Orochimaru had changed.
He was no longer that gloomy rogue-ninja-in-waiting; he now seemed more like a fanatical researcher.
His golden snake-like pupils were filled with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
A week later.
Minato Namikaze arrived at the underground facility once again, accompanied by a masked youth.
"Lord Hokage."
Several former Root ninjas, who were busy moving equipment, stopped their work and bowed to Minato.
The numbness in their eyes was noticeably less than before.
Minato nodded and looked toward the center of the laboratory.
Orochimaru stood before a massive console, his hands weaving signs as he manipulated chakra threads to dissect a white body.
Hearing the movement, Orochimaru didn't turn around, his voice rasping, "You're here? Slower than I expected. Did you bring the material?"
"Of course. Also, his treatment for today can begin."
Minato stepped aside, revealing the youth behind him.
The boy looked to be about ten years old, with a frail build and a mask covering his face. His body was tense and his hands were trembling, clearly paralyzed with fear.
This was 'Kinoe,' Orochimaru's only previous survivor of the Wood Style experiments.
"Take off the mask," Minato said. "Don't be afraid. This will be your treatment room from now on."
The boy hesitated for a moment before removing the mask.
His face was quite handsome, if a bit pale, but his eyes were filled with unease.
Gamakon, perched on Minato's shoulder, poked his head out. His golden horizontal pupils scanned the boy, and he grinned. "Since we're starting a new life, he needs a new name. 'Kinoe' is a terrible code name. How about... calling him 'Dave'?"
"Dave?"
Minato blinked. "What kind of name is that? Is there some special meaning to it?"
"Of course there is," Gamakon replied, bullshitting with a straight face. "In my hometown, there was a man named Dave who was exceptionally skilled at growing plants, especially Peashooters and Sunflowers. Since this kid has the Wood Style, calling him Dave is a match made in heaven. In the future, he can plant Peashooters in the rear during battles. Think of how efficient that would be."
The boy didn't understand what a 'Peashooter' was, but he felt the name had a bit of a mocking vibe to it, causing him to shrink back toward Minato.
"Ahem..."
Minato coughed twice. Although he respected Gamakon, this name was simply too unreliable. "Gamakon-san, that name... let's pass on it. I think the name 'Yamato' is good. it symbolizes peace and harmony."
"Yamato, is it?"
Orochimaru turned around, holding a blade dripping with liquid. His snake-like eyes swept over the boy as if he were looking at a slightly expensive piece of equipment. "The name doesn't matter. As long as he cooperates with the experiments, he can be called anything."
The boy was so terrified by the look that he took a step back, hiding behind Minato.
"Don't waste time."
Orochimaru pointed to a nearby glass tank filled with a pale green liquid. "Get in. I need to recalibrate the balance of the Hashirama cells in your body. The previous experiments were too crude; they were a total waste of potential."
Minato patted Yamato on the shoulder. "Go on, Yamato. This is to help you. Senior Orochimaru may... look a bit scary, but his skills are the best in the ninja world. In just one month, you'll be able to live like a normal person."
Looking into Minato's encouraging eyes, Yamato's fear dissipated slightly.
He nodded, took a deep breath, and walked toward the glass tank.
As the liquid rose over his head, Yamato closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
"One month."
Orochimaru watched the data flicker, licking his lips with his long tongue. "In just one month, I will perfectly resolve the rejection reaction. When that happens, Konoha will have a true Wood Style user."
A weight was lifted from Minato's heart.
"Then I'll leave it to you," Minato said.
Just then, the lab's security system suddenly emitted a sharp beep.
An Anbu wearing a cat-faced mask appeared at the doorway, kneeling on one knee. His breathing was heavy, clearly having sprinted all the way there.
"Lord Hokage!"
Though the Anbu's voice was muffled by the mask, the excitement was still palpable. "The retrieval team is back! They're at the village entrance!"
Minato whipped around, his calm blue eyes instantly lighting up.
"Did they get them?"
"They did!" the Anbu reported. "Based on the intelligence provided by you and Lord Gamakon, we intercepted the medical transport on the outskirts of the Grass Village. Two targets confirmed: one adult female and one young child. Both possess Uzumaki Clan traits!"
"Excellent..."
Minato let out a long sigh of relief, his clenched fists finally relaxing.
That was a piece of information Gamakon had revealed during a casual chat half a month ago.
In the Grass Village, descendants of the Uzumaki Clan were wandering about, living a life that was essentially a living hell.
For his wife, Kushina, the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan was a pain that would never truly heal.
If she could find her clansmen, it would be the greatest possible comfort for her.
"Orochimaru, I'll leave things here to you."
Minato left those words behind and, without waiting for a response, his body flickered as a golden light instantly enveloped Gamakon.
The Flying Thunder God Jutsu activated.
