Chapter 165: The Precious Things, Hidden Where No Blade Can Reach

"The Nara Clan has no objections." "The Yamanaka Clan as well..." "The Akimichi..." The Ino-Shika-Cho trio quickly voiced their support. Now, with two of the major clans and the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance expressing their approval one after another, the establishment of the research institute and the Green Sprout Project was essentially a done deal. There were no real objections left. Even if Shimura Kōhei wanted to oppose it, it wouldn't matter. Right now, he was completely stunned. Before coming here, Danzō had told him that both the institute and the Green Sprout Project could benefit them too—and that Konoha was determined to move forward with it, so there was no stopping it. But… He never said a word about the Uchiha! What was he supposed to do now? His mind raced for a solution, but before he could react, the Third Hokage lightly tapped his fingers on the table and said, “In principle, I agree with Fugaku’s proposal to expand the Police Force. However, this matter still requires the support of the various clans. Clan Head Hiashi, does the Hyūga Clan have extra manpower available?” “If the Hokage requires it, the Hyūga Clan is ready to provide personnel at any time,” Hiashi replied without hesitation. This was exactly why the Hyūga Clan had remained strong and steady in Konoha for so long. They always stood on the same side as the village’s interests. “Thank you, Clan Head Hiashi.” The Third Hokage nodded his thanks, then after a brief moment of hesitation, glanced toward Tsunade. Truth be told… He had originally planned to leave the Uchiha issue for Tsunade to handle once she took over. That way, the credit would go to her, and it would help strengthen the Uchiha's support for her. But… Plans never keep up with change. Who would've thought that Fugaku would personally step up now, at this moment, and request the expansion of the Police Force? That was extremely rare. Since the Second Hokage’s time, the Police Force had always been under the Uchiha's sole jurisdiction. The Third had considered taking it back, but was wary of their strength. Now the opportunity had come on its own. So he hoped Tsunade would add a few thoughts as well. Tsunade caught on quickly. “Sensei, I think aside from integrating a small number of Hyūga, we should also consider adding members of the Inuzuka and Aburame clans into the Police Force. Their specialties in tracking and combat make them very suitable for patrol and security work. We could also select some capable civilians to join the team.” She listed several examples. Like Tekuno. Highly skilled with ninja tools, he could play a significant role in capture operations conducted by the Police Force. The Third nodded repeatedly. Tsunade’s familiarity with Konoha’s shinobi was now on par with his own. Her three suggestions were thoughtful and thorough, covering all angles without a single oversight. It was a remarkably well-rounded proposal. He looked to Inuzuka Tsume, then scanned the room for Aburame Shibi. At last… “Hokage-sama, the Aburame Clan will follow the village’s arrangements.” Shibi stood up and spoke calmly, then sat back down without another word. The Third Hokage’s expression froze for a moment. Ah—so that’s where he was. Hadn’t noticed him at all! He cleared his throat awkwardly. Right then, Inuzuka Tsume also promptly voiced his clan’s willingness to cooperate and follow the village’s orders. Kyoichi chuckled inwardly. He had to admit—Shino really had inherited a lot of traits from his father, Shibi. For instance… That complete lack of presence. Of course… That had something to do with Shibi’s position in the room. Sitting way back in a corner—if you weren’t paying attention, you really wouldn’t notice him. At this point, the meeting was largely wrapped up. What remained was the division of authority within the research institute, especially regarding oversight—which was a particularly sensitive topic. Thankfully, Kyoichi had already drafted a clear proposal in his project plan. Mitokado Homura would serve as Director-General, and the rest of the supervisory members would be selected from among the major clans and civilians alike. This structure would ensure every faction had a say in monitoring the institute’s direction and research ethics, and help prevent rogue behavior among researchers. Public oversight was crucial for research. And yes… This was aimed directly at people like Orochimaru. This point satisfied all the major clans. They had originally worried that once the research institute was established, it might secretly begin studying their clans’ secret techniques and internal matters. But now… Having them dispatch representatives to supervise meant that the internal workings of the institute would be partially disclosed to them. With that, their concerns would be put to rest. … "I didn’t expect the Uchiha to go along with this. Did you tip them off?" After the meeting ended… Tsunade was the first to approach Kyoichi. She strongly suspected that he had given them a nudge. Otherwise, with Uchiha Fugaku’s indecisive personality, there’s no way he would’ve made a decision that quickly. More likely, Konoha would’ve had to step in and forcibly strip their authority, which could’ve led to bloodshed. Kyoichi shook his head. “This time, it really wasn’t me.” "Then it was Shisui!" Tsunade’s eyes lit with realization. If it wasn’t Kyoichi, then it could only be Shisui. Even though that kid was only six, he had a sharp mind and a knack for scheming. Still… This outcome wasn’t bad at all. For Konohagakure, it was a peaceful and relatively stable resolution to a long-standing issue. On top of that, it would ease the tension between the Uchiha and the village to some degree. Tsunade considered the benefits one after another, but there was still a shadow looming in her heart. "Can the Uchiha really be trusted?" "Most of them can’t." Kyoichi didn’t hesitate at all—his answer was clear and definite. Tsunade frowned. “Then why would you still… I don’t