it to him after Mito's death. After all, Mito had entrusted almost all of her Chakra to Tatsuma.
Without mastering the Yin Seal, Tatsuma couldn't access this Chakra. Over time, this Chakra would slowly dissipate and disappear. According to Tsunade, it would have been wisest for Tatsuma to learn the Yin Seal earlier and unlock the Chakra left by Mito.
However, Tatsuma refused. Until he had made sufficient preparations, Tatsuma would not unlock the Yin Seal. He knew that one day he would use the Chakra left by Mito, but only to fulfill her dying wish.
Furthermore, although the Yin Seal couldn't completely stop the Chakra from dissipating, it slowed the process significantly compared to using the Chakra. If he ultimately couldn't complete his research, he preferred to have Grandma's Chakra with him for as long as possible.
Nevertheless, Tatsuma would find a way to complete his research. Studying various constitution-based Kekkei Genkai was one of his important subjects.
In fact, clans like Senju, Uzumaki, or Hozuki, with their unique physical traits, didn't strictly qualify as Kekkei Genkai. However, precisely because they weren't classified as such, the key genetic information was even more deeply concealed.
If Tatsuma couldn't make progress even with more obvious Kekkei Genkai, there was no point in dreaming of unlocking the power of the Uzumaki Clan.
At this moment, Vulture returned after surveying the surroundings and said, "Leader, unless the First Hokage-sama comes, no one can conceal the destruction around here."
Speaking of which, he glanced resentfully at Minato. It was exhilarating for Minato to scatter Explosive Tags so liberally, but the irreversible and undeniable damage to the forest was apparent.
Minato scratched his head awkwardly. At that time, he didn't have a better way to deal with Taketsuki, and when fully focused, he tended to overlook certain things.
"I understand. I'll handle it. Can you confirm the range?"
With that, Tatsuma didn't say much. He formed hand seals and then crouched down, placing both hands on the muddy ground.
In an instant, the ground turned into a lake-like surface, ripples spreading out in concentric circles. Each successive circle expanded further than the last, while Vulture observed the edges of the ripples.
"Alright, Leader."
Vulture spoke up, and Tatsuma halted the spread of the jutsu's range. Then, a large amount of Chakra surged from him and flowed into the ground.
"Earth Release! Swamp of the Underworld!"
The massive Swamp of the Underworld jutsu was activated. The ground surged like waves, swallowing countless rocks and trees in its flow. In moments, a large swath of forest turned into a swamp.
Tatsuma then ceased his Chakra output. The muddy ground gradually dried up, and the cleared area now became an open space.
The climate in the Land of Fire was pleasant, with abundant rainfall. In less than half a month, new wild grass would grow in this cleared area. Over the next few years, as new trees grew, any traces of battle would be completely erased.
This period of time wasn't short, but such thorough destruction concealment was standard. Normal concealment made it difficult for people to discover what had happened in a particular area.
However, destructive concealment went further: even if people knew something had occurred, they wouldn't find any useful information. The former was naturally preferable, but one couldn't always expect everything to go perfectly.
After everything was settled, Tatsuma said, "Let's head back to the village early, shall we? The mission deadline is two weeks, but we've finished in one. The remaining time is for everyone to take a break."
"Understood!"
Vulture nodded vigorously. He was no longer at the age of youthful fervor like Tatsuma and Minato. In fact, he was already considering retiring from ANBU, needing more time to reintegrate into a normal ninja life.
Minato nodded as well, saying, "These two missions have made me realize my shortcomings. I want more time to train."
Tatsuma looked at Caterpillar, who remained silent. Caterpillar spoke up, "I'm fine with either. Performing missions outside or inside the village makes no difference to me."
They're all about handling bodies.
Caterpillar added silently in his mind, different from Vulture, because of his background and abilities, Caterpillar was well-suited for this job, and the insects he cultivated also needed bodies.
There are more bodies in the village, while missions with Tatsuma offer higher-quality bodies. Although Taketsuki's body couldn't feed his insects, Caterpillar could still use the blood and scattered tissues as food sources for his bugs.
Seeing no objections from the three team members, Tatsuma nodded and said, "Then it's settled. After returning to the village, the remaining time is yours for vacation. I'll take on missions again after the break."
"Yes, Leader!" x3
As soon as the words fell, Tatsuma made a gesture for stealthy movement and swiftly dashed towards Konoha.
Thanks to the merchant caravan, they weren't too far from Konoha at this moment. As they approached Konoha, they encountered several waves of ninja who were out on missions, and even stumbled upon scenes of their missions in progress.
However, Tatsuma paid them no mind. This was standard ANBU protocol. When escorting Sarutobi Hiruzen to the Daimyo's mansion earlier, if they encountered unknown ninja, Tatsuma's first thought was always to detour and avoid engagement.
If Hiruzen hadn't been in a whimsical mood, they likely would have bypassed the Iwa shinobi team altogether. Avoiding unnecessary actions unrelated to the mission was the norm for ANBU.
As the leader, Tatsuma had crossed the line more than once in these two missions, but he had managed things cleanly enough to avoid detection.
On the return journey, intervening in the scenes they encountered would risk exposure to other Konoha ninja. Tatsuma couldn't afford internal conflicts, so it was best to simply not get involved.
On the way back, the four of them didn't rest, returning through the night and arriving back in the village at dawn. After submitting the "proof" of completing their missions and reporting their gains from the journey, the team disbanded on the spot.
After showering and changing at the base, Tatsuma stretched lazily. He leisurely headed towards the Senju Clan's territory. His current demeanor and aura were completely different from that of an ANBU leader.
Minato silently followed Tatsuma, accompanying him back to the Senju Clan's territory. He had two reasons for going there: Kushina was there, and after not seeing her for a week, Minato missed her dearly. Secondly, he observed Tatsuma's demeanor, subtly relieved to see him return to his familiar self. The worry in his eyes dissipated considerably.
The current Tatsuma had reverted to his habitual self, displaying his infectious smile that was characteristic of his friendly nature. Indeed, the Tatsuma during missions was not his true nature.
Perhaps it was an emotional release or a way to distinctly separate his roles as himself and as an ANBU member that led him to act in such diametrically opposite ways?
Minato, who had lightened up became more lively in his thoughts. He quickly came up with a question and asked Tatsuma:
"Tatsuma, I've been away for so long. If I don't bring Kushina a gift, will she be upset?"
Looking at Minato, who seemed to be surrounded by pink bubbles, Tatsuma replied, "I still have a few bone spurs from Taketsuki. Why don't you take them as proof that you were on a mission and not just out having fun? Or you could find a skilled artisan to carve some designs on the bone spurs to make them look more like a gift?"
"Nah, no need for that. Let's just buy some breakfast. Other shops aren't open yet."
Minato quickly shook his head, silently warning himself not to involve Tatsuma in matters of the heart in the future. Although it might hurt his friend's feelings, there was a reason Tatsuma didn't have a girlfriend.
The two bought some breakfast on the way and chatted as they returned to the Senju Clan's territory. Tatsuma planned to greet his sensei and then head home to sleep, but they encountered a strange scene.
Jiraiya was actually training with Nawaki in the morning, while Orochimaru looked on with a resentful expression towards the training grounds. Tatsuma approached Orochimaru and asked, "What's going on?"
"Hmph! They're destroying the bonds between master and disciple!" Orochimaru replied indignantly.
"I meant, why are both of you here so early?" Tatsuma clarified.
"He's got nothing else to do," Orochimaru replied.
"And what about you?"
"I have no other pressing matters."
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