Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Hokage's Office.

"Danzo! Look at the mess you've caused!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, rarely showed anger, but now he slammed his hand on the desk. On the desk lay an open sealing scroll, revealing fragments of broken masks and several tongues soaked in liquid.

These tongues bore the curse mark of the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal from the Root Division. Upon seeing this, Danzo's eyes turned red with frustration, and he grumbled:

"Hiruzen, I only guided them a little. How could I have known things would escalate to this extent?"

Shimura Danzo felt utterly wronged. Ruthless as he was, he always chose his targets carefully. He had never even considered targeting Tsunade.

He had merely acted against Uzumaki Kushina. Who would have thought those fools would not only blow the situation out of proportion but also implicate themselves in the process?

At the very least, they should have escaped unscathed. Even if the situation escalated, as long as they weren't caught red-handed, it would all be meaningless chatter.

"Danzo, the Root Division has gone too far this time!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi angrily slammed the desk again. While this incident might seem trivial, it had been seized upon by the Senju Clan, and Tsunade had directly brought it to light, making it a major issue.

The Root Division of a village had acted against the Senju Clan. What would other clans think?

This would make other clans hesitant to send their elites on missions.

"Hiruzen, Danzo didn't mean for this to happen. No one could have foreseen such an escalation," Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu interjected, frowning and trying to downplay the situation.

However, this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked deeply troubled. He sighed and said:

"You don't see the bigger picture. The Senju Clan has made this incident public. From now on, which clan will trust us?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's shrewdness as the Third Hokage allowed him to perceive the broader implications.

"From now on, the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Aburame clans—none of them will let their guard down!"

At this point, Hiruzen glared at Danzo with a look of exasperation, as if to say, Look at the mess you've made.

Danzo felt stifled, while Koharu frowned and said in a serious tone:

"Hiruzen, the impact isn't that significant. The Senju's prestige may still be strong, but it's nothing like it once was. The Uchiha, no matter how powerful, won't easily mend their strained relationships with other clans.

The Aburame are not a major concern, and as for the Hyuga, their internal conflicts are far from small. Besides, the war has just ended, and we have plenty of time to deal with this."

Mitokado Homura sighed and added, "Indeed, we have time. For now, we need to stabilize the Senju."

The fact that the Senju Clan had reported the incident to the Hokage's office immediately after returning from the front lines showed just how dissatisfied they were. This was no small matter.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately took a deep drag from his pipe, exhaled, and looked at Danzo with a stern expression:

"Danzo, keep the Root Division quiet for now. Also, you need to give the Senju an explanation for this incident. As for Uzumaki Kushina, this matter ends here. No one is to bring it up again!"

Danzo's face darkened as he nodded reluctantly, "Fine. I'll hand over a few people. They acted on their own."

Hearing this, Mitokado Homura's expression softened, and he nodded in agreement.

"At least this will give the Senju an explanation. But about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—"

Before Homura could finish, Hiruzen decisively interrupted:

"Enough! Haven't you noticed Tsunade's reaction? With her personality, she may be prideful, but today's response—do you think she would act so decisively without someone backing her?"

Hiruzen's face darkened further as he spoke.

In their understanding, Tsunade might have been furious and unwilling to give them face, but she would never have orchestrated such a meticulous plan, leaving them scrambling.

Homura and Koharu exchanged glances, their faces turning grim. In a hoarse voice, Koharu asked:

"Hiruzen, are you suggesting… Lady Mito?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, nodded silently. If Lady Mito wasn't behind this, he'd jump off the Hokage Tower himself.

Uzumaki Mito.

The name alone silenced the Konoha elders. They stopped worrying about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki altogether—after all, they only held partial control over it anyway.

Instead, their thoughts shifted to hoping Lady Mito could seal the Nine-Tails as soon as possible.

"What about Lady Mito's health?" Koharu asked, her tone revealing a hint of guilt. Her question also exposed the unspoken concerns of the group. Danzo replied gravely:

"Lady Mito's health is deteriorating."

Though none of them said it aloud, their long-standing tacit understanding made their thoughts clear.

Stabilize the Senju. Once they gained full control of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Senju Clan's glory would fade into history along with Lady Mito's passing.

...

In the Secret Wood Release Research Base.

