"Since it's Naruto's request, I'll do my best to fulfill it." Orochimaru moved closer to Naruto, speaking in a seemingly doting tone.
Orochimaru promised to transform Karin's physical body. Karin, standing beside him, looked extremely nervous.
Because she had no idea what Orochimaru was actually going to do.
Naruto opened the entrance to the basement and led Orochimaru inside. Orochimaru walked down the stairs and reached the basement, where he saw a familiar face.
"Kabuto!"
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru looked at Kabuto, and Kabuto looked back at Orochimaru.
Naruto stood between the two and didn't interrupt. He just let them have a good look at each other.
After all, Kabuto had been captured by Naruto three years ago.
"Lord Orochimaru, I'm so glad to see you again." Kabuto was very excited.
"Yeah, me too, Kabuto." Orochimaru replied with a simple sentence, smiling.
"Kabuto has been working for me for the past three years." Naruto walked over to the experimental table and stared at the things inside it.
Orochimaru paid no heed to Kabuto and walked over to Naruto, also staring at the experimental table.
"This is!" Orochimaru was slightly surprised.
"That's right." Kabuto walked over and explained, "They are the cells of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage."
Orochimaru was very familiar with this stuff and could recognize it at a glance because he had studied Hashirama's cells before.
The issue was that Orochimaru's research hadn't yielded many results. At most, he had produced an unexpected outcome, which was the Wood Release ninja, Yamato.
"Hashirama's cells are extremely perilous substances." Orochimaru summarized his understanding of Hashirama's cells in one sentence: "Hashirama's cells possess a potent backlash, and most people can't bear it."
Naruto: "Are you saying that only the strong can control Hashirama's cells?"
"I don't know about that." Orochimaru took a few steps back. "Because no one has ever tried to transplant Hashirama's cells into a strong person."
Naruto pondered for a moment and concurred with Orochimaru. Hashirama's cells were transplanted into Yamato, but at that time, Yamato was just a child. Then they were also transplanted into Tanzo Shimura, but Tanzo Shimura was just a schemer and didn't have the qualifications of a ninja at all.
At this moment, Naruto thought of Madara Uchiha. This fellow was a true powerhouse. He had successfully transplanted Hashirama's cells and even awakened the Rinnegan because of it.
Naruto captured Kabuto and confined him in the basement for three years, making him work on the research of Hashirama's cells.
In fact, when Kabuto was first captured, he was unwilling to cooperate with the research.
Naruto promised that Kabuto could take away all the research results and even meet Orochimaru after three years.
Kabuto still didn't cooperate.
Naruto said that no matter whether Kabuto was willing to cooperate or not, he would be locked up for three years, and he would definitely let him see Orochimaru again after three years.
Kabuto was finally bewildered and completely didn't understand what Naruto was up to.
Three years ago, Naruto said like this: "Kabuto, I must lock you up for three years. During these three years, you can study Hashirama's cells, and I'll assist you. Orochimaru didn't achieve any breakthrough results. I believe you can achieve it."
"If you don't conduct the research, I'll still lock you up for three years. After that, I'll let you meet Orochimaru. Then, see how you'll explain it to him."
Naruto left these strange words and then left the basement, leaving Kabuto there for a full three years.
During these three years, Naruto would come over from time to time to check on Kabuto's research progress.
...
Orochimaru glanced at Naruto, seemingly guessing his thoughts: "Naruto, you're really eager for power. The look in your eyes now is the same as what I once saw in Sasuke."
"Humph." Naruto snorted coldly, "If you knew how powerful those guys in the future would be, I'm sure you'd be the same as me."
"Future? It's really an interesting word. I'll remember it."
Naruto glanced at Orochimaru, "Don't overthink it. I just mean there might be a lot of powerful enemies in the future, and their strength is immeasurable."
"Yes."
Naruto then said, "Kabuto, you're in charge of reporting the research results from these three years."
At this moment, Orochimaru showed great interest. He straightened his posture and kept his eyes on Kabuto.
Kabuto took out a notebook and pushed his glasses up, "At first, my research made no progress at all. It wasn't until Naruto offered his help."
Orochimaru was a bit surprised. With Naruto's help, there was actually a breakthrough in the research on Hashirama's cells. It was really unexpected.
Kabuto revealed a shocking fact, "There seems to be some kind of connection between Hashirama's cells and Naruto's cells."
"How is that possible?" Orochimaru didn't believe this research result, "Naruto's parents have nothing to do with the Senju clan."
Naruto looked at the Hashirama cells on the experimental table, "Maybe Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] isn't a Kekkei Genkai[b]Kekkei Genkai[/b] at all."
Orochimaru seemed to have heard a huge joke.
"Impossible. How could Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] not be a Kekkei Genkai[b]Kekkei Genkai[/b]?" As soon as Orochimaru said this, he instantly fell silent and his mind started spinning rapidly.
Kabuto rummaged through his notebook, "I've checked the genealogy and information of the Senju clan. Only Hashirama Senju could use Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b]. There are no records of other Senju clan members using it. Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] can't be passed down through blood."
"Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] suddenly appeared when it came to Hashirama Senju. After Hashirama Senju passed away, Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] disappeared."
"The Senju clan and the Uchiha clan have been at odds for hundreds of years, and the two sides were evenly matched. When it came to the era of Hashirama Senju, Hashirama suddenly mastered Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b], which allowed the Senju clan to completely overpower the Uchiha clan."
Kabuto presented his research result, "Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] might not be a Kekkei Genkai[b]Kekkei Genkai[/b]. It might be a mutation."
"Hehe, interesting." Orochimaru became extremely interested, "But based on this intelligence alone, it's still not enough to prove that Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b] isn't a Kekkei Genkai[b]Kekkei Genkai[/b]."
Kabuto walked to the second experimental table and lifted the white cloth covering it, revealing a glass - topped platform.
Inside the glass cover, two white masses were slowly merging.
Kabuto gave an interpretation, "These are Hashirama's cells and Naruto's cells, and they're merging."
Orochimaru looked at this experimental sample and was completely stunned. Naruto's cells didn't reject Hashirama's cells, and Hashirama's cells didn't fight back against Naruto's cells either. The two were coexisting harmoniously.
Orochimaru: "Naruto, do you want to transplant Hashirama's cells?"
"No," Naruto refused. "This is just an experiment and doesn't prove anything."
Naruto looked at Orochimaru and said seriously, "This is the result of Kabuto's three-year research, but it's not enough to make me feel secure. I need you to join this research too and find a way to revive Wood Release[b]Wood Release[/b]. I want to master it."
After arranging things with Orochimaru, Naruto was about to make arrangements for Gaara the next day.
The next day, just at dawn, Gaara had stayed up all night. He was used to insomnia, but he'd thought a lot that night and made a major decision.
He decided to give One-Tailed Shukaku[b]One-Tailed Shukaku[/b] to Naruto.
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