Hashirama Cells Obtained

"Master Sasori, cut through his middle!"

"Orochimaru, that Seven Days of Love's Embrace technique is pretty good, but you locked up a puppet, not a person."

"Huh? You're not fighting anymore? You're running?"

Watching the spectacle, Natsume saw Kakuzu and Sasori chase after the fleeing Orochimaru, soon disappearing from his sight.

He put away his binoculars, unsurprised.

Orochimaru had been evenly matched against Kakuzu, but once Sasori joined in, he was at an absolute disadvantage.

Given his personality, there was no way he would risk his life. After all, he still wanted immortality.

Since he could not win, he could only run.

Natsume stayed where he was and waited for about half an hour before Kakuzu and Sasori returned.

But they brought neither Orochimaru's corpse nor his head.

Sure enough, he was not that easy to kill.

Still, Natsume guessed Orochimaru had been seriously injured this time.

"Here's what you wanted."

Kakuzu did not mention Orochimaru. Perhaps he found it embarrassing. He simply handed over the storage scroll.

"The commission has been fully completed. Please go to the underground black market to collect your payment. I won't see you off," Natsume said with a smile as he put away the storage scroll.

Kakuzu and Sasori did not ask anything further, turning to head toward Tanzaku Street.

They were mercenaries with principles now.

During a mission, they never asked about their employer's business.

Natsume let out a sigh of relief.

Only then did he return to Konoha and hand the storage scroll to his main body.

Inside the room.

Natsume opened the storage scroll. There were nine test tubes inside.

He had never seen Hashirama Cells before, so he was not sure whether they were genuine.

But he could test them.

Hashirama Cells possessed terrifying properties akin to cancer cells, capable of unlimited proliferation.

If one could not withstand them, one would turn into a giant tree.

After thinking it over, Natsume took the Hashirama Cells to the Orphanage and found Kabuto Yakushi.

"Can you extract just a tiny bit of it for me?"

He took out a test tube and asked.

"What's so difficult about that?"

Kabuto Yakushi glanced at the Hashirama Cells inside the tube. "Come with me."

He led Natsume into Yakushi Nonō's small laboratory.

It contained all kinds of medical equipment.

After a series of operations Natsume could not understand, Kabuto Yakushi handed him a syringe.

"Do you have any rabbits here?"

"No, but we have white mice."

"That'll work too."

Natsume grabbed a white mouse and went to the secluded corner where he and Kabuto Yakushi often spent time.

"Kabuto, don't be scared by what I'm about to tell you."

"...?"

Kabuto Yakushi tilted his head and asked in confusion, "What exactly is that thing you're holding?"

"It's not a thing. It really is, well, that kind of... very rare... um, a kind of life."

As he spoke, Natsume injected the Hashirama Cells into the white mouse.

Before long, it began shrieking madly in agony.

Under Kabuto Yakushi's shocked gaze, branches sprouted all over its body, eventually forming a small tree.

The sight completely overturned everything he believed.

An animal had turned into a plant. Was that even reasonable?

"Natsume!"

Kabuto Yakushi asked impatiently, "You need to explain this to me."

Natsume raised an eyebrow.

That expression looked a little like Orochimaru's.

No wonder you went down the path of scientific research later on.

"You can't tell anyone about this."

Natsume's expression turned serious. "This is a secret between us brothers. If it gets out, neither of us will survive."

Kabuto Yakushi was slightly startled, but he quickly nodded.

Whether during their flight in the Third Shinobi World War or over the past three years at the Orphanage, Natsume had looked after him in every possible way.

There was no need to question that trust.

That was also why he had agreed to hide his talent for medical ninjutsu.

"These are the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Transplanting them lets you gain Wood Style."

Natsume decided to lay everything out for Kabuto Yakushi.

Though this guy had been a villain in the original story, he had followed Orochimaru with unwavering loyalty.

Now that he had not been persecuted by Shimura Danzō, he was even more trustworthy.

And there was another reason.

