Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 232 Long Time No See, Minato-kun
Minato Namikaze's exclamation wasn't loud, but it was enough to attract the attention of the man not far away.

Orochimaru, or rather, Orochimaru who possessed a woman's body, slowly turned his head.

Orochimaru's signature golden snake eyes shifted slightly, immediately detecting the unusual aura emanating from the seemingly ordinary couple not far away.

That was the unique chakra fluctuation belonging to the dead. Although it was cleverly concealed by the transformation technique, it could not be hidden from him, an expert who manipulated forbidden techniques of life and death.

A look of great interest appeared on his pale face, and the corners of his mouth curled up into an enigmatic smile.

Orochimaru casually waved his hand, signaling the researchers and Star Ninja officers behind him to continue handing over and moving supplies, while he himself walked slowly and gracefully toward Minato and Kushina.

He stopped in front of the two of them, his golden vertical pupils scrutinizing them with interest, as if admiring two precious collectibles that had been lost and found again.

He stuck out his tongue and habitually licked his lips, a gesture that seemed particularly eerie coming from his current female body.

"What a... delightful reunion." His voice still carried that unique husky magnetism, but the tone was higher than Minato remembered, which better suited his current appearance.

"It's been a long time, Minato-kun... and Kushina too."

Minato and Kushina were not surprised that Orochimaru could see through their transformation techniques and recognize their identities at a glance.

The man before me possessed research capabilities and an understanding of forbidden arts that were already beyond comprehension.

They were more curious about another question.

"Lord Orochimaru," Minato said warily, his gray eyes fixed on the other man, "why are you here?"

He couldn't understand how one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha could appear in this emerging Star Country, and even seem to be cooperating with the Star Ninja military here.
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle, as if he found Minato's question amusing: "It seems you've only just 'returned' and don't know much about the situation here yet."

He turned to the side and gestured for them to enter: "I am now in a cooperative relationship with 'Shura,' the founder of this city. How about it, would you be interested in taking a tour of my laboratory? Perhaps it will give you a more intuitive understanding of... the current situation."

Faced with Orochimaru's invitation, which was neither well-intentioned nor a trap, Minato and Kushina exchanged a glance.

Minato pondered for a moment, then nodded.

He definitely needs to know more, especially about Orochimaru's relationship with this country.

Although Orochimaru's crimes of conducting human experiments had not been exposed before his "death," as a candidate for the Fourth Hokage, he vaguely knew some of Danzo and Root's dark secrets, and had also heard that Orochimaru's research involved some death row inmates or spies from enemy countries.

He needed to see for himself what the true nature of this "cooperation" was.

After all, as a father, he was worried that his eldest son's collaboration with Orochimaru might cross the line.

“Then… I’ll have to trouble you,” Minato said in a deep voice.

"Hehe, come with me." Orochimaru turned around and led the two toward a more heavily guarded complex of buildings in the military zone on the east bank of the Youhe River.

Walking along the road, Minato couldn't help but ask again, "Lord Orochimaru, you... have left Konoha?"

This was a question that had always been in his mind.

Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's most prized disciple, possessing exceptional talent and formidable strength, and should have been a vital pillar of Konoha.

Orochimaru didn't even turn his head, his voice calm as if he were narrating a trivial matter unrelated to himself: "Why? It's simple. I once accepted Danzo Shimura's invitation to join Root and develop some... special ninjutsu for him, which naturally involved some necessary human experiments."

He paused, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Later, because the source of the experimental materials... 'accidentally' used some of our own people from the village, which was discovered by my teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi. So, I had no choice but to leave."

Upon hearing that "some of their own people from the village were used," Minato and Kushina frowned simultaneously, their faces showing disgust and anger.

No matter the purpose, turning the knife against one's comrades is an absolutely intolerable line!
But as the Hokage, Minato thought of more. He pressed further, "Did Danzo instruct you... to use the villagers for experiments? Or did you choose to do it yourself?"