With Konoha's high-ranking officials making concessions, the Senju's prestige was on full display, as was Tsunade's dominance.

"Lady Tsunade, the cells of the First Hokage have been properly stored!"

"Lady Tsunade, the cell extraction process is ready!"

"Lady Tsunade, the research—"

Reports on the progress of the research came in one after another, delivered by a professional team. Tsunade nodded calmly, while Orochimaru, standing beside her, rasped:

"Tsunade, this research base has gathered all of Konoha's resources. I'm confident that with you here, progress will be swift."

Although Orochimaru was skilled in research, he could only dream of having such a well-funded and advanced research facility. Now, he felt as if he were in paradise.

However, while Tsunade appeared calm, she scoffed silently

What a competent team. If you claim there's no human experimentation happening in this village, even a dog wouldn't believe it. Otherwise, where did all these people come from?

Prejudice is like a mountain in the heart. No matter how hard you try, you can't move it!

In Tsunade's heart, her prejudice against Konoha's elders had already formed an immovable mountain. Every action they took seemed shady to her.

This was human nature.

"Proceed with the research as planned," Tsunade ordered coldly, overseeing every aspect of the research facility's operations. Her leadership skills were undeniable—despite the complexity and scale of the project, everything ran smoothly under her command. Orochimaru couldn't help but feel even more excited.

"Tsunade, I believe we'll see the rebirth of Wood Release!"

Tsunade snorted coldly at Orochimaru's enthusiasm. Years of working together had made them a well-matched team. Silently, they approached a large cultivation chamber in the lab.

Inside the massive glass enclosure, bubbles rose steadily. The smooth surface of the glass reflected their figures.

"Orochimaru, what do you want to say?"

Tsunade's cold tone cut through the air, while Orochimaru, wearing a mask over his face, let out a raspy chuckle. Remembering the mask concealed his expression, he allowed a sly smile to form beneath it.

"Tsunade, this research facility is too vast. You can't oversee everyone."

Orochimaru's words were laced with hidden meaning. Tsunade scoffed.

"And what about your task, Orochimaru?" Tsunade wasn't naive. While the open conflict served as a warning to others, she wasn't blind to the darker undercurrents.

"The Root Division has set up another secret lab. The progress of this facility will mirror that of the other lab."

As expected, these old fools are utterly hypocritical.

Though Tsunade was angry, she had expected this. After venting her frustrations earlier, she had already devised her plans.

Raising an eyebrow, Tsunade turned to Orochimaru and said coldly:

"Orochimaru, I'll turn a blind eye to your activities. However, the data from the other lab must also come into my hands!"

Tsunade's reaction caught Orochimaru completely off guard and even left him somewhat stunned.

"Tsunade! You've changed! You've become unrecognizable. I thought you would..."

"You thought I would lose my temper and lash out, didn't you?" Tsunade interrupted Orochimaru coldly.

However, seeing such a calm Tsunade, a look of excitement and amusement appeared in Orochimaru's pale golden snake-like eyes.

"Heh heh, Tsunade, you're becoming more and more interesting. The old you had everything but was so predictable and boring. Now, I see desire in your eyes! The desire for power! As I thought! No one can resist the allure of Wood Release—not even you, Tsunade!"

Orochimaru's hoarse voice echoed as he assumed that the temptation of Wood Release had ignited Tsunade's craving for power.

Tsunade, however, maintained her calm demeanor and did not deny his statement. She simply turned her head and stared intently at the massive container holding the First Hokage's cells.

"Orochimaru, remember: I want all the research reports—nothing hidden. In return, I will also give you some of my research. This is our deal—no, it's the deal between the Senju clan and you, Orochimaru!"

Her indifferent voice echoed, turning Orochimaru's initial surprise into a twisted excitement. How fascinating! Tsunade had changed.

"Heh heh, fine! I believe our deal will stir up some very interesting winds in the ninja world."

As Orochimaru's hoarse and excited voice faded, Tsunade let out a derisive snort. She couldn't care less about the ninja world. What she cared about was Wood Release! That was the power of the Senju clan!

...

Senju Clan Training Grounds

"Shirou, the Wood Release project is a decision made by the village's higher-ups…"

Kushina had just arrived at the training grounds and, upon hearing Mikoto mention the Wood Release project, couldn't help but spill everything she knew.

