Chapter 88: Battle Strategy
A researcher stepped forward, his face deathly pale, cheeks sunken, hair patchy and thinning, and deep dark circles under his eyes that made him look like he was wearing heavy smoky eye makeup. His bloodshot eyes were wild, and a trace of madness lingered in his gaze.
This was Tayama Agasa, one of Yusuke's most capable subordinates at the Konoha Research Institute—second only to Kabuto. Obsessed with biological science, he had become the one person even Hidan feared the most.
Raising a hand, Yusuke introduced him to the gathered shinobi:
"This is Dr. Agasa, head of the Konoha Research Institute's biology division. He'll be demonstrating one of our latest research breakthroughs."
He added with a slightly helpless smile, "His demonstration will be... a bit gory. I originally wanted to use animals, but Agasa insisted on using himself. No matter how I tried to persuade him otherwise, he wouldn't budge."
Agasa stepped forward and extended his right hand, revealing a distinct curse mark on his wrist.
"Everyone, this is the 'Seal of Emergency Aid.' When the bearer suffers a severe injury, all it takes is a burst of chakra to activate the seal's powerful regenerative abilities," he explained hoarsely.
Before anyone could react, Agasa suddenly drew a kunai and stabbed it deep into his own chest. Blood sprayed out instantly.
He had driven it in with terrifying force—deep enough to pierce his lung. He coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth.
Most of the shinobi present were veterans, used to seeing life and death, and though they were surprised by Agasa's brutal self-demonstration, their expressions remained calm. A few civilian staff members, however, screamed in terror.
But then something astonishing happened: from the curse seal on Agasa's wrist, a powerful flow of life-charged chakra surged toward his wound.
Within seconds, the damage began to reverse. His chest injury closed completely, leaving behind only a faint scar. Even the coughing, which indicated internal damage, subsided.
It was clear that this seal didn't merely heal surface wounds—it had even repaired his damaged lung. The implications were astounding: even critical internal injuries could be healed in moments.
"As you can see," Agasa said, his voice now steadier, "my injuries have been fully healed. However, while the 'Seal of Emergency Aid' is powerful, it consumes all the stored life force in a single use. To activate it again, the seal must be recharged using a specially prepared replenishment serum."
He held up the now-faded curse mark to show the crowd, then produced a syringe and injected a glowing serum directly into the seal.
As the serum took effect, the color of the curse mark on Agasa's wrist slowly returned to normal.
What Agasa had demonstrated was, in essence, a modified version of Yusuke's original creation—the "Seal of Vitality." Over time, Agasa and the other researchers at the Konoha Institute had made several adjustments to the seal, refining it into a new variant.
The resulting product, dubbed the "Seal of Emergency Aid," did not possess the same overwhelming regenerative power as the original "Seal of Vitality." However, it could be pre-applied to the user and activated only when needed, making it significantly more practical in combat scenarios.
Most importantly, once used, the seal could be recharged by injecting a specially-formulated replenishment serum—essentially a diluted version of the Hashirama Cell Fusion Solution.
This new seal consumed far fewer Hashirama cells than its predecessor, and the medicinal effects were far milder. It was, therefore, far more suitable for widespread distribution among the general forces.
Agasa then went on to give a detailed explanation of the Seal of Emergency Aid, emphasizing its ease of use and its broad applicability. The crowd responded with visible excitement and awe.
In the world of shinobi, high casualty rates were a harsh reality—one that every hidden village struggled to address.
Now, with the advent of this new seal, it was as if every Konoha shinobi had been granted a second life. Their odds of survival on the battlefield had increased dramatically.
"To think the institute isn't even fully built yet, and we've already seen such a breakthrough… No wonder he's the Chief Advisor!"
"With this seal, even if Kumo and Kiri join forces, we have nothing to fear. This time, we'll make them pay."
The meeting hall buzzed with discussion, and the crowd's respect for Yusuke only deepened.
It was clear that this young Chief Advisor wasn't just a powerhouse in his own right—he also had a formidable talent for innovation.
"In that case," asked the Inuzuka clan head, "does this mean our squads no longer need to include medical ninja? If everyone is equipped with this seal, couldn't we fill every spot with combat-focused shinobi instead and boost our firepower?"
Shikaku Nara, who had remained silent until now, shook his head and responded calmly,
"This seal is a one-time-use item. After activation, it requires a recharge. It's best reserved for emergency situations where a life is on the line. Over extended campaigns, medical ninjas are still essential. They're the ones who can tend to the non-lethal injuries and keep our forces operational."
Yusuke nodded in agreement. "Clan Head Nara is absolutely right. Also, the amount of replenishment serum we've produced is limited. It's not feasible to equip every shinobi with unlimited uses."
He added, "For this war, every shinobi deployed to the front lines will be given one Seal of Emergency Aid. However, only those assigned to high-risk missions can apply through me for additional doses of the serum."
The crowd found this distribution plan both fair and reasonable.
At that moment, the Third Hokage spoke gravely:
"Yusuke, this seal is of immense value to the village. We must keep it a secret. Under no circumstances can it fall into the hands of other villages. The Research Institute must be protected under the supervision of the ANBU."
Yusuke gave a confident smile.
"Rest assured, Lord Third. I've already implemented strict security measures. There's no need to trouble the ANBU."
Yusuke, ever protective of his intellectual property, had taken precautions. He had improved upon Root's notorious "Tongue Curse Seal," modifying it so that it caused no harm to the bearer—but still enforced absolute silence regarding the institute's research. It was, in effect, an unbreakable confidentiality agreement.
Watching Yusuke command the room and shape the future of Konoha, the Third Hokage silently acknowledged that his own ambitions of controlling the institute would have to wait. For now, Yusuke's influence was simply too great.
And with control over the Seal of Emergency Aid, Yusuke was sure to become one of the most sought-after figures in the entire village. After all, whether shinobi or clan, everyone wanted their people to have a way to cheat death.
To obtain more of the replenishment serum, shinobi would have to apply through the institute—through Yusuke himself.
With the demonstration concluded, attention shifted to planning the actual military campaign against the combined threat of Kumo and Kiri.
After final deliberations, Yusuke was appointed commander of the northern front to counter the Lightning Village's invasion.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya was tasked with leading the eastern front, where the Mist Village was expected to launch a naval assault.