The smaller the physical changes after transplanting Hashirama Cells, the better the compatibility with the cells.
After experiencing the initial rejection reaction, the lignification symptoms on Yōkō's body disappeared. He recovered and stared at the four bottles of Hashirama Cell culture fluid hanging from his hands and feet.
These culture fluids had a low concentration and were a semi-transparent milky white.
The culture fluid entered his body and was quickly absorbed.
Yōkō asked, "Orochimaru-sama, I feel Earth Release and Water Release chakra overflowing uncontrollably. Do I need to control this chakra?"
Orochimaru said, "I can sense it too. For a Jōnin, your chakra reserve is truly massive. Restrain the Earth and Water Release chakra; don't let it leave your body."
Following Orochimaru's instructions, Yōkō used his body as a vessel to contain all the chakra.
Soon, the Earth and Water Release chakra inside him filled to the brim, and his muscles continuously swelled under the stimulation of the chakra.
Orochimaru, with great interest, lay down and stared at Yōkō's arm as if looking at a work of art.
"This is... not edema...
The Hashirama Cell culture fluid is stimulating the body tissues! The subject's body tissues are being enhanced!
The super vitality of the Hashirama Cells is transforming the subject's physique!
How strange, why is there no rejection reaction in the subject at all?"
The culture fluid dripped down drop by drop. The time felt very long, giving Yōkō ample time to adapt.
After an hour, the first round of implantation finally ended.
Yōkō felt his body was about to burst, filled with Earth and Water attribute chakra.
He really wanted to use two jutsu to release all this chakra.
Orochimaru's shadow clone brought a syringe.
"Stand up, Fox. Time for the second round of implantation."
Yōkō climbed up from the experimental table. With too much chakra inside and immense strength, he crushed the iron-clad edge of the table when he pressed his palm against it.
"Excellent. Your body is nearly perfect, very compatible with the Hashirama Cells."
Orochimaru created 18 shadow clones. Each clone held a twenty-centimeter-long syringe.
Inside the syringes was a thick, pure white Hashirama Cell culture fluid.
Yōkō's shadow clone had monitored this; Orochimaru had injected the syringes with a culture fluid so thick it was like viscous pine resin.
The shadow clones crowded around Yōkō, who saw several squeezed-together faces, full of excitement, exhilaration, and a hint of sinister smiles.
Orochimaru said, "Next are 18 intramuscular injections of high-concentration culture fluid. Get ready, I'm starting."
Front: Biceps on the arms, Pectoralis major on the chest, Rectus abdominis on the abdomen, Quadriceps on the legs, one injection each on left and right.
Back: Triceps on the arms, Trapezius and Latissimus dorsi on the back, Biceps femoris on the legs, one injection each on left and right.
One injection on each side of the neck.
A total of 18 injections!
Orochimaru's technique was extremely rough, pushing the 20-centimeter-long syringe to the hilt in one second.
After the 18 injections, Yōkō's muscles spasmed rapidly.
His whole body convulsed, but he stubbornly remained standing.
Orochimaru's 18 shadow clones disappeared, leaving only his main body opposite, excitedly recording.
"The subject's muscles are trembling!
During the muscle tremors, the Earth and Water attribute chakra inside his body are being forcibly compressed, beginning to synthesize a new type of chakra!
Looking at the effect... the compression effect is good!
The subject's muscles are showing signs of lignification, the muscle fibers becoming distinct, taking on the state of wood fibers.
This proves the Earth and Water attribute chakra within the subject's body have begun to combine, producing a small amount of Wood Release chakra!
The subject, with his high adaptability, is quickly eliminating the lignification on his body.
Lignification is the most terrifying side effect of Hashirama Cell transplantation.
Up to now, aside from Fox, only one child has withstood the second round of implantation without turning into a wooden doll due to lignification.
But! It's still not enough! It's still far from true Wood Release!
This is just a temporary production of a tiny bit of Wood Release chakra stimulated by the serum!"
Orochimaru took out the final syringe. Inside the syringe was a pulsating mass of red and white cells, like a heart.
"Fox! Only the final step remains!
I will perform the third round of implantation: spinal injection of the original Hashirama Cells!
While Wood Release chakra has appeared in your body, press on without letting up!"
With that, without waiting for Yōkō's response or for his muscle tremors to subside, Orochimaru instantly appeared behind Yōkō and thrust the long steel needle fiercely into Fox's spine!
Stimulated, Yōkō let out a low roar of pain.
The original Hashirama Cells, with their terrifying aggressiveness, entered Yōkō's spinal cord.
Yōkō threw his head back, his eyes bloodshot, his arms spread wide, as if another person was being forcibly squeezed into his body, the pain unbearable.
