Chapter 98: Kekkei Genkai—Wood Release

Konoha, ANBU Base. Kurokawa writhed in agony, curled up in a corner as he let out guttural screams. Creak— The cell door opened as Kyohiko, Minato, and Jiraiya stepped inside. "You coming here now won’t help much, will it?" Minato frowned. He, too, wanted to help Kurokawa, but unfortunately, there was little they could do at the moment. External suppression was their only option—the rest depended on Kurokawa’s own ability to control it. Jiraiya sighed. "Too bad the boss’s staff only works on Mount Myōboku’s sage chakra. Otherwise, we could’ve borrowed it for now." "I was thinking—how is his physique different from ours? And is there a way to repurpose the natural energy he absorbs to synthesize his own sage chakra?" Kyohiko voiced his thoughts. Jiraiya shook his head. "Impossible. Every type of sage chakra requires a unique method to produce. It can’t be absorbed or broken down by any external means." Besides, their situations were fundamentally different. Kyohiko could use sage chakra to isolate himself and reduce the influx of external natural energy because his body lacked the innate ability to absorb it. But someone like Kurokawa, with his unique constitution, remained in a perpetual state of absorption. "I’ll seal him for now," Minato said. Kyohiko nodded and stepped outside. Inside the cell, the screams continued but gradually subsided. He turned his gaze toward the neighboring cell. This was where "Tenzo" was held—the child who would later be known as "Yamato." "Teacher, I have an idea," Kyohiko said. "What is it?" Jiraiya looked at him. Kyohiko explained, "The First Hokage possessed sage power, and you’ve considered having him attempt it too, right?" "Yes," Jiraiya confirmed. Kyohiko continued, "For someone like him, who possesses Wood Release, wouldn’t merging completely with trees make it easier to attune to nature compared to us?" He had pondered this for a long time during his time at Mount Myōboku. Senju Hashirama’s Sage Mode clearly differed from Mount Myōboku’s approach—it might have originated from Shikkotsu Forest, or perhaps he had an innate affinity for it. Wood Release and the Sage Body. Such traits naturally aligned with nature. The future Yamato lacked the Sage Body, but perhaps an artificial sage could be attempted—though the risks were high. Jiraiya thought for a moment. "It’s a bit dangerous. Maybe we can have him try it with a shadow clone once he’s stronger." "By the way, have you decided how to handle him yet?" Kyohiko glanced toward the cell. Yamato sat motionless inside, utterly silent. He was only five years old. At this age, if left in such an environment, his future development was hard to predict. Additionally— Kyohiko recalled that after helping Tsunade become the Fourth Hokage, he had received a reward enhancing his "Senju lineage." So, if he helped Yamato, could he obtain Wood Release? Even a basic Wood Release Kekkei Genkai might allow him to realize his envisioned "body-to-tree" transformation, using it to absorb natural energy. At the very least, Wood Release would boost his combat strength. Kekkei Genkai tied to ninjutsu didn’t necessarily require bloodline inheritance—they could also be achieved through nature transformation fusion. Given his current reputation as a genius, he wouldn’t even need to explain much. Kyohiko’s gaze fixed on Yamato. "Tsunade-nee and I lean toward reintegrating him into normal life. Even if his Kekkei Genkai proves useful later, that’s a matter for the future. But he himself refuses to leave." Jiraiya sighed. "The door’s always been open, but this child has grown accustomed to the darkness. It’s like he’s developed a fear of the outside world." "What about the other girl?" If Yakushi Nono were here, influencing her might have indirectly affected Yamato. "Not sure." Another sigh. She must have gone undercover as a spy. What was this? Had the Third inherited Danzo’s "legacy" within Konoha? Still, in some ways, the Third was at least more humane than Danzo—he wouldn’t dispose of people after using them. "I think the first step is to give him a name." Kyohiko opened the iron door, and their eyes met. "What’s your name?" The boy looked up at him. Clearly, he recognized Kyohiko—his eyes flickered briefly. Finally... "Tenzo." "That was your designation in ROOT. ROOT is gone now. You should choose a name for yourself." "A... name?" The boy looked lost. "I don’t know. No one taught me." "Then let me give you one. How about ’Yamato’?" "Yamato." The boy murmured the name softly. He nodded. "Okay." Next, Kyohiko asked if he wanted to step outside and see the world. Yamato shook his head. After some conversation, Kyohiko formed a one-handed seal while placing his other hand on Yamato’s shoulder, using an emotion-influencing jutsu to make the boy feel more positive and open. A subtle nudge was enough to make him more willing