Orochimaru tilted his head slightly and glanced at Minato out of the corner of his eye, his gaze seeming to say, "How could you ask such a naive question?"

"Is there a difference, Minato-kun?" he asked with a light laugh. "Danzo provided resources and protection, while I provided technology and results. It was simply a matter of each getting what they needed. As for the specific source of the materials... does it matter? In that environment, some boundaries are inherently easy to blur."

Minato remained silent.

He understood Orochimaru's meaning.

The root of Danzo is a huge quagmire; once you step into it, it is difficult to remain clean.

Orochimaru, who pursues forbidden techniques and truth, and Danzo, who needs dark forces to consolidate his power, are essentially accomplices.

Regardless of who was in charge, Orochimaru was involved, Danzo tacitly approved or even supported it, and the ninjas of Konoha became the victims. This in itself is the most naked display of the dark side of Konoha.

During their conversation, they passed through several rigorous identity verification and barrier checks before entering Orochimaru's underground laboratory in the Star Capital Military Research Zone.

The atmosphere here is completely different from that of the city under the sun outside.

The air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant and formaldehyde, occasionally mixed with a hint of blood.

The cold metal walls reflected a pale light, and various sophisticated instruments and glass containers filled with unknown liquids were visible everywhere.

The laboratory has a very large interior space, filled with various sophisticated instruments and culture tanks.

Most striking are the dozens of observation rooms in the center of the area, separated by transparent reinforced glass.

Each observation room contains one or more human bodies strapped to special devices, with clear numerical markings branded on their foreheads or arms.

A quick glance at the water gates revealed that the numbering had already exceeded one hundred.

Researchers in white coats were busy recording data or injecting different drugs, chakra, or even tissue samples that emitted eerie light into the experimental subjects through catheters.

Occasionally, suppressed groans of pain or inhuman roars could be faintly heard emanating from the well-soundproofed observation room.

The scene before them made Minato and Kushina feel extremely uncomfortable, even though they were already used to the cruelty of the battlefield.

This is a cold, systematic, and utterly objectifying cruelty.

Orochimaru seemed quite pleased with their solemn expressions. He spoke in a tone as if introducing a work of art, "As you can see, this is my main research area. Although Lord Shura has imposed some...restrictions on my research direction,"

When he mentioned "restrictions," his tone was slightly playful: "The use of civilians and citizens of the Star Kingdom is prohibited, and the use of alternative materials is encouraged. But fortunately, I can freely choose from the Star Kingdom's serious offenders and death row inmates."

"Of course, even serious offenders need to sign an agreement to 'voluntarily' participate in the experiment, and those who survive can receive a reduced sentence."

His golden snake eyes swept over the numbers, and he continued, "Moreover, thanks to the continuous dispatch of spies to the Land of Stars by our neighbors—the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth—we never lack high-quality 'enemy ninjas' as experimental subjects."

"Recently, the Star Country has just annexed the Dark Country, the Swamp Country, and the Snow Country. Apart from the stubborn Snow Ninjas of the Snow Country who have become prisoners, there are also many wandering samurai and ninjas in the Dark Country and the Swamp Country who once served the old nobles and daimyo and refused to lay down their weapons and accept reform. Most of these people... are here now, contributing their last value to scientific progress."

Despite their deep disgust for human experimentation, Minato and Kushina's expressions softened slightly after hearing Orochimaru's explanation.

As ninjas, they knew that being merciful to their enemies was being cruel to themselves.

Using these stubborn adversaries for experiments is far more "valuable" than letting them go unpunished or simply executing them.

This cold-blooded logic, though difficult to accept, is not incomprehensible in the ninja world.

Just then, Minato's gaze was drawn to a figure in the corner of the laboratory.