The Senju of the Forest Kekkei Genkai, combined with Yōkō's own robust physique, caused his own aura to surge dramatically.
For a moment, his aura and the aura of the Hashirama Cells were evenly matched!
Orochimaru retreated to a distance, watching Fox with shock.
Orochimaru didn't care whether Fox lived or died; either outcome would provide him with valuable experimental data.
After the third round of implantation, Orochimaru was shocked to discover that the Earth and Water Release chakra within Fox's body were rapidly decreasing.
However, his total chakra reserve was increasing instead of decreasing.
A new type of chakra had appeared!
It wasn't the Wood Release chakra from the Hashirama Cells, but Wood Release chakra synthesized by Yōkō himself!
Orochimaru muttered in astonishment, "Why... why is it so smooth... No, something's wrong... something must be wrong!"
Orochimaru suddenly took half a step forward:
"Yang Release chakra!
Fox's body is providing massive Yang Release chakra! That Yang Release chakra is the key to the combination of Earth and Water attribute chakra!
Fox's physical constitution is too strong. After his body received extreme stimulation, it instinctively produced a large amount of Yang Release chakra.
Yang Release represents life force, Yin Release represents consciousness.
The Yang Release chakra repaired the damage to his body, using life force to forcibly push the combination of Earth and Water attribute chakra!
Earth, Water, Yang, or rather, Earth, Water, and Life Force, are the key to Wood Release!
The core ability of Wood Release is to stimulate the growth of large trees. The stronger the life force, the stronger the Wood Release."
For a full hour, Yōkō stood in place, trembling and shaking continuously.
Within a few meters on the ground, it was all sweat he had shed.
Finally, the last trace of abnormal sensation disappeared. The diluted Hashirama Cell culture fluid, the high-concentration Hashirama Cell culture fluid, and the original Hashirama Cells were all digested by Yōkō's body.
Yōkō turned to look at his arm.
On his shoulder were two short seams, like two closed eyes.
After transplanting Hashirama Cells, some physical manifestation of Hashirama Senju would always appear on the body.
Yōkō only having two eye-slits on his shoulder was a very, very minor mutation. Uchiha Madara had placed Hashirama Senju's face on his chest, and Danzo had placed it on his shoulder.
He himself only had two eye-slits.
Yōkō put on his flak jacket and clothes, breathing slightly heavily, and said:
"Orochimaru-sama, your transplantation method is too gentle. It ended before I could even enjoy it.
I suggest increasing the dosage for others.
Orochimaru-sama, you wouldn't be reluctant to part with the precious Hashirama Cells and gave me short measure, would you?"
"Short measure? Haha, hahaha!" Orochimaru laughed:
"I know your strength is considerable, so I increased the dosage.
For ordinary subjects, the dosage is only one-tenth of yours. Up to now, only one subject has survived the second round of experiments.
That subject's name is Tenzō."
Root's Tenzō was the future Yamato. So, when Yamato was modified, the dosage was only one-tenth of his.
No wonder Yamato could only manage some greening.
Orochimaru asked, "Fox, can you use Wood Release now?"
Yōkō stretched out his hand. A wooden vine quickly extended from his palm, deftly coiling around his own mask.
The next moment, Yōkō's eyes moved, and he exerted force sharply. Dozens of wooden vines burst forth from his palms and wrists.
These wooden vines, like agile tentacles, swept away all the syringes and infusion sets.
He was unwilling to leave any of his tissue cells for Orochimaru.
Orochimaru, holding his notebook, was taken aback and didn't have time to stop him.
Yōkō said, "My apologies, Orochimaru-sama. When we formed our alliance initially, we agreed your core demand was the Scroll of Seals.
I will use Wood Release to prove your research is successful. You will soon obtain the Scroll of Seals from Advisor Danzo.
Once that happens, the basis for our cooperation will disappear.
These syringes might contain my tissue cells. I must take them away."
Orochimaru grinned, a seemingly smiling yet not smiling expression:
"I didn't expect you to be so cautious.
Obtaining the Scroll of Seals is only my first step. Next, I need to research the forbidden jutsu on the Scroll of Seals.
Believe me, we still have a basis for cooperation.
Fox, use Wood Release against Uchiha Madara. Before you return, I won't inform the higher-ups that you have mastered Wood Release. Wait for your moment to astonish everyone; that will most effectively intimidate Danzo.
When the time comes, Danzo will be eager to take out the Scroll of Seals, begging me to perform the transplant."
"Astonish everyone?" Yōkō said:
"Orochimaru-sama, I can produce Wood Release chakra, but I haven't learned any Wood Release jutsu yet. Without Wood Release jutsu, I can't exactly astonish anyone."
Orochimaru threw Yōkō a scroll.
"This contains some Wood Release jutsu, prepared by Danzo for Tenzō."
