Chapter Forty-Five: Documents

Kato Mikaze was never particularly interested in those more gruesome experimental scenes. As a ninja, Kato Mikaze did not oppose violence; in his years as a shinobi, he had personally dispatched more than a few enemies. Yet he could not say he enjoyed such bloody sights—no normal person would. A ninja was a tool for killing; for Kato Mikaze, this was simply his work.

The keen interest he had shown earlier was nothing but a performance for Orochimaru’s benefit.

Now, following Orochimaru’s lead, the two of them removed their specialized protective gear, revealing their usual attire beneath. After disinfecting themselves, they left the surgical laboratory, entrusting the subsequent cleanup to the remaining staff.

Under Orochimaru’s guidance, they made their way toward his office within the base.

……

The underground base was vast; there was a considerable distance between the office and the surgical lab. The two walked and chatted as they went.

“Orochimaru, how long have you been involved in this mission?” Kato Mikaze asked.

“I started over a month before you did—almost two months now,” Orochimaru replied. “I’ve devoted most of my energy to this project recently.”

“So, it was after you returned from the mission with Tsunade and Jiraiya?”

“Yes.”

“Compared to this kind of research, I’m more suited to field missions. When it comes to cell transplants and biological experiments, you’re the true expert here. My role is mostly to assist—you’re the driving force behind this mission. Its success depends on you.”

“Even so, you’ve only just arrived, with no preparation, and your first impromptu intervention already gave me tremendous help. The Spirit Transformation Technique of the Kato clan truly surprised me.”

“My family’s secret technique is the only noteworthy skill I have compared to your research abilities.”

“The Spirit Transformation Technique involves the soul—it really is mysterious and unfathomable. Unfortunately, I’ve never heard of anyone outside the Kato clan mastering it. Even within your clan, those who succeed in its cultivation are very few. In all of Konoha, it’s just you and your elder brother, Kato Dan.”

“That’s true. Even the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, once tried to study our clan’s secret technique.”

Geniuses like the Second Hokage—who created so many powerful forbidden jutsu in his lifetime—could not master the Spirit Transformation Technique. Besides the bloodline requirements, it also demands extraordinary personal aptitude.”

“We’re almost at my office. You say your role here is mainly to assist, but judging by today’s experiment, your abilities will have a significant impact. I imagine you’ll be coming to this base frequently—they should have prepared an office for you as well.”

……

Along the way, they passed other staff members in the base, who greeted Orochimaru with respectful salutes. Clearly, Orochimaru had established himself well here. True to his aloof and reserved nature, he responded only with curt nods, never pausing for conversation—none of the staff received more than that acknowledgment.

Orochimaru’s office was absent of any grotesque curiosities—no monster specimens, no human or organ displays typical of a dark laboratory. Instead, it was filled with neatly organized documents and files. Kato Mikaze glanced around: the main focus was clearly the categorized materials, all seemingly related to the New Spring Mission.

He didn’t linger long in Orochimaru’s office. Their discussion focused on the specifics of the New Spring Mission. Kato Mikaze obtained a more detailed dossier from Orochimaru, and together they discussed their respective responsibilities now that he was officially involved.

Afterward, Kato Mikaze took his leave, seeking out the base’s internal affairs chief to inquire about his own office.

Passing by Shimura Danzo’s office, he learned that Danzo had left after meeting him that morning—apparently off to attend to other matters.

Kato Mikaze had lunch with Orochimaru at the base’s internal cafeteria.

The entire afternoon, he spent in his newly assigned office, familiarizing himself with the materials on the New Spring Mission he’d received from Orochimaru, as well as additional information about the base provided by the internal affairs chief.

……

There really was an overwhelming amount of information. What he’d received from Orochimaru was only the comparatively detailed main file.

The New Spring Mission had been underway in secret since the death of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju—over thirty years now. For various reasons, the mission had been suspended and restarted multiple times. The person in charge had changed several times, from the Second Hokage to the current leader, Shimura Danzo. Countless experiments and attempts had been conducted. There was even a dedicated archive room in the base, storing all the records related to the mission.

Kato Mikaze spent the entire afternoon poring over these files, striving to deepen his understanding. With the mission involving Wood Release and the First Hokage himself, and after witnessing the morning’s events with his own eyes, caution was more than warranted.

……

While Kato Mikaze immersed himself in the mountain of New Spring Mission documents, elsewhere in the same base, Orochimaru was busy reviewing files in his office.

This particular document had come to Orochimaru’s attention just over a month ago, not long after he arrived at the base, while he, like Kato Mikaze, had been combing through the vast archives related to the New Spring Mission. At the time, he hadn’t given it much thought—only skimmed it briefly. Now, prompted by Kato Mikaze’s arrival, Orochimaru had sought it out again.

The document dated from the early days of the New Spring Mission, when the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was the main leader and operator. Its primary focus was the soul. At its height, Konoha boasted overwhelming strength among the Five Great Nations and was home to a host of prodigiously talented individuals. Since Konoha sought to use research to inherit the Wood Release—an ability no one had mastered since the First Hokage—it was only natural that many had considered the influence of the soul. When a shinobi reaches the pinnacle of power, seeking a breakthrough often comes down to just a few possible avenues.

……

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