Daring to Court Death (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

Xuan Yue and Kushina high-fived in celebration as they walked out of the Hokage Office.

"That was so exciting, Xuan Yue!"

Kushina laughed. Talking back to Danzo today had added a splash of brilliant color to her monotonous life. Ever since getting together with Minato, she had not encountered anything this fun in a long time.

Xuan Yue nodded repeatedly. It really had been exciting. They had left Konoha's second-most powerful figure speechless, but opportunities like this were rare.

"With this, that old fox Danzo should stay quiet for a while. And with Ten Million Ryo in funding, I can get the laboratory running and push my Cultivation Enterprise forward by a huge step!"

Xuan Yue was delighted as he and Kushina walked out of the Hokage Tower.

Inside the Hokage Office, Minato respectfully apologized to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "I'm very sorry, Lord Third Hokage. Kushina and Xuan Yue caused you trouble!"

"No, this is already the best possible solution!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke, looking somewhat weary. But Minato's next words immediately jolted him awake.

"So that's how it is..."

Xuan Yue did not care much about how Hiruzen Sarutobi would act after learning that Orochimaru and Danzo were working together to research Wood Release. He knew that, with the Shinobi World's situation growing increasingly tense, Konoha still recovering from the severe losses of the Second Shinobi War, and Hiruzen Sarutobi becoming ever more indecisive and sentimental, it was impossible for him to do much to Danzo or Orochimaru.

"Still, I pushed forward the Cloning Technique and revealed so much information, yet I still couldn't change Orochimaru. Once a perfect clone appears, he'll probably use Living Corpse Reincarnation..."

Xuan Yue secretly shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. After returning home with Kushina, he immediately summoned Little Katsuyu, then used the Reverse Summoning Technique to travel to Shikkotsu Forest.

During the time he had been out on missions, he had not entered Shikkotsu Forest.

Sitting cross-legged atop a Giant Mushroom, he sensed for Natural Energy. An hour passed, yet Xuan Yue gained nothing.

"Just as I thought, it still won't work... Looks like I can only use the backup plan!"

"Huh? That is..."

Xuan Yue suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

"Lady Tsunade has arrived!"

Little Katsuyu said from his shoulder.

"She's finally here!"

Overjoyed, Xuan Yue immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive before Tsunade. "Tsunade-sensei!"

"Mm, what did you need me for?"

Tsunade sounded languid, and the scent of alcohol still clung to her.

Xuan Yue's cheek twitched slightly before he solemnly said, "It concerns your grandfather, Lord First Hokage, Hashirama Senju!"

At the mention of Hashirama Senju's name, Tsunade immediately perked up. Her gaze sharpened as she frowned. "What is it?"

"You know about the research into Hashirama Cells, right?"

Xuan Yue asked gravely.

"Mm!"

Tsunade nodded, a flash of displeasure crossing her eyes. Then she asked, "Wasn't that sealed away already? How do you know about it? Has the village started those experiments again?"

"No, it's Lord Orochimaru!"

Xuan Yue immediately told her about Orochimaru and Danzo's collaboration.

"That bastard Orochimaru, and Danzo too..."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, her clenched fists crackling. With a boom, the ground beneath her feet instantly collapsed.

Without changing his expression, Xuan Yue moved several steps away, then explained his plan to use clones as experimental materials.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Tsunade looked up and stared coldly at Xuan Yue.

"Are you planning to clean house?"

Xuan Yue swallowed, then righteously declared, "Leaving aside the fact that you're my teacher, just because you're Lord First Hokage's granddaughter, I have to tell you about this. You have the right to know!"

Tsunade fell silent for a moment, then turned and walked into the distance. Her figure looked lonely and sorrowful. "Do whatever you want."

Xuan Yue opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not bring himself to offer any comfort.

"Lady Tsunade seems a little sad!"

Little Katsuyu suddenly said from his shoulder.

"Yeah... Being betrayed by a companion you trusted must feel terrible."

Xuan Yue could not help sighing. The experiments using Hashirama Cells had originally been ordered by the Third Hokage. After the First and Second Hokage died in succession, Konoha desperately needed a powerful force like Wood Release, which could suppress Tailed Beasts.

Tsunade must have known about it back then. She probably had not objected, or perhaps objecting had been useless, so she had tacitly accepted it. But after the experiments failed and the project was sealed away, Orochimaru had secretly partnered with Danzo to continue the research without informing her, his former friend. It truly would feel like a betrayal!

After some thought, Xuan Yue returned to Konoha, bought some alcohol, and brought it to Shikkotsu Forest.

How could one dispel sorrow?

Only Dukang!

Sure enough, after getting drunk and waking up, Tsunade returned to her usual lazy demeanor.

"Kid, don't get any ideas about me. You know I have hemophobia. I can't help you!"

As Tsunade sipped her drink, she refused without hesitation to help Xuan Yue establish a laboratory.

"Hey, you're one of Konoha's Sannin and the greatest Medical Ninja in the Shinobi World. Are you really going to be defeated by mere hemophobia?"

Xuan Yue tried to provoke her, but Tsunade remained unmoved. Fame was nothing but floating clouds.

"I'm your disciple. Can't you help me?"

Tsunade curled her lip. "I never willingly accepted you as a disciple!"

Half an hour later, Tsunade still would not relent. Xuan Yue's mouth was dry, and his face was full of dejection. I really haven't put enough points into Talk no Jutsu!

Since that was the case, he could only bring out his ultimate trump card.

"Tsunade-sensei, the reason you've maintained this appearance all these years is because you use the Chakra accumulated in the Yin Seal to boost hormone secretion from your Pituitary Gland, right?"

Xuan Yue smiled. "But that method is only a temporary measure. Once you expend too much Chakra, you'll reveal your true form!"

Tsunade snorted. "Kid, what do you know!"

Without betraying anything on his face, Xuan Yue took several steps back before saying, "Besides, Tsunade-sensei, I heard from Lord Jiraiya that when you were younger, they weren't nearly this magnificent..."

Tsunade's body stiffened. A blush appeared on her face, only to be immediately swallowed by fury. Her knuckles cracked. "That perverted Jiraiya actually told you that... Bastard!"

"Pervy Sage, I'm sorry. For the sake of my Cultivation Enterprise, I'll have to sacrifice your happy life."

Xuan Yue silently mourned for Jiraiya. He wondered whether Tsunade would punch him to death the next time she saw him.

But he still had to continue. He swallowed and quietly took two more steps back. "Um... Tsunade-sensei, if you can't maintain your physical condition forever, then the more magnificent they are, the easier it will be to..."

"You've already been corrupted by Jiraiya..."

Tsunade flew into a rage, rushed in front of Xuan Yue, and flicked out a finger.

"So fast!"

Xuan Yue was startled. He had no time to react before he was sent flying through the air, landing squarely on his rear. When he reached up to touch his forehead, Tsunade's flick had already left a huge bump there.

"Hiss, that hurts..."

Xuan Yue bared his teeth, then said indignantly, "Tsunade-sensei, I'm doing this for your own good. Establishing a Laboratory Base and researching clones are all for the sake of cultivating Sage Art. And Sage Art can let you maintain your physical condition forever. Most importantly, powerful Sage Art can repair even shattered internal organs!"

Tsunade shuddered, and her eyes could not help turning red.