Not knowing where Karin was, Rengoku activated the Kagura Mind's Eye and instantly determined her location.
Right now, Karin was still over at the Barrier Division. He planned to go pick her up and then head to Orochimaru's laboratory together.
But just as he was about to approach the area of the Barrier Division, a familiar voice sounded in his mind.
"Fifth Hokage-sama, is that you?"
It was Shikaku's voice.
Because Rengoku had disguised himself, outsiders couldn't perceive or confirm his appearance.
Shikaku had received the news in advance, which was how he recognized this chakra-obscured figure.
"Oh, Shikaku. I won't be appearing in public for now, no need to call me Hokage."
"Yes, Rengoku-sama."
Shikaku had no objections. After all, the Fourth Hokage and Rengoku were in the same camp. Whoever held the title made no difference.
"I heard from Karin that you're already building a wireless communication barrier?"
Shikaku immediately replied, "The wireless communication barrier is still in the testing phase. The larger the network area, the more prone it is to errors."
"It will take some time before it can be officially implemented."
Rengoku was quite concerned about this matter, because once it was completed, the speed at which he could unify the ninja world would increase significantly.
Right now, the only issue with unifying the ninja world wasn't that it couldn't be conquered, but maintaining long-term control after conquest.
After all, Konoha only had so many people. If you captured a place but didn't station personnel there, the moment you left, others would take it back.
Going back and forth like that would just turn into a prolonged tug-of-war, which had no real meaning.
But with wireless communication, this problem could be completely solved. It would allow all issues to be detected in the shortest possible time.
And with Minato, who could use Flying Thunder God, controlling every area would be easy.
"Do your best to push it forward. Speed it up as much as possible. This is a crucial part of Konoha's development."
"Yes, Rengoku-sama, we understand."
Rengoku chatted briefly with Shikaku, then instructed him to call Karin out.
He himself didn't go in. After all, security inside the Barrier Division was tight, and someone disguised like him entering would cause unnecessary trouble.
Before long, Karin came out, hopping and skipping.
"Shishou!", Just like before, the moment she saw Rengoku, she leapt straight at him.
Rengoku reached out and caught her, even spinning once with the motion.
After changing into the new clothes she bought yesterday, Karin looked much more youthful and lively.
And with her fully matured figure, she was already a full, voluptuous woman.
Yet Karin had no awareness of it at all. No matter how she looked on the outside, she still liked to act spoiled toward Rengoku like a child.
Rengoku didn't mind. He had already decided Karin's place, so he didn't care about these intimate gestures.
He held Karin without putting her down, "Let's go. Orochimaru is still waiting."
Karin giggled, hugged Rengoku's face and kissed him, acting spoiled, "Shishou, take me there."
As she spoke, she grabbed Rengoku's arm and leapt up. Rengoku cooperated, lifting her and placing her onto his shoulders.
Once Karin settled herself, her long, smooth legs dangled beside his shoulders, swaying back and forth.
Rengoku raised his hand and lightly patted her swaying thigh, teasing with a smile, "You've grown this big already, and you still like being held like a little kid?"
Karin swung her legs and laughed, "Of course. I'll always like Shishou holding me."
It was a girl's affection, direct and intense.
Rengoku didn't object, replying, "I like holding you too."
He placed his other hand on Karin's leg, gently stroking it.
This action made Karin's face flush slightly, but facing Rengoku's fondness for her body, she felt secretly happy and pleased.
Rengoku carried Karin like this as they headed toward Orochimaru's laboratory.
Along the way, they drew curious looks from some of the villagers.
This kind of behavior was, after all, somewhat overly intimate and ambiguous.
———
[Orochimaru's Laboratory]
By the time Rengoku arrived, Hyuga Aoto was already waiting there.
"Rengoku-sama."
Hyuga Aoto hurriedly bowed to Rengoku, choosing to ignore Karin clinging to his shoulder.
Rengoku nodded slightly, "Aoto, it's been five years. How is the Hyuga clan?"
Aoto bowed again, "The Hyuga clan is doing well now. Without those freeloaders and oppressors, the clan is working hard to restore its population."
"The first batch of children is already almost five years old."
Because of the earlier seed project, many branch family members of the Hyuga clan had left offspring outside.
After the branch family's victory, they brought those women back into the clan.
Within the Hyuga clan, which leaned toward old traditions, their development model emphasized maintaining population prosperity through more births and more marriages.
So a wife was not the only option; one could have both wives and concubines.
These women brought back from outside due to the seed project naturally held lower status as concubines.
However, compared to the hardships of life outside, becoming part of the Hyuga clan and a member of Konoha Village, they were more than willing.
Right now, Konoha citizenship was extremely prestigious, and not easy to obtain through normal means.
The only way was to marry into Konoha.
"They're already five years old?", Rengoku hadn't paid much attention to the seed project before.
But over the past five years, Karin had told him about these matters.
Hearing Aoto mention it now, he recalled it as well.
"How is their talent?", Rengoku asked casually.
If the Sharingan was considered a recessive genetic inheritance, then the Byakugan was basically a dominant one.
As long as they were from the Hyuga clan, most would naturally awaken the Byakugan around the age of three or four.
But this was based on the condition that the partner was also a ninja.
With the seed project, it was clearly impossible to find that many talented women.
A relaxed smile appeared on Hyuga Aoto's face, "These children have varying levels of talent, but that's fine. Even if their talent is poor, we'll still raise them well."
After the branch family's New Bud Plan, the remaining branch members cherished their hard-won freedom even more.
The current branch family was like a loving big family. There were no longer the high-pressure clan rules of the main family.
"That's good. Your Hyuga clan has great potential. Keep working hard."
Rengoku naturally knew the upper limits of the Byakugan. His words weren't exaggerated at all.
But Aoto simply took it as polite encouragement and responded with a few courteous remarks.
Seeing this, Rengoku didn't point it out. In time, the Hyuga would come to understand.
"Let's go in."
"Yes, Rengoku-sama."
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