Minato quickly regained his composure and praised him sincerely.
“Incredible, Lord Hikuro—truly extraordinary!”
His thoughts turned immediately to his pregnant wife.
If she possessed Wood Release, childbirth would be far safer and easier.
His respect for Hikuro deepened.
Surely Hikuro harbored no ambition for the Hokage’s seat—he had stepped aside voluntarily, even though many in Konoha would have supported him.
Hikuro, for his part, held Minato in genuine regard.
He walked to a hidden alcove, pressed a switch, and a sleek silver box rose into view.
Opening it, he took one of two glowing green vials and offered it to Minato.
“This serum is derived from Hashirama’s cells, refined and weakened through countless trials.
It allows a shinobi of at least Jōnin rank to awaken Wood Release.”
“Even so, the strain remains lethal for those below that level.
Success depends on vitality and mental strength—the stronger both are, the greater the chance of awakening it, and the more potent the result.
The Senju, Uzumaki, Uchiha, and Hyūga clans fare best.”
“Even the Ino‑Shika‑Chō clans… you yourself, your student Kakashi, and his friend Might Guy—all have promising odds,” Hikuro added plainly.
Privately, he remained unimpressed by the power it produced.
It was disappointing, lacking any real comparison to the original.
The ability to absorb chakra, however, was intriguing—and strongly suggested a link to the Divine Tree.
For most, though, this serum would be nearly useless.
Without immense life force and chakra reserves comparable to a tailed beast, even Yamato‑level Wood Release would be the absolute limit.
Hashirama was unique—a one‑of‑a‑kind mutation among the Senju.
He was essentially a human avatar of the Divine Tree, naturally possessing its chakra‑absorbing property, augmented by the ultimate Yang Release, Asura’s chakra, and instant Sage Mode.
No ordinary wielder could ever hope to match him.
In this world, bloodline was absolute—the closer one was to Kaguya, the greater their power.
That was why Hikuro was so determined to perfect his own arts… and one day seize Kaguya’s power for himself.
Minato’s mind raced.
If this is possible… Wood Release could become commonplace in Konoha.
Hikuro looked at him casually.
“That will be one hundred and twenty million ryō.”
“One hundred and twenty million?!
That is far too expensive!”
“Too expensive?
I think it’s a bargain!” Hikuro shot him a sharp look.
“This is the power of Hashirama Senju—the First Hokage!”
“With Wood Release, Kushina would be better able to contain the Nine‑Tails.
Her Uzumaki bloodline resonates perfectly with it.
The child she carries will benefit too—born with immense vitality, and a strong chance of awakening Wood Release naturally.”
Minato agreed instantly.
Any parent would secure their child’s future at any cost.
Hikuro held out his hand with a grin.
“I will have the funds transferred to you shortly, Lord Hikuro,” Minato promised.
Curiosity got the better of him.
“How did you know Kushina is expecting?
The elders have kept it quiet, and she has made no announcement.”
Hikuro chuckled.
“Just a guess.”
Minato sighed inwardly.
You expect me to believe that?
Clearly Hikuro had his own network of informants.
Long before this, Hikuro had already planned to leave Konoha on the night of the Nine‑Tails attack, traveling the world to gather research materials.
He awaited the annular eclipse—the perfect moment to use his artificially created bloodline‑limit vessels to perform the Jūōro no Jutsu atop Mount Sumeru and ascend to immortality.
The technique was a bizarre fusion of genetic engineering, assimilation, and ritual magic—blending Taoist cosmology, the Five Elements, astrology, and ceremonial practices from across the world.
To Hikuro’s eye, it was messy, unreliable, and riddled with flaws.
How his counterpart in the original timeline had ever pulled it off was a mystery; that version lacked his scientific understanding.
The timing demanded an annular eclipse, the location Mount Sumeru, and five sacrifices bearing distinct bloodline limits aligned with the five elements.
Still, he remained suspicious.
He had stumbled upon the scroll in the Konoha Academy—who had placed it there?
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