Yes, the Hokage!

The answer is naturally because this thing affects the interests of the major ninja families. If they regard it as a core secret and their secret ninjutsu passed down from generation to generation can be used with a ninja tool, then wouldn't our families lose their foundation?

Aburame, Yamanaka, Akimichi... which of these families doesn't make a living by using secret techniques? If you make everyone know their secret techniques, who wouldn't fight you to the death?

"It won't be withdrawn." But at that moment, Minato suddenly stood up. "Feng Lan is right. I can't make the wrong decision just because I care about Kushina. This plan... must be carried out. This is my firm determination as the Fourth Hokage!"

Feng Lan smiled and nodded again, saying, "Yes, Hokage."

Although it was only a small part, he managed to get Minato to break free from the Will of Fire and start thinking for himself.

Of course, don't think that Feng Lan genuinely wants Konoha to improve. His only reason for advocating against renting Shukaku is that he can't profit from it, and that he would have plenty of opportunities to intervene if a standing new army were established. That's all.

After leaving the Hokage's office, Feng Lan looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh. He then instructed Shisui beside him, "Take my invitation to the Nara clan's residence and tell them that I'd like to invite Mr. Nara Shikaku to have a couple of drinks tonight."

Since Minato was determined to establish a standing new army, he, as the advisor, had to help with the initial arrangements, and Nara Shikaku was undoubtedly the key figure in this process.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio has always worked together, and Nara Shikaku, with his exceptional intelligence, clearly plays the role of the brains among them. In addition, as the leader of the Konoha Jonin team, he has a deep understanding of the middle-level structure. Furthermore, as a Konoha strategist, he even has the authority to participate in some high-level roles, making him a very important figure who connects the top and bottom levels.

If Minato could get Shikaku's support, his plan would be much smoother to carry out... but it's easy to imagine that this top strategist of Konoha is not as easy to deal with as Fugaku.

"Yes!" Zhi Shui realized that Feng Lan was preparing to take action, and immediately accepted the order and left.

Itachi also looked at Feng Lan expectantly, hoping that he could assign him some tasks. He was very willing to do his part to make the village better, such as persuading his father to reduce the Uchiha's security forces.

"call!"

Feng Lan, however, swayed and almost fell. Today, he had something to deal with, so he not only didn't let Itachi participate in training, but he also chose to keep his main body in the office while his clone trained with Dai. You can imagine how tired he was.

While one can rest and replenish fluids when tired during physical cultivation, the moment the clone disappears, all the fatigue of the entire day is poured in, making it far more difficult to endure than physical cultivation.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered. Although his body was already so weak that it needed the help of Weasel, who was still a child, his mind remained clear: "Take me to Obito's house."

Tomorrow is the day he goes to see Orochimaru, and it's also the day Obito, this "meat bun," has to beat the dog. Logically and emotionally, he has to have a heart-to-heart talk with Obito tonight, even if it's just to gain the other's trust.

"Yes."

……

Led by Itachi, Fenglan quickly arrived at Obito's house, but was told by his grandmother that he was not home. Fenglan thought about the original plot and soon found him near the swing near the Ninja Academy (where Naruto often sat).

At this moment, Obito was accompanied not only by Rin, but also by his best friend Kakashi Hatake. The relationship between the three was quite delicate. Obito had a crush on... no, it was almost an open crush on Rin, while Rin had a crush on Kakashi. As for Kakashi...

He acted like a cool and aloof god in front of Rin, but became a tsundere in front of Obito.

Fenglan: "...man, what can I say?"

I was so shocked by the friendship in Konoha that I fainted.

"Lord Fenglan."

Despite his aloof and solitary personality, Kakashi deeply respects Feng Lan, who saved him.

"Yeah, you're back from your mission." Feng Lan greeted him with a smile, then sat down next to Obito. "You're going to Orochimaru for experiments tomorrow, are you nervous?"

"Who, who's nervous!" Obito, of course, didn't want to show weakness in front of his two friends, especially Rin. "I'm not scared at all! Uchiha Obito wants to become Hokage someday, this little obstacle is absolutely, absolutely..."

His voice gradually faded. No matter how much Obito tried to appear strong and optimistic, he was still just a twelve-year-old child. It was impossible for him not to be afraid of Orochimaru's experiments, which sounded incredibly morbid. Besides, Fugaku had already informed him that the success rate was at most 30%.

"If you're afraid, just say it. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Before I was rescued by Minato, I was so scared of a robber that I couldn't even walk." Feng Lan patted his shoulder with a smile. "People grow up, and in the process, they inevitably encounter hardships and torments. It's normal to feel fear and terror. It's also good to show your vulnerable side to your companions."

"me……"

Obito muttered a few words, then sat down on the ground dejectedly: "Okay, I was actually very scared. Before, at the Kannabi Bridge, I felt like I was going to die. My heart was filled with resentment and regret. I had just become friends with Kakashi, and I hadn't even..."

He stole a glance at Rin, then quickly lowered his head again: "This time too, the thought of possibly dying terrifies me. I'm afraid I'll never see Grandma again, afraid I'll never be able to fight alongside Kakashi again, afraid I won't be able to protect Rin properly, afraid... I won't be able to realize my dream of becoming Hokage."

