Changes in Rōran

"Tsunade, you’re back."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with delight. He had only wanted Jiraiya to return quickly and hold down Konoha for a while, but he had not expected this disciple to be so considerate this time and bring Tsunade back as well.

With two of the Sannin in Konoha, its combat strength had been greatly reinforced. Moreover, Jiraiya had sent word that Tsunade had overcome her hemophobia, meaning her strength had basically returned to what it had once been.

This was good news for Konoha. Whether internally or externally, it could reassure the people while deterring foreign enemies.

Tsunade snorted coldly. "Hmph, old man, don’t get any ideas. I’ll leave after seeing Kushina. You turned a once-thriving village into this—no wonder Orochimaru…"

"Tsunade!"

Jiraiya spoke up from the side, stopping Tsunade from continuing.

Still, even with Jiraiya stopping her, Tsunade had said nearly everything she meant to say. Though she did not continue, she snorted again and left.

Much of Tsunade’s disgust toward the village was really directed at the way her teacher handled things. Once Kushina’s matter was settled, she would still choose to leave Konoha.

After Tsunade left, Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and said to Jiraiya, "Since you’re back, stay in the village for a while. Recently, neither Kumo-nin nor Suna-nin have been particularly friendly along the borders. The peace we maintained for less than two years may be ending in another war."

"Kumo-nin aside, why would Suna-nin have such thoughts?"

Jiraiya asked in confusion. During the last Shinobi World War, he had led a Ninja troop against Suna-nin and knew their situation very well.

After losing so many Ninja, had they recovered in such a short time? Besides, he had heard that the Daimyo of the Land of Wind did not have a good relationship with Sunagakure and had even cut part of their funding.

"Perhaps Suna-nin simply got lucky. They cooperated with the Yasunori Trading Company of the Land of Fire. Sunagakure gave up mineral resources in the desert in exchange for a large amount of Supplies…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen said as he took a puff from his pipe. He had long been worried about this and had considered contacting the Yasunori Trading Company himself. However, Konoha had no business it could trade with them, nor did it have the same urgent need for ordinary Supplies as Suna-nin, so the matter was eventually dropped.

Konoha and Suna-nin might be enemies, but Ninja Villages could not control Noble merchants. Besides, the two great Ninja Villages had signed a Peace Accord. Konoha had no grounds to prohibit it; only the Land of Fire Daimyo possessed that authority.

Sarutobi Hiruzen then told Jiraiya much more about the Nine-Tails’ Rampage, including the Sharingan in the Nine-Tails’ eyes. However, since they had not discovered who had controlled the Nine-Tails, they could only relocate the Uchiha Clan to the very edge of Konoha.

That would make it easier to monitor the Uchiha. Otherwise, if another Nine-Tails’ Rampage occurred, there would not be a second Fourth Hokage to save the village.

"I understand. I didn’t expect so much to have happened. I’ll remain in Konoha for the time being…"

Jiraiya sighed heavily. His most promising disciple had died just like that, and the village had suffered enormous losses because of the Nine-Tails. At a time like this, he could not continue wandering around as he pleased and could only stay in the village for a while.

"By the way, old man, about the Uzumaki Company…"

After agreeing to stay, Jiraiya discussed the Uzumaki Company with Sarutobi Hiruzen. This was the task Minato had entrusted to him, but because of the unexpected events, Jiraiya had only gathered some information about the Masked Saint of All Cures before being summoned back.

This company was like a thorn lodged in Konoha’s throat, one that had reached the point where it had to be removed. Otherwise, Sarutobi Hiruzen would not have handed the matter entirely to Danzo.

"Medical Ninjutsu of an exceptionally high level… It seems we can now confirm that the Uzumaki Company is connected to Hyuga Mirai."

Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly exhaled a stream of smoke. The intelligence Jiraiya had personally investigated should be accurate. If so, the Uzumaki Company had three top-tier Medical-nin, and one of them was an uzumaki clan member capable of using Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Medical-nin were already difficult to train. To learn advanced Medical Ninjutsu, one had to have a teacher and lineage. Konoha’s entire medical system had been learned from Tsunade, and the first batch of Medical Jonin had basically all been trained by her.

Why did he have to defect…?

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed inwardly. If Hyuga Mirai had not defected, Konoha should have been number one in the Ninja World. Even if two Nine-Tails went berserk, Konoha should have been able to withstand them.

In contrast to Konoha’s gloomy atmosphere, Rōran’s development was in full swing.

The expanding oasis had created a vast and highly livable environment. The Yasunori Trading Company had also provided high-yield seeds for Rōran’s people to plant.

After this, Rōran’s Civilians trusted the Yasunori Trading Company far more than before, almost more than they trusted Queen Sara.

Before the Yasunori Trading Company arrived, the Civilians of Rōran could barely fill their stomachs, and their food could only be called barely sufficient. But after the company arrived, their standard of living rose several times over, and they no longer had to endure Sandstorm Erosion.

Therefore, whenever someone wearing the Yasunori Trading Company’s uniform passed through the streets, they would certainly earn the respect of every civilian.

Dragon Vein Tower. Hyuga Mirai had just completed his research on cultivating Nine-Tails Chakra.

After ten days, he had finally succeeded in using Natural Energy to eliminate the negative emotions within the Nine-Tails Chakra and had developed a method for cultivating it.

