Hashirama Cells, This Power Truly Pleases Me

"Neji, is there something you need?"

Naruto held the milk he was meant to drink with breakfast.

Pop!

He inserted the straw.

He looked every bit the village bully.

"Who exactly are you? Tell me! Everyone is speculating whether you are still the same Naruto Uzumaki from the Chunin Exams!"

He wore no ninja headband.

Neji Hyuga, who had revealed the Caged Bird seal to the world solely to become stronger, stood before Naruto, his long hair draped over his shoulders as he voiced his challenge.

Many people harbored similar doubts, but no one dared to step forward.

"What are you saying? How dare you be so disrespectful to the Acting Hokage!"

Danzo raised his cane high, ready to strike Neji down.

He would never allow anyone to slander Naruto!

"Neji, this is not a place for you. The Medical Ninja Department is already being established, and where we are going concerns the future of the Konoha Academy of Sciences."

"As a Konoha genin, you should be out on missions, taking responsibility for a Konoha that is currently short on manpower!"

Shikaku Nara stepped in front of Neji.

It looked like he was pushing him away, but in reality, he was shielding him from harm.

The clan factions also felt this matter was suspicious, but even if Danzo were supporting a puppet—or if Danzo truly became the Acting Hokage one day—they wouldn't dare utter a single word of protest.

Konoha remained a place haunted by the lingering shadow of Madara Uchiha's departure.

As long as they could stay in Konoha to huddle together for warmth, and as long as the butcher's blade didn't fall upon their own necks, everything would continue as it always had.

"Neji."

Naruto sipped his milk and flickered from behind Shikaku in an instant.

It was so fast that Shikaku hadn't even felt him move!

What an incredibly fast Body Flicker Technique!

Shikaku looked at the few leaves drifting to the ground, knowing full well that Naruto was likely the strongest practitioner of the Konoha Style Body Flicker Technique.

"Have you become strong enough yet?"

Naruto pulled a new carton of milk from a Summoning Scroll and wiped away the summoning formula on it.

He handed it to Neji.

"A person who doesn't eat breakfast will find it hard to become stronger. This is called Nutrition Science."

"The Konoha Academy of Sciences exists to unlock more secrets and so-called forbidden techniques; even medical ninjutsu, which saves countless lives, is one of them."

"When your brain and body both become stronger, you will naturally understand what I am doing."

"Just like this mark on your forehead, which is etched into your soul—there is nothing that cannot be broken!"

Naruto tapped Neji's forehead with one finger.

His other hand gestured toward everyone behind him.

"Orochimaru is a rogue ninja, that Kabuto also served briefly as a Konoha ninja, and Danzo once had the darkest hands of all—but as long as you are strong enough, even they can be used for your own ends!"

"From the moment of the Chunin Exams until now, I have always been me. The Acting Hokage position is just the beginning; the pinnacle of a ninja is the entire world!"

Naruto pulled down his conical hat.

A group of fierce-looking men followed closely behind him.

They walked through the streets of Konoha, which had been rebuilt by Yamato in a half-dead state.

The morning sun bathed every corner of Konoha in light.

"Tell Sai and Yamato to come and act as my guards."

Naruto stepped into an open clearing.

The ground here was being used to construct the brand-new Konoha Academy of Sciences.

Deep underground lay the former experimental base.

Naruto entered the door.

"Shikaku, I am leaving some Hokage affairs to you for the time being. This place is outside your jurisdiction."

Naruto led Danzo and Orochimaru into the underground experimental base.

Left outside, Shikaku Nara let out a long sigh.

This Naruto didn't seem much like the person his son, Shikamaru, had described.

Not only was he decisive and swift in his actions, but he also constantly said things that Shikaku couldn't understand.

What did he mean by telling Gaara he wanted to drill for oil?

It made absolutely no sense.

Furthermore, Neji had been somewhat impulsive just a moment ago, so why did he leave so peacefully in the blink of an eye?

Originally, everyone had harbored doubts about Naruto becoming Hokage.

Now, however, more and more people were coming to accept it.

Even Shikaku Nara felt that Naruto possessed a certain level of charisma and composure.

Perhaps he really could fulfill the duties of Hokage well.

No way!

Could it be that Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki had truly birthed a genius?

Experimental Base.

Naruto stood inside the laboratory.

"Orochimaru, how much longer can this life of yours drag on?"

The moment Naruto spoke, Kabuto's expression changed even faster than Orochimaru's.

Because Orochimaru's body was currently on the verge of collapse; if he didn't switch vessels soon, he would be in danger.

"My days are numbered."

Orochimaru was drenched in cold sweat, his hair clinging to him, damp.

Yet, he remained exceptionally respectful toward Naruto.

