The Doctor is in (open)

Okay, that was something that Masashi would need to nip in the bud. He liked Ayato as a person, but he was letting his own personal opinions cloud his thinking and was letting his imagination get the better of him. “I appreciate that Ayato. I do want to make one thing clear though,” he would say to his Hogokage, his voice taking on a slightly disappointed tone. “I think you have the wrong idea about what it is that I do.” He wasn’t the kind of person that was going to perform some type of obscene ritual in his basement, sacrificing people and creating some kind of cult. “While I hope your examples are exaggerations, I have no intention of feeding anyone body parts, nor would I even consider attempting to create a living being out of random body parts.” The thought of either concept was a perversion of the medical oaths he’d taken as a doctor and disturbed the Uzumaki Jounin that his friend would even think that it would be conceivable for him to do something as depraved as what he suggested. At the very least he had permission to work on his research, the rest could always be handled during later discussions.

“Morality is always on the move,” Masashi would say to his friend when he’d stopped talking. “And yes, I agree with you about how they can be abused by people trying to acquire a shortcut to strength. That being said, why wouldn’t you want to find a way to enhance your own abilities with the abilities of another clan, especially when they could complement each other? If your concern is how quickly people would jump at the chance for the extra power, why not simply limit it to those that have proven themselves. Make it a goal worth attaining? Especially when we have enough data on the subject we could find ways for people to reach heights they never thought possible. For the benefit of the village and country that we both love.” Masashi understood why Ayato was loathe to allow random organ transplants wantonly throughout the country, but if people really wanted them, they would try and find a way. Masashi was always thinking about the betterment of the village and didn’t want to see it suffer because of what he considered to be outdated practices.

Ayato then brought up the story of the koi fish that became a dragon. Masashi was familiar with it, there were few who weren’t. To Masashi, it made sense why the story resonated with the Hogokage; the struggle of having to fight an uphill battle to hold onto his beliefs. Masashi empathised, because it was going to be the same struggle he would be facing with Ayato. Masashi smiled at his friend and leader, “It shows that so long as someone remains true to their convictions and doesn’t give up, they would be rewarded.” He was hoping that the irony of the situation would be conveyed. He knew that his stance was almost the exact opposite from Ayato, but he fully believed that shutting down that entire process was not in the village’s interests. Ayato was the one in charge, but he needed people around him that would give him perspective and keep him grounded.

He looked at Ayato seriously for a few moments, “I know we’re not going to always see eye to eye but know this Lord Hogokage. My loyalties are to Hoshigakure and Haven Country, and to the Hogokage, whomever that may be. My only concerns are the betterment of our village and the country where it resides.”

WC: 603
TWC: 3253

Forging the White Swords

“You caught me there, sir.” Ayato said with a grin, “That was the meaning of the story.”
The Kage leaned back in his chair, rays of sunlight spilling on the room. Masashi did not have a dojutsu nor specialized in sensory, as far as Ayato knew, but his eyes and ears missed very little.

“Thank you, Masashi. That speech was wonderful.” Said the Kage, who appreciated Masashi’s enthusiasm but did not do the same for his scientific tendencies.

“But you're advocating for transplants, and that is a mystery to me. I feel there is something left unsaid in this discussion. Or perhaps I’m too sensitive.”  Ayato’s grey-white eyes searched Masashi’s. At this point, the Hyuuga knew the truth. The Konoha missing-nin known as Stein had already met his end, and everyone in Hoshigakure knew about it. Kesseki River Maru had negotiated a new identity for himself, and that did not come cheaply.

“Regardless, don’t think this is an exception. Your bloodline research must provide a method to wash away transplants from an individual. Use your fuinjutsu as the catalyst, make a potion with your alchemy skills. They are all the same to me. So long as you bring results on my desk.”

It would be an extremely tall order for something like that to be used in combat, Ayato understood, but he was not excepting a miracle. Instead, a second chance to someone who went down the road of transplants and now regrets it.

“Now, to the final matter. And the reason I called you here today. The Nova Corps.“ Ayato remade the organization that served as bodyguards to the Kage, protecting them and their families from any harm. The Nova’s duty was to obey his command and counsel him when requested—certified for life, forbidden from retiring from their duties. They served a greater purpose.

“Hikari Namikaze has been missing for over a year, and Lance Sarutobi is dead. With my promotion to Kage, there are only three spots currently occupied of the total seven.”

The Kage had candidates under his consideration. Kesseki River Maru had completed a task in the Chunin exams, paid for a village training facility, abandoned transplants, and agreeing to meet a missing-nin hunt. Taichi Uchiha, the mercenary shinobi that had entered the Hoshi gates, had proven himself to be a good and just man that put his life on the line to protect others.

The final candidate on that list was the Uzumaki in front of him. The service and unquestionable loyalty to the village and political connections made Masashi the type of shinobi that met Ayato’s vision for the Nova corps. An elite unit composed entirely of Hoshi’s finest.

“Masashi, you are one of the few people who have my absolute trust. I mean for you to take my spot in the Nova Corps. There is a white cloak with your name on it, but it won't come easy as with everything good in life. You must join me in the competition for a task. ” The Kage reached for the top drawer of his mahogany desk and magicked up a folder.
 
