Konoha: Offer your heart to the Hokage!

But he also knew that potential, until it truly materializes, remains just potential and cannot become real power. If it cannot be deeply developed and its functions perfected, this prototype curse mark is completely useless.

It is foreseeable that the subsequent development of the prototype cursed seal will inevitably consume a great deal of effort, with results measured in years. For ordinary ninjas, this is almost tantamount to jeopardizing their future, abandoning their combat abilities to devote themselves entirely to research.

And the person most suitable for its secondary development is standing right in front of us.

However, Shen Er felt no guilt whatsoever and chose to arrange for his own disciple to do this time-consuming task.

"Excellent, very good, extremely good." Shen Er exclaimed three times in succession. "He Xiang, I still underestimated your potential. This prototype curse mark may be even more valuable than you imagine."

"Your research results over the past two years have, to some extent, surpassed the accumulated knowledge of many ninja clans over decades or even centuries."

"In terms of the development of cursed seals in the entire Hidden Leaf Village, I would call you the strongest. In this respect, even our teacher is no match for you."

"Your approach is absolutely correct. The subsequent development of the cursed seal will also be entrusted to you."

Matsumoto Waka was deeply moved.

All the hard work and suffering of the past two years became meaningful at the moment she received Shen'er's affirmation. A burning passion rekindled in her heart; this was the power that came from being recognized by the person she admired.

She wants to develop the prototype curse seal into a truly valuable curse seal.

Matsumoto Waka asked, "Teacher, what kind of spell seal do you want?"

"This..."

Even though they didn't actually use Matsumoto Waka as a wish-granting machine.

We need to allow her enough personal time, and also consider the difficulty of the actual research. Before finding the Libra clan, we can forget about the Immortal Transformation Seal; it's purely a waste of time and effort.

After weighing all the options, Shen Er slowly spoke:

"Firstly, the grafted curse seal combines animal genes with the curse seal, and is activated by chakra, allowing the ninja to temporarily acquire the characteristics of the corresponding animal."

"Secondly, control seals are used to forcibly restrain the target, making him unable to do something or requiring him to perform something."

"You can try them all and choose one that you are good at to develop."

The first one that Shen Er mentioned is the Tiger Cursed Seal that Mizuki obtained from Orochimaru in the future. Once activated, the host will receive the characteristics of a tiger.

There are many kinds of animals in the ninja world, including the strongest "animal," the Tailed Beast, which has broad application prospects.

It is perfect for mass-producing grunts with considerable combat power.

The second type is similar to the binding spell that Madara Uchiha used on Rin Nohara. It is more subtle than the Earth Grudge Fear spell and can make the recipient act only according to a pre-set script.

For Shen'er, who was hiding behind the scenes, this cursed seal was even more ingenious for sowing discord and creating chaos.

Matsumoto Waka was somewhat surprised.

She had assumed her teacher would guide her to focus on developing medical-oriented curse marks. But her teacher's choice must have a deeper meaning. All she needed to do was to do her best to make her teacher's expectations a reality.

You don't need to think about anything.

Matsumoto Waka's eyes grew increasingly resolute:

"Leave it to me, teacher!"

Shen Er took a bunch of keys from the drawer and handed them to Matsumoto Kazuka:

"This is the key to the laboratory on the second basement floor of the Gospel Hospital. It's mainly used for medical research and is a hospital secret. You can use the equipment inside to develop your own curse seal."

"But you have to be careful..."

Shen Er's tone was meaningful: "Many times, the line between medical experimentation and touching taboos is very thin. The teacher would rather not have this curse mark than have his disciple go astray."

"Wako, did you understand?"

Chapter 51 Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right (Please Read On)

"Yes, teacher! I will keep your teachings in mind."

Matsumoto Waka lowered her head, making her expression unreadable.

"Okay, that puts my mind at ease. Go and do your own thing."

She watched Matsumoto Kazuka leave.

At the same time, he leisurely made himself a cup of hot tea.

On the basement floor of the Gospel Hospital, the bodies of Konoha ninjas are stored, along with tissue samples left by wounded patients.

The second basement level houses a classified, formal medical laboratory. Hashirama Senju was aware of this and did not deliberately conceal it; all medical research conducted there was in accordance with regulations.

Researching cursed seals might raise suspicions about one's motives, but compared to Tobirama's research into forbidden techniques and human experimentation, it's far too legitimate.

With such a laboratory out in the open as a target, most of the village's attention will be drawn to it.

What he said to Matsumoto Waka was not at all a warning to her not to touch on taboos.

