Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

“…”

Handsome Scorpion sized up his scoundrel uncle. How had this guy survived this long? His mouth was even more foul than his own…

"Come on, let's call each other 'uncle' and you'll get candy...ヾ(^Д^*)/"

Looking at Wu Wukai, who was staring at him with a pair of dead fish eyes, confused and curious, letting him pinch his tender little face, Zhen Dou couldn't help but tease him. Wu Wukai didn't have a black cloth covering his face yet. At two years old, he was not yet three, but he already looked like a little adult. As expected of someone from a prestigious family, he was as mature as ever. Children from ordinary families were still playing in the mud at two or three years old. This child's eyes revealed a maturity beyond his age. In this respect, he was similar to the handsome boy Scorpion, who had already studied the basic law at the age of three. The handsome boy Scorpion had never played in the mud.

"Uncle, my name is Kakashi Hatake, not '55kai'..."

Wu Wukai continued, his dead fish eyes fixed on the man, speaking with a straight face. He was curious about who this blond-haired middle-aged man was. He seemed to be a friend of his father, but he had never seen him before. He knew exactly how many friends his father had in the village, and very few of them would come to their house. What's more, this middle-aged man dared to pinch his face in front of his father. What was even stranger was that his father didn't draw his knife.

"I know your name isn't '55kai' (meaning 'evenly matched'). Sigh! It's all my fault for arriving too late. Your old man had already chosen a name for you, and you missed out on such a powerful name. '55kai,' think about it, no matter who you're up against, you're always evenly matched. Think about how cool and meaningful that is! Just like my nephew, 'Handsome Scorpion,' handsome 'Scorpion,' he lives up to his name! Who wouldn't think he's handsome the first thing they see? It's a pity your old man doesn't appreciate it. Listen to your uncle, in a few years when you're older and your old man can't control you anymore, go change your name to Kakashi... that name sounds like it was just picked randomly."

Ignoring Hatake Sakumo's action of drawing his sword and the murderous look in Handsome Sasori's eyes, he continued to deceive Wu Wukai.

".....don't want!"

Even though Wu Wukai, who was still young and had the excellent bloodline of the Hatake clan, was clearly not so easily fooled, he resolutely and coolly shook his head.

"...White Fang, your son is just like you, lacking any childlike energy. Aren't you afraid he'll never find a girlfriend? Not everyone is as lucky as you; times have changed...! If he never finds a girlfriend, your Hatake clan's swordsmanship will be lost..."

Seeing that Wu Wukai remained unmoved, Zhen Dou approached Hatake Sakumo with a serious expression and said that he didn't know why Wu Wukai, with his awesome Hatake swordsmanship, didn't learn those flashy ninjutsu. However, the Hatake swordsmanship was indeed eventually lost; it wasn't that Wu Wukai couldn't do it, but rather that this guy was destined to be a famous bachelor. The male protagonists, more than a decade younger than him, all had children. This guy became a well-known bachelor in the hot spring world...

344. Orochimaru, the reserve Hokage

"This... don't you think it's too early to discuss this? Kakashi isn't even three years old yet. ヽ(ー_ー)ノ"

Sakumo Hatake thought about it and it seemed that Shinto's words made a lot of sense. His son's personality was exactly the same as his own when he was a child. However, the times were different now. In his era, as long as you could rise to power, it was actually quite easy to find a girl, get married, and have children. His boss, the Hokage, was a perfect example. He was rather short and had a rather impatient appearance. After becoming Hokage, he immediately found a girl, got married, and had children.

But girls these days are different. Their living conditions have improved, and their thinking has changed significantly. Most importantly, if it weren't for the fact that his son had already been born, he really wouldn't have any plans to get married and have children. He admits he's lucky, but by his son's generation, there might not be girls with such courage and resourcefulness. Thinking about the scenario he imagined, Hatake Sakumo was genuinely worried that this guy's prediction was right. However, seeing that his son was not even three years old, discussing this topic now seemed too early. A three-year-old doesn't understand anything about love; he's over thirty and still doesn't understand...

