The cells of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage?
River naturally knew of this shinobi, whose name was renowned throughout the Shinobi World.
Hashirama Senju was one of Konohagakure's founders and its First Hokage. Alongside Madara Uchiha, he was hailed as a legendary shinobi, and the world revered him as the God of Shinobi.
The many stories about him alone conveyed just how powerful he had been.
Of all his abilities, the strongest was Wood Release. It was both a kekkei genkai and a secret technique Hashirama Senju had created himself.
After Hashirama Senju's death, no one in the Senju Clan had ever manifested this unique release again. Yet some people in Konoha had never abandoned their research and experiments into this powerful technique.
Clearly, that was the nature of the project Orochimaru and Danzo were collaborating on.
"I'm very interested!"
River narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled.
Then Orochimaru led him through a series of heavily guarded doors into an enclosed room.
Inside, people wearing white lab coats and masks that covered their faces quietly went about their work.
At the center stood an operating table, with a terrified man strapped to it, his limbs restrained.
"Dead people are no use for experiments, of course."
Orochimaru spoke casually.
In his mind, a man who had studied life and souls so thoroughly and developed unique taijutsu and ninjutsu would naturally have no qualms about witnessing experiments on living subjects.
"I don't believe Konoha would permit experiments like these."
River spoke softly, his gaze fixed on the man on the operating table.
This was no ordinary civilian, but a trained shinobi with chakra distributed throughout his body.
"That's why all of this is being done in secret."
"You won't tell the Fourth about this, will you, Lord Sui?"
Orochimaru smiled.
"Of course