Kawasaki comforted him from the side. "Orochimaru, just hold on a little longer. You're building a new laboratory right now, aren't you?"
"Once you pick a few assistants, your research will progress much faster."
Orochimaru took a deep breath and reluctantly agreed.
Kawasaki then explained the purpose of his visit. "I came today mainly to clarify the situation with you both."
Minato had already encountered the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path during his rescue mission, so it was imperative to explain the full circumstances to him. As for Orochimaru, Kawasaki had only given him a brief overview in the past. This was the perfect opportunity to discuss it with them together.
Minato and Orochimaru fell silent, waiting for Kawasaki to begin. Kawasaki organized his thoughts for a moment before speaking.
But Minato's body remained perfectly still, a clear sign that he was controlling his emotions with immense willpower. He extended a hand, and a massive sphere of light composed of natural energy and other forces materialized in his palm.
The sphere's color shifted constantly, radiating a chaotic mix of energies. It was precisely this volatile mixture that caused Jugo's rampages.
Maintaining the sphere's rotation required exceptional chakra control. Even with so many irregular energies swirling within it, Minato managed to sustain the orb for over ten seconds before it vanished with a pop.
"Another failure," Minato said with a smile, showing no sign of frustration.
"Thank you very much, Big Brother Minato," Jugo said gratefully.
Minato waved his hand dismissively. "It was my fault for not returning sooner this time. I'll be more careful next time."
Hearing Jugo address him like that, Kawasaki thought that Minato really seemed to enjoy appearing younger. Well, since he died at twenty-four, he might as well think of him as still being twenty-four.
The marks on Minato's face quickly faded. Under Kawasaki's guidance, Minato had begun studying the Sage Mode of Mount Myoboku. However, using Sage Mode affected his personality, so he avoided activating it for long periods. He would only use it briefly for tests, entering Sage Mode to analyze the energy in Jugo's body before releasing it.
Most people found it difficult to retain natural energy; to use Sage Mode, one must first accumulate a sufficient amount. For Jugo, however, natural energy flowed into his body automatically, even when he did nothing. Such was the difference between individuals.
In a somber mood, Jugo stared blankly at a small bird in his palm. It had been stuck to his clothes, its flattened body a clear indication that it had been accidentally crushed during his rampage. Since Jugo could understand the language of birds and loved playing with them, he was deeply saddened by its death.
Seeing Jugo's despair, Kawasaki walked over and placed his hand over the bird. Jugo looked up, confused, but before he could speak, he watched in amazement as a gentle light emanated from Kawasaki's fingers, enveloping the bird's entire body.
In moments, the bird's crushed form was completely restored, and it was instantly full of life again. When Kawasaki withdrew his hands, the little creature was already hopping cheerfully in Jugo's palm.
A look of pure joy spread across Jugo's face. "Lord Kawasaki, how did you perform such a miracle?"
Kawasaki smiled faintly. "I just gave it a try. I didn't expect it to work." He added, "Just be more careful next time."
"I will!"
Though his frame was large, he was still just a thirteen-year-old boy. In this timeline, he had always been cared for and supported, so as long as he wasn't influenced by natural energy, he was still a sweet kid.
"Go and play for a while. We have things to discuss," Kawasaki said.
Jugo stood up, thanked Kawasaki once more, and left with his little friend.
Minato, who had witnessed the entire event, was extremely intrigued by the ability Kawasaki had just used. It was clearly no ordinary medical ninjutsu.
Noticing the curiosity in Minato's eyes, Kawasaki asked, "Interested in learning it?"
"Medical ninjutsu takes too much time and energy," Minato replied. "I need to focus on training Naruto right now. I really don't have the time to spare."
Hearing this, Kawasaki thought to himself that this technique was far more complex than simple medical ninjutsu.
"We also need to discuss Jugo's future," Kawasaki continued. "I plan to take Naruto and the others out on a mission soon."
"We definitely won't be able to return to the village for a while, so I'll need someone to look after him during that time." His last attempt to train Naruto's team with an overnight camping exercise had been delayed, which had nearly resulted in a disaster.
Considering the white, zombie-like enemies that were currently appearing all over Konoha, Jugo's unique ability to sense whether someone was affected by the Spore Technique would be invaluable. The problem was that an ordinary person couldn't withstand the high-intensity impact of his natural energy. Perhaps another genius researcher could help solve this issue. With that man's intellect, he would likely find an answer quickly.
The matter of the Giant Tenseigan also filled Kawasaki with a growing sense of urgency. He had to act swiftly to prevent the enemy from making a premature move and creating an irreversible situation. He decided to accelerate some of his original plans and share intelligence with everyone sooner to avoid further complications. At the same time, he planned to increase investment in special training for certain high-potential individuals.
Kawasaki intended to implement these arrangements as soon as the Uchiha clan's relocation was complete. During the move, he would arrange for specific key figures to appear, creating an opportunity to confront their old adversary directly. He hoped to weaken the enemy's strength before the migration began, preventing them from interfering along the way. To this end, he had formulated a new, detailed, and meticulous plan.
After a long while, a lone figure walked in, his expression sour. "Being Hokage is far too troublesome! It's an absolute waste of my precious time!"
The Fourth Hokage had entrusted all administrative duties to this new acting executive. For someone purely dedicated to the pursuit of truth, spending so much time on such matters every day was exceedingly tiresome.
In response, Minato Namikaze could only scratch the back of his head sheepishly. "Thank you for your hard work, Lord Orochimaru. I'll do my best to help lighten your workload when I have the chance."
Everyone knew that Orochimaru despised dealing with tedious paperwork. In the past, whenever Minato was around, he would push all of it onto him. Now that Minato was gone, he had no choice but to bear it himself, hence his dissatisfaction.
A companion at his side comforted him. "Just endure it a little longer. You're preparing to build your new lab, after all."
"Once you select a few assistants to help, your research should speed up considerably, right?"