Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe

"Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama." With the news of Tsunade's return, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and several other Konoha officials hurried over to meet her. Shikaku finally allowed himself a moment of relief. The village had been in a difficult situation, and as Konoha's chief strategist, the past few days had been particularly taxing for him.

Externally, Konoha faced pressure from Kumogakure and Iwagakure, while internally, many ninjas were demoralized due to the exposure of the darker parts of Konoha's history. The delicate situation was compounded by the silence of two key clans—the Hatake clan, after the tragic death of Hatake Sakumo, and the Hyuga clan, following the death of Hyuga Hizashi. If either of these two clans spoke out, it would only further destabilize Konoha's internal structure.

Some things were best left unsaid, even if everyone knew the truth.

But with Tsunade becoming the Fifth Hokage, much of the turmoil could be resolved. As for the external pressures from Kumogakure and Iwagakure, Konoha had never feared foreign wars, provided the village was united internally.

"Tsunade-sama." Shikaku approached Tsunade, intending to escort her to the Hokage Tower, where a backlog of unresolved issues awaited. Many matters required the signature and authority of the Hokage.

"There's no rush for that," Tsunade replied as she walked straight ahead, turning a corner toward the section of the village housing foreign embassies.

Boom.

With a single punch, Tsunade shattered the entrance to the residence of the Kumogakure envoys. The sudden explosion of force alarmed the five Kumogakure ninjas inside, who quickly grabbed their weapons and rushed out, tense and on high alert.

"Tsunade, you're back. Good, Konoha owes us an explanation," the Kumogakure elder barked, his tone arrogant upon seeing her.

Among the Sannin, Tsunade was arguably the most renowned. Her establishment of Konoha's medical-nin system had revolutionized the battlefield, forcing the other great ninja villages to adopt similar systems.

"Get out," Tsunade spat, her voice full of authority and disdain.

"You—!" The Kumogakure elder, completely taken aback by her audacity, found himself at a loss for words.

"Leave Konoha today. Tell that brute, the Fourth Raikage, that if he wants war, we're ready. If you're still here by tomorrow, we'll be sending your bodies back to Kumogakure," she declared as she turned and strode toward the Hokage Tower, her threat hanging in the air.

"Tsunade!" The elder made to follow her, but Kakashi quickly intervened, blocking his path. "Apologies, but the Fifth Hokage has spoken. I'd be more than happy to help escort you out."

"Fine! Konoha will pay for this!" the elder snarled before retreating with his four guards, leaving Konoha humiliated.

"Tsunade-sama, won't this provoke Kumogakure?" Shikaku asked in a hushed voice after catching up to her.

"Don't worry. Do you really think those muscleheads at Kumogakure are all brawn and no brain? This is just a probe; the Fourth Raikage would never initiate a full-scale war himself," Tsunade said with a sly smile.

One didn't rise to the position of Kage without being shrewd. Even Naruto, brash as he was in his youth, had learned to temper his actions after becoming the Seventh Hokage.

The Fourth Raikage's actions, as aggressive as they might seem, were all in the interest of Kumogakure. His lust for the Hyuga's Byakugan was just another part of that pursuit. To Konoha, it seemed overreaching and opportunistic, but from Kumogakure's perspective, it was a calculated move.

The Fourth Raikage himself was no stranger to underhanded tactics. He'd once led a raid on a small village to steal a secret technique, nearly dying in the process. If it weren't for Tsunade's medical prowess, he might not have survived.

The Five Great Shinobi Villages held overwhelming power, but smaller villages sometimes possessed unique secret techniques that even the largest villages coveted.

"In this current situation, if Kumogakure were to make the first move, regardless of the outcome, they would face massive losses. Meanwhile, that crafty old man in Iwagakure would be grinning from ear to ear."

"The Tsuchikage, Ohnoki, truly is a troublesome opponent," Shikaku agreed.

"He's ancient and still refuses to retire. He's a thorn in everyone's side. Doesn't he understand it's time to let the younger generation take over?"

If Ohnoki could hear Tsunade's complaints, he would probably protest his innocence. It wasn't that he clung to power, but rather that there was no one in Iwagakure strong enough to take over his mantle. Konoha's ability to produce wave after wave of talented shinobi was something the other villages deeply envied.

