"Shin!" Koharu stood abruptly. She'd been finding him increasingly difficult to deal with lately. "The instruction was to come alone. What's the meaning of this? Why are Tsunade and Orochimaru with you?"
"Indeed!" Danzō also spoke coldly, "Your disregard for direct orders from the Hokage suggests you've misinterpreted our patience as weakness"
Hiruzen wanted to erupt in anger too, but seeing that Tsunade and Orochimaru were present, he suppressed his fury and asked, "Why did you disobey orders? Do you know you're violating the ninja code?"
"You're right, Hokage-sama. It does appear I've broken protocol," Shin acknowledged readily, but in the next moment, he grinned and said. "But I'm not actually a ninja, so how can those protocols apply to me? Is my name listed on any ninja roster in Konoha, official or otherwise?"
His words hit like a splash of cold water. The initial anger on the faces of Konoha's leadership quickly transformed into realization.
Although Shin had mastered many medical ninjutsu, and had even developed resurrection techniques…
Although he could easily defeat eight elite members of the Uchiha clan…
Although he could fight Orochimaru without giving him a chance to strike back…
Although he could teleport with a technique more advanced than Flying Thunder God…
What he said… was actually true. He wasn't a ninja. So how could the ninja code apply to him? His official status was nothing more than that of an ordinary civilian in Konoha.
Even Konoha Hospital had him registered as a doctor, not a medical-nin. Over time, they had all unconsciously forgotten this technicality, and now found themselves in an embarrassing position of their own making.
Tsunade and Orochimaru struggled to maintain their composure, while Sakumo let out a deep sigh of relief. With the ninja code violation ruled out, defying the Hokage's orders no longer applied either.
After all, Hiruzen always preached about the "Will of Fire," claiming that the Hokage served the people of the village. Shin, as a civilian, was precisely the person meant to be served.
Even if he openly criticized the Hokage or ignored his orders, what could Hiruzen do about it?
Shin didn't even need to show up… but he still came. How touching.
"Ahem..." Regaining his composure, Hiruzen cleared his throat and subtly signaled the other council members to rein in their emotions.
"They didn't mean anything by it, they simply forgot in the moment. After all, we in Konoha have strict regulations for ninja behavior," Hiruzen quickly shifted to his warm, kindly tone used for civilians, and explained, "You're right, you're not a ninja, so naturally, the ninja code doesn't apply to you."
"Then may I ask," Shin said directly, "what is the reason you summoned me today?"
"Shin, just a moment!" Hiruzen smiled kindly and looked toward Tsunade, saying, "Tsunade, we need to speak with Shin in private for a moment."
"I'll leave right away," Tsunade responded, "but Shin and I are about to get married. My grandmother has long awaited this day. If I'm unable to get married on time, or not at all, due to some unforeseen circumstance… I can't guarantee what I might do."
As she spoke, her tone grew cold as she swept her gaze across everyone present.
"You two are getting married?" Hiruzen's face lit up with delight. "That's wonderful news! As your teacher, I couldn't be happier for you both. Don't worry, we're just going to chat with him a bit. Nothing unexpected will happen."
What unexpected thing could even happen? He had mastered instant teleportation. They weren't prepared at all today, what could they possibly do to him? Besides, the charges they had intended to pin on him were rendered completely meaningless by his one line: "I'm not a ninja."
Hiruzen had already shifted his strategy on the fly, now, he truly just wanted to have a conversation. Even if he eventually planned to eliminate Shin, today was not the day.
"Orochimaru, what about you?" After congratulating Tsunade, Hiruzen turned to him.
"Sensei, here's the thing—" Orochimaru stepped forward and handed over a research proposal. "I've started a new project that I need Shin's help with. I wanted you to review it. Since you were already meeting with him, I couldn't wait to bring you the good news, so I came along."
Their original plan had been disrupted, and Hiruzen needed a moment to reorganize his thoughts anyway. He took the proposal and began flipping through it carefully.
By the final page, his eyes lit up.
"Are you serious about this pill that can rapidly restore chakra without any side effects? Can it really be developed?" he asked with excitement.
Orochimaru nodded. "To be honest, I've been wanting to improve the standard soldier pills for a long time. I've had the idea for years."
"With my concept and his talent in pharmaceutical formulation, I believe it's entirely possible."
"And this stamina recovery medicine, and this one that's cheap to produce yet gradually enhances a ninja's physical abilities with long-term use, those too?"
"We did a preliminary discussion, we estimate a 60% chance of success," Orochimaru said confidently.
The so-called proposal was absolutely doable. But in truth, it was just something Shin had casually handed to Orochimaru, a cover for their real research.
"This is a gift from us to you, Sensei. Under your leadership, I believe Konoha's shinobi will grow increasingly formidable." Orochimaru's words hit Hiruzen right in the heart, filling him with excitement.
"Excellent work, both of you," Hiruzen said warmly. "But this must remain a secret. Continue your research in private, and once you leave this office, don't speak a word of it to anyone."
"Yes."
"Wait a minute!" Koharu, unable to contain herself, burst out angrily. "Shin, have you already been capable of developing these medicines for years? Why didn't you ever tell me?"
She felt utterly betrayed and was furious.
"These ideas were mine." Orochimaru quickly stepped in to divert the topic. "What do they have to do with him? I only approached him today to discuss it. But I must say, his insight into pharmaceutical compounds is remarkable. His feedback gave me the confidence to present this to Sensei without delay."
But Koharu wasn't the type to listen to reason.