Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 31 The Wood Release Reappearance Plan

What inspired the Senju and the Third Hokage to recreate the glory of Wood Release was Hashirama's terrifying Wood Release chakra.

Although Hashirama died, his soul dissipated into the world.

However, his physical body remained remarkably active and did not die despite the powerful Wood Release chakra.

In a sense, Hashirama didn't die; his soul simply left his body.

If there were a ninjutsu that could summon souls from the underworld back to the real world, it would be entirely possible for the God of Shinobi to reappear in the ninja world.

His physical body is enough for him to live for at least another hundred years.

This is the power of the God of Shinobi and Wood Release, a power that defies comprehension.

It's no wonder that the Senju clan and the Third Hokage both wanted to regain Wood Release.

Not long after the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, the new head of the Senju clan and the Third Hokage gathered all the Konoha ninjas skilled in research in a secret base to conduct research on the reproduction of Wood Release. Danzo was also a member of the research team.

After much discussion, research, and deliberation, they concluded that the most likely method was to cultivate Hashirama's cells, which were filled with Wood Release chakra, and then implant them into other ninjas, allowing their cells to gradually assimilate Hashirama's cells and thus acquire new Wood Release.

Unfortunately, Hashirama's cells were too corrosive, and none of the ninjas who conducted the experiments could withstand them. Their chakra and physical bodies were devoured by Hashirama's cells, turning them into small trees covered with green branches and leaves.

Originally, the plan to revive Wood Release would have to be halted at this point.

However, the Senju clan was very unwilling to accept this.

Furthermore, they believed that the reason the experimental subjects could not withstand the erosion of the Hashirama cells was because they did not have the bloodline of the Senju clan.

Only Senju clan ninjas who share the same bloodline as Hashirama can withstand the erosion of Hashirama's cells.

However, everyone underestimated the power of the interstitial cells.

Many powerful ninjas of the Senju clan, including the new clan leader, also perished because none of them could withstand the corrosive effects of Hashirama's cells.

After that, the plan to revive Wood Release completely failed.

The Senju clan also fell into complete decline due to the deaths of many powerful members.

As a result, the Uchiha clan had no other ninja clan capable of suppressing them.

The Uchiha clan's suppressed arrogance, suppressed by the Senju clan, grew even more rampant.

This was a misjudgment by the Third Hokage back then, and now he doesn't want to lose more ninjas because of restarting the Wood Release revival plan.

Putting those aside for now, after the Wood Release: Resurrection Project failed, all the researchers withdrew from that research base.

The third generation himself never went back to that secret base.

Only Danzo, who had been conducting research in that secret base for many years, would know about the equipment used in the research on the first generation of cells.

When Danzo saw that the Third Hokage's question about the quality of the equipment wasn't about restarting the Wood Release revival plan, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

For many years, he has never stopped researching the Wood Release: Rebirth Plan.

Unfortunately, one person's strength is ultimately limited, and the biggest limitation is the lack of money.

If the Third Hokage endorses the research, and it is conducted in the name of Konoha, then there will be more funding, and the research progress can be greatly accelerated.

Unfortunately, the third generation did not intend to restart the project.

Since it's not about restarting the Wood Release revival plan, why did the Third Hokage ask about the quality of the equipment at the secret base?

Danzo voiced the question that had been lingering in his mind.

"Just answer me whether those research equipment are still usable?" The third generation was unwilling to say more.

"It works," Danzo replied.

"That's fine then, you can go now," said the Third Generation.

"How strange." Danzo's eyes flickered. He knew that there must be some secret behind the Third Hokage's question about the equipment, but... never mind, let's build the Root first.

Danzo turned and left.

The third generation sat in a chair smoking, pondering for a while, and felt somewhat unwilling, so he decided to wait another month.

If there's still no hope of a breakthrough with Li Yao, then send him to Danzo so that Danzo can study that guy's cells and see if he can find out why that guy is immune to genjutsu, thereby developing ninjutsu that counters Uchiha genjutsu.

……

A month later.

night.

Interrogation Room No. 3 in the Dark Division.

The third generation pushed open the door and walked to the torture bed.

Li Yao lay on the bed with his eyes closed, an IV drip inserted into his arm. He was now surviving entirely on the nutrient solution in the IV.

"This is the last time."

The Third Generation thought to himself, then formed hand seals and released the illusion technique once again – Dark Travel Technique.

A moment later, the Third Hokage released his hands from the hand seals, glanced at Li Yao on the bed with disappointment, and then turned and left.

He had been to the interrogation room three times in the past month, and this time makes it four.

Li Yao is still in a vegetative state, his body relying on instinct to breathe and survive.

The chakra within his body remains special, making him immune to all genjutsu invasions.

The third generation has given up hope.

"Send people to the root, where someone will receive them."

Outside the interrogation room, after explaining the follow-up matters to Li Yao, the Third Generation patted Bao on the shoulder and said, "You've worked hard these past few days. From now on, you will resume your identity as the Anbu Bao Squad and continue to carry out Anbu missions."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Baku's eyes shone brightly as he looked at the Third Hokage, his body trembling slightly.

The third generation smiled and then left.

After the third generation left, the members of the Baku squad immediately pushed the torture bed to the Root base.

On the torture bed, Li Yao, sensing his body being moved out of the interrogation room, secretly prepared to launch a fatal attack if anything went wrong.

At this moment, he had successfully condensed the same sealing chakra as the sealing technique on his body.

Because these sealed chakras are the same as the chakra in the sealing formula, the sealing formula cannot recognize their chakra.

Therefore, Li Yao can now remove the sealing spells on his body at any time.

But he did not, and remained sealed away.

Unless he's driven to a dead end, Li Yao won't easily reveal any weaknesses.

He is now confident that he can turn the tide.

Given time, he will surely be able to escape Konoha.

Here we must mention the benefits of merging the soul with chakra.

First, Li Yao has taken his control over chakra to a new level.

Previously, it was only about absolutely controlling chakra to change its form.

He now has absolute control over the nature of his own chakra, allowing him to easily replicate and condense various elemental chakras.

However, the most crucial point is that after his soul merged with his chakra, the chakra perception he gained was too abnormal.

Especially when in contact with his chakra, his chakra perception ability reaches an abnormal level that can be described as X-ray vision, allowing him to perceive the nature and form changes of ninjutsu chakra.

Under his perception, the sealing attribute chakra of the sealing techniques on his body could be seen through like X-ray vision, allowing him to perceive the corresponding changes in nature and form.

This made it easier for Li Yao to replicate and condense the sealing attribute chakra of the sealing technique.

Having absolute control over the nature and form of chakra, coupled with the ability to sense the nature and form changes of ninjutsu chakra, means that Li Yao can learn any ninjutsu.

Whether it's regular five-attribute ninjutsu or new attribute ninjutsu from a fusion of attributes, Li Yao can learn it as long as he senses the corresponding changes in nature and form.

As long as he can sense the changes in the nature and form of chakra in ninjutsu, he can condense the same ninjutsu chakra and release the corresponding ninjutsu.

This is the truth that Li Yao discovered through experiments over the past month while condensing the chakra of the sealing technique.

(End of this chapter)