Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe

"So, Gen'ō from Yōnoki, of the Land of Mountains? Seems there's no way to guard against everything," Daniel noted as he received intelligence on the instigator of the Konoha explosions.

For decades, Gen'ō had worked as a carpenter in Konoha, gaining a reputation as a skilled and diligent worker. Such capabilities were not unusual for a ninja; with their enhanced physical and mental attributes, they could excel in almost any trade. However, as Daniel admitted, there wasn't a foolproof way to prevent these kinds of threats. The best they could do was increase vigilance.

"The Hyuga clan… no wonder so many people covet the Byakugan," he mused. In terms of support abilities, the Byakugan was unrivaled, particularly in detecting illusions and other deceptions.

Reflecting on the Byakugan brought Neji's father, Hizashi Hyuga, to Daniel's mind. Most of the reanimated ninjas were confined, but Hizashi, like a few others, had been allowed limited freedom to roam. In return, he patrolled for the Akatsuki Nation, using his newfound opportunity to reconnect with his son, Neji. In a way, the Reanimation Jutsu could ease old regrets and serve as a kind of "reunion technique."

Unfortunately, there were some ninjas he couldn't resurrect, such as Sakumo Hatake. Without his physical remains, bringing Kakashi's father back was impossible, which was a shame, as it would have been interesting to see a father-son face-off.

"It's finally time to fulfill my promises," Daniel thought. With the elimination of Cloud Village, the Five Great Nations had lost their power to resist the Akatsuki. Now, it was time to honor his commitments to resurrect those who had fallen.

"First, I'll need to conduct some preliminary experiments." For Daniel, extracting souls from bodies was simple enough, but ensuring proper soul-body integration required some trial and error. Such experiments would naturally not involve those he intended to revive but rather some of the worst criminals he had on hand.

"As expected, souls tend to resist their new bodies. Using clone bodies seems to ease the process, though the Op-Op Fruit's surgical transplants bypass these issues entirely." Even with clone bodies, soul compatibility required time. However, the Op-Op Fruit could expedite the process.

"I think it's time to begin." Daniel had initially resisted using the Op-Op Fruit's soul transplant capabilities, but as his power grew, he found himself embracing it.

"What a beautiful woman," Daniel noted with a sense of irony as he looked at the blonde woman in the Orochimaru base's stasis tank. She was Yakushi Nonō, Kabuto's adoptive mother and the only person who brought warmth to his life.

"Don't be nervous—I'll begin now. Reanimation Jutsu." With Kabuto leading him to the burial site, Daniel had finally obtained some of her physical remains, allowing him to revive her.

"Who are you?" Nonō's expression shifted slightly as she awakened, but soon her face turned calm. She was truly Konoha's top spy.

Being a spy required talent, just as not every woman could become a Black Widow like Natasha.

"Before I explain who we are, I have a story for you." Seeing Kabuto overcome with emotion, Daniel took over, quickly summarizing the story of Kabuto's life.

"Kabuto… is that really you?"

"It's me," Kabuto answered, tears welling up as he and Nonō reunited. Sensing that they needed privacy, Daniel quietly left the lab.

"Finished?" About ten minutes later, Kabuto emerged, inviting Daniel back inside.

"Don't worry—it'll be quick." Daniel smiled at Nonō and placed his hand on her, extracting her soul before guiding it into a prepared clone body.

"All done. She'll need some rest to fully acclimate her soul and body. Take good care of her." Daniel watched as Kabuto gently lifted Nonō from the tank, eager to care for her.

"What a waste for Kabuto to retire," Daniel muttered. Kabuto's intelligence and skill placed him among the top ten strategists in the ninja world. Yet now, he was headed toward a quieter life with Nonō, running an orphanage under the Akatsuki Nation. Konan had already been organizing one, driven by her own childhood experiences.

"Naruto finally looks good in clothes other than that endless orange jumpsuit," Daniel thought, amused as he observed Minato, Kushina, and Naruto dressed casually in the rebuilt Waterfall Village.

With his whisker marks removed, Naruto's appearance was striking, rivaling Sasuke's in terms of charm. If he had looked like this during his academy days, he would have stolen a lot of Sasuke's thunder.

Kushina, eager to make up for lost time, had spent the last few weeks taking Naruto on a tour of the Land of Hot Water, away from any disturbances. She even withheld the news of Jiraiya's arm injury, shielding Naruto from the reality of recent events. Currently, Naruto was blissfully unaware of the turmoil in the ninja world, enjoying his newfound family.

In the original story, Obito had once trapped Naruto in a genjutsu, allowing him to experience an illusion of family reunion. Now, that dream had become reality.