"Based on the amount of Nine-Tails Chakra in Ayaka’s half, even if I use Dragon Vein Energy to cultivate it, it will take at least four or five years. Still, the Dragon Vein will not dry up, which is good news. The terrain here seems capable of gathering Natural Energy."

Hyuga Mirai looked over the calculation results and pondered. If he reduced the cultivation time for the Nine-Tails Chakra, then after five hundred days, he should be able to cultivate several portions equivalent to four or five tails of Nine-Tails Chakra. That would be enough for those subordinates.

Those who were sealed with Nine-Tails Chakra cultivated by Hyuga Mirai could be considered Pseudo Jinchuriki. The Nine-Tails Chakra inside them had no Tailed Beast’s consciousness and was merely an energy reserve.

Therefore, it would be difficult for Pseudo Jinchuriki to become Perfect Jinchuriki. Without a Tailed Beast inside them to help control their Chakra, controlling two kinds of Chakra solely through their own ability would be extraordinarily difficult.

"For now, this will do. Four-tailed Nine-Tails Chakra should be enough to defeat very few people in the Ninja World. Even if they encounter an Akatsuki two-man team, they should be able to drive them back."

Hyuga Mirai intended to have Uzumaki Ayaka ask the Nine-Tails about the secrets of the Tailed Beast Bomb, then teach them to the few subordinates who would receive the Nine-Tails Chakra seals.

After deciding this, Android 18 reported something to him.

"Queen Sara wants to see me?"

Hyuga Mirai considered it after hearing this. There should not have been any problems in Rōran recently, so he said to Android 18.

"Let her in, Android 18."

After receiving Hyuga Mirai’s permission, Queen Sara was brought in by the Mechanical Guard at the door.

"Mr. Mirai." After entering, Queen Sara first greeted Hyuga Mirai.

"Your Majesty needn’t be so polite. This is Rōran."

Hyuga Mirai smiled at Sara, then served her a cup of tea and asked.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what you wished to see me about?"

"Mr. Mirai, just call me Sara." Sara nodded and continued somewhat hesitantly. "I actually want to learn Medical Ninjutsu from you, Mr. Mirai."

Medical Ninjutsu?

Hyuga Mirai looked at Queen Sara and immediately guessed what she was thinking.

Rōran’s people were living increasingly prosperous lives, and quite a few Civilians worked for the Yasunori Trading Company. Even when conflicts arose, they would only seek mediation from the company’s managers. Sara, the queen, had instead become little more than a figurehead.

As for learning Medical Ninjutsu, perhaps Sara had no intention of seizing power or gathering support. She had probably seen how few doctors there were in Rōran and wanted to help its people.

"Sara, if you merely want to treat the illnesses of Rōran’s people, there’s no need for that at all."

After saying that, Hyuga Mirai used his wristwatch to ask Android 18, "Has the Medical Machine been assembled, Android 18?"

The Medical Machine was a treatment device designed by Hyuga Mirai and refined using Android 18’s data. It could detect ninety-nine percent of illnesses in a person’s body. Once a Medical Talisman was inserted to replenish its energy, it could treat the patient through the Medical Machine’s nanomechanical arms.

The first-generation Medical Machine could treat basically any illness other than surgeries such as organ transplants. Its only drawback was that it required the Yang Release Chakra inside Medical Talismans as treatment energy. For the moment, the machine could not convert ordinary Chakra into Yang Release Chakra.

"It has been completed, sir, but trial data has not yet been supplemented."

"The best trial data comes from clinical practice. Since it’s complete, let Rōran’s people experience the first Medical Machine."

After saying that, Hyuga Mirai stood and said to Sara, "Sara, come take a look at the Yasunori Trading Company’s new invention. With the Medical Machine, it can completely replace ordinary Medical-nin."

After hearing their conversation, Sara became extremely curious. A Medical Machine? It sounded related to doctors. Had the Yasunori Trading Company introduced another new product?

Not long afterward, after witnessing the Medical Machine’s miraculous capabilities, Sara gave up the idea of learning Medical Ninjutsu in shock.

With this machine, even if she studied Medical Ninjutsu for ten years, her efficiency in saving people would likely not compare to the Medical Machine’s speed in treating illnesses.

"M-Mr. Mirai, please, you must leave one of these life-saving machines in Rōran. I beg you."

Sara stepped forward excitedly, grabbed Hyuga Mirai’s sleeve, and bowed deeply as she pleaded.

Hyuga Mirai glanced at her before turning his head away. "There’s no need for this, Sara. The Medical Machine was invented for Civilians in the first place. Even if you had not asked, I intended to leave two Medical Machines for Rōran’s people. So, please stand up first."

"Yes, Mr. Mirai. Thank you so much."

After speaking, Sara seemed to realize that her actions had been somewhat inappropriate, and she straightened up with a blush.

With the Medical Machines, Rōran’s people would basically no longer be troubled by illness. While this made Sara happy, it also left her feeling somewhat lost.

She slowly lowered her head and asked in a subdued voice, "Mr. Mirai, what do you think I can do for Rōran’s people?"

First update. There should be two more later!

How about choosing Brief, the founder of Capsule Corporation, for the next Scientist Template?