I, who just wanted to be lazy, was forced to become the Hokage.

Chapter 296 Wood Release and Sage Mode go even better together!

Nara Rinka was thrilled to have successfully found the correct path to "normal immortality".

After he walked out of the messy training room, even someone as oblivious as Bai Jue noticed his excited state.

"Lord Nara, you are in high spirits!"

Having fully accepted his fate, White Zetsu greeted Nara Ranka with a grin before being completely controlled by the Shadow Manipulation Technique, his consciousness temporarily offline.

"The chakra in this White Zetsu's body is really 'scarce'."

Nara Rinka sensed the Wood Release chakra within the White Zetsu and shook his head with considerable regret.

"If it weren't for the fact that this is the only living White Zetsu I have, I would really like to make some minor modifications to this guy..."

The White Zetsu in Nara Rinka's hands is probably strong enough to rival a Jonin from a ninja village, and its chakra reserves are also similar to those of an ordinary Jonin.

In the eyes of Nara Rinka, the researcher, he wished that White Zetsu could have an endless supply of chakra for him to squander.

A Jonin-level White Zetsu... is too weak.

"That's fine, it's enough."

Nara White Zetsu familiarized himself with his body and chakra before returning to the training room.

Without any modifications, the previous White Zetsu wouldn't have been able to "amplify" its chakra.

But now...

[Sage Mode]!

Nara White Zetsu sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, absorbed the natural energy from the outside world, and perfectly integrated it with the Wood Release chakra within his body, creating a more active "Wood Release: Sage Chakra".

"Using a White Zetsu's body to apply Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku will also cause physical mutation."

With eyeshadow, a bulbous nose, and sharp teeth, Nara White Zetsu stood up from the ground and looked at the mirror not far away.

"But why is the degree of mutation of White Zetsu lower than that of the original body? Is it because of its unique origin?"

"If the White Zetsu created using the Divine Tree and Hashirama's cells as raw materials were to actually react to Sage Mode, it should now be similar to Hashirama's 'Patterned Sage Mode'."

"But look at me, I look like Jiraiya, the immortal with albinism."

"This only proves one thing: the Sage Mode of the toads of Mount Myōboku, even when used by the Great Pillar, will still cause physical mutation."

Nara Ranka's voice rang out from the side, urging him to move towards the White Zetsu clone.

"Stop focusing on such trivial matters as appearance. Anyway, this isn't our own body. Let's try out the amplification effect of Sage Mode on Wood Release."

"We have just tested the amplification effect of Sage Chakra on Bloodline Limits and even Bloodline Elimination. Its 'quality' far exceeds that of regular Chakra."

"However, the case of the Great Pillar is too special. The collision of Wood Release and Sage Technique might produce some different sparks, even if it's the Sage Technique of the toads."

"Wait a mininute."

Nara White Zetsu nodded, formed hand seals, and transformed the Sage Chakra within his body into the unique Wood Release nature.

[Wood Release: Giant Wood Pillar Technique]!

Thick, sturdy wooden pillars, as thick as roof beams, were released from Nara White Zetsu's hands and, following his will, covered the floor of the training room, replacing the uneven stone floor with a smooth, even wooden floor.

Limited by chakra reserves, Nara White Zetsu rarely used high-level, high-consumption A-rank or even S-rank techniques when testing Wood Release.

The Giant Wood Pillar Technique is merely a C-rank ninjutsu, so its energy consumption is...

It can only be said that Nara White Zetsu can withstand multiple uses, and this technique is also a very commonly used Wood Release testing technique.

However, in Nara Rinka's memory, the [Giant Wood Pillar Technique] used by the White Zetsu clones before did not lay down such a fast foundation.

"Is it because your skill level has increased?"

The clone, which was in sync with the original body, shook its head.

"No, it was the Sage Chakra that accelerated the release speed of Wood Release."

Nara White Zetsu silently sensed the Sage Art Wood Release chakra within his body, then squatted down and tapped the wooden floor.

"Lower energy consumption, faster speed, and... higher hardness."

"Just like you said, Sage Mode and Wood Release really go well together."

"Don't just use this kind of simple Wood Release made from chakra."

Nara Rinka took out a small bag of plant seeds from his ninja tool pouch and tossed it to his clone from a distance.

"Try using these plant seeds to see the results, and then try using white blood cells as a last resort."

Nara White Zetsu took out several seeds and injected Wood Release chakra into them, causing them to rapidly expand and grow.

[Wood Release: Thorn Killing Technique]!

Another unremarkable C-rank ninjutsu was unleashed by Nara White Zetsu. Thin, vine-like wooden tendrils grew from the plant seed and rapidly extended toward the location of the main body.

Nara Rinka made no resistance, letting the wooden strip wrap around his legs.

"How do you feel?"

"It just consumes a little less."

Nara White Zetsu formed hand seals once more.

But this time, he used his own White Zetsu cells as the "growth material" for Wood Release.

