Konoha: Gu Master

After Shimura Danzo was captured, he had been under constant interrogation.

Having served as Sarutobi Hiruzen's advisor for many years and as the leader of Root, he knew far too many secrets. 

Thanks to the efforts of Konoha's Intelligence Division, most of these secrets had been extracted.

The files in Shinho Aburame's hands were the last remaining pieces, and they were the most important, pertaining to the experiments involving the cells of Hashirama Senju.

Given the terrifying vitality of Hashirama's cells, coupled with the legendary tales of his Wood Release techniques being invincible, Danzo had conducted many experiments with them.

These experiments ranged from the core Wood Release studies to the earlier Gozu Tenno Plan, led by Tanuki Shigaraki, and involving the use of summoned beasts.

Shinho Aburame turned his gaze to Tsunade.

She was lying on the sofa, sleeping in a sprawled out position, her body forming a "大" (big) shape that lacked any elegance.

If Shinho were Hokage, he would have no hesitation in promoting him. But Tsunade… was a different story.

Hashirama Senju was her grandfather.

Using his body in such a manner seemed too much like purchasing a direct invitation to hell.

"What is it?" Tsunade opened her eyes, sitting up on the armrest of the sofa, her bare feet swaying lightly in the air.

She had been pretending to nap, so she had noticed Shinho's gaze on her for quite some time.

After three minutes of silence, she knew she couldn't continue sleeping.

"Sensei," Shinho tossed the scroll toward her, saying, "These are the findings we extracted from Danzo."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, already suspecting its contents.

She unrolled the scroll and, as expected, found the research on Hashirama's cells.

"That damned bastard!" Tsunade muttered angrily.

If it had just been a simple experiment, she wouldn't have been so upset. But most of the experiments were human trials.

Over the years, many people had died because of Hashirama's cells.

And many of those victims were citizens and ninjas of Konoha.

"Danzo naturally has to be killed."

Shinho paused briefly, then added, "But we can leave him alive a little longer. There are still many Root ninjas and bases out there."

"What are you implying?" Tsunade closed the scroll and asked.

The mere existence of these materials wouldn't have warranted the long, hesitant stare Shinho had given her.

"The cells of the First Hokage are useful…"

Shinho hesitated before speaking.

"No!" Tsunade immediately rejected. "So many people have already died because of this. We cannot continue."

"I wasn't talking about Wood Release," Shinho quickly clarified. "I think it can be applied in hospitals."

In the original story, Hashirama's cells had an extremely powerful effect.

First, if successfully transplanted, they could grant Wood Release, enhance one's vitality, and improve regenerative capabilities.

Second, they were of immense benefit to the Sharingan and Mangekyō Sharingan.

Third, they could be used to create prosthetics and repair the body.

"Hospitals?" Tsunade asked in surprise.

"Danzo's arm was restored using the First Hokage's cells," Shinho reminded her.

Tsunade fell into deep thought.

Medical ninjas could treat most injuries, but they were powerless against severed limbs.

If an arm or leg could be salvaged in time, it could be reattached.

But in the case of a ninja, it was much more common for limbs to be shattered in an explosion.

Once a limb was severed, it meant a sharp decrease in strength.

Especially if it was a hand, since the ninja could no longer form hand signs.

There were some techniques that didn't require hand signs, but those were few and far between.

Danzo had already proven that Hashirama's cells had the ability to regenerate severed limbs.

If this technology were implemented, it would greatly benefit all ninjas.

After all, everyone was at risk of losing a limb.

The only issue was that this technology was difficult to replicate.

Danzo's arm had been restored with Orochimaru's direct intervention.

But Tsunade wasn't any worse than Orochimaru.

With enough experimentation or the right materials, she could accomplish it as well.

"I think we can use the cells we've captured from Root for experiments," Shinho added.

The cells that had been isolated were already far removed from their original state. Reintroducing them would be impractical and might damage the corpse.

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him.

A few seconds later, she nodded and said, "I'll do it myself."

There was no one more suited for this task in all of Konoha, whether it was because of her identity or her strength.

"With you handling it, sensei, it'll be a piece of cake. I'm certain of it." Shinho smiled and complimented her.

"Smooth talker," Tsunade muttered, tossing the scroll toward him.

