"Poisoning yourself on purpose? That's… actually quite an idea." Hiruzen mulled over the thought, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually calm features. He couldn't help but be impressed by Garou's quick thinking.
In mere seconds, that kid had produced a viable plan.
'Incredible.'
"By the way, Lord Hokage," said Shibi, stepping forward and offering a sealed scroll, "this is Garou's proposed solution. Please take a look."
Garou's proposal? Hiruzen arched an eyebrow as he took the scroll.
If this were something trivial, like a minor tweak to the kikaichū technique, there'd be no need to report it directly to him.
Curious, he opened the scroll and skimmed through its contents. After a few moments, he glanced up at Shibi, clearly astonished.
'This sort of method…'
Only Garou could've come up with something like this.
Most wouldn't even consider such an unorthodox approach to medical treatment.
Hiruzen brought his pipe to his lips out of habit but refrained from lighting it. Even without the smoke, holding it gave him a sense of control as he processed what he'd just read.
'Using insects for healing? Will it work?'
He pondered the thought, then looked up at Shibi. "Give it a try. But remember the rules of research, no human experimentation. If anyone crosses that line, don't expect mercy, even from me."
"Understood."
Shibi gave a respectful nod. He never intended to take such extreme measures anyway.
If he had, he would've gone to Danzo instead of the Hokage.
And Garou likely had the same mindset.
Otherwise, why not collaborate with Danzo? That man would've welcomed such methods with open arms.
Shibi was quiet and reserved, but certainly not foolish. He understood Hiruzen's boundaries well.
"I'll have the medical division cooperate with you," Hiruzen added after a moment of thought. "If this works, your clan members will be integrated into the healing process."
Now it made sense, why Garou had suggested involving the Aburame Clan in medical support.
The kikaichū were capable of entering the body to deliver healing chakra without requiring invasive incisions. This method was less invasive and could accelerate recovery significantly.
In other words, medical-use kikaichū had real potential.
Moreover, as Hiruzen thought more deeply, his mind drifted to Garou's other project, the chakra storage tool he'd been working on.
If that invention were perfected, the Aburame Clan could store chakra in advance and deliver it through their bugs during treatment.
In that case, the clan wouldn't just be known for reconnaissance or offense. They'd become a new kind of medical ninja.
A team that excelled in offense, defense, intelligence gathering, and now healing?
Who wouldn't want such an ally?
Hiruzen couldn't help but smile at the thought.
With the Uchiha Clan gone and only the Hyuga Clan remaining as a prestigious family in the village, supporting another clan rising to power was a strategic move.
The thought alone brightened his mood.
"Hokage-sama, I'll take my leave now," Shibi said quietly.
"Good. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask. As long as it benefits the village, we'll support it fully."
"Yes, sir."
Shibi had a vague idea of what the Hokage was planning but said nothing. He bowed politely and exited.
'Is the Hokage planning to support the Aburame Clan?'
Shibi wasn't sure whether that was a blessing or a curse.
Regardless, the clan was definitely about to gain significant resources and attention.
But such favors always came with a cost.
…
The next day, Garou made his way to the hospital.
Guy should be discharged by now, but Garou wasn't there for a social visit.
He needed the surgical data to analyze the results of his previous experiment, to assess the real impact he had during the operation.
However… upon arriving, he noticed something odd.
Everyone was giving him strange looks.
'What's going on?'
Garou frowned slightly as he scanned the hallway. Nurses and medics who would usually greet him with a smile now quickly avoided eye contact, making excuses to shuffle away.
"Garou, what brings you here?"
The voice belonged to Kitayama.
She had just stepped out from a consultation room and spotted him wandering through the corridor.
Garou approached. "Kitayama-sensei, is something going on? People are acting… weird around me."
"Well…" She hesitated, looking uncomfortable.
Garou raised an eyebrow.
Something definitely happened.
He narrowed his eyes, then relaxed as a thought struck him. "Is it because of the Aburame Clan?"
Kitayama sighed and nodded. "Yes."
"Hokage-sama informed us that the Aburame Clan would be joining our research efforts. And we heard it was your suggestion."
Garou let out a short laugh. "You're all afraid I'm stealing your jobs?"
"Not exactly." Kitayama shook her head. "No insect could replace a trained medical ninja. But those kikaichū… well, they creep people out. You understand, right?"
"Wait… you're all afraid of bugs?" Garou looked at her like she'd grown an extra head.
"You're medical professionals! You've handled cadavers and open wounds, but bugs are where you draw the line? Unbelievable."
He was genuinely speechless.
"Cadavers are one thing!" Kitayama shuddered. "At least they're still. But bugs? Tiny, crawling things wriggling all over… ugh."
She visibly trembled at the mental image.
"Er… you'll get used to it?" Garou offered, not knowing what else to say.
Now he understood. Kitayama had trypophobia, a fear of clusters, especially of crawling things.
That was… unfortunate.
"Why don't you assign someone else to the Aburame project?"
"That's why everyone is avoiding you."
Kitayama didn't bother hiding it. Everyone was terrified of being volunteered by Garou, so they kept their heads down and mouths shut.
Garou scratched his head.
'Am I really that intimidating?'
He was technically just an auxiliary member, not even formally part of the division.
Where was this authority supposedly coming from?
He cleared his throat. "Look, I only made a suggestion. I figured the concept had potential, so I asked Lord Shibi to submit a formal request."
"Wait, Lord Shibi?"
Kitayama's face turned pale.
She suddenly remembered her little vent session after surgery, when she openly complained about the Aburame Clan, to Shibi himself.
'Oh no.'
She needed a scapegoat.
Immediately.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" she said quickly, then shifted the conversation with exaggerated seriousness. "I agree with you, Garou."
"This research is important. But my current condition makes it hard for me to collaborate with Lord Shibi."
Kitayama suddenly reached out and clasped his hand tightly.
"As your teacher, you wouldn't want to see me suffer, would you?"
"Uh…" Garou wiped the sweat from his forehead, unable to say anything.
"You wouldn't let your dear sensei shoulder this alone, would you?"
"You could always ask your subordinates to help, like Hyakusa and the others. Weren't they nearly done with those two procedures?"
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered why he came in the first place.
'Damn it!'
Kitayama had completely derailed his thoughts.
He pulled out his notebook.
"Anyway, sensei, let's focus. I came for something important."
"This is important too." Kitayama pouted but leaned closer, curiosity getting the better of her.
Garou flipped through the pages.
Each was packed with technical drawings, formulas, and ideas. Everything from jutsu development to ninja tools filled the margins with neat, thoughtful notes.
Kitayama's expression turned solemn.
Success like his… didn't come from nowhere.
Without that constant habit of jotting down inspiration, even someone like Garou wouldn't be able to create genius-level techniques on the fly.
Maybe it wasn't just talent separating her from him. It was also attitude and discipline.
She reflected silently.
"This one."
"Barrier technique?" she asked, noting a complex seal matrix on the page. "That looks like part of a known formation."
"It is," Garou confirmed. "It's based on a chakra recognition matrix. I modified it from a technique developed by the Hokage."
"With my version, it can scan a patient's chakra and identify abnormalities."
"Incredible… So once someone passes through the barrier, you'd know immediately if they have foreign chakra signatures or signs of chakra illness!"
"Exactly."
______________________
BONUS CHAPTER AT 300 PS
Support me at patreon.com/SparkyXD and read 30 Advanced Chapters