The man was short, with messy white hair, and most peculiarly, he had a pair of scarlet eyes. He was wearing a white straitjacket that resembled a hospital gown, and he was pacing casually outside an observation room, observing a prisoner inside who was convulsing in pain due to the injection of some kind of cell tissue. His gaze was as indifferent as if he were looking at a stone.

Orochimaru also noticed Minato's gaze, and following it, a cryptic smile appeared on his lips.

"Oh? It seems you're also interested in my 'neighbor'?" Orochimaru said, calling out loudly.

“Beiluhu”.

The white-haired man named Hiruko turned his head at the sound, his face showing a hint of impatience at being disturbed.

He walked over slowly, his scarlet eyes sweeping over Orochimaru, then glancing indifferently at Minato and Kushina, seemingly unaware of their true identities, only showing a slight curiosity about the two Edo Tensei chakras imbued with death energy.

"What is it, Orochimaru?" Hiruko's voice was hoarse and dry, lacking inflection.

Orochimaru chuckled lightly: "You're still the same as ever, only concerned with your research. I'm just curious, what brings you to wander around my lab?"

Hiruko snorted and waved a small scroll in his hand: "I've run out of White Zetsu experimental materials over there. I heard you still have some in stock, so I'll come and ask for a few."

He spoke as if it were a matter of course, but then added, "Of course, I won't take it for free. I'll exchange it with you for the latest preliminary research data on the nature changes of Storm Release chakra."

Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils flashed with a glint of light; he was clearly very interested in Hiruko's research data.

After all, the Ghost Sprout Technique is a skill that even Asuras value.

Orochimaru took the scroll, quickly glanced at it, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes: "Data on Storm Release? That's somewhat valuable. However..."

He drawled, "I don't have much White Zetsu left either. I can only give you three portions at most. If you want more next time, you'll have to ask Lord Shura for it yourself."

"Three portions? That's too few!" Hiruko was clearly dissatisfied, but seemed somewhat hesitant about "going to see Lord Shura." After muttering a few words, he finally nodded: "...Three portions it is! Hurry up and give them to me!"

Minato and Kushina were secretly alarmed by their conversation.

White Zetsu? What's that?
It sounds like an extremely special and precious experimental material.

Moreover, they were discussing applying to "Shura" so casually, as if Menma were their superior supplier.

Minato's gaze fell on Hiruko once again.

Hiruko's defection occurred in the early stages of the Third Shinobi World War, before Minato became Hokage, and the two had no interaction.

However, after he became the Fourth Hokage, when he was going through the files of the village's rogue ninjas, he saw the information on Hiruko and learned that she was a ninja of the same era as the Sannin, with outstanding strength and talent. She had defected because of her research on forbidden techniques and was later listed as an S-rank rogue ninja.

He never expected that this legendary dangerous figure would be subdued by Menma.
What caught his attention even more were the subtle differences in their attitudes during their conversation.

When Orochimaru mentioned "Shura," his tone was more like that of an equal, even slightly teasing, collaborator.

When Hiruko heard the name "Shura," a hint of undisguised apprehension and fear unconsciously flashed in his eyes—an instinctive reaction of a subordinate facing an absolute ruler.

Menma... How exactly did you manage to make these unruly and extremely dangerous rogue ninjas willingly serve you?

As Minato witnessed the scene before him, he gained a deeper understanding of the eldest son's abilities and methods, and at the same time, a more complex emotion welled up within him.

The country founded by his son was far more mysterious and unfathomable than he had imagined.

For the next two weeks, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki traversed almost every inch of the Land of Stars. Using their reanimated bodies and extraordinary mobility, they meticulously observed the nation established by their son.

The sights they witnessed repeatedly challenged their preconceived notions.

In the former Bear County and Demon County of the Star Kingdom, the prosperity of the cities was beyond imagination.

The streets are wide and clean, lined with shops, and bustling with people.

Chakra-powered public lighting systems, convenient Raika transportation networks, and the increasingly widespread civilian chakra devices all demonstrate the close integration of technology and life.