"What? I'm merely speaking the truth," Shinho said casually, catching the scroll.

"From now on, you'll handle the work in the mornings. Anything you can't manage, leave it for me in the afternoon, or you can ask Kakashi and Shizune," Tsunade said as she stood up. "I'm heading to the Anbu headquarters."

"Understood." Shinho nodded.

True to her nature, Tsunade was swift and decisive.

When she wasn't slacking off, she was undoubtedly a competent Hokage.

Tsunade gave him one last glance before leaving the office.

The reason she agreed with Shinho's suggestion wasn't just because the cells were too difficult to return, but also because of Hashirama's ideology.

If Hashirama had known that his cells could allow Konoha's ninjas to regenerate severed limbs, he wouldn't have hesitated, even for a second.

Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Shinho put down the document he had been reading and looked up.

The door opened, and in walked Shizune.

She glanced around the room before a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"Is Tsunade-sama not here?"

Shizune approached and handed Shinho a document.

"She went to the Anbu headquarters," Shinho explained and then relayed the details of the Hashirama cell situation.

"I see."

Shizune nodded and then asked, "So, does this mean Tsunade-sama will be gone for a while?"

Shinho shifted gears, smiling. "Then would Shizune-nee like to come and keep me company?"

"Huh?"

Shizune froze for a moment, then quickly averted her gaze.

But an unexpected flush appeared on her face, unnoticed by Shinho.

"This is Tsunade-sensei's request," Shinho said, watching her redden. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I… I don't mind…" Shizune whispered, lowering her head.

"Then I'll be in your care, Shizune-nee."

Shinho chuckled as he opened the document she handed him.

Shizune could feel the intensity of his gaze vanish, and she relaxed slightly.

She stole a glance at him, noting how handsome he was when he was serious.

But why was he being so mischievous now? It made her feel uncomfortable.

Shizune couldn't help but miss the old, obedient Shinho.

"Where is Tanuki Shigaraki being held?"

Shinho closed the document and asked.

The contents were simple.

After increasing the Anbu's manpower, they had finally captured Tanuki Shigaraki.

Despite being the leader of the Gozu Tenno Plan and having a powerful summoned beast, Nue, he was ultimately a researcher.

The Anbu had obtained information on Nue in advance and, by avoiding it, easily captured Tanuki.

"The Anbu Headquarters," Shizune answered, taking a deep breath.

"Does he have a daughter?"

Shinho suddenly thought of Kanemori Kin.

"No," Shizune shook her head. "But he has a wife, who was also captured with him."

Of course.

Sumire Shigaraki had appeared much later in the story.

She was Hanabi's student, and her birth was still many years away.

Shinho thought for a moment and then asked, "What about the summoned beast?"

"It's Not very stable," Shizune replied. "It's more like a half-finished product."

"Then I'll leave it to Sensei," Shinho Aburame said with a spark of inspiration.

Nue was essentially a product of Hashirama cells. Experimenting with it might lead to mass production.

"What about Shigeraki?" Shizune asked again.

"Handle him as we usually would, according to Konoha's rules," Shinho replied nonchalantly. "The same way we dealt with previous Root members."

"Alright." Shizune extended her hand to retrieve the document.

"Is there anything else, Shizune-nee?" Shinho asked, his gaze settling on her face.

Shizune unconsciously pursed her lips. That smile on his face reminded her of the maid outfit incident last time.

Speaking of maid outfits… there actually was something related to that.

Shinho noticed her hesitation and looked puzzled as Shizune took two steps closer, stopping directly in front of him.

Her heart pounded fiercely. After a few seconds of deliberation, she bent down and whispered into Shinho's ear, "I bought a white stocking maid outfit."

Before he could respond, she vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

Shinho froze briefly, then burst into laughter. 

Honest, as always.

….

By noon, Tsunade had returned to the Hokage office.

"How did it go?" Shinho rose and poured her a glass of water.

"I inspected Danzo's arm," Tsunade said solemnly. "He used Sharingan to resist the erosion of the cells."

"We don't need Sharingan," Shinho said thoughtfully. "Danzo used it because he wanted to wield Wood Release."

Tsunade nodded slightly. Their goal was regeneration, not utilizing the cells for combat. They only needed limbs that functioned like normal ones.

