Just one day later, the living bodies were secretly delivered to the laboratory. While many high-ranking figures in Konoha were aware of the operation, such things were best kept under wraps.
"Lord Orochimaru, if there is nothing else, we will be leaving now," one of the Anbu said after settling the living bodies.
Even for seasoned ninjas used to the sight of death, the atmosphere of the living body laboratory was unsettling.
"Yes, go," Orochimaru replied without turning around, focusing on marking each living body.
Misaki, now accustomed to the routine, silently assisted him.
"Retreat," the Anbu leader commanded, and the team swiftly withdrew.
"Orochimaru-sensei, will these living bodies be enough?" Misaki asked calmly, her composure reflecting the fundamental discipline of a Medical-nin.
"It's barely enough," Orochimaru replied, already planning for the next batch of test subjects. His own experiments would undoubtedly require more.
"Why don't you go home first? I'll handle things here," Misaki offered sensibly, noting the late hour.
"No, Sensei will stay with you," Orochimaru said with a faint smile, unwilling to leave her alone.
"Sensei doesn't trust me," Misaki teased, pretending to be annoyed. Her demeanor showed no trace of fear or hesitation.
"Haha, you could say that," Orochimaru responded, suppressing the urge to pat her head—a habit he had long since abandoned as she had grown older.
There were very few people with whom Orochimaru allowed himself to be this close.
"Then let's hurry up. You still need to go back and keep Satsuki company," Misaki said, quickening her pace.
Their task was to stabilize the living bodies and restore their health since they had sustained injuries during their time in prison. The experiments wouldn't begin for a few days, which was why Orochimaru had urged Tsunade to expedite the preparations.
After more than an hour of work, the two finally finished.
"Hurry back. Nawaki is probably waiting for you at home," Orochimaru teased as they left the hospital.
"Nawaki knows. I already told him," Misaki replied evenly. As long as the topic wasn't too personal, she could handle it with ease.
"Okay, see you tomorrow," Orochimaru said, knowing Misaki wouldn't leave until he did.
"See you tomorrow," Misaki replied.
She watched as Orochimaru disappeared around the corner before heading home herself.
When Misaki arrived, Mito hadn't returned yet. Kushina and Nawaki, waiting patiently for her, hadn't eaten dinner.
"Sister Misaki, you're finally back."
"I'm so hungry I could die," Kushina complained, patting her stomach. She had spent the whole day chasing dogs and was thoroughly exhausted.
The dog she had caught belonged to the Inuzuka family, and she'd heard it had run away because it couldn't take the stress anymore. When she finally caught it, she thought she saw despair in its eyes.
"If you're hungry, just eat. You don't have to wait for me," Misaki said as she sat down, and the servants began serving the food.
"Brother Nawaki said no," Kushina grumbled, full of grievances but secretly agreeing with him. After all, Nawaki rarely argued too much with the "The Red-Hot Habanero."
"Next time, you two can eat first," Misaki said, her tone carrying a hint of accusation, though deep down, she felt a warmth knowing they had waited for her.
"It's fine if she's hungry for a bit. Just think of it as dieting," Nawaki quipped quietly, clearly trying to tease Kushina.
"I'm not fat, you're just talking nonsense," Kushina retorted sharply. "Minato said just yesterday that I had a great figure."
When the subject of her body came up, Kushina couldn't hold back her pride.
"My fault, I said the wrong thing," Nawaki said, glancing between Kushina and Misaki. Minato really has no shame, he thought.
"What's that look in your eyes? Do you want a beating?" Kushina snapped, standing up abruptly, no longer looking pitiful in the least.
"Okay, okay. Let's eat first," Misaki interjected, already rubbing her forehead.
Her brief moment of happiness was quickly overshadowed by exasperation. These two were always at odds, and after so many years, it didn't seem like it would ever change.
"Hmph, I'll let it slide for Sister Misaki's sake today," Kushina said, sitting back down and choosing not to push the matter any further.
"Thank you," Nawaki replied, rolling his eyes helplessly and mentally withdrawing his earlier thought of calling her a "good sister."
With Misaki's presence acting as a buffer, the meal passed without incident. She could only reflect silently that life without Grandma Mito around felt much harder to bear.
Much later, after they had finished eating, Mito finally put Ginji down and prepared to return home.
"Take care, Grandma," Kawakaze said as he escorted her to the door.
It wasn't that he didn't want to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to send her back, but Mito preferred to walk and stretch her legs more.
"Well, I'll come back tomorrow," Mito said, repeating her usual parting words as she walked further into the distance.
Back in the room, Tsunade had already put Ginji to sleep.
"I heard that Orochimaru's experiments have made progress, right?" Kawakaze asked, having heard about the living cells from Sakumo.
"Oh, I wasn't planning to hide it from you," Tsunade admitted after a moment's hesitation. "I just didn't want you to worry."
"It's okay. You were with me back then. I'll be with you this time as well," Kawakaze reassured her.
He wasn't as concerned as Tsunade had expected. Deep down, he had suspected this day would come. After all, no one could easily resist the temptation of Hashirama's Cells—not even Madara.
"Maybe you shouldn't go," Tsunade said, not because she doubted the experiment's success but because she didn't want Kawakaze to witness what might happen during the fusion process. With his own prior experience, she feared it wouldn't be a pleasant sight.
"Don't worry. Is there any part of your body I haven't already seen?" Kawakaze said, easily guessing her hidden concerns.
"How can it be the same?" Tsunade retorted, ready to refuse. But after a moment, she sighed and relented. "Forget it, just go. I'll let you know when it's time."
The significance of the matter left her uneasy at the thought of Kawakaze not being by her side when it happened.
"That's the point!" Kawakaze said, wrapping his arm around Tsunade's shoulders and letting her lean against him.
"Remember, no matter what you become in the future, I will always be there," he said, his voice steady and sincere.
Kawakaze's heartfelt words struck a chord, reigniting a small flame in Tsunade's heart. She leaned forward, resting her head against his.
And so began another war without smoke.