Most people wore expressions of busyness and fulfillment, rarely displaying the numbness and fear common in the ninja world.

They ventured deep into the rural heart of the Star Kingdom.

On the vast plains, large tracts of farmland are neatly planned.

Many strangely shaped steel agricultural machines, unlike anything they had ever seen before, roared through the fields, tilling, sowing, fertilizing, and irrigating...

The efficiency was so high that even the well-informed former Hokage, Minato, was amazed.

Only a few technicians were teaching local farmers how to operate or maintain the machinery, and the farmers' faces beamed with anticipation for a bountiful harvest.

Even in remote mountain villages, they saw the active presence of grassroots officials from the Star Kingdom.

These young officials, with enthusiasm and expertise, promoted new farming techniques to the villagers, distributed carefully cultivated high-yield, drought-resistant crop seeds suitable for mountainous terrain, and patiently explained the agricultural policies of the Star Kingdom.

The villagers gradually shifted from initial observation and doubt to acceptance and gratitude.

They traveled along the You River.

In Youzhi County, they witnessed a breathtaking sight.

The vast tidal flats that were once flooded and muddy have now been transformed by a combination of powerful earth-escape techniques and human effort.

The sturdy dikes meander like a giant dragon, and the carefully excavated irrigation canals divert the river water in all directions, turning the former swamps and wastelands into vast fertile fields.

Countless farmers and organized construction teams are busy in the fields, and the joy of spring plowing fills the air.

Large-scale water conservancy facilities are under construction, clearly for the purpose of long-term water resource allocation and disaster prevention.

In the Swamp County, they witnessed a public trial of a former high-ranking nobleman of the Swamp Kingdom.

On the high platform, the former nobles knelt on the ground, their faces pale, listening to the countless common people below tearfully accusing them of their crimes.

Forcibly seizing land, imposing exorbitant taxes, manipulating grain prices, buying and selling people, and disregarding human life... The evidence is conclusive, and each and every one of these acts is outrageous.

Ultimately, these heinous nobles were sentenced on the spot and received their due punishment.

However, Watergate also noted that not all nobles were purged.

Some former nobles who had committed minor crimes or had done good deeds in some respects were allowed to continue living as ordinary commoners after being stripped of their noble titles and illegally acquired land and property.

Some of them found new positions in the administrative or commercial systems of the Star Kingdom through their knowledge and abilities, while others chose to become ordinary farmers and support themselves.

This differential treatment shows that the Star Kingdom is not simply killing, but is trying to establish a new order based on law and merit.

They traveled north into the cold Snow County, which was originally the Snow Country.

The changes here are equally significant.

A brand-new railway, like a steel artery, pierces through the snow-capped mountains, connecting the warmer counties with this harsh land.

Through the Thunder Chariot, large quantities of food, vegetables, cloth, medicine, and other daily necessities were continuously transported into Snow County, greatly improving the lives of the local people.

At the same time, the abundant mineral resources and unique northern fishery products of Snow County were efficiently transported out and transformed into wealth that supports national development.

The town, once desolate due to its cold and barren climate, is now gradually becoming bustling again due to trade and resource development.

For the first time in winter, many people in the Land of Snow enjoyed fresh vegetables from the south, and the children's faces regained their rosy hue.

After two weeks of investigation, an undeniable fact gradually became crystal clear in the minds of Minato and Kushina.

In this land where the traditional aristocracy and daimyo class no longer exist, while the privileges of a few have been stripped away, the lives of the vast majority of commoners have actually become better!
Ninjas and chakra are no longer synonymous with killing; they have also spurred the liberation of productivity and the advancement of technology. The society of the Star Kingdom is developing at an unprecedented pace.

This disruptive reality clashed violently with their upbringing, their understanding of the "one country, one village" system, and their belief in achieving peace through maintaining balance.

Shuimen fell into a long silence and deep thought.