After Minato's death, Konoha had also faced a crisis of leadership. The Sannin were unavailable—Orochimaru had defected, Tsunade had left, and Jiraiya was constantly traveling. During that time, the talented Fugaku Uchiha might have been a candidate for Hokage, but Sarutobi Hiruzen would sooner have given the title to Danzo than let it fall to an Uchiha.

While Daniel criticized Hiruzen for not relinquishing the Hokage position, Hiruzen had been forced into a corner. There simply hadn't been a viable successor at the time.

The same problem plagued the other villages. Their so-called "lack of successors" wasn't due to a total absence of talent but rather a lack of politically acceptable successors. Like Konoha, they had their own dark histories of sacrificing heroes for political expediency.

In Sunagakure, for example, the hero Pakura, who wielded the Scorch Release, was betrayed and handed over to Kirigakure to be killed. Compared to this, Konoha's treatment of its heroes, while far from perfect, was at least less severe.

As Tsunade and Shikaku reached the Hokage Tower, they were greeted by the sounds of a commotion.

"What's going on here?" Shikaku asked, spotting a group of chunin gathered outside the Hokage's office.

"It's young master Konohamaru," one of the chunin explained, quickly filling Shikaku in on the details.

"Enough nonsense. Step aside," Tsunade ordered. The chunin obediently moved out of her way, and with a swift punch, she shattered the office door.

"Take him away," she commanded after stepping into the office, barely glancing at a terrified Konohamaru huddling in the corner. She then took a seat behind the Hokage's desk, her rightful place as Konoha's Fifth Hokage.

"Now, tell me everything about the situation we're facing," she said. The chunin dragged Konohamaru out of the room as Shikaku began his briefing.

"So, I'll need to have a talk with the heads of the Hyuga and Hatake clans," Tsunade said after listening to the report. While Kakashi had declined the position of clan head, the Hatake clan had chosen a new leader in his place.

"There's also the matter of Nawaki and Dan..." Shikaku trailed off, hesitant.

"What about Nawaki and Dan?" Tsunade's face grew serious at the mention of her two dearest loved ones.

Shikaku reluctantly told her everything Daniel had revealed about the deaths of Nawaki and Dan. Though he feared Tsunade's reaction, he felt it was better she heard it from him than through rumors.

Surprisingly, Tsunade didn't react with the expected rage. Instead, she closed her eyes and fell silent.

The Uchiha and Senju clans were once considered equals in strength, yet after the Senju brothers Hashirama and Tobirama, the clan had all but vanished, save for Tsunade and Nawaki. The reasons behind this were a mystery, but the implications were troubling.

After a long pause, Tsunade finally opened her eyes, now calm and resolute. "The inauguration ceremony for the Fifth Hokage will take place tomorrow," she announced.

"Isn't that a bit sudden?" Shikaku asked.

"The sooner, the better. This will also put a certain old man's ambitions to rest."

"I understand. I'll begin preparations immediately," Shikaku replied.

"So, Iwagakure has withdrawn its forces without a fight. I thought Konoha and Iwa would end up clashing," Daniel remarked as he read through the latest intelligence report. He set the document aside and turned his attention to the figure floating in a glass tank in front of him—Suigetsu Hozuki.

Daniel was currently at Orochimaru's southern hideout, located on a remote island in the sea. After parting ways with Tsunade, they had relocated here to rest and recover while researching a way to undo the Reaper Death Seal.

The southern hideout was one of Orochimaru's most secretive bases, hidden far from the Five Great Shinobi Villages, making it an ideal location for their current purposes.

Here, Daniel had encountered Suigetsu Hozuki, a member of

 the Hozuki clan and a future member of Sasuke's "Hebi" (Snake) Squad. Daniel had taken the opportunity to study the Hozuki clan's unique Hydration Technique, a secret technique that allowed their bodies to liquefy, making them nearly impervious to physical attacks.

The Hydration Technique wasn't a Kekkei Genkai but a secret technique, meaning it could be learned by others. Orochimaru had captured Suigetsu specifically to study this technique.

