The Kind Test Subject

Sen Chisato struggled to open his eyes, and a vast space greeted his vision.

The pungent scent of medicinal liquids filled his nostrils, helping him regain a measure of clarity.

Who am I?

He stared blankly at the dim ceiling above, his mind feeling like a lump of mush.

A faint movement came from the side. Sen Chisato turned his head to see a bright light source hanging in the corner of the room. Beneath it stood a massive laboratory bench, where a tall, gaunt figure was busy at work.

This figure felt so familiar.

No sooner had the thought crossed Sen Chisato's mind than the person at the bench ceased their movements. A raspy voice, calm as if the outcome had been expected all along, spoke up: "Another failure."

The man set down his instruments and turned toward Sen Chisato.

His face was pale, adorned with purple eyeshadow and contouring, and his narrow eyes held vertical pupils that shimmered with the cold, predatory intent of a viper.

This familiar voice, this familiar face...

Sen Chisato's pupils contracted sharply. This guy was Orochimaru!

Memories flooded back in a rush, and Sen Chisato remembered everything.

He was Sen Chisato, an orphan from Konoha Village. At the age of five, he had been taken from the Konoha Orphanage by Shimura Danzo and handed over to Orochimaru to become one of the test subjects for Wood Release.

Most importantly, he had transmigrated into this world five years ago, and it was he himself who had volunteered to become Orochimaru's test subject!

Oh, so that's how it is.

Tsk, although it wouldn't be life-threatening, I have to admit, it's still a bit of a hindrance. The side effects of the Wood Release experiments are quite significant...

Sen Chisato blinked, his entire body relaxing.

He rolled off the bed and walked over to Orochimaru's side. Glancing at the Rock ninja on the lab bench, he sighed and said, "Lord Orochimaru, another one has died."

"Do not be disappointed. In long-term experimentation, failure is the norm."

Orochimaru reached out to stroke Sen Chisato's slightly long hair, his raspy voice sounding unexpectedly gentle: "Those like you who survive are the true miracles!"

As he spoke, he flicked his tongue to lick his lips, his gaze fixed on Sen Chisato with undisguised covetousness.

The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the God of Shinobi who pacified the chaotic world and the wielder of the Kekkei Genkai Wood Release—his cells contained immense vitality.

Orochimaru was certain that the secret to eternal life was hidden within them.

However, Senju Hashirama's cells were too formidable. Almost every test subject who received an implant of his cells failed to withstand the erosion of that terrifying vitality, and most died right on the lab bench.

Over the many years, only two people had managed to survive the experiments by sheer luck.

One had already been taken away by Shimura Danzo, and the remaining one was Sen Chisato.

Therefore, even with his flaws, this child remained his treasure.

Sen Chisato seemed completely oblivious, looking up at Orochimaru with eyes that were clear, sincere, and filled with deep anticipation: "Lord Orochimaru, do you need to continue the experiments on me?"

"No, it is not yet time." Orochimaru shook his head in refusal.

"But I'm afraid my body won't last much longer, and that would cause a loss for you, Lord Orochimaru!" Sen Chisato lowered his head, looking dejected.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and whispered a consolation: "Do not be anxious. You are my most important test subject and my greatest experimental achievement. Before you die, I will certainly make the most of your value."

"Therefore, your primary task now is simply to live a little longer."

"Yes!"

Sen Chisato seemed encouraged, responding with a face full of joy: "For your sake, Lord Orochimaru, I will definitely fight to live longer and take good care of my body."

Orochimaru revealed a faint smile and instructed, "Go and rest. You have had a tiring day."

"Let me clean up the laboratory for you first, Lord Orochimaru," Sen Chisato said obediently.

Orochimaru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and ask, "You want to bury them, too?"

Sen Chisato nodded, his expression earnest: "Although I don't know them, they did contribute to your cause, Lord Orochimaru. The least I can do is lay them to rest; it's a way of repaying them."

Hearing this, the corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled upward.

He ruffled Sen Chisato's hair and said in a drifting, ethereal voice: "As expected, Chisato is a kind child."

