chapter 100 part 1
Chapter 100: The Puzzle Piece, Hashirama Clone
Toka Senju stood up with a complex expression, feeling the changes within her body.
Every moment, she felt two uncontrollable forces clashing within her body, as if countless insects were crawling all over her.
"This is the power of the First Hokage..."
Toka Senju tried to use Wood Release, and a sapling immediately sprouted from her arm.
*Snap!* Immediately after, Toka Senju snapped it off with her own hands.
"The Senju Clan must have preserved many of the First Hokage's Wood Release Ninjutsu. You can try to learn them, but don't have too high expectations."
Tsukasa Kaede said, "The balance within your body is too fragile. Perhaps a high-intensity battle could cause your body to collapse. Wood Release Jutsu can only be used as a last resort, for instance, if the enemy is a Tailed Beast."
"This is enough. I had already prepared to die. Kaedence I am powerless to stop the decline of the Senju Clan, then I will use this gradually aging body to leave something for my clan members to learn from."
Unexpectedly, it actually succeeded.
Toka Senju knew a little about the tragic state of the previous experiment subjects, so she didn't have high expectations. For it to succeed was already a miracle.
Tsukasa Kaede watched Toka Senju constantly adapting to her body, his heart unperturbed.
Excited? No, not at all, because Toka Senju was a surviving defective product.
Although it's impolite to describe her this way, that's the reality of the situation. Toka Senju isn't even as capable as Yamato will be in the future.
This is because the technology used to create Yamato transcended simple cell transplantation; it involved gene editing, essentially grafting a small segment of Hashirama Senju's genes onto him! Kabuto even needed to capture Yamato to enhance White Zetsu's strength, and Tobi could even activate a 'crippled' version of True Several Thousand Hands while using Yamato.
Regardless of Yamato's strength and potential, he was, at the very least, a biological miracle, and on the original timeline, Orochimaru sacrificed most of the Senju Clan members to create his finest work.
Toka Senju didn't know these complex things. She was very satisfied with her own condition; her body, which had already begun to age, was now subtly radiating new vitality, though she couldn't control it very well.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "It's a success, Tsukasa-kun, you've given me another surprise. We've successfully allowed the Senju Clan to reclaim their rightful Wood Release Bloodline Limit."
Tsukasa Kaede said calmly, "It's merely an incomplete Bloodline Limit. Toka-sama must have the most direct feeling, right? Not to mention the legendary Wood Golem Jutsu and Wood Dragon Jutsu, it's probably difficult to even use Deep Forest Emergence. Creating an entire forest would be too heavy a burden on her body; using it would surely lead to death."
"For me, for the Senju Clan, this is already enough. As long as a group of people can acquire Wood Release, it will be enough to revitalize the clan's prosperity..."
"A group?"
Tsukasa Kaede interrupted, "With all due respect, Toka-sama, you are currently alive by relying on my power. If you want more people to become the next you, then the Senju Clan will gradually become my vassal ninja clan—no one would willingly part with something they've gained. Once they regain Wood Release, they won't be able to tolerate losing that power. Are you sure you want this?"
Toka Senju silently looked at Tsukasa Kaede.
In this clandestine laboratory, no one spoke, and the atmosphere was exceptionally tense.
"You're truly direct. However, if you hadn't brought this up, it would have been more advantageous for you, wouldn't it?"
"That is indeed true," Tsukasa Kaede said calmly, "and also because the Senju Clan possesses no power that I would go to such lengths to acquire. What we're doing now is illicit, and we both harbor suspicions toward each other. I think it's better if I'm frank."
In fact, if Tsukasa Kaede truly wanted the Senju Clan to regain Wood Release, there really was a way.
That's right, it was White Zetsu.
Hashirama cells should be the power closest to the God Tree besides the Rinnegan, and their invasiveness was too exaggerated. But White Zetsu cells were different; they were not just one level weaker.
During the Third Great Ninja War on the original timeline, Madara could use the biotechnology he had mastered to give Obito half a White Zetsu body, allowing Obito not only to survive but also to use Wood Release, greatly enhancing his strength and potential.
Tsukasa Kaede also suspected that giving White Zetsu cells to Obito, who at the time had a Two-Tomoe Sharingan, was a 'crippled' version of the Power of All Creation. Theoretically, it must have promoted Obito's leap from a Two-Tomoe to a Mangekyo Sharingan in one go, greatly reducing the difficulty of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.
But Tsukasa Kaede couldn't possibly turn over White Zetsu cells to the Senju Clan.
At this moment, Orochimaru let out a low chuckle.
"What's wrong? We were clearly cooperating very well. Why is it suddenly so tense? Do the two of you want to fight? Or do you want to attack me? The two of you combined still couldn't kill me, you know."
Toka Senju shook her head. "No, I would never harm a comrade. Regardless of your motives for carrying out the First Hokage cell transplantation experiment, you are undeniably helping the Senju Clan."
"Then, Toka-sama, should the experiment continue? Are you willing to let more Senju Clan members participate?"
Orochimaru first looked at Tsukasa Kaede.
Tsukasa Kaede pondered for a moment and shook his head. "On my end, there's no problem. It depends on Toka-sama's own thoughts."
Although Tsukasa Kaede had no intention of wasting time on this, if the Senju Clan willingly offered themselves, then Tsukasa Kaede wouldn't mind accepting.
If he truly gained control of the Senju Clan, he could even run for the position of Fourth Hokage.
"I see... So, we're back to the original pace. Should we continue to advance the cell transplantation experiment? And, should we really use Corpse Release after all..."
Orochimaru looked at Tsukasa Kaede, then at Toka Senju, feeling that things were becoming more and more interesting. No matter what, it would be very advantageous for him...
Everyone had their own subtle intentions, Orochimaru thought.
However, what truly concerned Orochimaru was Tsukasa Kaede. He vaguely sensed that some of Tsukasa Kaede's ideas seemed to have undergone a subtle shift, but he hadn't figured out the specific reason yet.
Tsukasa Kaede's figure was reflected in Orochimaru's vertical pupils. He had already prepared some methods; things that were previously unobtainable could now be acquired through certain means.
"Continue with the human experimentation. I will secretly organize a group of clan members to join."
Toka Senju said these words with difficulty.
Tsukasa Kaede and Orochimaru already understood the meaning of this Clan Head Toka.