"It's getting late. Look at my nephew. Three years ago, Chiyo already arranged a girl for him. That way, he won't have any worries. There's a saying that goes, 'What goes around comes around.' Besides, you're the head of Konoha's Anbu. You're on the leaderboard in every village's mission room. Can you guarantee you'll live to be a hundred and die a natural death? What goes around comes around. What if something happens to you one day, and your son doesn't have your luck with women? Then your Hatake clan will really be extinct. Don't you think what I'm saying makes sense?"

Shindou pointed at the handsome Scorpion and gave White Fang a strong analysis. Meanwhile, Wu Wukai, whose hair hadn't even fully grown in yet, looked completely bewildered, not knowing what this blond middle-aged man was talking to his father. As his father looked at him, his expression gradually became serious.

“…”

As a victim who suffered greatly, Handsome Scorpion looked at this bastard with contempt. He never expected that this bastard would be such a gossipy scoundrel, not even sparing a child who was not even three years old.

"...Let's wait and see..."

Sakumo Hatake was somewhat tempted by this analysis, but after thinking of all the girls in Konoha who were the same age as his son and comparing them to his son's personality, he really couldn't bear to ruin them. He decided to wait and see if any girls would come to him on their own.

Besides, he wouldn't have the nerve to pimp for his son who's not even three years old...

......

"I didn't expect you to be such a busybody..."

"Outside of the Hatake clan," said the handsome Sasori with undisguised contempt.

He felt that this bastard uncle was really fooling Konoha White Fang. After all, Konoha White Fang was a top-tier big shot. Even if he could live to be a hundred, he certainly wouldn't die young. Waiting for that little white-haired kid to grow up wouldn't be a problem. After all, Konoha White Fang was a top-tier double-flower red stick. How could he be so easy to fall down?

"How can this be called being nosy? I'm concerned about my lifelong rival and best friend. You're too young to know the wickedness of people. Don't be fooled by Konoha's peaceful appearance; in some ways, it's far darker than Sunagakure. The struggles between conspirators are sometimes more brutal than war itself... Hmm? What's this? Holy crap! Orochimaru, you bastard, get out here! (▼he▼メ)"

"boom!"

As Masato was speaking, he suddenly felt something land on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw a small white snake flicking its tongue, only two or three centimeters away, staring at him. Startled, his scalp tingled, and his Conqueror's Haki involuntarily burst forth, knocking the small white snake on his shoulder unconscious. Two of the Anbu members who were about ten meters away from him and Sasori were also knocked over, and another was trembling with fear, forcibly suppressing his panic. Fortunately, the Conqueror's Haki came and went quickly, and since it was midday, the Hatake clan, located in a relatively remote part of Konoha, did not cause any disturbance.

However, the fact that a small white snake suddenly appeared in Konoha and landed on his shoulder is obvious to anyone with a brain. It's clear which bastard was behind it. Ever since he released snakes for the Raikage, Orochimaru's skills have become increasingly refined.

"Heh, I never expected the famous Golden Lion to be afraid of snakes..."

The next moment, Snake emerged from a large tree, suppressing his racing heart and chuckling softly. The sudden burst of power from this guy had really startled him. If his heart hadn't been pounding so hard, he would have thought that powerful aura was just an illusion. The feeling of having a boulder pressing on his heart was quite unpleasant. He hadn't expected the Golden Lion to be so powerful; its mere aura was enough to make him feel uneasy.

He hadn't faced off against Shiki directly, but he had witnessed Shiki clashing with Sakumo. He noticed that Shiki's aura was becoming increasingly domineering. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he was certain that Shiki hadn't possessed this kind of charisma before. However, after not seeing him for several years, he noticed a subtle but growing domineering presence in Shiki. If before it was the oppressive aura that made others call him "daddy," then...

"Nonsense! A snake suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and it was so close, it almost kissed me. Go ask how many people aren't afraid of this cold, slippery thing. You don't come here unless you need something. When I arrived the day before yesterday, I didn't see you, the Hokage in training, come to greet me. Now you come to see me in the middle of the day. So, what's the matter?"

