The Crushing Gap Between Snake and Tree

"How much of Hashirama's Wood Release had you researched?"

Chiba did not retreat, but the roots beneath his feet withdrew to his side, no longer approaching Orochimaru.

The mere contact through his senses accelerated the circulation of his Sage Body.

His body was urging him to leave.

His calf muscles tightened, his shoulders and back adjusted toward a position suitable for turning, and even the Root Network began seeking paths free of snakes.

Chiba forcibly held himself in place.

He could not run.

Since Orochimaru had not attacked, he had not come merely to kill.

"More than Konoha was willing to disclose."

The woman's head lowered beneath the branches, her long neck winding halfway around the trunk.

"After Hashirama Senju died, Wood Release became a miracle no one could reproduce."

"You failed to reproduce it."

"Failed?"

Orochimaru landed on the ground, his neck returning to normal. His feet did not crush a single dead leaf.

"Those experiments eliminated the wrong answers for me. How could that be called failure?"

"Did the people who died think so too?"

"You care about them?"

"I only care how many test subjects you have left."

"You want to devour their abilities?"

Chiba stared at the face of the Hidden Grass woman.

"What do you know?"

"Metal Wood came from mineral strata, Poison Wood came from children sent by the Root organization, and Frostwood was connected to the Ice Release boy you brought back."

Orochimaru raised one finger.

"Every battle, every kind of cell, every strand of chakra entering your body makes Wood Release choose a new structure."

"How much information did Root give you?"

"Danzo was reluctant to share such things with me."

"Then you still have someone in Konoha."

"Not a bad guess."

"Who?"

"Answer my question first."

Orochimaru took a step forward.