The experiment had failed.
Yet Tobirama showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, he happily saw Rikusei out.
Before they parted, he readily declared that he would make thorough preparations for the next experiment.
A more perfect White Zetsu vessel, refined experimental details, controlling the amount of Madara's cells introduced—all of it would require a great deal of time to sort through and study.
His words did not match his feelings.
Rikusei could clearly catch the flicker of melancholy in Tobirama's eyes whenever he looked at the tree rooted in the growing White Zetsu.
After leaving the laboratory, Rikusei lazily sat on a roadside bench, looking up at the rustling leaves that had been utterly unaffected by the chakra rain.
If he stuffed Madara's cells and Hashirama Cells into his body together as he had today, the chakra in his body would be devoured clean, just like tailed beast chakra.
Although his Sharingan had long since been deactivated, the lingering fragments of memory had deeply imprinted their terrifying devouring power in Rikusei's mind.
His experiment—
Had to proceed as it had today.
Rikusei wanted to see whether that peculiar chakra capable of stimulating the Sharingan could contend with Indra's and Ashura's chakra.
A faint, inexplicable emotion quietly rose within him. Somewhere deep down, Rikusei felt there was hope, because the chakra Madara had used to cast the Transcription Seal had not tried to devour him.
Perhaps it was being restrained by Teacher?
Rikusei caught a Konoha leaf spiraling lazily down from the treetop. His thoughts spread out along its stem like the orderly veins branching across the leaf, clear and precise.
No matter the circumstances—
Make bold assumptions, verify them carefully.
Feeling the faint chakra emanating from the broken edge of the fallen leaf, Rikusei smiled in satisfaction and turned it