Without any hesitation, Masato ripped the stunned white snake off his shoulder, tied it into several tight knots, and said irritably.

"Hehe, let's find somewhere to discuss this in detail. If you don't mind, you're welcome to visit my lab..."

Orochimaru's eyes twitched as he looked at the little white snake, which was tied in several knots. Especially when he heard the words "reserve Hokage," a conflicted feeling flashed through his mind. He then spoke to Masato.

"Alright, although my idol is Madara, the people I admire most in my life are great scientists like you and Tobirama Senju. It would be good to see them."

Seeing Orochimaru acting so mysteriously piqued Shinto's curiosity as well. Judging from Orochimaru's appearance, he was probably already researching something shady. Otherwise, given his current status in Konoha, he wouldn't need to be so secretive. Just kidding, he's a Hokage candidate. If nothing unexpected happens, he might actually become Hokage in two or three years. But seeing Orochimaru like this now, Hiruzen Sarutobi's dream of retiring and enjoying a peaceful life is still a long way off.

345. Snake's entire fortune has been poured into this.

"Wow! This place may be small, but it has everything you need. But... are all these bottles and jars snake wine? What are you doing with this junk, you great scientist? Onoki is already researching tailed beasts, and you're still researching your own kind..."

Following Snake Uncle's winding mountain road, they finally entered Snake Uncle's laboratory. What came into view was all kinds of scientific research instruments. Some of them were the same ones he had seen on TV before and he could name them. However, most of them were scientific research instruments that he could not name. However, he guessed that Snake Uncle's entire net worth was here. Each of these things was an extremely expensive piece of equipment. Shindou pointed to a bottle or jar on a table that contained small white snakes and joked.

"These are just some small experiments. I heard from Nawaki that Lord Golden Lion once mentioned to him that the Second Hokage had developed a ninjutsu to summon the dead. I wonder if Lord Golden Lion has ever seen it? Could you tell me what this technique is like?"

After asking two probing questions, Orochimaru's tone became increasingly urgent, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at Shiki. When Nawaki suddenly appeared and asked him if he knew any of the Second Hokage's necromancy techniques, he was completely bewildered. He had seen all the ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage in the sealing techniques, and there was nothing about necromancy. However, Nawaki's expression didn't seem fake, so he asked him what was going on. After Nawaki's explanation, he initially thought Nawaki had been tricked by Shiki. He himself had recently been studying soul science, and according to his understanding, the place where a person's soul resides after death is completely different from their world. Summoning the soul of the dead... referring to forbidden techniques like the Uzumaki clan's summoning of Shinigami, theoretically it was indeed possible, but in practice, it was extremely difficult—at least in his opinion.

But then again, the Second Hokage was a pioneer in the scientific world, the creator of countless forbidden techniques, and even developed the mysterious space-jutsu Flying Thunder God Technique. So it seemed reasonable that he would develop this kind of ninjutsu as well. Although he didn't have much contact with Shiki and was a bit of a blabbermouth, even if he wanted to flirt with Tsunade, he wouldn't talk nonsense with a kid like Nawaki. There was no need for him to do so, and he wouldn't benefit from fooling Nawaki. Moreover, Shiki's debut coincided with the Second Hokage's time when he was still alive and healthy. In the end, it was Shiki and Sakumo who brought the Second Hokage's body back to Konoha from Yuezhi. Shiki might have actually seen this ninjutsu. However, because Nawaki's literacy was too poor, his description was unclear. He heard that the Sand Village's negotiator was Shiki, so he came out to ask, hoping that Shiki could give him some inspiration.

He had a strong premonition that the ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage would greatly inspire his immortality technique.