When they finished their inspection and returned to the Star Capital, walking along the quiet and distinctive street leading to Menma's mansion, Minato noticed that many of the houses on this street had different family crests hanging at their entrances.

"What are these...?" Minato asked curiously.

Kushina followed his gaze and explained with a smile, "Hey, these are all ninja clans that Menma took in and protected. Some are like our Uzumaki clan, on the verge of extinction, while others are like the Kaguya clan, who were wiped out by their original ninja villages due to rebellion and are now just orphans. Menma gave them a new home and protection."

She pointed to the clan crests in the distance: "Look, that's the Uzumaki clan's, and over there are the Yuki clan, the Kaguya clan, and even the very mysterious Otsutsuki clan..."

"Oh, and over there, that's the surface territory of the Ibri clan. Because of their special bloodline limit, some unstable members of their clan live in the underground territory."

"The Uzumaki clan?" A look of surprise and astonishment flashed in Minato's gray eyes. "Besides you, are there any other surviving members of the clan?"

He had always believed that the Uzumaki clan had been completely wiped out in the war.

“Of course.” Kushina smiled warmly and pointed to a house next to her with the Uzumaki clan crest: “Years ago, Menma rescued a mother and daughter in Kusagakure. The mother’s name was Uzumaki Vanilla, and the daughter’s name was Uzumaki Karin. They live next door to us now. Vanilla works in the administration department, and Karin is in school. She’s a very lively child.”

When Kushina mentioned her fellow clansmen, her tone became much lighter.

Minato was filled with emotion. Menma had not only established a country, but was also quietly saving and bringing together these scattered bloodlines.

Meanwhile, in the Star Capital Military Research Zone, on a highly guarded underground experimental field.

Menma stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the testing area in front of him, while Uchiha Hikaru stood beside him with his arms crossed, his scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan calmly scanning the entire area.

Behind them stood many others: the calm and capable Uzumaki Vanilla, Natsumi in her Star Ninja uniform vest and her husband Hotaru, the fierce-looking Kisame Hoshigaki with a shark-like face, and Gota and several other Star Ninja Jonin.

All eyes were focused on several ANBU ninjas in special uniforms in the center of the arena, and their eye-catching equipment—chakra armor.

These suits of armor are entirely dark blue, with smooth lines and a high-tech feel. Key areas such as the chest, shoulders, elbows, and knees are covered with reinforced protective plates, ensuring both flexibility and enhanced defense.

Completely different from the somewhat bulky chakra armor of the Land of Snow, the improved versions from the Land of Stars are much lighter and more modern.

A clone of the masked figure, numbered 019, was acting as the commentator. His voice was amplified through the headset and clearly reached everyone's ears: "What you are seeing now is the latest achievement of our research department—the Chakra Powered Armor, the first prototype."

"It is made of special alloys and composite fiber materials, making it lightweight and providing excellent protection. Its energy core is a high-energy-density chakra storage battery that can be pre-charged by the ninja, with optimized endurance and output power."

The shadow clone gestured for a member of the ANBU to demonstrate: "Furthermore, we've adopted a modular design. For example, we can add this—"

He pointed to a pair of foldable metal wing-like structures mounted on the back of the Dark Side member.

“The ‘Flying Swallow’ type back flight module can provide short-distance low-altitude flight and gliding capabilities.”

He then pointed to a crossbow-like device mounted on the arm of another ANBU member: "And this, the 'Honeycomb' ninja tool firing module, which can rapidly fire modified senbon, shuriken, and even miniature explosive tags."

"As for the repeating crossbows from the Land of Snow," the shadow clone shook his head, "their power is decent, but their rate of fire and accuracy are limited against fast-moving ninjas, making them more suitable for dealing with groups of ordinary soldiers."

Next, a practical simulation test was conducted.

Uchiha Hikaru personally took to the field as a hypothetical enemy, engaging in several rounds of combat against elite Anbu members wearing "Chakra Type 1" (basic type), "Type 2" (enhanced type), and "Type 3" (special operations type) armor respectively.

