Chapter 34: Mito's Gift; Striking the Motherlode?
As people age, their memories generally become a blurred haze.
Mito Uzumaki was the exception.
As a Master of Sealing Jutsu, she possessed a mind that could "vacuum-seal" her memories, keeping every detail of the people she loved as fresh as the day they happened. It was her primary mental defense against the constant, eroding malice of the Nine-Tails.
So, when Hiruzen slipped his technical question into the conversation, Mito's mind instantly flashed back to a certain silver-haired man.
Back then, Tobirama Senju had spent years asking her the exact same questions under the guise of "medical curiosity."
Hashirama had always warned her: "Don't tell Tobirama too much, Mito. He's a good man, but he's far too reckless. If you give him a theoretical map, he'll try to build a bridge to the moon."
"Hiruzen... why are you asking me about chakra-pathway reconstruction?"
Mito's tone was teasing. "Let me guess—you've been reading your teacher's research notes? I've always been curious about those journals. Tobirama was the type who never left a paper trail unless it was for science. Tell me, did he complain about me in his notes?"
Hiruzen looked like he was contemplating the mysteries of the universe. "Ah, how could you say that, Lady Mito? The Master's notes were strictly professional... just data and blueprints."
Internally, Hiruzen sweated. Her memory is too good! I almost let the monkey's tail slip out from under the robe.
"You truly are Tobirama's student," Mito sighed, shaking her head. "You've already learned how to dodge a question with that same bureaucratic grace."
She knew that if she asked to see the notes, Hiruzen would find a thousand polite ways to refuse. A scientist's journals weren't just for data; they often contained personal rants, half-formed insults, and "off-the-record" observations.
Arata, in his past life, would never have let anyone see his private browser history or bookmarks. He applied the same logic to his teacher's legacy.
"Lady Mito, the truth is this," Hiruzen began, his face a mask of absolute sincerity.
"In the Master's notes, he drafted a concept for Limb Regeneration and Pathway Reattachment. This would be a miracle for our veterans—shinobi who lost their careers because they could no longer weave hand signs or circulate chakra through severed limbs."
"I saw that he hit a wall regarding the 'Base Material.' He had written your name in the margins as a possible consultant, but he never finished the entry."
Hiruzen wasn't technically lying. He did plan on developing limb-reattachment tech for the village. It just so happened that the "patient zero" for this tech would be a clone of Izuna Uchiha.
"You know me, Lady Mito," Hiruzen added, leveraging his reputation. "I may lack the Master's raw genius, but I've always been a man of steady, cautious steps."
Mito studied him for a moment and relaxed.
Monkey isn't Tobirama, she thought. Tobirama was a wildfire; Hiruzen is a slow-burning hearth.
She had seen the "New Hiruzen" over the last few weeks. He had humbled himself before her, supported the Uzumaki refugees, delivered young Yamato to her side, and even put the "weaponization" of the Nine-Tails on the back burner. A "good kid" like that wouldn't do anything to offend the gods, surely?
"You're taking this very seriously for a few casual words," Mito chuckled. She stood up and walked into her private inner chambers. A moment later, she returned carrying a high-grade scroll and three crystalline pendants.
"What are these, my Lady?" Hiruzen asked respectfully.
"Living with this Fox, I had to find ways to pass the time," Mito said. "Some of these are trinkets I made; others are things Hashirama left behind."
She picked up a deep-green crystal pendant from the center and gestured for Hiruzen to lean in.
"This belonged to Hashirama. I'm giving it to you, Monkey." Mito fastened the First Hokage's Necklace around Hiruzen's neck. "I used to wear it to feel close to him, but staring at it all day only makes an old woman sad. Now that I have Yamato to look after, I don't need ghosts anymore."
Hiruzen nodded obediently. He knew the anime lore—this necklace was worth a fortune, but its real value was political. Wearing it was Mito's public endorsement of his reign. It was the ultimate "Seal of Approval."
"The other two pendants are my own work," Mito continued.
"Hashirama... he was a simple man in many ways, but his chakra was... different. He could compress a mountain's worth of energy into a single point and release it as a slow, constant trickle. It sounds simple, but I've spent decades trying to figure out the 'Valve Mechanics' behind it. I finally found some success."
Hiruzen's eyes widened. This is it! The 'Slow-Release' technology needed for the Healing Scrolls!
"He never knew how he did it," Mito laughed, a nostalgic glint in her eyes. "Whenever I asked, he'd just say, 'I don't know, Mito! It just feels right! It's not that hard!' I wanted to hit him with a sealing pot. He was a biological anomaly."
Hiruzen nodded. A 'Stat-Monster' with perfect 'Micro-Control.' Truly a nightmare for researchers.
"I won't bore you with the 'Healing Scroll' theory yet," Hiruzen thought. "Better to let Tsunade bring it up later."
"And finally, the scroll," Mito said, her voice turning serious. "This is a Chakra-Synchronicity Seal I developed recently. It creates an artificial environment that forces foreign chakra signatures to harmonize."
"I originally designed it to see if I could fully merge with the Nine-Tails, but the Fox is too powerful for it to take hold. However, for something like a severed limb or cellular grafting? It should work perfectly."
Hiruzen felt like he had just hit the jackpot.
This village was a literal gold mine of ancient, S-rank knowledge. All he had to do was ask the right questions and treat the "Living Treasures" with the respect they deserved.
"As for the 'connecting' aspect of your research, there is a legend from another village you should investigate," Mito added.
"Uzumaki records mention a secret jutsu in the Hidden Waterfall called Earth Grudge Fear (Jigenryū). It uses black threads inside the body to conduct chakra and stitch flesh together. It is an ideal bridge for complex surgeries."
"A young man from the Waterfall once tried to challenge Hashirama. He used that technique. Hashirama defeated him easily, of course, but he felt sorry for the boy—he said the technique was a curse that robbed the user of their humanity."
"I don't know what happened to that boy," Mito sighed. "I've been in these walls for too long."
Hiruzen knew exactly who she was talking about: Kakuzu. He filed the name away under "Strategic Acquisitions."
He carefully stowed the scroll and the pendants, then gripped the First Hokage's necklace on his chest. He bowed deeply once more.
"Lady Mito, I cannot put into words the gratitude I feel. For myself, and for Konoha."
"This Monkey will not fail you. I will make this village prosper. I will settle the debts of the Senju, the Uchiha, and the Uzumaki. You have my word."
Mito smiled softly. "Just do your best, Hiruzen."
As Hiruzen walked away, the diamond-shaped mark on Mito's forehead—the Yin Seal—seemed to flicker with a faint, renewed light.
Inside her mindscape, the Nine-Tails shifted its massive, furry weight. It let out a low, irritated snort. It had overheard the entire conversation.
The Fox was furious. How dare that human say an old woman is more important than my power? Ignorant ape!
But beneath the anger, a flicker of curiosity stirred in the Great Demon's heart. A human who would willingly choose to 'abandon' my strength for the sake of a grandmother's retirement?
For the first time in decades, Kurama found himself remembering the name of a Hokage.
The Next Morning. The Hokage Office.
Hiruzen took a deep breath, his eyes glowing with renewed energy.
The pieces were falling into place. It was time for the next phase of the industrial revolution.
"Summon Orochimaru and Hiruko!" the Hokage commanded. "We have a god to build."