Konoha Notes

Chapter 207 Seed
The end of Konoha's 56th year was marked by a list that was both light and heavy, after the snowflakes fell.

The task of escorting the first batch of exchange names to Kumogakure fell to Shuji. The people on this list were all genin and chunin who had been assessed by Konoha and deemed whose basic information could be disclosed to the public without any problem.

To some extent, these are all candidates who are deemed unlikely to be placed in core confidential departments.

Even so, the list itself remains sensitive. Having the proposer personally escort it to Kumogakure is the most appropriate course of action.

The list submitted by Yunyin is probably of a similar nature.

The process is not complicated: Shuji escorts the Konoha list to their destination, Kumogakure submits its own list simultaneously, and the Konoha personnel verify the authenticity of the personnel information on the spot.

The method is simple: just repeatedly verify the identity information of the person involved to ensure it is correct.

Essentially, this is just a formality. What matters is the meaning that the act of exchanging information itself represents.

If someone can't even remember their basic identity information clearly, or can't accurately recount the official settings given by the village, then failing the review is their own fault.

Konoha doesn't delve into the details, and similarly, when the Cloud Village's envoys go to Konoha, they will follow this tacit understanding.

In the rest room arranged by Kumogakure, the initial verification work came to a temporary end. Shuji was pondering whether he should find an opportunity to go to Raiyunjin, the trading port that Samui had mentioned, to collect new plant samples.

Samui, who was also indoors, took out a small cloth bag and handed it over.

Shuji opened the bag and glanced inside: "Seeds?"

“Yes, but it doesn’t involve the secrets of the Hidden Cloud Village and the Land of Lightning. It’s just some unique tree species and other plant seeds,” Samui replied.

"Thank you, Miss Samui."

“It’s just a return gift, Mr. Shuji.”

This was an unexpected surprise. It saved him the trouble of making a special trip to Lei Yunjin. Xiu Si quickly examined the seeds in the bag. Although some overlapped with his previous collection, most were varieties he had never encountered before.

He has now formally divided the tree-planting experiment into two parts.

The cultivation of tree species and the cultivation of tailed beast chakra are carried out separately.

This was a change made after reorganizing the experimental approach under Tsunade's guidance.

He used to be just a corporate slave, a complete novice in both experimentation and planning.

While helping him analyze the state of his body, Tsunade also inquired about the progress of his Wood Release.

Although she didn't know exactly what Shuuji was doing, she immediately saw the problem.

"The steps need to be broken down and refined further. We can't mix all the variables at the beginning."

"Isn't that just gambling with luck?"

Princess Thousand Hands made this assessment.

Based on what he had gained from the empty body, Shuji had some ideas about cultivating the tailed beast chakra.

He doesn't have the ability to experiment on others. Fortunately, as a user of Wood Release, Shuuji has another technique that is very useful against Tailed Beasts.

Wood clone.

Wood clones are inferior to shadow clones in some ways, such as in leaving traces and in terms of laziness. However, they are also superior to shadow clones in other aspects, such as durability, communication of consciousness, and flexibility in chakra allocation.

Shuji made special adjustments to his Wood Release clones. His experience in Sage Mode taught him that the essence of Wood Release clones is also a tree, and excessive absorption of natural energy would cause them to go berserk and transform into trees.

Now that he can skillfully manipulate natural energy, he is able to enhance his tree-like qualities while precisely controlling the energy input to avoid losing control. After many attempts, he successfully created a highly specialized Wood Release clone.

Next comes the sealing technique.

That's easy. Konoha has the Four Symbols Seal, and even a modified version by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, but you need the Hokage's permission to see it.

Shuji isn't the Hokage, but she has a fair amount of influence with the Hokage. Asking her for a sealing technique to learn shouldn't be too difficult.

After obtaining the scroll, I learned the specific details by consulting with the Third Hokage.

During this time at the end of the year, the Third Hokage had a rare period of leisure, as his family was about to welcome another child. Because he wasn't a Jinchūriki, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't hide the due date, which was around December, when Konohamaru Sarutobi would be born.

In short, using the Four Symbols Sealing Technique, Shuji successfully sealed the Four-Tails' chakra within his specialized wood clone.

After the seal stabilized, Shuji put his clone's consciousness into a semi-dormant state, maintaining a low-frequency absorption of natural energy without affecting his main body, in order to cultivate the tailed beast chakra within his body, ultimately achieving the slow growth of the four-tailed chakra he had collected.

Judging from its growth rate, it might grow to have some of the power of a four-tailed creature in another thousand or eight hundred years.

But the growth result itself is not important; what is important is that this was successful, and he no longer needs to worry about experimental materials.

Having resolved the issue of the Four-Tails' chakra, the Five-Tails' chakra was similarly sealed into a second specialized wood clone.

The issue of cultivating tailed beast chakra has been partially resolved for now; the next step is to continue cultivating tree seeds.

Even if, as she said, the seeds donated by Samui do not involve rare tree species, they still offer new possibilities.

As for more, perhaps it can be obtained through other means once both parties have more trust in each other.

I need to get this done as soon as possible. Looks like I'll have to apply for another long vacation next year…

Despite thinking this, Shuji didn't show it, and continued to check the list provided by Yunyin step by step.

After spending four days reviewing the list of personnel provided by Yunyin, Xiu Si prepared to take the materials back with him.

Before leaving, he saw the Raikage once again.

"Now that the cooperation has progressed to this point, it's time to exchange some information about the past."

"Regarding the incident involving the Cloud Village envoy Akai two years ago."

It was getting cold, but Ai was still only wearing his thin white cloak.

"Akai's two bodyguards returned to the front lines of the Frost Kingdom after the incident to report Akai's death, and then disappeared."

"The only explanation is that they were disguised by someone using a transformation technique, and therefore had to disappear when faced with possible questioning from the village."

"I will not apologize for demanding the Hyuga clan members. Akai died in Konoha, at the hands of the Hyuga, and this is a responsibility that Konoha must bear."

“It is my duty as the Raikage and leader to avenge him.”

"However, since both sides are willing to move forward in the future, I am willing to explain this part of the information that Konoha may not know."

His eyes became extremely sharp.

"In return, I hope Konoha can be like that."

(End of this chapter)