Izuna, restore the glory of the Uchiha!

"Is that so..."

Chiri squatted on the ground, hugging her knees, looking at Tobirama lying on the cold floor, still feeling a little guilty.

They were, after all, fighting and striving for the grand ambitions of the Uchiha clan.

Even after all that, she still nailed him to the cross and repeatedly tortured and pierced him for quite some time. To be honest... it's really a bit unfair to this dedicated workaholic.

After Izuna confirmed that Tobirama had simply fainted and was otherwise unharmed, he returned to the experimental table.

They just dumped a living person on the ground like that—they even picked up the bone saw.

Zhili suggested.

"Let him lie down on the bench over there for a while; the ground is too cold."

"Okay, you can do it. I'm not free to do it right now."

Izuna didn't turn around, remaining unmoved and focused on his experiments.

At this moment, Tobirama was no different from a corpse that needed to be moved. After Izuna gave her permission, she moved Tobirama onto the bench by the wall as if he were a trophy.

With his posture upright and hands folded, Tobirama's face, already pale, now looked more like a backup for the operating table.

After Zhili finished moving, she didn't pay much attention to it anymore. She hadn't forgotten why she had come here so late at night.

Standing by the operating table, watching Izuna complete this stage of the experiment, she was sent to the changing room to change into a spare surgical gown and undergo sterilization.

Izuna originally planned to have Tobirama, a skilled operator, teach her the basic operations, but plans changed. Tobirama was unconscious at the time, so she had to let him personally teach her.

As for why Zhili wasn't allowed to attend the large lectures with the other tribal doctors?

Clinical and basic medical teaching methods are naturally different. In order to help Jiri adapt to laboratory operations, Izuna still plans to teach her step by step, just like he would a new lab member.

After more than an hour, Chiri had a good grasp of the experimental procedures, so Izuna picked out a piece of material and let her get familiar with the process.

Observing Jiri's slightly awkward movements, Izuna once again circled around to Tobirama's side.

He didn't let Chiri directly use the Sharingan's ability to copy the details of the movements, in order to cultivate an initial feel for the technique. This thing is very important; it works just as well as praying to gods in the laboratory.

Tobirama sensed Izuna's presence and slowly opened his eyes.

He had actually woken up earlier, but at that time, Izuna was teaching a class and was in the middle of a lively discussion, so there was no room for him at the experimental table.

It could also be said that he wisely chose to pretend to be asleep in order to avoid the remaining half of his enslavement.

"How does it feel?"

Izuna, still possessing the conscience of a doctor, did not immediately order him to get up and work, but instead handed him a glass of warm water.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Tobirama took the water, drank a sip, slowly sat up, and stretched his stiff neck.

"Not bad, she was relatively restrained in her actions."

Just as Chiri finished her first independent operation on the lab table, she put down her tools, looked up, and saw Tobirama standing up opposite her.

The two looked at each other across a lab table.

Tobirama Senju.

"Uchiha Chiri".

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, neither of them took off their gloves, seemingly to avoid the awkward social etiquette of shaking hands.

"Very good, very good."

To lighten the mood, which was rather tense between the two, Izuna clapped enthusiastically and then said:

"In the time to come, Tobirama and Jiri, you two must work together, put aside your past grievances, and strive together for the experiment."

"Well then, let me give you a brief overview of our lab's recent research progress."

Both of their gazes turned to Izuna at the same time.

Tobirama knew exactly what Izuna needed to research, while Jiri looked on with anticipation.

The hypotheses to be verified include:

Research on the Sharingan's opening mechanism and the chakra transmission pathway in the optic nerve-brain region.

The following topics have not yet been researched:

The suppressible cultivation of Hashirama Senju's cells and the power of Wood Release.

"Senju... Hashirama cells?"

Zhili exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, right. To put it simply, it's a tissue sample from his brother's body..."

"Could you please use a more polite way of addressing me?"

Tobirama couldn't help but interrupt Izuna's overly direct and chilling description.

"Let's call them interstitial cells then."

Izuna waved his hand dismissively and casually uttered the name that would later be given to it.

Chiri didn't care about the name of the thing; she still couldn't believe that Hashirama's cells had ended up in the hands of the Uchiha and become experimental material.

"What on earth is going on...?"

"He had Hashirama deliver it."

Izuna avoided Jiri's piercing gaze and attempted to pass it on to Tobirama.

"what?"

Jiri leaned back, staring at Tobirama Senju with disbelief, as if he were looking at a monster.

Not only did he work tirelessly until he collapsed for the Uchiha laboratory, but he also voluntarily offered his strongest bloodline source to the Uchiha for research.

So... you really were in Cao Cao's camp but your heart was with Han, contributing to the great cause of the Uchiha?

Tobirama looked into Jiri's eyes and knew what she was thinking. A vein throbbed on his forehead, but the matter was a long story and difficult to explain. He could only take a deep breath and explain.

"This is a deal between Izuna and me; we each got what we wanted."

Izuna didn't intend to explain too much to Jiri, lest it cause further complications.

"In short, we can still trust Tobirama's professional ethics during his time in the clan's territory, and everyone's goals are aligned."

Well then, keep up the good work!

Without further ado, Tobirama's fainting spell has slowed down today's progress, so let's get to work immediately.

When Izuna was demonstrating just now, he deliberately slowed down so that Chiri could see it more clearly.

The current operation dazzled her a bit, but if she activated her Sharingan, she could barely keep up and lend a hand, doing some auxiliary work.

The sky is turning a pale white, the night is drawing to a close.

"That's enough for now. Thank you all for your hard work."

Izuna took off his mask and stretched.

"Chiri, you should go back and rest. I've already spoken to the illusion unit. Their schedule will be adjusted, so you don't need to go during the day. Just catch up on your sleep."

"Yes."

Although Chiri was exhausted, she was in high spirits.

She tidied up the things on the lab table, went to the changing room to change her clothes, and left the lab.

The door closed.

As Izuna and Tobirama finished finishing up the experiment, they chatted casually.

"The second prisoner exchange should be almost over."

"Hmm, a few more days."

"Let's send the older ones back first."

"Okay, I'll have someone arrange it later."

After Tobirama finished packing the last experimental scroll, he leaned against the lab table, crossed his arms, and looked at Izuna, who had thrown away his gloves.

They seemed ready to get down to business.

"I have no idea."

Before Tobirama could speak, Izuna slightly raised his hands, which had been sweating all night, as if in surrender, and shook his head at Tobirama.

He knew that Tobirama wanted to ask about the peace negotiations.

"The current response from both races is indeed quite good, better than expected... but no one can guarantee what might happen in the future, or what unexpected situations might arise."

Tobirama responded with silence.

Peace is indeed never something that can be achieved overnight.

"Besides, aren't you most annoyed by Uchiha people who are in a bad mental state?"

This matter isn't resolved yet. If the Uchiha clan's bloodline disease, which makes them prone to extremes, isn't cured, peace talks will just be a sleep on a powder keg.

Izuna came out of the changing room, changed back into his regular clothes, and casually threw his blood-stained surgical gown into the laundry basket.

"Do you have a solution?"