Chapter 422: Synthetic Humans
Screech!
High in the sky, Sai flew toward the Land of Valleys, carrying the mission scroll entrusted to him by the Hokage.
"Just who could it be that dares to launch an attack against a former Hokage? And why didn't Lady Tsunade notify the Shinobi Alliance beforehand? Could there be traitors embedded within the Shinobi Alliance itself?"
He stared down at the scroll in his hand, lost in deep thought.
Only a few years had passed since the Fourth Great Ninja War, and peace had barely settled over the world. Why were there always those who refused to accept peace and instead sought to plunge the world back into chaos?
Why?
Whoosh!
Carried by his ink bird, Sai flew off into the distance, weighed down by heavy reflections.
...
The Village Hidden in the Stones.
The Technical Research Institute.
Inside a colossal laboratory, countless experimental instruments were neatly arranged throughout the fully equipped facility.
"Grandfather, we live in an era of peace now. Why are we still creating something like this?"
Kurotsuchi pointed toward the center of the chamber, where a synthetic body was slowly taking shape inside a growth tank—an embryo cultivated using Ohnoki's own cellular structure.
"The Synthetic Human Project was decided upon back when Scientific Shinobi Tools first emerged. Its sole purpose is to replace the village's shinobi and fight in their place," Ohnoki said, floating in midair as he spoke to Kurotsuchi. "As for an era of peace... I believe in temporary peace, but I do not believe in everlasting peace. Right now, three Honor Shinobi are holding down the world, and with their immense public credibility, they can barely maintain this fragile tranquility. But once they pass away, the Great Nations will plunge into war once again. We must plan ahead for future generations."
"You are the Tsuchikage now," Ohnoki added, looking at her warmly. "You cannot merely focus on present affairs; you must also prepare for the long-term development of our village."
Ohnoki's aging body could no longer withstand the high-intensity workload required of the Tsuchikage, so he had already passed the mantle to Kurotsuchi. Yet he had not retired into idle leisure. Instead, he had taken charge of this new initiative, seeking to develop a force capable of protecting the village—even if it wasn't needed right away.
Just as he said, the world would never know true, permanent peace. It would only enter brief periods of harmony under the leadership of absolute strength. Once the possessors of that absolute strength fell, the world would succumb to conflict yet again—just as Konoha had back during the era of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
Kurotsuchi frowned slightly. "Still, isn't this Synthetic Human Project far too dangerous? They won't just possess physical traits that ordinary shinobi lack, but they'll also be capable of using Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. If their minds ever become corrupted, the Hidden Stone Village could suffer catastrophic losses—worse than a Tailed Beast going on a rampage."
"Lord Tsuchikage, please do not cast doubt upon my technical expertise! This will be my crowning achievement as a researcher, complete with built-in fail-safes. The scenario you describe will absolutely not occur," spoken from beside them was Doctor Iwamura, who had been presenting the data to the two leaders. Hearing Kurotsuchi's skepticism, he couldn't help but register a hint of dissatisfaction.
With his sparse beard, wispy white hair, and sharp, perceptive eyes, everything about his appearance declared him the premier authority on Scientific Shinobi Tools in the Hidden Stone Village.
Kitsuchi added, "We are simply concerned about potential issues. After all, real human beings and synthetic humans are fundamentally different."
"There is no need to worry. My technological capabilities rank among the very best in the entire world. It is impossible for a superior scientist to exist," Doctor Iwamura declared with absolute confidence.
As the world transitioned into peace and Scientific Shinobi Tools gained widespread attention, he had finally received the opportunity to showcase his brilliance. He had no intention of squandering this chance, nor did he want his work disrupted.
Ohnoki turned to his granddaughter. "Rest easy, Kurotsuchi. I will personally supervise this project. If things truly get out of hand, I will resolve the matter myself."
He retained complete confidence in his own combat prowess, and Kurotsuchi shared that trust in her grandfather's strength.