"Summoning the dead?... There's nothing wrong with that. I just heard it from someone else. You're probably referring to a forbidden technique called Impure World Reincarnation that Tobirama Senju developed. I've never seen it myself. I heard Kakuzu mention it when I was hanging out with him, and because it was so mysterious, it left a deep impression on me. According to Kakuzu, when Tobirama was developing this ninjutsu, Hashirama Senju felt it was against the will of Heaven, so he forced him to destroy it. But as a scientist, you should understand that every ninjutsu developed is the culmination of one's hard work. How could Tobirama possibly destroy it? Kakuzu once saw it. According to his understanding, it uses the cells of the dead as a medium to summon their souls, and then uses a living person's body as a vessel to hold the soul. Although it can't bring them back to life, it can keep them in the human world for a period of time. When the living person's body can't withstand it anymore, the forbidden technique naturally breaks... What? You're interested in the science of the soul?"

Shinto raised an eyebrow. He didn't know how Orochimaru had heard of this ninjutsu from Danzo or somewhere else in the original story, nor did he know where Orochimaru had obtained it. However, when he tricked Nawaki into learning this ninjutsu from Orochimaru, he thought that Orochimaru would definitely try to get his hands on this forbidden technique after hearing about the number of people involved. Although the ninja world was vast, there was really nothing that Orochimaru couldn't get his hands on. Eight-Tails tentacles, Sage Mode marks, and all sorts of other random things—weren't they all obtained by Orochimaru?

He really hadn't expected Orochimaru to come and ask him. He couldn't very well say that he'd seen him in the anime when he killed his mentor, and besides, their Sunagakure historical records definitely didn't contain such a secret. So he simply passed the buck to Kakuzu, the old man. After all, Kakuzu was the only ninja in the world who lived in the same era as Hashirama Senju, and his credibility was even stronger than Hiruzen Sarutobi's. Now, everyone in the ninja world knew that the bounty hunter Kakuzu was the most trustworthy. If he encountered any difficulties with a job, he would rather lose money than lose money than fail to complete the job and give his clients an explanation. This behavior greatly increased his reputation in the ninja world. Although Onoki and Hiruzen Sarutobi were leaders of large organizations, they really couldn't compare to Kakuzu in terms of credibility.

"...I've been researching this area recently, hoping to find some inspiration."

Sure enough, Orochimaru heard that the words came from Kakuzu's side, and the name was even mentioned, which meant that the Second Hokage had indeed developed this forbidden technique. He nodded thoughtfully. In his mind, since it was Kakuzu who said it, then it must be true. He now had some ideas on how to find this ninjutsu, but he wasn't in a hurry. This kind of ninjutsu that defied the laws of nature wasn't recorded in the Book of Seals, but he figured that the Second Hokage's disciples, including his Hokage teacher, must know about it. However, based on his understanding of his teacher, he knew he definitely wouldn't tell him. But another person must know as well. However, he really didn't want to get involved with that good-for-nothing unless absolutely necessary, worried that he would be infected as well. Not for any other reason than that good-for-nothing was truly good-for-nothing.

However, if that good-for-nothing really knows the whereabouts of this ninjutsu, then cooperating with him is worth considering.

.....

"boom!"

"Damn Orochimaru, does he really think I won't dare to touch him just because he's Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple?"

"Send out all the Roots! I refuse to believe that the entire Land of Fire lacks a talent like him!"

Inside the Leaf Village's Roots, Danzo, sitting in the center, listened to the leader's report and, enraged, slammed his hand on the table in front of him, smashing it to pieces, and then gave an order to the leader beside him.

346. Orochimaru is the only truly talented person in the entire ninja world.

Ever since he learned that his ranking on the male god list was due to being beaten up by the Raikage and thus being overtaken by Fugaku Uchiha, Danzo has been harboring a lot of negative energy these past few days, including frustration, resentment, and anger. If he hadn't been beaten up by the Raikage, he would never have been overtaken by that ugly freak Fugaku Uchiha. If he were strong enough, the Raikage wouldn't have beaten him up like this, and he would still be the incredibly handsome guy ranked seventh on the male god list.

But now everything has changed. Not only was he beaten up by the Raikage, but his name on the list was also removed. This made Danzo very unwilling, and it also made Danzo completely understand the essence of this world: whoever has the bigger fist has the right to speak. He used to think that as long as he became the leader, all kinds of underlings would work for him, and strength was not important at all. His good buddy had been in power for more than 20 years and spent all his time in the Hokage Building. If it weren't for this war, he wouldn't have known that his good buddy could still fight.

