"That child was a test subject Lord Orochimaru abducted from the village. He seemed to be an orphan whose parents had both died."
Nanchuan You let out a long sigh. "Lord Orochimaru's experiments were far too cruel. Unless something unexpected happened, every child involved would eventually die."
"To prevent that, I used the same method on that child that I had used on myself."
"If he survived, he might awaken Wood Release just as I did."
At that, he looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others. "I think this example should be enough to prove my ability."
"Yamato?"
As they listened to Nanchuan You, the expressions of everyone present shifted slightly.
Without any hesitation, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately ordered the Anbu beside him to bring the child back.
A short while later, the Anbu returned and reported the result.
It was true!
The child named Yamato really had awakened Wood Release.
Although its manifestation was somewhat different, and the Wood Release he used seemed a little weak, it was unquestionably Wood Release.
There was no mistake.
After confirming the report, everyone looked at Nanchuan You differently.
Their gazes burned with eagerness, as though they were looking at a priceless treasure.
Among them, Shimura Danzō's gaze was especially intense.
He stared at Nanchuan You as though he wanted to swallow him whole.
With the facts right before their eyes, Nanchuan You's ability was beyond doubt.
If awakening Wood Release himself could be called a fluke, then enabling someone else to awaken it proved that Nanchuan You could reliably grant Wood Release to others.
Surely that child hadn't awakened Wood Release by coincidence?
That would have been far too convenient.
Even Shimura Danzō hadn't entertained that possibility.
After all, Orochimaru had spent years researching it without success, yet Nanchuan You had succeeded