to talk. Jiraiya stayed outside. If Kyohiko could persuade "Yamato" to leave, that would be ideal. After a while, Kyohiko circled back to the original question. "Not interested in the outside world?" "...No." Fear and hesitation flickered in Yamato’s eyes, but under the influence of Kyohiko’s genjutsu, he voiced his true thoughts. "I’m a tool. If I go out, others will be punished." "Without a name, you were a tool. But now you have one. You’re a unique individual. Are you still a tool?" Kyohiko guided him gently. Yamato froze. At just five years old, having only been taught combat, killing, and ninjutsu, he couldn’t fully grasp the logic. But... A spark of hope flickered in his heart. So the boy asked, "Is it... really okay?" "Of course. You’re a person now, not a tool. People have all kinds of desires..." Kyohiko repeated the words patiently. Then, he explained the meanings of "person," "shinobi," and "tool." Much of it was abstract, but perfect for a child. Yamato listened, wide-eyed, his curiosity about the outside world slowly surfacing— This was his innate desire, forcibly suppressed by years of ROOT conditioning. Through Kyohiko’s persistent guidance, it was gradually drawn out. "Don’t you want to try ramen? It’s delicious! And ice cream, popsicles, flower tea..." Kyohiko listed off foods like a street vendor. Truthfully, he hadn’t even tasted many of these things himself—he only knew of them vaguely. Yamato licked his lips uncontrollably but instinctively suppressed the craving, scrambling for excuses— He had no money. "N-no, I... I don’t want any." --- "My treat." ... "It’s... it’s so delicious. Can I have another bowl?" "Of course." This is a necessary investment, Kyohiko thought to himself. No one could escape the "deliciousness trap"—especially not a child. Beside him, he was also devouring ramen like crazy. Leaving Mount Myōboku had been the right choice. Not only did he not want to waste time grinding his mental state through brute-force meditation, but the food there was downright inedible. Bugs were one thing. But Fukasaku’s wife, Shima, had her own stubborn ideas about cuisine—refusing to let him use methods like deep-frying. He simply couldn’t endure it. The two of them polished off three bowls before finally taking a breather. Yamato, having finished two bowls, leaned back in his chair with satisfaction. "Thank you for the meal." After thanking Ichiraku, Kyohiko took him to the Tea District to admire the flowers and drink tea, then to the Hokage Rock, where he introduced the three previous Hokage and the newly appointed Fourth. Bit by bit, Yamato began showing the curiosity of an ordinary child. ... Meanwhile, in the Hokage’s office. "I’ve noticed something—your chakra reserves seem much larger than before." Tsunade set down her pen, eyeing Kyohiko as he flipped through a scroll. Even for a member of the Senju clan, Kyohiko’s chakra had only been slightly above average for his age. But recently, it felt like it had grown significantly. "My physical and mental growth hasn’t changed much. The main difference is that my recovery speed has improved. The shift happened around the time I fully mastered Yin Seal and completed the three chakra pools. I’m still investigating the exact cause." Kyohiko answered without looking up from the scroll in his hands—Darkness Genjutsu Technique. Of course, this was just a shadow clone. His real body was currently eating and sightseeing with Yamato. Tsunade tapped her chin, thinking as she processed paperwork. Then, she suddenly set down her pen and stared at Kyohiko intently. "Faster recovery?" She frowned, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Kyohiko... could it be that your body, sensing danger, has subconsciously unlocked some latent potential?" "Potential?" Kyohiko set down the scroll, adopting a thoughtful expression. In truth, this was exactly the direction he wanted to steer her toward. "You mean... the Senju bloodline?" "Mhm. My grandfather’s recovery speed was unmatched, but even my Second Grandfather and I were far beyond normal people in both healing and physical strength. Your recent changes might be due to your recklessness—accidentally awakening dormant bloodline traits." Kyohiko feigned deep thought before shaking his head. "I don’t have enough research on this to say for sure." "It’s a strong possibility." The more Tsunade considered it, the more convinced she became. But. Just like how Yamato had survived against the odds, there was no guarantee that near-death experiences could reliably awaken bloodline potential. Such cases were impossible to replicate. She sighed in regret, then smiled. "You know what I think?" "Hm?" "Even if you told me one day that you’ve mastered Wood Release, I wouldn’t be surprised at all." Her tone carried pride and amusement. Because— Kyohiko was that kind of genius. "You’ll definitely surpass my Second