Holding Out, Danzo's Excitement

By now, Li Yao had more or less figured it out.

In Konoha, there were very few types of chakra with a higher quality than the Mangekyō Sharingan's chakra—or rather, only one: Wood Release Chakra.

It possessed not only a terrifying ability to devour chakra, but also astonishing vitality.

Other than Wood Release, Li Yao could not think of any other kind of chakra that could produce such an effect.

The liquid Danzo had injected into his body was a solution containing Hashirama's cells!

Phew... luckily!

Thinking of how terrifying Hashirama's cells were, Li Yao felt fortunate that he had developed Acupoint Chakra.

Otherwise, the sealing and restraining effects of the Eight Trigrams Seal's chakra might not necessarily have been enough to contain Wood Release Chakra.

Only Acupoint Chakra, with its powerful chakra-binding properties, could ensure that the seal restrained the Wood Release Chakra and kept Li Yao from being drained dry.

"Heh heh!"

After his relief passed, Li Yao smiled happily.

He did not know what Danzo intended by injecting Hashirama's cells into him, but the appearance of Wood Release Cells allowed him to replicate and condense them.

This way, the issue of his body's lifespan would be resolved through the nourishment of Wood Release Chakra. At the very least, he no longer had to worry about dying of old age within a year or two.

He had plenty of time to take revenge on the Third Hokage and Konoha.

Moreover, the appearance of Wood Release Chakra meant that Li Yao finally possessed the foundation of strength needed to say "fuck it" and overturn everything.

As long as he had time!

Not much—just four or five years. There would definitely be a place for him at the pinnacle of the ninja world.

By then, he would have all the time in the world to slowly torment the Third Hokage and Konoha.

For now, he needed to lie low.

He would lie low for a while longer, until he developed the Adamantine Sealing Technique.

With Wood Release Chakra, even without the corresponding Wood Release ninjutsu, Li Yao could use a few simple Wood Release techniques through chakra alone. He would no longer have to fear some sudden accident leaving him without even a sliver of hope of survival.

After lying low for a while longer, Li Yao would possess the preliminary strength to leave this place.

Right now, he needed time.

Therefore, after condensing Wood Release Chakra, Li Yao did not make any rash moves.

With that Wood Release Chakra hidden within his acupoints, Danzo could not detect it even through the Sensory Barrier.

Half an hour passed. No signs of deterioration appeared on Li Yao's body, and the Sensory Barrier did not detect any increase in the First Hokage's Cells or Wood Release Chakra.

There was no doubt about it.

Li Yao had indeed withstood the erosion and devouring of the First Hokage's Cells and Wood Release Chakra.

Danzo could finally be certain of that.

"Excellent!"

Even though he had already been excited before, Danzo still could not hide the excitement on his face.

"Hiruzen, you truly are my good friend!"

"Thank you for sending me such a wonderful Wood Release gift. I'll gladly accept it all for myself."

"Heh heh!"

The corners of Danzo's mouth rose wildly. Li Yao's appearance meant that the Wood Release restoration project had made a breakthrough.

He did not know what unexpected change had occurred in Li Yao's body that allowed him to withstand the erosion and devouring of the First Hokage's Cells and Wood Release Chakra.

He only needed to understand the principle behind it, and he could replicate it in himself.

Then, with Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan in hand, he would become the next God of Shinobi, and the position of Hokage would be his for the taking.

Thinking of this, how could Danzo not thank Hiruzen for sending him such a precious treasure as Li Yao?

Danzo's gaze upon Li Yao at that moment was nakedly full of shining desire. His eager stare seemed capable of piercing through Li Yao's chakra sensory ability and reaching the depths of Li Yao's heart. Sensing the change in chakra temperature around Danzo's eyes, Li Yao's heart involuntarily tightened. He did not know why, only that Danzo seemed very dangerous at that moment.

Li Yao suppressed his urge to act. A small lack of patience could ruin a great plan.

Fortunately, Danzo did not continue looking at Li Yao with that strange gaze.

"Genjutsu—Bringer-of-Darkness Technique."

