Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

In the medical lab, Osamu Furukawa was still collecting data. The amount of "essence" injected would cause the herbs to mutate to varying degrees.

Some results were positive, but many more were ineffective. To this, Osamu Furukawa could only collect data and experiment continuously.

Fortunately, the land of fire is fertile, and with the support of the village, the laboratory has a very comprehensive range of herbs.

When Tsunade appeared wearing a green Jonin vest, she smiled again upon seeing Osamu Furukawa working diligently.

"Since you've been working so hard, how about we go out for curry rice for lunch?"

Noticing Tsunade's attire—a ninja headband and a green vest—Furukawa Osamu asked curiously:

"It's rare to see the teacher dressed like this lately, are we going on a mission?"

"The old man called a meeting with the Jonin team. It was related to Sakumo's previous mission, but there were no problems."

“As a genin, you don’t need to worry about these things. That’s the ‘White Fang of Konoha.’ Sakumo can handle everything.”

Tsunade rarely showed a look of respect. In her opinion, her teacher was being overly nervous, and the failure of the mission would not shake the foundation of the village.

According to her understanding, although Daming said he would reduce the number of commissions, he actually increased the budget expenditure for next year, which is enough to show that he is very pragmatic.

"Is it a problem with the commission? That's a real hassle. I've heard some rumors."

Furukawa Osamu put on his coat and scarf. Tsunade didn't answer the question directly, but instead took off her headband and glared at him, saying:

"Children don't need to care about these things!"

"Ninjas are ambitious people who manipulate daimyo to dominate the world. You should have read some of the books left by your grandfather and the others."

Since being formally accepted as a disciple, Tsunade has opened up her family's collection, much of which can help Osamu Furukawa further understand this world.

He sensed that Tsunade showed little respect for the daimyo, but Furukawa Osamu was still somewhat uneasy; secondhand information rarely revealed the truth.

"I'm going to practice my swordsmanship with Kakashi this afternoon..."

"Sensitive brat!"

Tsunade agreed after complaining, but then became annoyed when she heard Furukawa Osamu's suggestion.

"Teacher, the new technique seems to be the ability of the First Hokage himself. Many parts are not perfect, only the sealing techniques involved are the most complete."

"Is it a technique of the Uzumaki clan? I've seen some of it in the Second Hokage's manuscripts."

"Maintaining bodily functions seems to waste some chakra; perhaps we should consider abandoning this part of the technique to reduce its difficulty..."

Tsunade, who was anxious about her age, couldn't stand to hear this and immediately turned around, flicking her forehead to interrupt:

"Stop arguing! Only children make choices; I want all the benefits!"

-

Having worked hard all year, Sakumo Hatake finally got a vacation and paid no attention to the recent rumors.

Watching the two figures clashing, Hatake Sakumo was extremely satisfied; hard-working geniuses would achieve even greater things.

When Kakashi, whose physical strength had reached its limit, swung his short sword again, he leaned forward and noticed that his opponent had lowered his body. He quickly put his left arm under his chest.

"boom..."

Kakashi, who was kicked into the air, stared wide-eyed as he saw Furukawa Osamu, who was curled up in the air and spinning while swinging his sword. He blocked the attack several times, but eventually, exhausted, he was slammed to the ground.

"Huh...huh..."

Gasping for breath, Kakashi couldn't get up immediately. Furukawa Osamu, who had caught up, sheathed his short sword and exclaimed in admiration:

"You've improved again, Kakashi. Every time, I can only counterattack at the last minute."

“Sakumo-sensei is right. At this age, there’s no need to worry about chakra levels.”

While both possess excellent control abilities, Kakashi's gradually increasing chakra reserves couldn't match Furukawa Osamu's. Knowing this was a difference in talent, he still couldn't help but complain:

"You can always land a final blow, but I can't defeat you in the shortest amount of time."

"This isn't just a matter of chakra..."

Kakashi couldn't understand why Furukawa Osamu's perception, reaction, chakra, and physical abilities had improved so quickly. He never let up, yet he was still suppressed by the opponent's weaknesses.

"While you are working hard, Xiu has never relaxed his demands on himself."

