Naruto: Starting with Tsunade

Chapter 249 Wood Release Experiment

Tsunade analyzed, "Your Ice Release: Eight-Part Ice Wheel looks like it's about cutting."

"You are indeed very clever," Aokiji praised. "Bloodline limit ninjas are different from other ninjas. In addition to being able to use special escape techniques that are different from ordinary ninjas, they can also perform ninjutsu combinations more effectively."

"Take Ice Release for example. It is composed of water and wind. When I use Ice Release with my one-hand hand seals, I can also incorporate water or wind chakra at the same time."

Tsunade exclaimed in surprise, "Can a bloodline limit ninja really do something like this?"

"I've only recently started to figure out this technique," Aokiji said with a smile. "It's a relatively advanced use of bloodline limits, but it depends on the situation. For example, if I use Boil Release and then simultaneously use Fire Release or Water Release, it's hard to imagine what the use would be."

"But if I use my Ice Release, it's different. I first use Ice Release to create the shape, and then I attach Wind Release chakra to it, which can effectively enhance the cutting effect. Although this kind of fusion is more difficult and consumes more chakra than normal fusion, the rewards are also quite substantial."

"Since I'm going to train in chakra compression, I might as well develop a ninjutsu based on it, which would also be a summary of my training."

Tsunade looked on with envy: "That's wonderful, a bloodline limit."

Seeing the longing on her face, Aokiji knew immediately that she was wondering when she would be able to develop her Wood Release.

If things proceeded step by step, Wood Release would be a goal she could never achieve in her lifetime.

Aokiji, not wanting to discourage Tsunade, patted her shoulder and comforted her, "Don't worry, you'll definitely be able to develop it in the future. I believe in you."

Upon hearing this, Tsunade looked around.

"What's wrong?"

Aokiji noticed her suddenly acting mysteriously and couldn't help but become curious.

Tsunade whispered to Aokiji, "I'll let you in on a secret: maybe I'll be able to use my bloodline limit soon too."

"W-what—!"

Aokiji's eyes widened, his expression one of disbelief: "Bloodline Limit? You mean that Bloodline Limit?"

"What other bloodline limit could there be? Of course, it's Wood Release." Tsunade smiled knowingly, as if to say, "I knew it."

Aokiji brushed a strand of hair from his forehead with one hand: "My mind's a bit of a mess. Can you tell me what's going on?"

He remembered that in the original work, Tsunade didn't develop her bloodline limit even at her advanced age, despite being an "uncombustible material."

What's the situation when Tsunade says she can use Wood Release soon?

Tsunade whispered, "This is actually a secret."

"If you don't want to talk about it, then forget it..."

Aokiji used a strategy of retreat as a means of advancement; if Tsunade truly didn't want to tell him, she wouldn't have made the effort to do so.

Tsunade realized: "You're deliberately trying to lure me into continuing, aren't you?"

Aokiji didn't deny it: "Tell me about it."

Before she spoke, Tsunade emphasized, "You must not tell anyone what I'm telling you."

"I promise."

Aokiji clenched his fingers and swore an oath.

"Actually, our village has been conducting an experiment all along."

"An experiment?" Aokiji narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, it was an experiment related to Wood Release." Tsunade's face darkened as she said this, and she sighed, "A lot of people died..."

"An experiment with Wood Release!" Aokiji exclaimed in surprise.

Tsunade sighed, "Yes."

Aokiji frowned and asked a pointless question: "What's the point of doing this?"

"The Senju clan cannot lose Wood Release, just as the Uchiha clan cannot lose the Sharingan. You should understand what I mean..."

Tsunade gazed intently into Aokiji's dark eyes.

Aokiji pondered to himself, "The Sharingan is something every Uchiha has the chance to awaken, but as for Wood Release, it seems that in the history of the Senju clan, there's only one Hashirama Senju."

Just like in the history of the Uchiha clan, only Madara Uchiha possessed a pair of eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

What a coincidence that two bugs appeared in the same era.