In the next second, the lab was left with only Orochimaru and the youth in the glass tank.
Orochimaru stopped his work, turned his head toward the empty doorway, and let out an ambiguous hum.
"The Uzumaki Clan, hm... such powerful life force. Truly worthy of being their descendants."
He shook his head and returned his gaze to the slices under the microscope, his eyes turning obsessive once more.
...
Konoha Hospital, Emergency Zone.
This area had been temporarily cordoned off by the Anbu, with unauthorized personnel strictly forbidden from approaching.
The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant, mixed with a faint, lingering scent of blood.
When Minato appeared in the hallway out of thin air with Gamakon, several medical ninjas were rushing two stretchers toward the Intensive Care Unit.
Kakashi was standing guard nearby.
"Out of the way! Move! The patients' vital signs are weak!"
"Prepare for blood transfusion! Severe chakra depletion!"
Minato's gaze immediately locked onto the two stretchers.
On the first stretcher lay a small girl with red hair.
She looked to be about one year old, as tiny and frail as a kitten, her red hair tangled and messy.
Her eyes were tightly shut, and her small hands gripped the edges of the stretcher with a death grip, filled with unease even in her unconscious state.
It was Karin.
But the sight on the second stretcher caused everyone present to gasp in horror.
It was a woman, also with long red hair.
But that hair, which should have been as brilliant as flames, was now withered and dull, looking like dried grass in late autumn.
What was even more shocking were her arms and neck—even her exposed collarbone was covered in a dense thicket of bite marks.
Old scars had scabbed over into dark purple lumps, while new wounds were still seeping blood, the flesh torn so deep that bone was almost visible.
Some bite marks overlapped so much it was impossible to tell how many separate bites had caused them.
She looked like a piece of sugarcane that had been chewed repeatedly, the life force and chakra within her body drained to the absolute limit.
"This..."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed sharply. Even as a man who had seen plenty of death on the battlefield, he felt a wave of physical nausea and fury. "Those beasts from the Grass Village... what exactly did they treat her as?"
"A mobile blood bag."
Gamakon, perched on Kakashi's head, spoke with a voice colder than ever before. "In the Grass Village, a single bite of her flesh can restore chakra and heal wounds. So, whether it's a heavily injured ninja or a civilian looking to save on medicine costs, everyone goes in for a bite."
"This is the fate of those with Bloodline Limits who possess no power of their own."
Minato stood rooted to the spot, looking at the woman's pale face, his body trembling slightly.
He thought of Kushina.
If Kushina hadn't been brought to Konoha back then, if she hadn't become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, or if Konoha had been defeated in the war...
Would Kushina have faced such a fate as well?
An unspeakable sense of dread and anger intertwined in Minato's heart.
He strode forward and stopped the medical ninjas pushing the carts.
"Lord Hokage?" The medical captain was startled.
Minato didn't speak. He reached out and gently placed his hand on the woman's forehead.
Warm and massive chakra flowed steadily from his palm into her body. It was life force refined from the Nine-Tails' chakra—while not as delicate as medical ninjutsu, it was enough to keep her breathing.
"You must save them."
Minato's voice was low but carried an unquestionable authority. "Spare no expense. Use the best medicine and the best medical ninjas. If you're short-handed, go and invite Lady Tsunade back."
"Yes!" The medical captain, sensing the Hokage's resolve, responded loudly before pushing the stretchers into the emergency room.
The red emergency light flickered on.
Minato stood outside the door, motionless for a long time.
"Lord Gamakon."
After a long silence, Minato spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. "Thank you."
If not for Gamakon's intelligence, this mother and daughter would likely have been bitten to death in that hellish Grass Village, before being tossed away like trash.
"Don't thank me. I just didn't want to see good talent go to waste."
Gamakon sighed. "Besides, consider it finding some company for Kushina. The Uzumaki Clan's numbers are too thin; we should save whoever we can."
"It's more than just company."
Minato turned around, the pity in his eyes replaced by cold resolve. "They are orphans of the Uzumaki Clan, possessing immense talent for sealing jutsu and sensory abilities. Once they've had time to recover, they will become pillars of Konoha's Sealing Corps and the best family Naruto could have."
"That little girl is named Karin, right?"
Minato looked at the sign on the emergency room door. "Once they are fully recovered, I'll arrange for Kushina to meet them. The bond between clansmen might be the best medicine to heal their inner trauma."
"That's a good idea."
Gamakon nodded. "But Minato, you'd better be prepared. When Kushina sees the state of that woman's injuries, she might just go berserk and blow the Grass Village off the map."
Minato gave a bitter smile and rubbed his temples.
"Then... let her blow it up."
Minato said softly, his tone carrying a hint of both indulgence and icy coldness. "The actions of the Grass Village have already disqualified them from being called human."