Planning
"So we can—"
"Can what? Seize his Secret Skill?" Koharu began, but Danzo cut her off sharply.
"Koharu, we still have time for the Hawk Project. Don't get flustered and say foolish things. Even if we could seize it, would you need to say it aloud? Hmph. We couldn't even get past Sakumo. Do you think the clans would let us speak openly about this?"
"Alright, everyone, calm down." The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke before continuing. "Regarding the Hawk Project, I've spoken with Shirō. For now, the cost cannot be reduced. However, he is currently researching that Secret Skill."
"But you all saw the report that came in two days ago," Danzo pressed. "Letting that boy handle only the Hawk Project is a waste of his talent. A top-tier powerhouse is worth more than several Hawk Projects."
"Moreover, with Sakumo's guidance, there's no need to fear he'll turn harmful to the Village," Hiruzen added. "The real question is whether to delay the Hawk Project, not how to divide the benefits."
Homura, who had also witnessed Shirō's ability, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the boy's talent is remarkable. He displayed combat power on par with White Fang in close combat, and now he's revealed another unique ability. Oh, Sarutobi—was it you who gave him that ninjutsu?"
"Don't worry," Hiruzen replied. "I only just gave it to him. That's why I'm conflicted about this matter."
"Then why don't we consult him directly?" Koharu suggested. "Whether it's his cultivation or that Secret Skill, we don't understand it as he does. And if we intend to put it into practice, the specific data will have to be presented to the other clans anyway."
"Mitokado is right." Danzo leaned back, narrowing his eyes. "This plan should be formally placed on the agenda. It has been in preparation long enough. In my opinion, we should slightly increase Shirō—no, Shirō's—benefits."
"This would secure his loyalty to the Village and tie his sense of belonging here," Danzo continued. "As for compensating the other clans, the resources can be redistributed either from the Village or from our own clans."
"Hiss~ Huff~" The Third Hokage drew from his pipe and made the decision. "Good. We'll follow Danzo's suggestion. Each of our clans will give up a portion of our current privileges, as well as some of the Village's resource allocation rights. Although costly, the Hawk Project must remain fully under the Village's control."
"You should all return and determine which resources your clans can allocate. Report back to me afterward. The Sarutobi clan will cover the gap from the Village's reserve if necessary."
Danzo shot Hiruzen a long look but kept silent. Although he loved the Village, he could not dictate his clan's affairs alone. Unlike Hiruzen, whose authority as Hokage allowed him to mobilize his clan's strength fully, Danzo and the two Advisors had less sway in their own clans after taking up advisory roles. Their position often forced them to balance clan interests against Village interests.
After finishing the discussion, the three dispersed to prepare their reports for the Elder Council.
---
Meanwhile, Shirō had just been discharged from the hospital. His self-diagnosis was correct: no major injuries, just a dangerous overload of his damaged magic circuits.
Fortunately, he had dealt with this problem before. With the recovery potions he had prepared, his circuits would heal much faster. Without them, he would've been bedridden for weeks.
Still, he found himself sighing over his finances. First the money sink of a Magic Crest, now the looming costs of establishing a Magic Workshop. Truly, he was destined to remain poor.
"Sigh~"
"What are you groaning about out there? Aren't you coming in?" Keiko called from the window, drawn by the sound.
"Oh, nothing. Coming."
Touching his nose, Shirō pushed open the door and entered.
He was quietly thankful that the symptoms of magic circuit overload weren't visible on the outside. With a few days of rest, he looked fine—no Chakra output yet, but at least his spirit was restored. If Keiko noticed otherwise, she'd only start nagging.
"How was it? Smooth mission?"
"Mm, smooth enough. Oh—Dad, why aren't you at work?"
"It's my day off today. Seems like your mission wasn't all that smooth if you've even forgotten that."
"Hehe, keep it quiet, alright? If Mom finds out, she'll scold me again."
"Haha, don't worry. Just make sure you're careful out there. Don't let anything happen."
"Mhm, I will."
"What are you two whispering about?" Keiko cut in, smiling.
"Nothing, just the mission. Oh, by the way, how's Shirō's medicinal field doing?"
"Don't worry, everything's thriving. Aren't you reassured with me taking care of it?"
"It's precisely because you're looking after it that I'm not reassured. Sigh~"
"What do you mean by that?!"
As they bickered playfully, Shirō simply smiled, cherishing these ordinary moments.
---
That evening, he finally examined the scroll the Third Hokage had given him. Though he didn't intend to learn it immediately, he wanted to at least review it.
He had already guessed what it was. Based on his current abilities, there was only one jutsu that fit.
Sure enough—it was Tandem Paper Bombs (Mutual Exploding Tags).
This forbidden ninjutsu, created by the Second Hokage, caused Exploding Tags to continuously summon and detonate more tags in succession. Once tagged, an enemy was almost guaranteed death—unless they possessed a counter like Flying Thunder God or space-time ninjutsu. The drawback, however, was its danger to the user. Poor timing could engulf the caster themselves.
Tobirama had originally designed it to work in tandem with Edo Tensei, and during the Fourth Shinobi World War, he indeed used the two together.
For Shirō, though, the jutsu had unique synergy. With Projection, he could replicate Exploding Tags in large numbers, potentially sustaining the chain reaction indefinitely.
Still, he set the scroll aside.
While powerful, several problems were clear:
Projection speed & reserves — His current pace might not keep up. If he relied on real Exploding Tags, it would be financially ruinous.
Explosion rhythm — The tags detonated in succession, not simultaneously. Compared to a Broken Phantasm, the force felt less overwhelming.
Energy cost — Mastering it required time and effort he couldn't spare now. It added little to his overall combat system.
At best, it was a trump card for intimidation. The effort would be better spent on the Magic he had envisioned—an innovation that, if realized, could surpass any ninjutsu and expand his understanding of Magecraft itself.
The thought alone sent a thrill through him, even if the path to its realization remained uncertain.
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