Madara Uchiha's growth trajectory is traceable, but there is very little information about Hashirama Senju. How he developed Wood Release is not mentioned at all, but it is not said that he did not exist. As a result, it feels like Madara of the Uchiha clan is like a clown. He worked hard to level up and then added the power of the Nine-Tails, but he still couldn't defeat Hashirama Senju.

Aokiji then remarked, "Didn't your Senju clan disband?"

Tsunade lowered her eyes and composed herself: "Even if we disband, our hearts will always be closely connected."

That's true in theory, but the rest might not be so...

If it weren't for Tsunade's feelings, Aokiji would probably have scoffed at anyone else.

The Senju clan can still stay connected now because the older generation is still alive. Once this generation dies, the relationships between the descendants of the Senju clan will gradually fade, and they will go their separate ways.

By then, the Senju clan would have been virtually wiped out, and in a way that was achieved without bloodshed.

If this idea had originated from another tribe, Aokiji would probably have exclaimed, "What a blatant conspiracy!"

Aokiji asked in confusion, "How do you know about this?"

Tsunade replied, "Have you forgotten that I'm a medical ninja?"

Aokiji understood.

Conducting such an experiment would undoubtedly be extremely dangerous, so it's not surprising that Tsunade, with her exceptional medical skills, would participate to some extent.

"Um... this kind of experiment will more or less use your grandfather's body, right? I won't even mention you, but would Grandma Mito agree to this?"

Mito would definitely know about this kind of experiment, and Aokiji was puzzled as to how Mito viewed the fact that someone was using her husband's body for experiments.

If it were him, and someone dared to suggest something like that, the first thing Aokiji would do is smash the suggestioner's head in.

"This experiment has actually been going on for some time now. The person who first proposed this plan was my great-uncle, who was also the Second Hokage."

Knowing the inside story, Tsunade was naturally unable to accept it at first. It took a long time for everyone to persuade her before she finally agreed: "For the sake of the village's stability, Grandma struggled for a long time before she reluctantly nodded in agreement."

Aokiji nodded.

Given the bigger picture and Tobirama's experience and personality, it's not surprising that he would do something like this.

"Alright, but what does this have to do with you: you'll soon be able to obtain Wood Release too?" Aokiji returned to the previous question, thinking that the original experiment seemed to have ended in failure, so he went along with it: "Could it be that the experiment succeeded?"

Tsunade made a startling statement: "There are already several members of the Senju clan who can use Wood Release."

what?

No, I was just saying.

This memory was vastly different, and Aokiji's face was filled with astonishment: "Are you kidding me?"

"If I were joking with you, I wouldn't have brought this up in the first place."

"Wait a minute..." Aokiji exclaimed, "You're not going to participate in this experiment too, are you?"

"To be honest, I'm hesitant about whether to accept this experiment," Tsunade sighed. "If possible, I still want to develop Wood Release through my own efforts."

"No, please don't."

Aokiji quickly tried to dissuade her, saying she dared not gamble with Tsunade.

Tsunade smiled and said, "Why are you so excited?"

Aokiji made no attempt to be reserved and shouted, "Of course I'm worried about you! You've mentioned these kinds of experiments before, haven't you? Many people have died from them."

"Indeed." Tsunade did not deny it: "However, this experiment has gradually matured."

Aokiji found this explanation hard to believe: "Then why haven't I heard anyone say that anyone uses Wood Release?"

Despite their current success, Aokiji is certain that problems will inevitably arise from these successes.

He estimated that the Wood Release experiment must have made some progress at the beginning, giving Konoha a taste of success, which is why the village spared no effort in developing it.

However, the technical barriers proved difficult to overcome, forcing them to eventually abandon the experimental project that had already received countless resources.

The success stories Tsunade mentioned were probably those sweet rewards.

He believed that before long, these benefits would inevitably lead to one problem or another.

(P.S.: To explain, in order to advance the main plot, I deleted the last 200-300 words of chapter 82 in volume 3. If I continued writing slice-of-life scenes, I reckon someone would stick a knife to my throat through the internet.)

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(End of this chapter)