Her actions made Mikoto cover her mouth and chuckle as she teased, "Kushina, isn't this considered leaking classified information?"

However, faced with Mikoto's teasing, Kushina just pouted and huffed, "This might be a secret to other ninjas but to the Uchiha clan? Hah, as if it's still a secret!"

"Don't think I don't know that Sister Tsunade requested an elite unit from your Uchiha clan to strengthen the patrols in a certain area. Even the Hyuga and Aburame clans are involved."

Kushina spoke dismissively, but while Shirou smiled as if unaffected by the information, his mind was in turmoil.

Madara Uchiha's grand plan had indeed succeeded. After all, both he and Tsunade were unlike Obito in temperament. If they outright rejected this world, Madara surely wouldn't trust them.

But now, Tsunade had become the project leader and even roped in the Hyuga, Uchiha, and Aburame clans. She intended to bind them all together on the same ship.

Tsunade is growing far faster than I expected.

Shirou squinted his eyes. The current Tsunade was no longer the same person from the original story who developed hemophobia after the Second Shinobi War and wasted twenty years of her life.

One event after another had driven Tsunade to grow continuously. Even Madara Uchiha, that old schemer, had given her a push from the shadows. Tsunade had indeed changed.

"And another thing—despite achieving so much on the frontlines, with Lord Orochimaru even becoming the deputy head of the Root division, all you got was a meaningless position. You might as well go back to the police force as a deputy captain," Kushina complained.

Mikoto remained silent with a smile, while Shirou squinted his eyes, seemingly piecing together new information.

In the original story, the Wood Release experiment ultimately failed and was sealed away. Orochimaru was the project leader back then, and by a twist of fate, Danzo later discovered the abandoned experimental base where one success had occurred. That success was Yamato, the Wood Release user of the later years.

As Shirou's mind raced through the details and the information he knew, he frowned slightly.

Yamato's records indicate that he was three years younger than Kakashi. Currently, Kakashi has just graduated at the age of five, causing a sensation as Konoha's youngest genius ninja.

Meanwhile, Yamato's records show he graduated at six years old and became a Chunin at six as well, meaning he had already undergone Root's training by that age.

Based on Shirou's calculations, Yamato must have been discovered by Danzo between the ages of three and five. At that time, Kakashi would have been between six and eight years old.

"Right now, I can only deduce this much from the available information. But given Danzo's nature, he's surely conducting human experiments in secret. While Tsunade has agreed to experiments, her personality would never allow her to use children as test subjects."

So, this is a legitimate opportunity to obtain the First Hokage's cells!

Just as Shirou was plotting in his mind how to acquire the First Hokage's cells, Kushina's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Shirou! Hurry up! This Flying Thunder God Technique is super hard, you know! Its foundation is sealing techniques!"

In the training grounds, Kushina was acting all high and mighty, as if to say, "If you want to learn sealing techniques, beg me! After all, I'm from the Uzumaki clan, the best at sealing techniques in the ninja world."

"Kushina, I'll be counting on you, then," Shirou said with a smile, making Kushina even more excited. If Shirou wanted to learn from her, wouldn't that mean he'd be sticking with her all the time in the future?

But when Shirou heard Kushina mention learning sealing techniques, he froze for a moment. Then, as if something clicked, a smile spread across his face, and he blurted out:

"Kushina, you are my lucky star!"

However, that offhand comment made Kushina's face turn beet red. Her shy eyes darted around, especially with Mikoto standing nearby, making her feel an unexpected thrill.

The thrill of sneaking around in front of Mikoto! Her watery eyes were filled with a mix of embarrassment and excitement.

Meanwhile, Shirou's smile was genuine, as Kushina's words had reminded him of a great idea.

Learning ninjutsu!

Through ninjutsu, he had been exchanging knowledge with Orochimaru. Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity? By interacting with him frequently, Shirou, using his unique sensory abilities, could pinpoint the location of Root's experimental base and figure out when the experiment would be abandoned.

When the time came, the Wood Release ninja Yamato would be a gift for the Senju clan—and a legitimate way for Shirou to obtain the First Hokage's cells.

Better yet, it would be the perfect opportunity for him to reveal his secrets openly!