"Hashirama cells? Wood Release?"
"That's right. This project is important. Whatever materials you need, I can provide them."
Orochimaru took the documents and began looking through them.
Truth be told, he was genuinely interested in this experiment!
Hashirama cells possessed extraordinary vitality. Even setting immortality aside, their potential to extend life was enough to move Orochimaru, who yearned to explore the very essence of life.
"I'll give it a try."
Orochimaru suppressed his excitement and accepted the documents and materials with both hands.
"Do you need more people?"
Shimura Danzō asked, glancing into the laboratory. Only Sarutobi's young disciple was inside.
"No. My disciple and I will be enough."
Shimura Danzō frowned, but he still nodded and left with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Kid, we've got work to do."
Orochimaru handed the documents to Xuanhui, who took them and flipped through a few pages.
"Hashirama cells?"
So this was when it happened?
Wait, wasn't Orochimaru supposed to turn dark after witnessing Nawaki's and Dan Katō's deaths?
Xuanhui's mind reeled. After a long while, he reached a conclusion.
His arrival had averted Nawaki's death. Nawaki was now fighting alongside Tsunade.
Meanwhile, he had helped Orochimaru develop technology, given him books containing ideas ahead of their time, and even secured a brand-new laboratory for him.
Absorbed in his research, Orochimaru had given up on going to the front against the Hidden Sand Village.
Naturally, he hadn't witnessed Dan Katō's...
Wait, wasn't Dan Katō still alive?
This year's jōnin meeting hadn't taken place yet, and Tsunade hadn't proposed assigning a medical ninja to every squad.
Seeing Xuanhui lost in thought, Orochimaru turned away and began tinkering with the equipment.
That brought Xuanhui to a sudden realization.
So I'd brought forward Minato's moonlit courtship!
The Hidden Cloud Village's ninja shouldn't have come to Konoha so early.