He has now passed the golden stage of enhancing his strength, and it is impossible for him to become stronger step by step. So the only way to become stronger is to take a shortcut, and that shortcut lies in the cells of the First Hokage. Back then, when his Second Hokage secretly used the First Hokage's cells to conduct experiments, he happened to be one of the participants. Coincidentally, the Second Hokage's research results were all in his hands. If he could transplant the First Hokage's cells and awaken Wood Release, then he wouldn't need to rack his brains and kill so many brain cells for a position of leadership. He could just fight his way up with punches and kicks and truly lead Konoha to unify the ninja world and fight all the way to the moon!

Once the idea appeared in his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about it. However, researching and transplanting the First Hokage's cells was not so easy. Before his Second Hokage teacher died, he went through countless failures and concluded that no normal person could withstand the massive amount of positive chakra in the First Hokage's cells. Although he was fortunate enough to participate in the First Hokage's cell research back then, to be honest, he couldn't understand any of the messy data. He didn't have the ability to restart the First Hokage's cell research.

Therefore, it was necessary to find such a scientific research talent. Danzo's first thought was Orochimaru, his best friend's beloved disciple. Although his best friend was very unhappy, he had to admit that his best friend's judgment was indeed sharp. All three disciples had been taught by him to be respectable people. Even Jiraiya, whom he had the least faith in, had now become a double-flowered red-rob. As for Orochimaru, who was said to be comparable to Hatake Sakumo if he were in a family with some wealth, he was even more so. He was a great scientist praised by Shiki as his second teacher. Moreover, Orochimaru usually liked to study some strange things, especially human experimentation, which he was quite accomplished in. He even transformed himself into a snake, breaking the laws of the natural food chain.

Orochimaru is definitely a top talent in this field, and if we can bring Orochimaru into the research on the First Hokage's cells, it's like we've got a handle on Orochimaru. Even if Orochimaru is pushed into power by Hiruzen Sarutobi in the future, we can use this handle to make Orochimaru compromise.

After all, the First Hokage's importance to Konoha is self-evident. To study the First Hokage's cells in private is, to put it bluntly, a disrespect to the First Hokage. Based on this alone, Orochimaru would find it difficult to stay in Konoha.

After devising this brilliant plan, Danzo immediately sent his henchman to find Orochimaru. However, he didn't expect that Orochimaru would be so disrespectful to him. Before his henchman could even speak, Orochimaru told him to get lost. Even when beating a dog, one should consider its owner, right? Knowing that Ryuma was his henchman, this bastard still dared to tell him to get lost. Orochimaru clearly looked down on him.

Danzo was furious. He had been suppressed by Hiruzen Sarutobi his whole life, and now he was being looked down upon by Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciple. He couldn't live without a scientific research talent like Orochimaru in Konoha. The entire Land of Fire didn't have a scientific research talent like Orochimaru!

"...Lord Danzo, let alone the Land of Fire, there really isn't anyone like Orochimaru in the entire ninja world. After all, researching the First Hokage's cells to this extent is not something an ordinary person can accomplish."

Seeing his enraged leader, even though saying these words might get him killed, as the second-in-command of Root and the leader of the team, Aburame Maru still had to bite the bullet and say it. He had been selected and trained by Danzo from the Aburame clan since childhood and was extremely loyal to Danzo. In recent years, although Root had developed rapidly under Danzo's management, especially since Danzo had collected a large number of orphans all over the ninja world under the name of the Konoha Children's Foundation and carefully trained them, and then officially entered Root as peripheral subordinates when they turned twelve years old, to be honest, even he, the person in charge, couldn't remember how many peripheral subordinates Root actually had.