This left Kabuto deeply confused.

He had a certain understanding of both Orochimaru and Danzo, so how had these two changed overnight, ever since he had awakened?

"As long as you're alive, keep kicking for a few more days."

"If you can achieve a breakthrough in the experimental results I want, perhaps you can continue to live."

Naruto pointed to the arm Danzo had unwrapped, which was covered in Sharingan that were blinking and rotating.

Damn it!

Kabuto was shocked to his core; Konoha really did have a lot of perverts!

"Is there any way to transplant Hashirama Cells into others so that they can adapt one hundred percent without being twisted by them?"

Naruto was referring to the aftermath of receiving Hashirama Cells.

Either there was a lack of coordination, causing that part of the limb to turn ghastly pale, or a face resembling the First Hokage would grow out of it.

If one were unlucky, they might even drop dead on the spot!

"The vitality of Hashirama Cells is extremely potent; it is precisely for this reason that they possess such powerful cell division and healing capabilities. While Wood Style is formidable, it is more closely related to the First Hokage's own massive chakra reserves."

"Others, even if they are lucky enough to transplant Hashirama Cells, either end up like Danzo with only a partial limb, or like Yamato, becoming a survivor against extremely low odds."

"But the power of their Wood Style cannot compare to the First Hokage's by a long shot."

Orochimaru was curious to see what Naruto intended to do.

"A narrow escape from death!"

White steam began to erupt from Naruto's entire body.

Even his golden hair turned into long, silvery-white locks.

"What a marvelous state!"

Kabuto seemed to understand Orochimaru's condition a little better now.

"I am going to transplant the Hashirama Cells. Begin!"

By transplanting Hashirama Cells while in Sage Mode Double, Naruto was about to face a brand-new challenge!

If he survived.

He would be the only existence in the world to simultaneously possess Hashirama Cells, the Uzumaki bloodline, the Uchiha Mangekyo, Sage Mode, and Nine-Tails chakra!

His individual strength would soar once again!

"Danzo will be in charge of the experiment."

"Orochimaru, you are to head to the Land of Wind now."

"However, this time, you are not to replace the Kazekage, but the Feudal Lord!"

"Replace that guy who refused to let me drill for oil. This vessel might be much worse, but as long as you can survive and work for me, that is enough."

Naruto lay down on the laboratory bed.

"Kabuto, bring back the data and results from your laboratory. Don't keep me waiting!"

As Naruto spoke.

Danzo began the transplant of Hashirama Cells into Naruto's body.

To an ordinary person, the violent Hashirama Cells would destroy their original biological structure, resulting in immediate death.

Many people would die a miserable death on the spot, exploding into a pulp of blood and gore.

Orochimaru and Kabuto were both watching Naruto's state intently.

Sage Mode Double was fully activated.

They saw Naruto's skin rupture and his bones snap, yet not a single drop of blood spilled; there was only Sage Technique chakra that resembled white mist.

Even the internal organs and eyes damaged by the Hashirama Cells were being repaired by that white mist of Sage Technique chakra immediately after being harmed.

"What kind of power is this? Sage Mode? But I have never seen it before!"

Orochimaru was so mesmerized he could not look away.

Until a face appeared on Naruto's body—it was Hashirama's face!

"Are the side effects appearing? It is possible that the influence of the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline has made the activity of the Hashirama Cells even stronger!"

Kabuto was utterly shocked.

With such terrifying vitality, how horrifying would it be if it were converted into combat power?

What exactly was Naruto doing, and where did this terrifying Sage Technique chakra that allowed for direct bodily regeneration come from?

"Keep what I need, discard what I do not."

"The path of the Sage, the path of eternal life—harvesting the heaven, earth, and nature, seizing all living things!"

Naruto's Sage Technique chakra was completely exhausted.

That face of Hashirama, which had attempted to break through his body and kill him, was finally erased.

All that remained were the Hashirama Cells, which had fused with the Uzumaki bloodline to stimulate even greater vitality.

Naruto exhaled a breath.

This round of tempering had come to an end once again.

"This power truly brings me joy!"

Naruto felt the surging vitality within his body boiling.

The Uzumaki and Senju clans possessed the most chakra, and the Hashirama Cells were a god-given creation of unique endowment.

Added to that was the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.

Naruto himself had essentially gathered the initial bloodline powers left behind by the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths.

"One day, I will obtain all the power of Asura and Indra!"

Unrivaled power poured into his body, and even his spirit was strengthened as a result.

"It is time for me to set off, to go to Uzumaki Village and make the evil Nine-Tails understand who truly represents the Path of Ultimate Evil!"

As Naruto set off, if the Death God had emotions, it would surely feel an unease in the dark, sensing that it was about to be fleeced.