The results were impressive.

The armored ANBU ninjas have been greatly enhanced in terms of speed, strength, defense, and the use of ninja tools.

In particular, the Type 3 armor could even allow an excellent Chunin to unleash combat power close to that of a Special Jonin in a short period of time, allowing him to fight Uchiha Hikaru for ten rounds before finally being defeated.

Even though Uchiha Hikaru wasn't going all out here and was mostly testing things out, it was still enough to prove the power of these chakra-powered armors.

After the test, Uchiha Hikaru returned to Menma's side, nodded slightly, and gave an objective evaluation: "Not bad equipment. If it could be deployed on a large scale, it would indeed greatly improve the overall strength and minimum combat power of the Star Ninja Army. However..."

She abruptly changed the subject, her crimson Sharingan sweeping over the slightly weary testers who had removed their heavy armor: "Over-reliance on external aids is not the way of the ninja. Once the energy is depleted, or the armor is damaged on a complex battlefield, can these ninjas, accustomed to the protection of armor, survive on the ever-changing and brutal battlefield? Will their own strength decline instead of increase due to long-term dependence?"

Her concerns are not unfounded, representing the instinctive wariness of traditional ninjas towards such "scientific ninja tools."

However, Menma, as a time traveler, has a completely different view on this.

In his eyes, this was not simply an "external thing," but an inevitable trend in the development of productivity and combat power, just like how guns replaced swords and tanks replaced cavalry in his previous world.

The key lies in how to use it correctly and continuously improve it, while simultaneously carrying out basic personnel training and tactical innovation.

“Hikari’s concerns are valid,” Menma said, his voice coming through the mask. “Every new piece of equipment has its advantages and disadvantages. What we need to do is not throw the baby out with the bathwater, but to develop strict operating procedures, strengthen basic training, and ensure that soldiers remain competent warriors even without armor. At the same time, we must continuously improve the technology, enhancing the reliability and energy endurance of the armor. The future of warfare will inevitably change as a result.”

He turned to his shadow clone and asked the most crucial question: "What is the current production capacity?"

Shadow Clone 019 immediately replied: "Currently, there are three models that have been finalized and can be produced in small batches. The 'Chakra Type 1' armor, when worn by an ordinary person who has undergone rigorous training, can give them the combat power of a stable Genin."

"'Type 2' allows genin to perform at the level of chunin. 'Type 3' allows chunin to reach the level of special jonin in a short period of time."

"But going further up, the requirements for individual basic qualities, armor materials, and energy increase exponentially, which is currently difficult to overcome with technology."

The shadow clone paused, then reported a more practical problem: "Moreover, the production capacity of these three models varies greatly. With the current production line and the skill level of the technicians, the monthly output of the 'Type 1' armor is expected to reach one hundred units; the 'Type 2' has a more complex process, with a monthly output of about twenty units; while the 'Type 3'... involves a more precise core and materials, and at most, it can probably only produce three units per month."

"It takes time and a process to go from laboratory finalization to mass production," Shadow Clone concluded.

"According to the current expansion plan, it is estimated that in one year, the annual output of 'Type I' will be able to arm at least 1,200 'genin' trained from ordinary people; 'Type II' will be able to arm about 240 'chunin'; and 'Type III' will be able to arm about 36 elite special jonin. This will greatly alleviate our problems of insufficient manpower and excessively long training cycle for high-end combat forces."

Menma listened quietly, already planning how to incorporate these new forces into his future strategic plans.

The path to unifying the ninja world is destined to be filled with blood and fire. Although he and Uchiha Hikaru have the power to overpower all the ninja villages in the ninja world, it is impossible for them to do everything themselves.

Therefore, in addition to high-end combat power, a mass-produced army armed with technology will become a sharp weapon in his hands to break the old pattern.

(End of this chapter)