Given Naruto's personality, he wouldn't ask about world affairs unless someone mentioned them.

Kushina and Minato planned to tell him everything once things had finally settled down.

"I'll handle Minato's revival, and then you can restore Kushina's body," Daniel instructed, addressing Minato. As her husband, Minato would manage Kushina's physical recovery, much like how Kabuto had overseen Nonō's.

"Thank you so much," Minato and Kushina said, visibly moved. They had already given everything for Konoha, even sacrificing their lives to protect it, and now their only focus was making up for their lost years with Naruto.

Had Naruto grown up in Konoha like the Hokage's grandson Konohamaru, Minato and Kushina wouldn't have felt this guilt. But Naruto's difficult childhood made them yearn to make up for lost time.

"You're welcome, but don't expect to spend all your time with Naruto after your resurrection. The Akatsuki Nation could use your help." With input from Nagato and the others, Daniel had already planned for Minato to join the Akatsuki upon his return.

"You'll stay here for now. Once Konoha's situation is stable, Naruto can return," Daniel instructed. Kakuzu had already seized large swaths of territory in the Land of Fire. Once Sasuke's eye fusion was complete, he would lead the assault on Konoha, reclaiming the Uchiha's rightful place with him as the village's new Hokage.

It would be an amusing twist for Naruto to return to Konoha and find Sasuke as the new Hokage.

"Why make yourself a puppet? Don't you realize that limits your power?" Daniel remarked as he began the next resurrection, targeting Sasori.

While a puppet body offered convenience, similar to prosthetics in other worlds, it also capped Sasori's potential. Sasori initially resisted returning to his human form, but the prospect of reuniting with his parents ultimately swayed him, especially after Lady Chiyo's persuasion.

For Sasori, Daniel used his existing heart as a source to gradually regenerate his body. This process was more complex than creating a clone and required longer recovery time.

"It's finally done." Once Sasori's body was restored, Daniel revived his parents and, along with Gaara's mother and Yashamaru, delivered them to the Sand Village, which formally declared allegiance to the Akatsuki Nation. The news infuriated Onoki, who destroyed his office desk in a fit of anger.

"Star Village? The 'Hoshikage'? Truly fearless in their ignorance," Daniel muttered as Akatsuki's expansion continued, moving to the next target: Hoshigakure, or the Star Village, in the Land of Bears.

While only the Five Great Villages were entitled to call their leaders "Kage," Star Village dared to claim the title of "Hoshikage." Star Village, now on its fourth Hoshikage, had always lived in self-imposed isolation, sheltered by its unique landscape.

The Star Village's audacious claim wasn't worth the Great Villages' attention, as the village had little to offer and was surrounded by a toxic mist that made it difficult to access. This protection and lack of valuable resources allowed Star Village to survive the three Great Ninja Wars with minimal impact.

The village sat in the center of a circular pit, surrounded by constantly emitting toxic mist, isolating it from the outside world. Only those who could fly could safely enter, which excluded most clients and even many low-level ninjas from reaching the village.

The Star Village's only feature of interest to outsiders was its "Peacock Method" technique, which allowed its ninjas to fly using chakra-based techniques, an ability of undeniable value to the Great Villages.

However, the Great Villages abandoned their interest upon learning the secret of Star Village's Peacock Method. Orochimaru, too, had once been intrigued, but quickly lost interest upon discovering the details.

The Star Village's unique techniques stemmed from a meteorite that had landed there over 200 years ago. The meteorite, called "the Star," could interact with chakra to enable the Peacock Method, allowing Star ninjas to form wings with chakra and engage in combat using chakra-formed beasts.

"Radiation-induced abilities… and it even affects chakra?" Daniel observed. In the Marvel world, many mutants and superpowered individuals had gained abilities from radiation exposure, much like the Sandman, Hydro-Man, and Electro. Similarly,

 Star Village's meteorite emitted radiation that altered chakra, granting them these unique abilities.

However, the meteorite had severe side effects, leading to debilitating injuries and even death for those who trained excessively with it. While some villagers advocated for sealing it away, the allure of power blinded others to its dangers. Figures like the Third Hoshikage, who had lived to nearly a hundred using the technique, became symbols of its "safety."

The truth was, the Third Hoshikage had never actually trained with the meteorite, a fact unknown to the villagers.

Daniel had learned about these details not through his own investigation but because a ninja from Star Village had come to Akatsuki, seeking aid in their internal conflict. Following the Five Great Villages' defeat, a faction in Star Village, hoping to rise as a new Great Village, assassinated the Third Hoshikage and took control.

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