Suddenly, Danzo rapidly formed hand seals and launched a Bringer-of-Darkness Technique at Li Yao. It was so fast that Li Yao... almost failed to react.

Even in his excitement, this guy had not let down his guard.

Once the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique hit, the chakra in Li Yao's body naturally rejected the intrusion just as it had before.

Feeling that the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique had no effect, Danzo smiled in relief. Li Yao was still in a vegetative state and had not awakened.

"Perhaps it is precisely in this vegetative state that he can withstand the First Hokage's Cells' erosion."

Danzo suddenly thought of that.

After confirming that nothing had gone wrong with Li Yao's current physical condition, Danzo removed the shackles from Li Yao's body, then placed the Reverse Five Elements Seal on him once more.

Black Reverse Five Elements Seal chakra formula markings surfaced across the outer layer of Li Yao's heart, tightly wrapping his entire heart.

Danzo had already decided to keep Li Yao alive and not let the Third Hokage know.

But he also understood the power of Wood Release.

Once Li Yao truly adapted to and fused with the First Hokage's Cells, gaining powerful Wood Release, Li Yao—who already harbored hostility toward both him and Konoha—would definitely not obediently follow his orders.

Thus, the Reverse Five Elements Seal was his final safeguard.

If Li Yao became disobedient, the Reverse Five Elements Seal could be converted into a Forward Five Elements Seal, sealing Li Yao's chakra and body.

If Li Yao ever escaped from Konoha—

Danzo could activate the Reverse Five Elements Seal and detonate Li Yao's heart, shattering it and killing him.

However, that was the worst-case scenario.

Before obtaining Wood Release, Danzo would not easily kill Li Yao.

After completing the seal, Danzo removed Li Yao's shackles and placed him into an empty transparent glass chamber in the laboratory, filled with nutrient solution that maintained the activity of human cells.

The nutrient solution did not need to be replaced. A chakra metal pipe at the bottom of the glass chamber connected to a chakra metal sphere below, and the chakra within would continuously supply the nutrient solution in the chamber, ensuring that it always retained nutrients and energy.

The chakra sealed within the metal sphere was supplied by the usual Root shinobi and Danzo himself, ensuring that all the laboratories in the base remained active and operational.

Having done all this, Danzo left in satisfaction.

All that remained was to wait for Li Yao's body to assimilate and fuse with the First Hokage's Cells.

After Danzo left, Li Yao took only a few seconds to copy and condense the sealing jutsu chakra Danzo had left around his heart.

Of course, Li Yao did not know that it was the Reverse Five Elements Seal, nor did he know its exact effects.

But a little thought was enough to tell him that this thing could not possibly benefit him. It was likely some sealing jutsu measure that could control or even kill him at a critical moment.

Unfortunately, Danzo did not know about Li Yao's ability.

Copying and condensing identical sealing jutsu chakra meant that Li Yao could remove the sealing jutsu Danzo had left on his heart at any time.

However, Li Yao did not remove it immediately. He feared that rashly lifting it might trigger some unusual reaction and alert Danzo.

What he needed now was time.

But he could not simply leave it alone either. If Danzo suddenly activated the sealing jutsu one day, he would not have time to react.

So Li Yao condensed identical sealing jutsu chakra and wrapped it around the sealing jutsu formula Danzo had left behind. That way, when Danzo activated the sealing jutsu, the sealing jutsu chakra Li Yao had placed there could instantly remove Danzo's seal.

After eliminating the hidden danger around his heart, Li Yao did not waste any time and immediately immersed himself in fusing the properties of Acupoint Chakra and Eight Trigrams Seal chakra.

Once his mental energy was nearly exhausted, he rested for a while, then continued developing the structure of chakra steel cables.

And so the cycle repeated.

He did not even have time to condense Wood Release Chakra.

To him, the new Adamantine Sealing Technique was his foundational ability and offered him the greatest improvement.

Without corresponding Wood Release ninjutsu to support it, Wood Release Chakra was not as effective in combat as the Adamantine Sealing Technique he was developing.

Li Yao understood this very clearly.

While Li Yao worked on developing the Adamantine Sealing Technique, the ninja world was in turmoil.