The first Wood Release ninjutsu Nara Rinkei acquired—the Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique—mentions how cells or plant seeds can be used to amplify the power of Wood Release.

This technique of integrating cells into Wood Release was something Nara Rinka rarely used in previous tests.

The reason remains the same: the rarity of living White Zetsu.

Consuming large amounts of White Zetsu's cells will only make it weaker and weaker, and it might just die in the underground research facility one day.

Dead White Zetsu cannot be used as recycled Wood Release experimental material.

But it's okay to do some small experiments occasionally.

After all, Nara Rinka had already suspected that the Wood Release of the Great Pillar was not the same as the Wood Release used by his "successors".

Considering that there is another bloodline limit technique in the ninja world called "God: Advent of the World of Trees"...

Nara Rinka has some reason to speculate that Hashirama Senju's Wood Release is not the bloodline limit formed by the fusion of Water Release and Earth Release as Yamato said, but rather the bloodline limit of the fusion of Water Release, Earth Release and Yang Release!

As for the bloodline system...

Nara Rinka genuinely doesn't believe that the Great Pillar's Wood Release is a Bloodline Limit.

The pillar's strength is extremely abnormal.

But it shouldn't be that perverted.

Bloodline Limits are a standard ability for Six Paths level powerhouses.

While Hashirama Senju was strong in his lifetime, he was certainly not strong enough to reach the Six Paths level.

As for Hashirama Senju after his death... he wasn't as strong as he was in life!

Using White Zetsu cells as raw materials to employ Wood Release is certainly not a bloodline limit elimination method.

If Wood Release is truly a bloodline limit elimination technique, then it would require at least the perfect fusion of Yang Release, Earth Release, and Water Release.

Incorporating White Zetsu cells into the release of Wood Release ninjutsu can at best be considered a rudimentary form of Kekkei Tota.

In previous tests, Nara Rinka also confirmed that Wood Release based on White Zetsu cells does indeed possess more activity and vitality than regular Wood Release.

And now...

Under Nara Rinka's watchful gaze, the White Zetsu clone, based on White Zetsu cells and infused with Sage Mode Wood Release chakra, unleashed another ninjutsu.

[Wood Release: Tree Spear]!

Starting from Nara White Zetsu's right leg, the dark brown wooden vines quickly took root and grew deep into the training room floor, forming a lush, green tree in the blink of an eye.

Nara White Zetsu "pulled" his right leg out of the tree, stepped aside, and carefully observed the tree.

"This tree is alive! It's the real thing."

Nara White Zetsu took a deep breath.

"What I mean is that it is no longer simply a creation of chakra, and as long as it is not damaged by any accident, it can grow like a normal tree."

"I've already discovered it."

A hint of surprise flashed in Nara Rinka's eyes.

"If you are sensing the flow of natural energy right now, you will find that this tree is slowly absorbing natural energy!"

"Once its Wood Release chakra is depleted, it can sustain its life by absorbing natural energy."

"The Wood Release technique of the Great Pillar... must really be a product of the fusion of water, earth, and yang!"

"Or rather, it's at least a product of the fusion of water, earth, and yang! No wonder he's so strong!"

"Based on the intelligence information we have gathered, there are indeed many trees left behind by Hashirama Senju within the Land of Fire."

Nara White Zetsu nodded seriously.

"Judging from the current situation, Dazhuzi definitely used his cells as raw materials to create Wood Release, and also incorporated a certain amount of natural energy, which is why those pieces of wood have real 'life'."

"But as for the main body, do you think Pillar knew that his Wood Release was a Kekkei Tota?"

"I have no idea……"

Nara Ranka shook his head.

"However, judging from the scrolls of Wood Release ninjutsu that Tsunade left behind, Hashirama Senju probably didn't know this either. I think even Hashirama might not know that his Wood Release was a product of the fusion of Water Release and Earth Release!"

"Apart from those researchers who acquire their skills later in life, why would those ninjas who are born with bloodline limits care about the true origin of their bloodline limits? As long as they can be used, that's enough!"

"We only deduced the Great Pillar's Wood Release based on the information we currently have, and then confirmed which nature transformations his Wood Release was a fusion product of.

"Maybe the Great Pillar back then just discovered that his own cells could be fused into Wood Release to increase its power, and then he used it in a daze..."

"But Dazhu didn't know that he was the reincarnation of Ashura, and was born with Ashura's chakra. So, by accident, he fused Yang Release into Wood Release, and then upgraded Wood Release from a bloodline limit to a bloodline limit elimination..."

Nara White Zetsu stroked his chin.

"I really want to criticize your statement, but Big Pillar does seem a bit dim-witted..."

The so-called "God of Shinobi" is actually a "golden body" that was attached to Hashirama Senju by later generations.

This guy is actually a naive, soft-hearted, and gambling idiot!

"Whether Pillar is stupid or not, his Wood Release is really useful!"

(End of this chapter)