"It seems that Lady Tsunade is being modest. To be able to take on medical work at this age, her use of chakra is already close to that of a Jonin."

Sakumo Hatake smiled and patted his son on the shoulder, then casually told Kakashi about the results of Osamu Furukawa's hard work during this period.

Thinking of the medical ninjutsu he used to treat Might Guy, Kakashi nodded seriously, then looked at his father, hesitated for a moment, and asked in a low voice:

"Dad, why don't you explain to those people? The mission failed, and the intelligence department also has problems."

"Those who received help not only didn't appreciate it, but instead complained about you."

Just as Sakumo Hatake helped Ichiro Furukawa after his sacrifice, Konoha's White Fang also provided some care for the families of the fallen genin.

Seemingly sensing that Furukawa Osamu also had something to say, Hatake Sakumo looked at the two of them with a gentle smile and responded simply:

"I was indeed influenced by intelligence at the time, but saving my comrade was my choice."

"I have experienced war and witnessed too much death. What I want to tell you is that ninjas are not tools, and that is why the village has been able to continue to grow stronger."

"..."

Kakashi silently lowered his head as his father spoke of the Will of Fire. Nara Shikaku had said the same thing when he was captain.

Furukawa Shuuya remained silent. He had never experienced war, regardless of the world he lived in. Now, as a mere genin, he was powerless to refute, and could only sigh inwardly.

"What happens if the 'companion' defines themselves as a 'tool' and starts blaming the savior?"

"..."

Chapter 14 The Broken String... (Part 1)

In mid-December of Konoha Year 44, the team members rescued by Sakumo Hatake had an emotional breakdown in a tavern, venting their frustrations with accusations:

"I have never been afraid of death, and I am prepared to sacrifice myself!"

“If the team leader hadn’t insisted on staying, this situation would never have happened. I haven’t harmed the village’s interests.”

If only one person had said these words, the impact wouldn't have spread. Unfortunately, the other two members of the team also pointed the finger at Sakumo Hatake:

"If sacrificing myself can save the lives of many more, I will resolutely face death!"

"I had already made my choice at that time. As a Chunin, sacrificing myself for the village was the best outcome for me."

"..."

The idea that sacrificing three lives would allow Sakumo Hatake to save more lives suddenly emerged.

Because the Third Hokage had already issued a gag order, the Anbu and the Uchiha Guard intensified their search, which ironically brought the matter to the attention of even more ninjas.

With the mission details unclear, more and more ninjas began to question Konoha's White Fang.

The students of the Ninja Academy were naturally unaware of the undercurrents in the village, and the genin only heard some vague rumors.

The Third Hokage, who wielded absolute power, continued to tighten the media blackout, but it seemed as if there was a mole within the Anbu, and the rumors persisted.

This caused the ninjas who supported Sakumo Hatake to start attacking the three members of the team, and even some Jonin joined in, saying that slandering Konoha's White Fang was going against everyone!

After all, no one wants their teammates to prioritize the mission above all else, and even less does anyone want this trend of "passing the buck" to spread in the village.

...

This is the second time this month that the Jonin team has been convened for a meeting. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sits at the top, with advisors Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado on his left and right sides, respectively.

The Jonin, who are usually very disciplined, have clearly split into two camps this time. When the topic of Sakumo Hatake is brought up again, people from both sides have voiced their criticisms.

"Why blame Sakumo? Why is no one investigating the intelligence problems that have arisen? What is the intelligence unit doing?"

"The decision to carry out an S-class mission failed. Even Konoha's White Fang should be punished. No one can escape responsibility!"

"..."

As people continued to speak, Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose face remained expressionless, sensed that someone was deliberately leading him. After listening for a while, he suddenly said in a deep voice:

"Quiet!"

Everyone immediately bowed their heads to show their respect for Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo Shimura, who was hiding behind the three, narrowed his eyes at the sight.

This is Naruto!

"The village's funding next year will not be affected in any way."

"Remember, we are Konoha ninjas. At this time of escalating local conflict, it is even more important to prepare for a possible war."

"The relevant intelligence personnel have been suspended and punished. Jiraiya will take over their duties. Soon, Sunagakure and Iwagakure will pay the price for their actions!"