The secret of Wood Style was too significant. If Kabuto Yakushi exposed it, even if he did not die, he would be severely crippled.

Just as Natsume had said, both of their lives would be in danger.

With Kabuto Yakushi's intelligence, he naturally would not do something so foolish.

And through this sharing of secrets, Natsume had effectively brought him under his command and gained a formidable subordinate.

Kabuto Yakushi's eyes widened as he stood there dumbfounded.

That short sentence contained a world-shaking secret and practically fried his CPU.

Wood Style could be acquired like this?

No, that wasn't right. That wasn't the important part.

How had he obtained Hashirama Senju's cells?

Could it have been through Sister Tsunade?

That couldn't be it. With her personality, she could never do something as rebellious as digging up a grave.

"I know what you want to ask. I'll tell you later."

Natsume stuffed the test tube into his hand and said, "I hope you can develop a technique for transplanting Hashirama Cells."

"Me?"

Kabuto Yakushi paused before asking, "Don't you think too highly of me?"

"You're underestimating yourself."

Natsume patted his shoulder. "Come on. I'll take you to meet Teacher Tsunade. Then you'll understand just how terrifying your talent is."

Though Kabuto Yakushi did not quite believe him, he was still happy to have the chance to meet Tsunade.

The two returned to Hashirama Senju's Former Residence.

But Tsunade was not home.

"Sister Shizune, where's Teacher?"

Natsume always called her Teacher when outsiders were present.

If he called her Sister Tsunade, Kabuto Yakushi's CPU would probably fry again from his pig brain overloading.

"She went to Konoha Hospital."

Shizune looked up, still shaken. "Lord Orochimaru was seriously injured and appeared at Konoha's gates, terrifying everyone. Not only Lady Tsunade, but Lord Hokage and the others went to the hospital too."

After thinking for a moment, Natsume understood what had happened.

Orochimaru would find it difficult to shake off Kakuzu and Sasori, who were pursuing him, in such a short time.

Tanzaku Street was close to Konoha, so the best option was to flee to Konoha.

As for what that might expose, it no longer mattered when his life was at stake.

Besides, with Orochimaru's intelligence, it would be easy for him to talk his way through it.

It was not until evening that Tsunade returned.

When she opened the door and saw Kabuto Yakushi, she remembered that he had also been there when she adopted Natsume.

The two seemed to have a pretty good relationship.

"Natsume, do you have a friend over today?" Tsunade asked as she changed into slippers.

"Lady Tsunade."

Kabuto Yakushi immediately rose to his feet and greeted her respectfully.

Natsume ran up in front of her, glanced at her fair bare feet, then took her hand and said in a childish voice, "Big sister, this friend of mine has just learned a Medical Ninjutsu. I think he might be very talented. Could you take him as your disciple?"

Tsunade suppressed the urge to pick him up, glanced at Kabuto Yakushi, and said, "Show me the Medical Ninjutsu you learned."

Since it was Natsume's request, she could give him a chance.

Kabuto Yakushi took a deep breath and extended both hands. Green light immediately enveloped them.

"It's actually the Mystical Palm Technique."

Tsunade's previously calm expression revealed her surprise.

Shizune, standing nearby, was so shocked that she could not speak.

The Mystical Palm Technique was extremely difficult, requiring exceptional Chakra control and a deep understanding of Chakra.

Because of your actions, Kabuto Yakushi's destiny has changed. You have gained 48 Destiny Points.

Because of your actions, Karin's destiny has changed. You have gained 69 Destiny Points.

After receiving the Sacred Ring of Destiny's notification, Natsume knew that Tsunade had already decided to take on a disciple.

Kabuto Yakushi's destiny had changed once again because of this.

But it was not as significant as last time.

Even without becoming Tsunade's disciple, Kabuto Yakushi would still have become an outstanding Medical Ninja.

This merely sped up the process.

Thus, in terms of how much his destiny had changed, it was not as great as before.

As for Karin, she had only received 69 Destiny Points because she simply had less of a role than Kabuto Yakushi.

Still, no matter what, Natsume had made a killing.