Grandfather," Tsunade declared confidently. "You’ll be the most talented Hokage Konoha has ever seen!" "I hope so." Kyohiko chuckled. "By the way, how’s the Eight Gates training coming along?" "I’m starting with elite shinobi first. There’s a taijutsu specialist named Chen Baojun—I’ve assigned him to train under Might Dai to master the Eight Gates as quickly as possible." She paused, then added, "He has a student who, just like you mentioned, can’t use ninjutsu or genjutsu, leaving taijutsu as his only path. So, he’s personally motivated to learn the technique." "Good." Kyohiko nodded. He wasn’t obsessed with mastering the Eight Gates, but if he could acquire it for free, why refuse? ... Several days later. "What is this place?" "The Academy. Where we study. I started attending at five and graduated early at seven." Kyohiko smiled nostalgically. "I learned a lot here." "The Academy..." Yamato stared up at the school building, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and unease. Kyohiko sensed an opportunity. "Do you want to enroll? I’ve already asked the Hokage to prepare a complete identity file for you. You’re eligible to join." "Enroll... Can I really?" Excitement flickered in Yamato’s eyes. "Of course. Inside, you’ll make friends and classmates—but you might also meet people who dislike you. People have desires, and with desires come preferences and prejudices." Kyohiko grinned. He’d been guiding Yamato for days now. Compared to the withdrawn boy he’d first met, Yamato was almost unrecognizable—though he himself hadn’t noticed the change. His condition had been shaped by just over a year of ROOT’s conditioning, not an innate trait. Early intervention made all the difference. Psychological treatment should always be like this. Kyohiko felt a surge of pride. Without me, this kid would’ve been lost. I’m basically a psychology expert at this point. Yamato now carried the same aspirations as any child, though his wisdom and awareness far exceeded his age. Gazing at the schoolyard, he nodded firmly. "Kyohiko-sama... I want to attend!" ... [Under your guidance, Yamato has broken free from his past and now trusts you completely.] [You have gained a loyal subordinate with immense potential.] [Reward: Kekkei Genkai – Wood Release (Beginner Level)] Kekkei Genkai! A glint of triumph flashed in Kyohiko’s eyes. He took a deep breath, allowing himself a brief moment of satisfaction before schooling his expression back into seriousness. "Yamato, you should prepare yourself. Not every child will welcome you." "I know. But..." Yamato’s gaze drifted to the school again, his mind inevitably recalling the faces of the children who had died before him—and that girl. A shadow of sorrow passed over his expression. "None of them ever got to attend school. I want to experience it... for them." Kyohiko fell silent. Those fifty-nine children... This was one of Orochimaru’s unforgivable sins. He sighed softly. "Come on. Let’s go see the Hokage and finalize your enrollment." "Thank you, Kyohiko-sama." Yamato bowed deeply. Kyohiko waved it off. "No need for thanks. You’re part of Konoha now. Helping each other is only natural." Besides— The reward is already in my hands. As he led Yamato toward the Hokage’s office, his mind was already dissecting and integrating the new knowledge. Wood Release. Unlike simple elemental combination techniques, this was a true fusion of nature transformations—capable of generating trees for offense or defense. But at the beginner level... He’d probably be on par with Yamato’s current abilities. Exact capabilities would require testing. For now, he kept his composure, planning to experiment later. Wood Release, Sage Mode, and my sound-isolation ability... This might be the shortcut I’ve been looking for. Staying cooped up in Mount Myōboku, grinding away mindlessly, had never been the right path for him. Kyohiko exhaled in quiet relief. After delivering Yamato to Tsunade and securing his enrollment, Kyohiko was about to leave when she stopped him. She handed him a scroll. "Jiraiya isn’t in the village, and I don’t have many people to discuss this with. Take a look at this report..." Kyohiko unrolled it. The contents read: [Third Kazekage has left Sunagakure with a group of shinobi. Current whereabouts unknown.] The Kazekage left his village? What’s the play here? Disappearing only to attack the Land of Fire? That’d be beyond stupid. Kyohiko’s mind raced before he spoke. "Nee-san, remember what I mentioned before? About those Rain shinobi heading toward the Land of Birds?" "Yes. They’re Jiraiya’s students." Tsunade’s tone was icy. After a pause, she looked up. "Their location... You think the Kazekage might be heading their way?" "Possibly. If he’s moving north, he could be engaging with Iwagakure. If south..." Kyohiko’s eyes shifted to the map on the wall. South was open ocean. "If he’s going south... Kirigakure?"