"Go home for now," Tsunade said, waving her hand. "I need to think carefully about how to adjust the procedure."

"Thank you for your hard work, Sensei." Shinho bid her farewell and left the Hokage building.

….

As he walked down the bustling streets, he sensed someone approaching from behind. His brows furrowed slightly before he relaxed.

"Brother-in-law!" Hanabi called out suddenly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school today?" Shinho glanced at her.

"Didn't scare you, huh?" Hanabi pouted.

"You'll need to work on your skill, a lot," Shinho teased, pinching her cheek. "I noticed you the moment you appeared."

"It's not my skill; it's just that you're too strong!" Hanabi retorted confidently. "I'm the top student at the ninja academy now!"

"Top of the class?" Shinho chuckled. "The academy must be declining if that's the case."

"Brother-in-law!" Hanabi puffed her cheeks in protest. "I'm amazing!"

"Alright, excluding you," Shinho replied with mock seriousness.

"That's better!" Hanabi beamed.

"You still haven't answered my question," Shinho reminded her.

"It's Sunday; of course, there's no school," Hanabi explained, extending her hand. "Do you have any lollipops, Brother-in-law?"

"Not today." Shinho lightly swatted her hand away.

"Huh?" Hanabi blinked in surprise, her shock evident.

Every time she had asked before, he had one for her.

"Here you go," Shinho said, producing a lollipop seemingly out of nowhere.

"Brother-in-law, you're the best!" Hanabi exclaimed, popping the candy into her mouth.

"Where's your sister?" Shinho asked curiously. "Didn't you invite her to come shopping with you?"

"She's on a mission," Hanabi replied, her tone suddenly dejected.

"That explains it." Shinho smiled. "She'll be back soon. Don't worry."

"Mm-hmm." Hanabi suddenly perked up. "What do you think of my sister?"

"She's adorable," Shinho said after a moment, adding, "And so are you."

"Of course, I'm cute!" Hanabi declared with pride. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "But that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Shinho asked, ruffling her hair playfully.

"Do you like my sister?" Hanabi asked bluntly, unfazed by his affectionate gesture.

"That's too mature of a thought for your age," Shinho chided, flicking her forehead. "That's not something you should worry about."

"Why not?" Hanabi rubbed her forehead. "I already call you Brother-in-law!"

"That's your choice, not mine," Shinho replied with a shrug.

"Ugh!" Hanabi bared her teeth playfully. "Answer me, or I'll bite you!"

"Where did you pick that up?" Shinho asked, glaring at her.

"Hmph!" Hanabi turned away. "Fine! I won't talk to you anymore."

"If I tell you, you'll definitely go tell your sister," Shinho said knowingly.

"No, I won't!" Hanabi said without hesitation. "I promise!"

"Well, your sister is adorable. Of course, I like her," Shinho admitted with a grin.

"That's good!" Hanabi said, satisfied. But then, she paused.

His reason for liking her sister was that she was adorable? But he had just called her adorable, too…

"You can't like me, okay?" Hanabi crossed her arms.

"What's going on in that little head of yours?" Shinho asked, laughing.

"Well, I am very cute," Hanabi said matter-of-factly.

Without the pressure of clan duties, she had grown up spoiled and bold in her actions and words. 

Shinho didn't mind, chatting with her a bit more before heading back to the Senju estate to train.

…

Time passed, and the Shinobi World entered a rare period of peace.

The Akatsuki lay dormant, focusing on completing commissions to earn funds as they awaited the three-year mark.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, sought out numerous medical ninjas to restore his hands but to no avail. 

Left with no options, he began researching the Reaper Death Seal, searching for a way to reclaim his soul from the Shinigami. 

For the time being, he ceased pursuing Uchiha Sasuke and Shinho.

Each village enjoyed relative calm.

In Konoha, however, Tsunade was busier than ever.

Her focus was on two major projects: cursed seal research and the application of Hashirama cells.

Shinho's life, by comparison, was monotonous—training, completing Team Seven missions, serving half-days as Hokage's proxy, and occasionally teasing Shizune.

Before he realized it, two and a half years had passed.

As the new year began, Shinho prepared to celebrate his 18th birthday.

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