Most psychologically sound people tend to harbor a degree of sympathy for victims. Consequently, during the subsequent routine interrogation, Allen did not face too much hostility.
As for his extraordinary constitution, the Medical Ninjas had long since extracted his cells for comprehensive, multi-dimensional research. They eventually discovered that as soon as these cells left his body, they would rapidly lose their powerful regenerative properties. Thus, they categorized it as some kind of unknown Kekkei Genkai.
Not a single soul suspected that the cells' ability to self-repair was actually the result of Nen, a force invisible to the naked eye.
"So, you've mastered a secret art called 'Aura,' and you can use it for both combat and healing, correct?" the Third Hokage asked from his chair, his interest piqued.
"Yes. Exactly. I can use this power to strengthen my body, whether for offense or defense," Allen replied with a prompt nod.
To lower the other man's guard as much as possible, he deliberately revealed a few basic principles of Nen. This was a calculated move to make the Hokage overlook certain details in his lies that might otherwise be exposed, such as why his clothes smelled of seawater despite appearing in the Land of Fire, or why no one else could open the inconspicuous pouch hanging from his belt.
In short, he carried far too many secrets.
Fortunately, because he had never refined Chakra, he wasn't subjected to the memory-probing treatment reserved for high-level spies. Heaven only knows if Nen could shield the secrets hidden within his brain.
Furthermore, people in the Naruto world were generally conspiracy theorists. When they weren't busy with village development, they were obsessing over infiltration, sabotage, and assassination. Therefore, Allen knew he had to present something sufficiently dazzling to divert their attention, making all the "unreasonable" parts of his story seem automatically reasonable.
As for whether the Shinobi would attempt to learn Nen themselves, Allen wasn't worried in the slightest. Chakra was extracted from physical cells and converted through mental energy. Because these ninjas' life force had long since been converted into a different form, it was impossible for them to learn Nen.
Unless... they were willing to abandon their existing power, crawl back into the womb, and start their development all over again.
"Could you demonstrate?"
Standing to the side was Kakashi, his mask on and his "dead fish eye" staring lazily as he made the suggestion.
"No problem!"
Allen agreed without hesitation. He instantly reinforced his fist with a small amount of Aura and slammed it into the floor.
BOOM!
Following a dull roar, a crater the size of a basketball was smashed into the ground.
"No Chakra fluctuations observed. However, there is another type of substance, similar to life energy, coating the fist."
A member of the Hyuga Clan, identifiable by their pale eyes, immediately provided the results of his observation.
Hearing this, the Third Hokage finally lowered his final layer of suspicion. A person possessing such a strange and rare ability would typically be a subject of protection and research for any village; no village would be willing to send such a person out as a spy.
This meant Allen was likely the descendant of some ancient clan living in an obscure mountain village, who had accidentally stumbled into Konoha's territory while fleeing from enemies or rivals.
Once he reached this conclusion, Hiruzen's face softened into his trademark benevolent smile. He nodded approvingly. "A punch with significant power! It seems this ability is quite suitable for Taijutsu. Perhaps with a bit of training, you could become an excellent ninja. Tell me, would you be interested in becoming a member of Konoha?"
"Me? Become a ninja?" Allen pointed at his nose, feigning a look of panic and confusion.
"Yes! I feel you have the talent for it. Of course, if you aren't sure how to answer yet, you can stay in the village for a while and think it over. In exchange, I hope you can teach us the method of training this power," the Third Hokage proposed his terms, his tone calm and steady.
You old fox! Truly, there isn't a single powerful old man in Japanese anime who isn't a schemer!
After grumbling inwardly, Allen feigned a nonchalant attitude and nodded. "Sure! But I don't have any money. How will I handle food and a place to stay?"
"Heh, don't worry about that. The village will provide you with a monthly allowance. As for your lodging..." At this, the Third Hokage turned his gaze toward Kakashi. "Let him stay with you for now."
"Understood."
Kakashi, having come from an Anbu background, realized instantly that this was a close-quarters surveillance mission. He accepted the task without hesitation.
"Then it's settled! If it's convenient, could you take me to get something to eat? I feel like my stomach is about to collapse from hunger."
As he spoke, Allen's stomach let out a timely, audible growl. This childish display brought a thin smile to the faces of the adults present.
The Third Hokage laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Go on then! After all, you haven't had a decent meal in months."
"Let's go. To celebrate your recovery, this meal is on me," Kakashi said, leading Allen out of the Hokage's office.
The moment they left, the smile vanished from Hiruzen's face. He turned to the two advisors standing behind him. "What do you think of the boy?"
"His family's secret art is interesting, but its power..."
The man named Homura Mitokado glanced at the small crater on the floor and shook his head slightly. The implication was clear: compared to Chakra and the devastating system of Ninjutsu, this level of attack power was negligible. Even if there was room for improvement, he would likely only reach the level of a Chunin, hardly worth significant investment.
"No, I disagree," Koharu Utatane countered. "While this power may be lacking in offense, it is incredibly useful for healing. I believe we should form a research team to uncover its secrets and integrate them into our medical system."
As a former Medical Ninja herself, she had immediately noticed Allen's extraordinary self-recovery.
Precisely speaking, this was the greatest difference between the Chakra system and the Nen system, despite both using life energy. The former focused on releasing energy faster and more violently to achieve slaughter and destruction, to the point of neglecting bodily maintenance. Once a ninja hit their twilight years, their strength inevitably plummeted.
In the world of Naruto, ninjas who lived to be a hundred were unheard of; even those who survived past fifty were rare. In contrast, Nen users focused on retaining energy within the body, utilizing it only when necessary. Consequently, Nen users were generally long-lived, reaching their peak around their fifties or sixties without any sign of declining strength. A rare few, like Chairman Netero, could maintain staggering combat power even at 120 years old.
The Third Hokage seemed moved by the suggestion. "Integrating it into the Medical Ninjutsu system? That sounds like an excellent idea. In that case, let's give it a try. I suspect that secret art isn't as easy to master as one might think, it's likely a rare Kekkei Genkai."