chapter 99 part 4
Hashirama's Cells were simply the most vicious and dominant existence in this world, devouring all usable energy, accelerating their own division, and fully displaying their fundamental nature of survival and expansion.
"...Currently, if we don't proceed with human experimentation, our understanding of these Cells can only go so far. It seems it's finally time for that next step."
Orochimaru was the first to bring someone back. This was the first sacrifice for the human experimentation. The moment this person saw Tsukasa Kaede, a hint of fear appeared on his face before he quickly lowered his head.
"Tsukasa-kun, he's an old acquaintance of yours. Don't you want to reminisce?"
"So it's you..."
Tsukasa Kaede sat in his seat, his entire body shrouded in dark shadows. He merely looked up once and recognized who the man was.
When he was a Genin, he had carried out a mission. Before clashing with Ao from the Hidden Mist Village, he had once treated severely injured and unconscious comrades.
For one of them, Tsukasa Kaede, who valued Chakra, was rather ruthless, kicking their pubic bone to keep them conscious for easier surgery. He even specifically took this person with him during retreat, planning to turn them into a Zombie to assist him in combat if the situation turned dire.
"Kaedence you've lived until now, why risk participating in an experiment with such a low survival rate?" Tsukasa Kaede scrutinized the man, then suddenly remembered something and immediately understood.
The pubic bone is located at the base of the thigh; even a slight deviation could injure a critical area. So, this guy intended to make a desperate gamble, using Hashirama's Cells to heal his body? "Orochimaru, you did this on purpose, didn't you? You deliberately picked this guy to participate in the experiment."
"Heh, only those with strong willpower are more likely to master the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, aren't they?"
The two men pressed the first test subject onto the operating table and began injecting Hashirama's Cells.
"Kaedence he's the first volunteer, let's inject him at the neck first," Orochimaru said.
Shortly after, amidst screams of agony, the man transformed into a half-human, half-tree abomination.
"How pathetic. He couldn't last this long. What now? Do you still want this corpse?"
"Strictly speaking, this guy isn't a corpse anymore, but a living plant. He's outside my scope of interest," Tsukasa Kaede shook his head.
"Well, that's difficult then. What if all the corpses turn into trees?"
"No, there will always be tough individuals who can withstand this change. Otherwise, Hashirama's Cells would be impossible to control," Tsukasa Kaede replied.
The experiment continued. Every few days, a new volunteer participated, until members of the Senju Clan also joined in, at which point the news could no longer be hidden from the Higher-ups.
Danzo, who had been excluded from the decision-making body, finally learned the news.
"What? The Village has already started human experimentation, but they didn't tell me?!" Danzo was extremely displeased, even somewhat exasperated.
He had coveted the power of the Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan for a long time, just waiting for the opportunity of human experimentation to accelerate this process. But who would have thought this would be the outcome? Orochimaru and Tsukasa Kaede were carrying out the project, but they had cut him out!
Ryoma asked, "What should we do, Lord Danzo? Should we attack their laboratory and seize the research results? With our current strength, we should be able to."
Killing Orochimaru or Tsukasa Kaede was certainly out of the question; Root apparently didn't possess such capabilities, especially Tsukasa Kaede, who, from every angle, seemed unkillable to them.
"No rush. That Orochimaru is a smart man. The results he achieves now will eventually be shared with me. I need to prepare to offer him something to trade," Danzo said coldly. "I've only been demoted, not dead. It won't be long before Hiruzen reinstates me, and that's when I'll get everything I want."
Ryoma was deeply convinced.
The Third Hokage would absolutely never abandon Danzo; this had been an iron rule for many years. The bonds between the two were unbreakable, far surpassing anything Orochimaru or Tsukasa Kaede could achieve.
Danzo said grimly, "Furthermore, that Orochimaru fellow can never be trusted. If you relax your guard against that Poisonous Snake, you'll suffer greatly."
In Danzo's eyes, the youthful exuberance of these juniors was merely a fleeting shade over decades. In the long run, only those who endured to the end would be the true winners.
Tsukasa Kaede and the others didn't know Danzo's reaction, and even if they did, they wouldn't care. They would merely find Danzo tiresome and not worth their distraction.
"Lady Touka, have you truly decided? To be the Senju Clan's first participant. If it fails, even with our power, we won't be able to save you."
Tsukasa Kaede looked at the Clan Head before him: "And, have you told Lady Tsunade about this?"
"She cannot know about this. She has already done well enough, becoming a Hokage's disciple and renowned throughout the Shinobi World. She shouldn't bear responsibility for my mistakes. Let me bear this guilt alone."
Toka Senju's face showed determination. She had made the worst-case preparations, believing that even if she failed, she could pave the way for those who followed.
A rare flicker of hesitation crossed Orochimaru's eyes. After all, his relationship with Tsunade was decent; they had been partners for many years. Now, he might be responsible for the death of Tsunade's elder, and the Senju Clan Head at that, without informing Tsunade beforehand...
"I know what you're concerned about. Don't worry, I've publicly declared that I'm on a mission. If I fail, the Clan Members will unify their statements and say I died in battle, leaving no corpse behind."
Toka Senju looked at Tsukasa Kaede. "The Village probably won't allow you to freely use my remains, so I must apologize to you in advance for that."
Tsukasa Kaede shook his head. "You're too formal. Moreover, while the experiment's success rate is low, it's not impossible to succeed. Given your Bloodline, which is closest to the First Hokage's, the success rate will surely be higher."
The tricky part was this: in this Timeline, Tsunade had only lost Nawaki but not Kato Dan, so she hadn't developed hemophobia, nor was she heartbroken enough to leave the Village and wander aimlessly throughout the Shinobi World.
If the Senju Clan participated in the experiment on a large scale, with many deaths, it would be impossible to keep it from Tsunade.