If such a large-scale operation were to be discovered by the Hokage, and if the Hokage found out about the research on the First Hokage's cells, it would be truly disastrous. As the Hokage's best friend, the leader would naturally be fine, but the second-in-command would definitely be used as a scapegoat. So, seeing his leader so eager to find people, he quickly came out to persuade him. Moreover, what he said was true. There was no one else like Orochimaru, a top talent in the field, not only in the Land of Fire, but in the entire ninja world. Otherwise, he wouldn't be known as the Second Generation Great Scientist.

Do you really think this is easy? He's been a top student since he was a child, but researching the First Hokage's cells involves far too much knowledge. It's not just about ninjutsu; it also requires knowledge of the three most basic fields: chemistry, physics, and biology. Some people spend their entire lives learning just one of these fields, let alone mastering all three. The fact that Konoha produced two scientists like the Second Hokage and Orochimaru is already the third greatest miracle in the ninja world. And they think they can find that in the Land of Fire?

What if scientists fail to find it, but there are plenty of so-called experts and professors out there...?

"...Go find Orochimaru again and tell him I have research data on the Second Hokage. I don't believe he won't be interested! (▼he▼メ)"

Although Danzo's strength had diminished, his years of training had given him a thorough understanding of human nature. Trying to recruit someone like Orochimaru as a subordinate was risky; without absolute certainty, he could potentially kill his master at any moment. Approaching him softly was even less effective, lest he lose sight of his place later. For someone as unyielding as him, the best approach was to appeal to his interests. Since Danzo enjoyed researching all sorts of frivolous things, and Danzo happened to possess the Second Hokage's research materials, Danzo was bound to be tempted.

Only if Orochimaru is tempted and willing to cooperate will there be a chance to seize leverage over him, and then...

Danzo could almost picture himself wielding Wood Release with his left hand and summoning the Blue Giant with his right, beating Hiruzen Sarutobi to a pulp, and then being crowned Hokage while standing on the moon...

347. These days everyone's bragging about golden lions and white teeth.

"That old bastard Danzo couldn't hold back any longer; he's sent people to find Orochimaru now..."

Not far from Orochimaru's lab, Shinto sensed a masked Konoha underling rushing towards the lab using his Observation Haki. However, he wasn't so lucky and was stopped by Orochimaru at the entrance. From the contemptuous and disdainful look in Orochimaru's eyes, it was clear that this was Danzo's Root underling... If it were the Anbu, with White Fang as their supreme leader, Orochimaru, though a bit arrogant, wouldn't be so openly contemptuous and disdainful. Only a loser like Danzo would be so openly despised by Orochimaru.

Through their conversation, Shinto roughly understood what had happened. Danzo had sent his underlings to invite Orochimaru to team up. However, Orochimaru didn't think much of Danzo's pathetic nature, but perhaps out of consideration for Danzo's mentor and close friend, he gave him some face and didn't turn him away. But when Danzo's underlings mentioned the Second Hokage's research results and the First Hokage's cells, he could clearly sense Orochimaru's heartbeat quicken, and his facial micro-expressions changed from contempt and disgust to surprise and excitement. After Danzo's underlings muttered a few more words, Orochimaru nodded slightly and then turned and walked into his laboratory as if nothing had happened. Danzo's underlings also quickly left. The entire meeting lasted less than two minutes. If it weren't for his highly sensitive Observation Haki and the fact that he had just come from Orochimaru's laboratory and was not far away, he really wouldn't have noticed.

However, when Danzo approached Orochimaru with a team-up invitation, mentioning Tobirama Senju's research findings and Hashirama Senju's cells, Orochimaru knew exactly what it was about. He had only intended to provoke Danzo and create some "connection" between him and the Uchiha clan, but it had unexpectedly escalated to Danzo conducting research on Hashirama Senju's cells. What was Danzo's motive for seeking cooperation with Orochimaru? Wasn't it simply because he recognized Orochimaru's top-tier research talent and hoped to safely transplant Hashirama Senju's cells to become "stronger"? As for Danzo not yet confronting the Uchiha, he wasn't worried. Ordinary people who transplanted Hashirama Senju's cells would definitely need the Sharingan to suppress their rage if they didn't become completely helpless. Danzo had gone this far, so confronting the Uchiha clan was only a matter of time.