Instead, it subtly reminded her: the shortcut is right in front of you; for the sake of your teacher's wishes, you should decide for yourself.

As a teacher, he had done his best to prevent the tragedy from happening.

If, in the future, a disciple succumbs to temptation and secretly violates the taboo, then that will be her own choice.

How could the Sage of Konoha possibly make a mistake?

There is no going back in the ninja world. If a disciple makes a mistake, the teacher can only tearfully execute the disciple and personally "seal" the forbidden achievement.

...

Matsumoto Kaori passed through the basement level.

His gaze lingered on the cabinet labeled "Blood Samples from Medical Ninjas of Gospel Hospital," and he murmured softly, "The blood of medical ninjas is all in here. Teacher's should be in there too, right?"

She didn't linger and continued walking deeper into the area.

They soon arrived at the medical laboratory on the second basement level.

Silence reigned all around.

Not a single ray of sunlight could penetrate the ground; only the cold, white light source overhead illuminated this desolate space.

But Matsumoto Kaori really liked the environment.

Without wasting a moment, she began organizing the experimental equipment. Some of it resembled the teaching aids used in the ninja academy, while many others were sophisticated and advanced devices she had never seen before.

"Cough cough..."

She suddenly covered her mouth and coughed lightly twice. When she opened her palm again, it was stained with a few bright red spots.

Matsumoto Waka was frail from childhood, and her skin always had a sickly pale appearance.

For the past two years, I have been working tirelessly day and night to perfect the prototype curse seal, severely overdrawing my physical energy. Both my physical and mental energy are now depleted.

As a medical ninja, Matsumoto Waka is well aware of her own body.

This is a bloodline disease that seems like a curse.

The ninja world is such a magical place.

Some have a constitution like Hashirama's, where healing is possible without a seal; others have a constitution like Matsumoto Waka's, where death is premature without illness.

Her mother also had the same symptoms; it was said to be a bloodline disease passed down only to daughters. She was born weak, sickly, and died young; excessive exertion would further shorten her lifespan.

Existing medical ninjutsu cannot cure the condition, it can only alleviate it.

"Perhaps it's time to take a break."

But when she thought of Shen'er's expectations, she immediately dismissed the idea: "I can't let my teacher down. But only by living can I continue my research for my teacher... I can only reduce the intensity a little."

Kazuka Matsumoto looked up at the opaque ceiling.

She once had a dream...

In her dream, she didn't meet her teacher, nor was she recruited into the medical team. After graduating from the ninja academy, she married an ordinary ninja as expected, and later gave birth to a boy.

When her child was three years old, war broke out. She left the white snake, Xiaobai, with her son and went to the battlefield with her husband.

And then... she died.

His life was uneventful and without any major upheavals, just like the fate of most ninjas in the ninja world—a small and hasty end.

But reality is different.

She met Shen Er at the Ninja Academy, where her medical talent and scientific research abilities were discovered, and she received unprecedented recognition and warmth.

I would rather die for a true friend.

Matsumoto Kaori knew very well that if she continued to study the curse seal at such a high intensity, she probably wouldn't even live to the lifespan she had in her dreams.

But she didn't care anymore.

Use your limited lifespan to do more for those who appreciate you.

She preferred to live a meaningful life rather than die an ordinary death.

She looked up at the incandescent light on the ceiling and murmured to herself, "The difference between medical experiments and touching taboos is just a matter of a single thought..."

...

After get off work.

Shen Er and Uchiha Chiri sat in Ichiraku Ramen, gazing at the street scene outside the window.

The ninja squad was a novelty to Konoha.

Groups of ninja platoons frequently appeared throughout Konoha, adding a touch of vibrancy to the area.

Then they saw Ayano Uchiha leading Team 3, including Kagami Uchiha, through the streets and alleys. After a while, they pulled a tabby cat out of a pile of weeds.

Zhili explained, "Ayano is leading the Third Squad on a D-rank mission to find the noble lady's lost tabby cat. The reward is three thousand taels."

This big fat cat...

Not simple.

Shen Er's lips twitched involuntarily.

In his memory, this cat had been caught by Guy, Naruto, and even during the Boruto era.

The cats are probably not the same cat. But the question is, why have the noble ladies and wealthy merchants of Konoha Village been losing their cats so frequently over the past sixty years?

The reason behind it is heartwarming.

It must have been the Hokage, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, who cared about the lower-class ninja squads and personally went to steal cats and release them, thus forcing the wealthy people to issue missions to the village.