Yōkō took the scroll, opened it, and saw three Wood Release jutsu.
Wood Release: Wood Spikes, Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall, Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees.
One offensive, one defensive, and one large-scale control jutsu.
"Orochimaru-sama, did Danzo only give you three Wood Release jutsu, or are you only willing to give me three Wood Release jutsu?"
"Heh." Orochimaru said, "Fox, your cleverness will be the death of you.
You only need to know that by continuing to cooperate with me, I will give you more Wood Release jutsu.
Wood Release is useless to me, but for you, it is precious, isn't it?"
Yōkō asked, "Orochimaru-sama, haven't you considered mastering Wood Release yourself?"
"No." Orochimaru said, "My physique is special; I cannot withstand the terrifying life force of the Hashirama Cells."
Yōkō guessed that with Orochimaru's personality, eager for power, he must have already attempted Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode.
However, he failed to master the perfect Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode. Perhaps his body suffered damage during the training.
Yōkō slowly placed the scroll into his ninja tool pouch and said, "Orochimaru-sama, I will definitely validate your experiment and help you obtain the Scroll of Seals..."
Yōkō's body sank into the ground, disappearing beneath the surface.
Orochimaru turned and immersed himself in summarizing the experimental report.
As he wrote, he felt some regret.
Perhaps the dosage he gave Fox was a bit too low. When performing the transplant for Danzo, he must increase the dosage.
What was even more regrettable was that Fox took all the syringes. Who would have thought Fox would be so lively right after the transplant? According to his inference, the subject might be weak for three days after the transplant.
Orochimaru thought to himself, how strange. People with Senju bloodline had far inferior transplantation effects compared to Fox. What kind of physique does Fox actually have?
Yōkō left the Root base and instantly appeared in the dense forest above the Hokage Rock.
He didn't look at the scroll first, but instead looked at his status panel.
His chakra reserve had actually become 1.8 times Kage-level.
Mastering Wood Release, the most immediate short-term effect was the powerful life force it brought.
His chakra reserve, within just two days, had increased from 3.6 times Elite Jōnin-level to 1.8 times Kage-level.
The increase was so rapid. Fortunately, the Hashirama Cells strengthened his body, otherwise, it would have collapsed under the strain of such immense chakra.
Opening the scroll, Yōkō looked at the three Wood Release jutsu under the moonlight.
Wood Release: Wood Spikes: Thrusts forward several-meter-long wooden spears. Once the spears pierce the enemy's body, they grow explosively inside, transforming into dozens of sharp spikes that pierce the enemy's internal organs and protrude from their back.
Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall: A row of wooden pillars rise from the ground and curve to form an arched wall protecting the user.
The more chakra invested, the higher the strength and toughness of the Wood Locking Wall, and the stronger its defensive power.
An advanced version of this jutsu is the Wood Release: Several Wooden Pillars Wall that can block slashes from the Susano'o.
Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees: A jutsu activated by using one's own chakra as a life source, rapidly growing multiple trees from the ground.
It can create a forest in an instant. All attacks and defenses within the forest are controlled by the user.
This is a large-scale restraining jutsu. Those with weak strength will be directly crushed by the rampant tree trunks.
Besides the three mature Wood Release jutsu, extremely flexible wooden vines appeared in Yōkō's hand.
It seemed he had a natural ability to control wooden vines.
He named this jutsu Wood Release: Iron Vine.
In the next few days, including on the way to the Land of Rain, he would train these four Wood Release jutsu well.
First, let's simply use these four Wood Release jutsu to give the shinobi world a little shock.
Now that he could use Wood Release, his value for unification had arrived, hadn't it?
Whether it was the village or the Senju clan, wouldn't they all look at him with green eyes?
Two days later, Lynx summoned several squad leaders of the Anbu.
"Battalion Commander Yellow Dog is working in the basement level of the Hokage Building. As the Deputy Commander, I cannot neglect the other duties of the Anbu.
After I return from the Land of Grass, I will first assess the mission performance of each squad during this period.
Black Ant Squad, ensure the safety of the Hokage-sama and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Golden Eagle Squad, continue assassinating valuable targets according to the Assassination Manual.
Fox Squad, don't dawdle. Go to the Land of Rain a day earlier if possible. Quickly join the Uchiha clan in eliminating the aged rogue ninja, Uchiha Madara."
Under his mask, Yōkō's eyes flickered.
"Lynx-sama, how could I dawdle? Right now, I just feel my hands are itching, eager to carry out the mission as soon as possible."
What a pity. Wood Release is reserved for Uchiha Madara. You only deserve to experience an ordinary S-Rank forbidden jutsu like the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack.
A dead man can't continue being the Anbu Deputy Commander, right?
***
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