Suigetsu, though often brash, was easily frightened. The first time he had seen the First Hokage's statue, he had broken into a cold sweat. His timid nature had made him a cooperative subject for Orochimaru's research, so he hadn't suffered much during his captivity.

After reviewing Orochimaru's research and conducting his own experiments, Daniel had taken the findings a step further. Orochimaru had managed to partially replicate the Hydration Technique, but it was limited in duration. Daniel's advancements brought it closer to the original, allowing others to use it almost as effectively as the Hozuki clan themselves.

However, the technique wasn't without its weaknesses. It was far from the invulnerability of a Logia devil fruit. Both fire and lightning-style techniques could still harm those using the Hydration Technique.

"Have you thought it over?" Daniel asked Suigetsu, who was still floating in the tank.

"Of course, I want out of here," Suigetsu replied eagerly.

"Alright then, out you go." Daniel manipulated the controls, draining the tank and allowing Suigetsu to step out.

"Put these on. I'll take you to meet the others," Daniel said, tossing him a set of clothes.

Once Suigetsu was dressed, they left the room together.

"So, you're saying he's going to be my captain? Well, if he can beat me, that's fine," Suigetsu said after being introduced to Sasuke.

"I need to see if you're even qualified to be my teammate," Sasuke retorted, clearly unimpressed by Suigetsu.

"Take it outside. Just don't cause too much of a scene," Daniel said with a wave, sending the two outside to settle their differences.

The Hydration Technique no longer required further study. Suigetsu was a talented young ninja, despite his timidity. With him on board, along with Karin Uzumaki, the Hebi Squad was nearly complete. The last member they needed was Jugo.

Recruiting Jugo would be easy enough once Sasuke had grown stronger. With his current abilities, especially with his newfound mastery of Wood Release, Sasuke would have no trouble keeping Jugo under control.

Daniel also planned to investigate Jugo's unique condition further, hoping to find a way to permanently resolve Jugo's unstable absorption of natural energy.

Jugo's body naturally absorbed natural energy, which gave him a form of sage chakra. If Jugo had been attuned to Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode, he would have turned into stone by now. Fortunately, his unique constitution prevented him from petrifying, though it did cause him to lose control and become a berserker when he absorbed too much natural energy.

The key to Jugo's violent outbursts lay in his body's constant absorption of natural energy. When the energy built up to a critical point, he would lose control, unleashing the excess energy through rampages. Once the energy was expelled, he would regain his sanity, only for the cycle to repeat itself.

Despite his gentle nature, Jugo's condition had forced him into isolation for most of his life. He spent most of his time locked away in a specially designed steel cage, hoping to avoid harming others.

"This was over quickly," Daniel remarked when Suigetsu and Sasuke returned from their brief duel. Suigetsu's spiky white hair was frizzed out from the effects of Sasuke's lightning release, making it clear who had won.

"He's too weak," Sasuke said coldly.

"You jerk!" Suigetsu snapped, annoyed but unable to refute Sasuke's words. Their fight had been brief, with Sasuke's lightning-based attacks completely nullifying Suigetsu's Hydration Technique. Combined with Sasuke's Sharingan, Suigetsu hadn't stood a chance.

Sasuke, now proficient in using the Rasengan, had quickly advanced in lightning-style techniques under Daniel's guidance. His mastery of the Chidori was developing rapidly, and he had already begun imbuing his Kusanagi sword with lightning chakra to enhance its cutting power.

Thanks to his training with the Rasengan, Sasuke had made significant progress in mastering the shape manipulation aspect of chakra, greatly improving his skills in other areas as well.

"There aren't many people your age to choose from. He's your best option," Daniel said, referring to Suigetsu.

"Fine, he'll do," Sasuke conceded.

"Just wait, I'll get stronger!" Suigetsu grumbled, still irritated.

"Oh, isn't that Zabuza-senpai's sword? What are you doing here, Zabuza?" Suigetsu asked, his mood brightening as he spotted the famed Decapitating Carving Knife (Zabuza's massive sword). He had always been envious of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and seeing the weapon reignited his ambition.

"Well, if it isn't that Hozuki brat. What brings you here?" Zabuza replied, surprised to see Suigetsu.

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