(⊙_⊙)?？ ？ ？ .

Handsome Sasori stared at this bastard uncle muttering to himself with a puzzled look on his face. He didn't know what the guy was talking about. Wasn't Shimura Danzo tricked by this bastard and should be going to confront the Uchiha now? Why was he going to find Orochimaru?

Today's visit to Orochimaru's laboratory left him in awe. He was amazed by the sophistication of scientific experiments, especially Orochimaru's research on humans, which he found particularly enlightening, giving him a sense of finding a kindred spirit...

"The situation is complicated. Basically, Tobirama Senju dug up his older brother's grave and used his brother's cells for research, hoping to mass-produce Wood Release to maintain Konoha's dominance in the ninja world. However, Wood Release isn't so easy to produce. Tobirama researched for years but ultimately achieved nothing. Nevertheless, this research on Hashirama Senju's cells became one of the most advanced research projects in the scientific community. Every ambitious scientist wanted to try and overcome this challenge. Danzo, spurred on by me, for some reason didn't confront the Uchiha clan but instead focused on becoming stronger. Given his current age, a steady and methodical increase in strength was clearly impossible, so he could only start with Hashirama Senju's cells, hoping to awaken Wood Release and take flight through transplantation..."

Seeing Sasori's confused expression, Masato explained to him.

"So, Shimura Danzo wanted Orochimaru to study the First Hokage's cells and transplant them into himself? But judging from your expression, you're not worried at all about Konoha awakening a Wood Release. Is awakening Wood Release that difficult?"

Handsome Sasori nodded in understanding after hearing the explanation, but seeing the bastard's nonchalant expression only fueled his curiosity. Although textbooks in his day were already praising Shiki and White Fang, and Hashirama Senju was considered outdated, his grandmother would occasionally rave about Hashirama when explaining ninja history to him, mentioning his incredibly powerful Wood Release techniques, how Hashirama had created the only oasis in the Land of Wind, and so on...

Although I haven't seen it in person, just hearing about this Wood Release sounds incredibly powerful, but this bastard uncle doesn't seem worried at all, unless awakening Wood Release is extremely difficult.

"Kid, be more confident and drop that last 'ma'. Although I'm not a scientist, could my summoning beast be the same as Hashirama Senju's? According to Miss Slug, Hashirama was born with a massive amount of Yang Release chakra, which is why his life force was so strong. And Hashirama's Wood Release wasn't just a fusion of Water and Earth Release; the reason for its power lay in this Yang Release chakra. Otherwise, why was it that only Hashirama in the Senju clan could awaken Wood Release over the years, while his younger brother Tobirama, his son, grandson, and granddaughter couldn't? And even though Hashirama is dead, the Yang Release contained in his body cells..." The chakra was still incredibly vast; others simply couldn't withstand it. If Hashirama Senju's cells were transplanted, they wouldn't be able to sustain such immense vitality; they would either be overwhelmed or turn into wood. Danzo wasn't related to the Senju clan, and he was just an ordinary person. Without a way to suppress the immense vitality within Hashirama's cells, he wouldn't have awakened Wood Release; he'd be lucky not to become a wooden puppet. Therefore, the above tells us that human research is dangerous; proceed with caution. Never act recklessly without absolute certainty... even with human puppets. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking... consider your family's feelings before you act.”

As he spoke, Masato glanced at Scorpion and flicked his little head, a warning in itself. He didn't object to using others to create puppets to enhance his strength; in this world, weakness was the original sin. While using others to create puppets was a somewhat evil method, becoming stronger wasn't inherently wrong. However, turning oneself into a wooden puppet was unacceptable. Scorpion's parents would be devastated...

"snort.....!"

Rubbing the bump on his forehead, Handsome Scorpion wasn't surprised that his plan had been exposed. He gave a haughty snort and remained silent, his hatred quietly brewing. The more times this bastard beat him up, the less psychological burden he'd have when he finally got rid of him...

348. Should we kill this kid?