believe for a second that you had zero involvement.” “Okay, maybe a tiny bit.” Kyoichi held up his thumb and forefinger to show just how little. Really, it was just that much. The rest was the result of the butterfly effect. Tsunade rolled her eyes. Please—who are you trying to fool? She didn’t believe that for even a second. "Fine, most of the Uchiha aren’t trustworthy, because they’re foolish. They made foolish choices in the past, and without intervention, they’ll keep making foolish choices…" Kyoichi said calmly. And honestly, there couldn’t be a better way to describe the Uchiha. They were always faced with choices. And yet… Every single time, they managed to choose the worst possible option. That included Shisui, now his student— He had the ultimate genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, and what did he come up with? Controlling his own clan to “set them on the right path”—and then he had the audacity to tell Danzo about it. Was there anything more absurd? And as for Obito… Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Don’t even bring him up. His one-track mind meant that no matter what choice he made, it was bound to be a disaster. Kyoichi sighed inwardly. He hadn’t really done anything major—just made a few minor adjustments to Shisui, the source of future unrest. As for Obito… As long as Rin didn’t die, he’d be easy to deal with. Tsunade’s expression turned a little strange as she digested all this. After a moment, she said: "You know… what my granduncle feared most was actually the Uchiha clan. Because the Sharingan is… special." “The eye that reflects the heart,” Kyoichi nodded. “I’ve been thinking—based on the Second Hokage’s theory, the Uchiha undergo a psychological shift when awakening their Sharingan. So… what if someone with a wicked personality turned good because of that shift?” “That’s not possible… right?” Tsunade froze for a second. But the more she thought about it… The more it seemed to align with Tobirama’s theory. "Still, there’s so much I want to research. I can’t do it alone, which is why I want to establish a research institute. I don’t just want to study the Green Sprout Technique—I want to study the art of brewing too..." The founding of the institute filled Kyoichi with hope for the future. "Brewing? But you don’t even drink!" "Who said alcohol is only for drinking? If it’s strong enough, it can disinfect wounds, serve as fuel—imagine combining it with Fire Release, for instance." Grain and alcohol. The two were deeply connected. With enough grain, you could produce alcohol. And from alcohol, you could extract high-purity ethanol—which, in a world with ninjutsu, could be incredibly useful in ways conventional tech couldn’t even match. “Alcohol can disinfect? Seriously?” Tsunade asked in surprise. Their current method of sterilization was mainly through medical ninjutsu, but not every situation had a medic on hand. That was exactly why Tsunade pushed so hard for the medical corps reform. If strong alcohol could really sterilize wounds… Then… Many battlefield injuries could be treated immediately. That would be a huge breakthrough! "Of course it can. I discovered it during the brewing process. But low-proof alcohol is basically useless. Only the really strong stuff works." Kyoichi said it with a completely straight face. "Then we have to pursue this! No—wait, why were you brewing in the first place?" "To train Water Release." As he spoke, Kyoichi casually grabbed a bottle of liquor from Tsunade’s desk, opened it, and began manipulating the liquid inside. The water content slowly began to evaporate into mist. Eventually, it condensed into droplets, gathering in his palm. A Water Release technique. But… One that required extremely precise chakra control. Tsunade took the sample and sniffed it. A rich, intoxicating aroma of alcohol! Her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but swallow a little. Good stuff! "You can’t drink this—it’s way too strong." Kyoichi took the bottle back and sealed it. “We’ll have someone test it later. Then we’ll know if it works or not.” “If it really does work, then distilling high-proof alcohol will be another crucial field of research… Now I finally understand why you’re so adamant about starting this institute!” Tsunade once again grasped the importance of the research facility— One project could require the collaboration of many fields. A single person working alone would take forever. But a research institute? You could delegate each part to different people, massively improving efficiency. Once this model was fully implemented, it could even reshape the entire shinobi world! No individual could compete with a team. This approach was undeniably more efficient, and the chances of success much higher. Kyoichi’s research direction was also clear. Practical applications. The Green Sprout Technique, alcohol… These things would first change everyday life, and only afterward trickle down to ninja society. The extension of sensory techniques also belonged to the shinobi field, but they were basic and utilitarian. Forbidden jutsu? Almost never touched. If outsiders didn’t understand the philosophy behind these ideas, even if they stole the research, it would do them no good—and might even end up harming their own village. The more Tsunade thought about it, the more impressed she was with Kyoichi. So young, yet already thinking so far ahead in so many different directions. It was incredible. "So don’t worry, Tsunade-nee. There’s no way I’d let the institute spiral out of control. Also, I’m taking these bottles of liquor as research samples." "No! I worked hard to hide those! Wait—how did you even know where they were?" Tsunade’s expression changed instantly. Kyoichi sealed the bottles into a scroll with a  casual flick of his hand, replying coolly: "Easy. You always hide your precious things somewhere you can’t reach. You’re supposed to be Hokage—no drinking on the job. Gotta uphold the standard, right?" Tsunade looked utterly defeated. She’d been too excited earlier and completely forgot to guard her stash…