"Obito".

Kakashi and Rin listened with concern, and instinctively grabbed his hands, one on each side.

"So, shall we stop here?" Feng Lan asked seriously. "I will go and explain things to Lord Orochimaru, and this matter should end here..."

"Of course not!"

Obito excitedly raised his head: "Although I might die from the experiments, I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life as a cripple! I will definitely stand up again and become a ninja, I will definitely protect Kakashi and Rin, and I will definitely become Hokage!"

Overwhelmed with excitement, he involuntarily activated his Sharingan, and under the moonlight, his crimson pupils appeared even more alluring and ominous.

"Well done!" Feng Lan patted him on the shoulder. "For your courage, I'll treat your team to a big meal today, and tomorrow I'll see if I can ask Miss Shizune to come and help out, and... let Kakashi and Rin accompany you the whole time!"

"real?!"

The three of them were immediately overjoyed. Miss Shizune was Tsunade's attendant. After returning last time, she was asked by Fenglan to stay in the village. She was currently the most skilled medical ninja in Konoha. Having her around was at least a psychological comfort.

If Kakashi and Rin could go to the side, to put it bluntly, if something were to happen to Obito, at least they could accompany him on his final journey.

"Oh my gosh! I'm going to eat until I'm stuffed to death!"

"Idiot, don't run so fast!"

Obito tried to mask his fear with his appetite and got up to run ahead first, while Kakashi followed closely behind, worried about his health. Only the thoughtful Rin stayed behind and bowed deeply to Fenglan: "Lord Fenglan, thank you so much!"

And Fenglan did indeed have something to say to Lin: "Lin, do you want Obito to be safe and sound?"

“Yes!” Lin said without hesitation, “I am willing to do everything in my power to help him!”

Feng Lan then leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Well then, I have a way that might come in handy at the most crucial moment..."

Chapter 16 Orochimaru

Early the next morning, Feng Lan led a large group of people to Orochimaru's experimental base. Besides himself, there were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, Konoha's current chief medical ninja Kato Shizune, as well as Obito, Kakashi, and Rin.

Hidden on the edge of Konoha, this place is usually eerie and terrifying, shrouded in a persistent mist even in broad daylight. It is truly a place rarely visited by humans. The moment they stepped near the base, the three little ones couldn't help but shiver and rub their skin, which was covered in goosebumps.

"Wow, what a grand affair!"

Orochimaru had clearly received the news beforehand. He stood alone outside the base, arms outstretched in a welcoming gesture: "Fenglan-kun, who are these children?"

“This is Uchiha Obito.” Feng Lan patted Obito next to him. Although the latter tried to maintain his courage, he couldn’t help but tug at the former’s clothes. “He is also the war hero that Lord Danzo asked you to treat.”

"These two are Kakashi and Rin, Obito's companions, who volunteered to come and keep them company."

“This is Ms. Kato Shizune.” Feng Lan turned to the other side. “I paid a considerable price to get her to come and help.”

Orochimaru's pupils twitched slightly, clearly indicating that he also recognized Tsunade's lover's niece.

"And these two, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi. Itachi will come back with me in a bit, while Shisui will stay behind to record the whole process."

"What do you mean by recording the whole process?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly, and his snake-like pupils began to gleam with a cold light.

"That means your entire experiment will have to be conducted under the supervision of Shizusui and Shizune." Fenglan responded with the same squinting smile. "If the two of them feel there's a problem, things will probably get complicated."

"Oh, how troublesome will it be? I'd like to hear a little." Orochimaru seemed fearless. He was now one of the Legendary Sannin, and almost became Hokage. He had a very high reputation in the village, which was something that a junior like Feng Lan could not match.

"For example, in Lord Danzo's Root organization, there is a child codenamed [A]. Lord Orochimaru probably knows better than I do what he has been through." However, Feng Lan was even more arrogant than Orochimaru, and he immediately dropped a bombshell.

[A] is the future Captain Yamato. Although everyone jokes that his Wood Release is only good for landscaping, his birth was actually accompanied by a rather dark and bloody sacrifice.

During the Third Hokage's era, in order to control the Nine-Tails, Hiruzen began to directly research the cells of his mentor, the Second Hokage's older brother, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. However, after investing a lot of manpower and resources, the result was only failure and casualties, and he had no choice but to order the research to be shut down.

However, the ambitious Danzo and Orochimaru, who was in charge of the experimental project, had no intention of stopping. They secretly restarted the experiment, this time choosing children as test subjects. All sixty children died as a result, with only Captain Yamato surviving. He was recruited by Danzo into the Root organization and codenamed "Kō".

Therefore, Fenglan always felt that it was a joke to think that Orochimaru and Danzo could be redeemed from their original backgrounds. Of course, as he said before, his feelings about the Naruto series did not affect his behavior after he transmigrated. If Orochimaru had any value to him now, he would use him.

Then, when this guy is no longer of any use... eliminate him completely.

Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply. The existence of [Kō] was a secret known only to him and Danzo. He never expected that this young brat would reveal it so easily. If he really exposed all those things... he wouldn't need much evidence. As long as the fact that Kō could use Wood Release was exposed, the Third Hokage would naturally know what was going on.

That old guy is different from me; he still has some bottom line. And he will definitely feel that he is losing control. I have clearly stated that I am closing the experiment, but you are continuing to restart it with Danzo. Am I your teacher or Danzo? Am I the Hokage or Danzo?

The Third Hokage was already very dissatisfied with his collusion with Danzo in trying to seize the position of Fourth Hokage. Once this matter was exposed, the Third Hokage would have to choose between incompetence and evil to take the blame: either he was incompetent to the point of not knowing that his disciple and subordinates were plotting to start inhumane experiments, or he was evil to the point of knowing that such things existed but ignoring them!

For both emotional and rational reasons, he could no longer tolerate him. Perhaps out of consideration for the master-disciple relationship and the darkness he had borne, he would not kill him, but from then on, Konoha would no longer have a place for him!

That won't do. He hasn't finished learning the forbidden techniques yet, and he can't take the experimental base and equipment he's worked so hard to set up with him for the time being... Konoha still has considerable value to him.

At that moment, Orochimaru even felt murderous intent. The best way to prevent this matter from being exposed was to eliminate the person who knew about it!

However, Shisui suddenly took a step to the side, blocking the two of them. Orochimaru's eyes, which he both longed for and feared the most, stared at him coldly.

Sharingan...

Orochimaru fell silent, while Feng Lan picked at his ear: "Lord Orochimaru is really domineering. Were you just about to make your move? Unfortunately, I made some preparations beforehand. If I really die... no matter how or for what reason, three secret letters will be sent to the Fourth Hokage, the Fugaku Clan Head, and the Third Hokage respectively. As for the contents of the letters... believe me, you don't want to know."

In reality, he didn't have any trustworthy subordinates, but that didn't stop Fenglan from using those words to trick Orochimaru. That's the advantage of knowing the plot well. If you have something on your hands, what can you do even if you're openly trying to bully someone?

“Although I don’t know exactly what happened,” Shizune stepped forward, “if you intend to harm Lady Fenglan, I will absolutely not stand idly by.”

"Hmph..." A few minutes later, Orochimaru gave in. "Looks like I had no choice, did I?"

"If you heal Obito, nothing will happen," Feng Lan said calmly. "So put away your ambition and greed. Obito is not your test subject; he is someone you must heal!"

"Hmph, fusing Hashirama's cells isn't as easy as you might think. Even if I nurture them diligently throughout the entire process, there's still a very high chance of them dying instantly," Orochimaru said coldly.

“Miss Shizune and Shisui will be watching you. Whether you’re being honest or not is up to them to decide.” Feng Lan didn’t give him a chance to argue. “I’ll say it again: as long as Obito is alive, nothing will happen.”

"So you're saying you'll come after me even if he dies from the experiment?!" Orochimaru's killing intent unconsciously surged again.

"No, it's not me, it's the entire Uchiha clan that's looking for trouble with you." Feng Lan maintained his arrogant attitude, suppressing his resentment.

Orochimaru's cold, serpentine eyes were fixed on Feng Lan's face. His fingers even seemed to want to form a hand seal for a moment, but he ultimately let go.

It would be unwise to make an enemy of the strongest Uchiha clan member here. I must not let anger control my thoughts now. What I should do is first heal Obito and stabilize Feng Lan, then speed up the process of stealing forbidden techniques and transferring experimental equipment. When the time is right, I should take Obito with me and make that little bastard lose both his wife and his army!

"Understood." Orochimaru took a deep breath. "I need to draw some blood first to observe how well it integrates with the cells. If we can't even do that, then there's no point in talking about treatment."

"I'll say it again, Shisui and Miss Shizune will be observing the whole thing," Fenglan added as a final reminder.

"No need to repeat yourself over there." Orochimaru sneered. "Kid, come with me."

Although Obito couldn't understand Feng Lan's words, he could still discern some clues from their confrontation and knew that Orochimaru was extremely dangerous. However, he had to consider whether this was his only chance in this life, so he gripped Feng Lan's hand tightly and strode after him.

……

"The results are impressive... or rather, astonishingly good." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he looked at the results. "I've never seen anyone so perfectly compatible with Hashirama's cells. If he had been the initial test subject..."

His old habit flared up, and he couldn't help but stare at Obito with the eyes of someone looking at an experimental subject, but Shisui waved his hand to stop him: "Lord Orochimaru, please don't forget that Obito is your patient."

"Of course I remember that."

Orochimaru was currently feeling restless and thirsty for knowledge, but the situation prevented him from taking any further action against Obito: "Then let's lie down on the bed."

Obito lay on the operating table, taking a deep breath. His gaze swept across Kakashi and Rin's faces before finally settling on Feng Lan's face: "Lord Feng Lan, if I die, please take good care of my grandmother... and also, protect Kakashi and Rin."

Feng Lan was silent for a moment: "You won't die, I promise."

This kid is a prodigy even Madara Uchiha admires, and Orochimaru's experiment just now proved that. How can he die in a place like this?