Inside the folder was a clipped picture of a long-haired brute clad in full golden plate armor inlaid with black. A gauntleted hand waved to the adoring crowd sitting on the stands and, at the same time, holding bare steel on the other hand. That day was the tourney for Queen Tenhiyat’s coronation.

Masashi knew the man in the picture and his story. “Your cousin Shina and I had suggested putting his head on a spike when his rebellion had ended. However, Akihana disagreed. So Florent became a prisoner where I’d sooner see him become a corpse. I am to lead the attack, rectify that mistake, and put an end on him once and for all.”

Ser Axwell Florent is a former member of the Queensguard. The huge man of fierce repute and temper could transform into a werewolf. He had launched an attack against the shinobi system. Team Winter, led by Kyousuke, had joined the current Kage to bring the insurrectionist down. Ayato still held a token of Florent’s gratitude in the form of a claw mark scar across his neck. If they had not, the Hyuuga might have stayed forever young, without the chance to grow to be the man he was today.

“A Grimma Captain we arrested recently told us that Florent and his crew are in Fallhalt-by-the-mountain. A vibrant town that has grown up around an ancient mural tucked away in the mountains of Haven Country. It’s a day's ride from Hoshigakure. Also, the black market for the arms trade. Bargain market they call it these days. So gear up, old boy. We have a big rat to catch.”

[EXIT]

WC: 792
TWC: 2,840
Combined WC: 6,093

Claims:
10,000 ryo (S-rank mission)
1,500 bonus ryo Kage bonus (A-rank and above mission)
50 AP to Ryo conversion  (1 AP = 50 ryo) 2,500 ryo in total

WC claims: 

2062 to mastering Black Hollow for half handseals
778 to mastering Black Hollow [778/2062] for no handseals

The Hogokage, his friend, praised him for his perception and he replied to the grin with a smirk. Ayato had then made a comment on his arguments on how transplants could be beneficial to the village. Of course a single conversation wouldn’t sway his friend, but a man could only try, and as the story Ayato mentioned had explained, perseverance paid off with results. The Uzumaki Jounin was confident that he could convince his friend and leader over time that the benefits outweighed the potential risks. The Hogokage was adding stipulations to his permission to do research which was fine, he was well within his right to as the leader of the village. When he had finished what he had to say, Masashi would begin to speak again. “With all due respect Ayato,” Masashi said to his friend, setting up more information that he would not likely enjoy hearing “I’m advocating for transplants because I can see the benefit in their use, if managed properly and with the right oversight. We’re potentially hindering our own effectiveness should we have to deal with any faction that does enhance their abilities with transplants from beneficial bloodlines.” Masashi would pause for a moment to allow his argument to sink in. “That being said, I had already intended in trying to find ways to at the very least suppress individual bloodline abilities temporarily which could be useful on the battlefield. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to find a permanent way of expunging foreign DNA from a body, but I’ll add it to the list of things to research. In addition, I plan on providing any research I can about how different bloodlines will interact with each other to hopefully find combinations that would be worth considering to improve the capabilities of our shinobi. Of course what you do with that information is entirely up to you.”

The subject would be tabled at that point for the actual reason why Ayato had called the Uzumaki Jounin to his office, the Nova Corps. The village’s elite corps of shinobi that were effectively the Hogokage’s sword and shield, more so than the regular shinobi forces. There was a small number of spots in the roster, and according to Ayato, there were a few vacancies. Right now only three spots being filled currently what with Hikari Namikaze missing and Lance Sarutobi dead. Masashi only knew one of the two; Hikari had accompanied him to Konoha for the Chuunin Exams some years ago.

The Hogokage surprised him with his next statement, which may explain why he was willing to let him continue his research in the first place. He was extremely touched that he had Ayato’s complete trust and had no intention of betraying that trust placed in him. The second part of that statement was to all but gift him a position in the Nova Corps. It wasn’t that simple of course, there was to be a test, assist the Hogokage with completing a task. That task would be to deal with a renegade shinobi of the village, Ser Axwell Florent, a former member of Hoshigakure’s Queensguard. Effectively what the Nova Corps is now, the Queensguard were the elite of the village. They’d been given intel on the renegade’s location and he would be assisting Ayato in hunting this man down. Masashi nodded to his Kage, “I understand,” he would say to Ayato. “I’ll collect my gear and will meet you at the rendezvous location. By your leave.” With that, Masashi would get out of the chair, bow to Ayato, and make his way out of the Unseen University, he had work to do. He wouldn't have much time, but he had to get something ready in his lab.

[EXIT]

WC: 622
TWC: 3875

Mission Claims:
10000 Ryo (S-Rank Mission Completion)
500 Ryo (Jounin Bonus)
50 AP

2000 WC to retrain 10 Speed into 10 Vigour (new Speed 90, New Vigour 70)
5 AP

2500 WC towards Fuinjutsu Amplifier A-Rank (2500/2500)
1375 WC towards Chakra Clay Explosives A-Rank (1875/1875, 25% Max stat discount)
Using B-Rank Jutsu Scroll (earned from Milestones) to learn Chakra Storage Seal

Approved