Hiruko followed up with a specialized massage technique, ensuring Tsunade remained deeply immersed in her dreams.
When Tsunade finally woke up and climbed out of bed to wash, she realized things were different. Usually, Hiruko would have prepared something for her to eat and drink, but now his care felt even more tender, more meticulous.
"Hmph, that bad guy actually has some sense. But Grandma Mito... am I really doing the right thing?" Tsunade looked back at the messy sheets, a flash of hesitation crossing her face.
Hiruko's Laboratory
Now that the situation had shifted significantly, many plans could be set in motion. Hiruko began contemplating the future. For instance, it was about time to "arrange" things for that fellow who enjoyed carrying bags of rice—Pain.
Hiruko had always been intensely curious about the Rinnegan. Even more so, he felt a powerful desire to explore the Gedo Mazo, the husk of the Ten-Tails. If he could truly master that miraculous plant, it would mean Hiruko could sow seeds across the myriad worlds and reap the harvest.
The Gedo Mazo represented the pinnacle of Otsutsuki biological technology. It possessed a myriad of formidable abilities: a mysterious power akin to the Tenseigan, the ability to transmit suggestive language, and the capacity to convert raw energy into absorbable chakra. It could also purify human genes and even modulate biological weapons. In the Shinobi World, the entire chakra system was born from this very source.
Hiruko wondered if he could extract materials from the husk of the Divine Tree to grow specialized offshoots. To his knowledge, in ancient times, the Sage of the Six Paths became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki to overthrow his mother, yet he didn't immediately scrub the Divine Tree's root system from the planet. Even during the era of Indra and Asura, the two brothers traveled the world helping to clear away the tree's remains. This suggested that fragments of the Divine Tree retained incredible vitality even when detached from the main body—they could likely still devour natural energy and human life force to grow.
Perhaps one day, I too will become a rancher of worlds, he thought. He had always been selfish. He might feel occasional pity for the poor, but ultimately, everything was for himself. If his life were ever truly threatened, his selfish nature would likely be exposed in full. But in normal circumstances, I won't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Isn't it better to harvest slowly? To have a tool and not use it is one thing; to not have it at all is another. Hiruko was determined to master the secrets of the Divine Tree.
Soon, Hiruko quietly slipped out of the village and headed toward the Land of Grass. With his current strength, he arrived at the border in no time. He had modified his own pupils; his visual range now reached about five kilometers in clear conditions—surpassing many members of the Hyuga clan.
He had come to find Karin's mother. Based on the timeline, she should currently be held captive by Kusagakure (Hidden Grass). He had visited the Land of Grass once before but found nothing. He hypothesized that she either hadn't been caught yet or was being hidden so well that he couldn't find a trace.
This time, he decided to try again. He wanted members of the Uzumaki clan. He craved Karin's mother specifically because her ability was just too useful: that incredible self-healing, the sensory prowess, and the latent Adamantine Sealing Chains. Every one of those was an ability he hungered to master.
It took Hiruko three days to pinpoint her location. Suddenly, a roar like heavenly thunder exploded in the capital of the Land of Grass. In an instant, everyone was jolted from their sleep. A warehouse had exploded, killing half the guards instantly. The survivors were left in a daze, eventually descending into chaos as they shouted about how much their family's cargo was worth—knowing that if the goods were gone, their families would suffer.
This was, of course, a trap set by Hiruko. Amidst the chaos, he slipped in and abducted a red-haired kunoichi. He found a random inn, entered a room, and finally released his transformation jutsu while dispelling the genjutsu on the woman.
The red-haired kunoichi stumbled back a few steps after the genjutsu broke, quickly backing into a corner. She watched Hiruko with extreme suspicion; she could tell this man wasn't exactly a "good person."
"I have a few questions," Hiruko said.
She glanced at him and gave a silent nod.
Hiruko went straight to the point. "Are you of the Uzumaki clan? In that squad just now, you were responsible for healing, weren't you? Also, looking at the bite marks on your arm, I assume your blood can heal injuries. So, the Hidden Grass has been using you as a human blood pack?"
His words made the woman, Rumi Uzumaki, tremble violently. "I... I am an Uzumaki."
Hiruko thought for a moment. "What is your name?"
"Rumi Uzumaki."
"I see." Hiruko scratched his head. "Do you have any relatives left in the Hidden Grass?"
"I have a child," Rumi said, a flash of resentment flickering in her eyes.
As expected, Hiruko thought. Little Karin had already been born. "I'll help you get her out. You can't go back to the Grass Village now. Come back to Konoha with me."
A flash of resistance crossed Rumi's eyes; she had her own plans.
Hiruko continued, "Relax. I'm from Konoha's Research Department. There won't be any issues if you return to the village. If you stay here, do you want your child to grow up and face the same fate as you?"
Rumi fell into contemplation. She knew trying to escape on her own was unrealistic. Since this man already knew about her clan and her special abilities, he might kill her if she tried to leave. However, she didn't particularly like Konoha—otherwise, when they fled the Land of Whirlpools, she would have gone straight there instead of crossing the Land of Fire to get to the Grass.
After a few minutes of hesitation, she finally spoke. "Alright. Thank you, Lord Hiruko."
Hiruko then infiltrated the Hidden Grass once more. He successfully brought out little Karin. Without her mother home, Karin had been very well-behaved; she sat there, looking up at Hiruko with big, adorable eyes.
The feeling she gave off was truly...
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