Ever since he brought this child back to the laboratory, this ritual had never ceased, even when the boy was only five years old.

In truth, to prevent his experiments from being discovered, these failed subjects were best disposed of by incineration.

However, since Sen Chisato pleased him so much, he would let him do as he wished; he would treat it as a reward for the boy.

For children who craved recognition, Orochimaru never minded providing a little warmth, especially for a child as valuable as Sen Chisato.

A flower blooming in a snowy field—if one wants to pluck it at its most beautiful moment, one must occasionally water it before it fully blossoms.

Having received Orochimaru's consent, Sen Chisato was even happier.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru."

He ran out of the laboratory in high spirits and returned shortly after, pushing a large wooden cart. He loaded all the corpses, including the Rock ninja who had died on the bench, onto the cart.

Orochimaru had consumed quite a few test subjects in this experiment.

I just wonder how much progress this will bring me, Sen Chisato thought to himself.

If not for this very moment, he would never have stayed in Orochimaru's laboratory for so long. After all, he had just undergone another experiment a short while ago, and the aftereffects had yet to fade.

Thinking this to himself, Sen Chisato pushed the wooden cart excitedly, rushing out of the secret laboratory hidden deep underground along the narrow, winding passage.

Deep within the forest, there was a massive pit that Sen Chisato had dug in advance.

Arriving at the edge of the pit, Sen Chisato tossed all the corpses inside, then grabbed the shovel from the wooden cart and filled the hole with all the dirt.

Once the final mound of soil was leveled, he even patted it down with the shovel, gazing at the small mound of earth before him with eyes full of intense anticipation.

The system's notification chimed at this moment.

[System Notification]: [You have buried seven special ninjas (Hashirama cells), obtaining the power of incomplete Wood Release. Wood Release fruit maturity: 93%]

Seeing that number about to reach one hundred percent, Sen Chisato felt incredibly relieved. "A beautiful future lies in tomorrow!"

When he first transmigrated into the Naruto world, he had been terrified.

In this world where chakra existed, individuals could wield immense power, and endless slaughter was the norm, the mortality rate for a commoner like him—still just a child—was simply too high.

Therefore, in a world where everyone had the chance to use cheats, only by using an even greater cheat could he protect his own life.

Fortunately, he did indeed have a cheat.

That was the As You Sow, So Shall You Reap System.

As long as he planted the corpses of living beings as seeds, he would harvest fruits related to them. These fruits contained everything the corpses possessed in life, including chakra, chakra natures, ninjutsu, and even Kekkei Genkai!

However, although he had awakened the system, he was too young at the time and stuck in an orphanage, with no opportunity to come into contact with corpses.

Fortunately, just as he was contemplating how to get his hands on a large number of corpses, Danzo and Orochimaru appeared, simultaneously opening up a broad and bright path for him.

Others might not know, but how could he not?

These two men—one playing with biotechnology, the other with bloody cultivation—would consume a massive number of corpses regardless of who they were dealing with.

To others, these two were a danger.

But to Sen Chisato, they were clearly two gold mines waiting for him to excavate!

Thus, when Shimura Danzo and Orochimaru arrived at the Konoha orphanage and kept coercing the director, the moment a certain bespectacled boy stepped forward, Sen Chisato also raised his small hand.

The instant he locked eyes with Orochimaru, Sen Chisato confirmed his long-term target for exploitation.

And now, the fruits of his years of hard work were about to ripen.

Sen Chisato extended his hand, and a wooden thorn sprouted from his palm.

He could feel that his body still felt uncomfortable when he used Wood Release, but that was only because the Wood Release and his body had not yet fully integrated.

However, it would be soon.

As long as he buried a few more people, he would truly awaken Wood Release!

Not the budget version of the boy in Danzo's hands, but the real Wood Release, just like the First Hokage's!

"Lord Orochimaru, do you think this is the result of your experiments? No, this is the result of my cheating!" Sen Chisato looked at the wooden thorn in his palm and whispered with a smile.