"Yes!"

All the Jonin in the room bowed their heads and responded loudly again, and many civilian ninjas showed joy on their faces, clearly indicating that the Hokage supported Hatake Sakumo.

Konoha's White Fang maintained the symbolic punishment, which was the treatment due to the strong. However, some "hardliners" were dissatisfied, and the Hokage was somewhat weak on this matter.

Only after the meeting ended did Danzo appear before the three with a blank expression. The Root leader did not mention the mission again, but simply said seriously:

"We need to keep track of the movements of the Jinchūriki in Sunagakure and Iwagakure. If war breaks out, we must consider using Jinchūriki to participate in the battle!"

"We cannot relax our surveillance of Kumogakure and Kirigakure; we need to send more people."

"Hiruzen, the village is still too conservative in its use of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. We must have complete control over the weapons, and we must always be vigilant against the Uchiha clan."

When the Nine-Tails and the Uchiha clan were mentioned, Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent. The two advisors, however, strongly agreed, with Homura Mitokado adding forcefully:

“There are more and more complaints about the guards in the village. Hiruzen, we all know what kind of impact these pent-up emotions will have on the Uchiha clan.”

"Yan is right. Our teacher formed the guard team to keep the Uchiha clan away from the center of power. We can't let our guard down!"

He added some tobacco to his pipe, and upon hearing Koharu Utatane's supplement, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't respond immediately. After exhaling a cloud of smoke, he tapped the ashtray and solemnly said:

“The Uchiha are also members of the village, and I trust them completely.”

"Jiraiya will be in charge of intelligence work; he will handle everything. As for the use of Jinchuriki, I will follow Mito-sama's instructions."

"Sun Slayer!"

"I, as the Hokage, will take responsibility for any problems that arise. Root must cooperate with Jiraiya's work for the foreseeable future."

Danzo fell silent again at his "old friend's" words. His long-cherished wish was to fully weaponize the Jinchuriki to increase the village's strength; unable to achieve this goal, he could only silently rise.

"I hope you won't regret the decision you made today in the future."

"boom..."

The door closed, and Hiruzen Sarutobi continued to exhale smoke. The key to controlling the power of a Jinchuriki was the sealing technique, and he would not allow Danzo to get his hands on it.

-

As the New Year approaches, the turmoil in the village continues, and the mission controversy seems to have morphed into a debate about the Hokage.

The "Days-Up Faction" commoner Jonin hopes that Sakumo Hatake will become Hokage in the future, thus allowing ninjas from ordinary backgrounds to receive more resources.

The "hardline" Jonin continued their attacks, secretly complaining about some of the Third Hokage's decisions, with some even yearning for war to elect the next Hokage.

Under these circumstances, even the Chunin who had been eager to join the discussion began to participate. Indeed, no one was talking about the mission anymore; everyone had changed their focus.

Ninjas also engage in "online politics," and compared to ordinary people, their reactions to differing viewpoints are far more explosive, sometimes even escalating into fierce and agonizing battles...

In Training Ground 36, Might Guy tugged at his green bodysuit. Even with his naturally oblivious nature, he sensed something was off.

"What are those adults arguing about? And Kakashi, why are you fighting every day?"

Healing minor injuries with the Palm Healing Technique is effortless. Looking at the silent Kakashi beside him, Furukawa Osamu earnestly instructed him:

"Don't mind those three guys, they're just trying to avoid blame."

"You can't change an adult's opinion; in the end, you'll get nothing out of arguing."

Might Guy paced anxiously, scratching his head. As a genin, he didn't have many sources of information, but seeing Kakashi's change, he still offered encouragement:

"Kakashi, trust the Hokage. The village will handle everything."

The mask concealed most of his emotions. Ever since the three of them criticized Hatake Sakumo, Kakashi had noticed that his father's mood had become somewhat depressed.

Unable to tolerate his hero being questioned, Kakashi couldn't argue with some people and ultimately had to resort to violence.

Having completely vented his frustration, and hearing the two's encouragement, Kakashi let out a long breath and nodded sullenly:

"I understand, Xiu, Kai, thank you."

"..."