Furthermore, processing his words helped her realize that war genuinely might not remain dormant forever. According to the latest intelligence she had received, dark undercurrents were stirring across every nation. Investigations suggested these hidden tides were centered around high-ranking officials and newly emerging Scientific Shinobi Tool experiments.
It seemed an unknown faction was covertly exerting its influence.
However, Kurotsuchi had yet to catch a solid lead on their identity; she merely gleaned a vague sense of their presence from fragmented intel reports. She suspected the Kage of the other villages felt the exact same looming threat.
Thus, the Synthetic Human Project could not be halted.
At any rate, these synthetic humans were merely cultivated using cellular samples and lab tools—unlike Orochimaru's past methods of conducting live human experimentation. A loss of this scale was something the Hidden Stone Village could well afford to bear.
"Alright, let's leave it at that then. Grandfather, I'll leave this place in your hands. I need to get back to work. Honestly, why does the Tsuchikage have so much paperwork to deal with? I never realized it was this much of a hassle before!"
Kurotsuchi let out a long sigh, her long legs carrying her toward the laboratory exit, leaving behind a grinning Ohnoki.
"Nonsense! That's because I handled all of it in the past! Otherwise, given my strength, how could my lower back have suffered such severe strain? I've finally found a successor to take over the burden!"
As he spoke, Ohnoki burst into a hearty laugh.
Crack!
Yet before even a moment passed, a sharp, agonized pop echoed from his spine.
"Lord Ohnoki... perhaps I should engineer a specialized back-support device for you? The technical difficulty for such a project is quite low," Doctor Iwamura offered hastily, hoping it might net him a bit more research funding.
Ohnoki's face immediately darkened. "Do you truly believe I am the type of man who requires such a crutch?!"
"Ah, yes... My apologies, Lord Ohnoki, I spoke out of turn."
"Build me a top-tier one. I am the type of man who requires such a device," Ohnoki barked out the very next second.
Why refuse a comfort when it was right in front of him? Only a fool would do that. He was pushing a century in age—enjoying a little physical relief was well within his rights, and no one would dare say otherwise. After all, he was the Third Tsuchikage!
"Ah, right away! I will issue the order immediately!" Doctor Iwamura was momentarily stunned by the sudden reversal, but he quickly scurried off in high spirits. Fulfilling Ohnoki's personal request would undoubtedly boost his future research allocations.
Meanwhile, among the technicians working in the laboratory, an operator typing code and data at a computer console flashed a sharp, cold gleam in his eyes.
...
"So this is the Land of Valleys... the location where Lady Tsunade was last seen. Welling Medical Technology Corporation... why would a company like that be established in a nation like this? Something is definitely wrong."
Sai touched down smoothly just outside the capital city of the Land of Valleys.
Poof!
Using a Transformation Technique, he disguised himself as an ordinary resident of the realm, then released countless ink mice to scout in every direction before slowly walking toward the capital city.
The Land of Valleys was a nation renowned for its agricultural bounty, possessing fertile soil and expansive flatlands. Compared to the distant Spring Country, this land relied entirely on its natural soil quality to yield abundant harvests.
Yet as Sai walked along the road, he spotted numerous shinobi hailing from the Spring Country using their unique Ninjutsu across the farmland to assist with cultivation.
"No matter how you look at it, this isn't a suitable place to found a company specializing in medical research."
This region produced grain in abundance, but it was hardly known for medicinal herbs. The presence of a high-tech medical firm here was deeply jarring.
This was an era of peace; every nation maintained open trade routes, and the World Ninja Association provided official channels for cross-border commerce. Great nations actively welcomed foreign enterprises onto their soil, as corporate presence generated immense economic revenue.
Therefore, setting up a medical headquarters in a rural agricultural realm like this made no sense at all.
All along his journey, Sai had not spotted a single field dedicated to growing medicinal plants. Clearly, the intelligence reports and his own suspicions were spot on.
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