Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Transparent Escape and Hashirama Cells! [Bonus Chapter]
Shūichi withdrew his gaze from Hayate Gekkō and turned to the middle-aged man beside him.
Hayate's father, Kagami Gekkō, hurriedly explained, "Jonin Shūichi, Hayate's coughing and difficulty breathing were triggered by the awakening of our family's Transparent Escape Kekkei Genkai. However, there's no history of such symptoms in our clan."
Kagami's face grew somber as he continued, "Then again, it's been a long time since anyone in our clan has awakened a Kekkei Genkai."
He bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, his voice emotional, "Please, I beg you—save Hayate! The Gekkō Clan will be forever grateful!"
Shūichi quickly responded, "Please, no need to bow like that, and don't worry too much. No matter the situation, we will do our best!"
At that moment, Nono finished her initial treatment and said, "For now, his condition has been stabilized."
"However, whether or not this is a case of Kekkei Genkai disease still requires a series of tests."
She added, "The fibrotic parts of Hayate's lungs cannot be healed. They'll have to be surgically removed, and we'll use the Healing Regeneration Jutsu to regrow the missing parts."
"If it's not related to Kekkei Genkai disease, the surgery should resolve the problem completely."
"But if it is Kekkei Genkai disease..." Nono's expression grew more serious.
Kekkei Genkai disease—a challenging issue in the ninja world.
It was rare, of course, since Kekkei Genkai abilities themselves were quite uncommon.
Hearing this, Shūichi quickly said, "Let's wait until we determine whether it's Kekkei Genkai disease or not."
"I'll go prepare for the surgery. The tests can be conducted concurrently by the other staff."
Nono nodded. "That's the plan."
With Tsunade absent, Nono was the most skilled medical ninja at Konoha Hospital. She led the procedure, with herself, Asuka, and Shūichi, alongside Shizune as the assistant, performing the surgery on Hayate Gekkō.
Meanwhile, another senior medical ninja and their team collected biopsy samples from Hayate during the preparation phase.
They collected samples of blood, spinal fluid, and from the fibrotic lung tissue.
The final biopsy required a Chakra Scalpel and the Delicate Extraction Technique, both of which could only be performed by medical ninjas at the jōnin level or higher.
Of course, traditional methods combined with medical ninjutsu could also be used to perform an open-chest biopsy.
...
With a command from Nono, everyone quickly sprang into action, and Kagami Gekkō, as a family member, was escorted out of the room.
After Shūichi completed the preoperative preparations, he noticed that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had arrived.
It suddenly clicked—Hayate Gekkō must still be a student at the Ninja Academy, looking around six or seven years old.
A ninja academy student awakening a Kekkei Genkai was a significant event.
Whether as the academy's principal or the Hokage, Hiruzen's presence here made perfect sense.
"Lord Third Hokage!"
Shūichi stepped forward to greet him.
Hiruzen, already briefed on the situation, nodded and said, "Hayate is in your hands now; do your best!"
Shūichi replied firmly, "Rest assured, Lord Third, we will do everything we can."
At that moment, the door to the room opened, and the biopsy samples were all collected. Shūichi and the others immediately wheeled Hayate Gekkō into the operating room.
However, this operating room was not filled with machines. Aside from a stone bed in the center, the room was mostly empty.
Yet, the seals drawn on the floor made it clear that this was no ordinary room.
Placing Hayate on the stone bed surrounded by seals, Shūichi carefully removed Hayate's shirt and quickly drew a series of seals on his chest.
These seals, along with the ones on the floor, were designed to aid in the Healing Regeneration Jutsu that would be used later.
Once the seals were drawn, and everything was ready, Nono and Asuka positioned themselves at the two formation points near Hayate's head, while Shūichi stood next to the stone platform.
Placing his left hand on the seal on Hayate's chest, a green light began to glow, enveloping Hayate's entire torso.
Then, Shūichi raised his right hand, channeling chakra to form a Chakra Scalpel.
Suddenly, he paused and looked over at Shizune, "Shizune, you'll handle the Delicate Extraction Technique!"
"Eh?"
Shizune hesitated. "Can I do it?"
Nono Yakushi smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, with Shūichi here, everything will be fine."
"Understood!"
Shizune nodded, her face serious, and stepped forward.
Until now, she had only practiced the Delicate Extraction Technique on small animals.
Seeing that Shizune was ready, Shūichi commanded, "Let's begin!"
Without further delay, his Chakra Scalpel entered Hayate's chest.
The scalpel didn't harm any of Hayate's other tissues—only when it reached the fibrotic area did it show its sharpness.
This was the brilliance of the Chakra Scalpel.
Kabuto Yakushi had once used this technique to sever Tsunade's diaphragm, causing her breathing difficulties, though her body remained unscathed.
However, this was a medical procedure, not a battle, so Shūichi carefully cut away a small portion of Hayate's fibrotic lung tissue. Shizune immediately used the Delicate Extraction Technique, encasing the removed tissue in a chakra bubble and slowly pulling it out of the body.
At the same time, Nono activated the formation, and with Asuka's help, used the Healing Regeneration Jutsu to regenerate the removed lung tissue through cell division.
No external medium, such as hair, was needed due to Asuka's powerful Yang Release chakra and the small size of the excised tissue, along with the natural stem cells present in the lungs.
They repeated the process—cutting, extracting, and healing.
First the left lung, then the right.
Thankfully, the fibrotic areas were not extensive, and with Asuka's powerful chakra support, the surgery proceeded without interruptions, taking only half an hour to complete.
However, Shizune was thoroughly exhausted, and Shūichi had to help her out of the operating room.
"You did an excellent job," Shūichi praised as they sat down to rest. "You've mastered the technique."
Shizune, though tired, smiled with relief and pride.
Meanwhile, Hayate was transferred back to his room, where numerous medical devices were hooked up to monitor his condition.
After resting for about half an hour, Shūichi and Shizune returned to the room.
The biopsy results were in.
Shūichi took one of the reports, his expression growing serious as he looked at Kagami Gekkō. "It seems the likelihood of this being Kekkei Genkai disease is very high."
Nono and another medical ninja, Oushou, nodded in agreement. Oushou explained, "From our observations, even after the surgery, Hayate's lungs are showing signs of deterioration, though at a very slow rate."
"However, it's clear that using his Kekkei Genkai will accelerate this process."
Lung fibrosis is irreversible, and the only treatment is the procedure they had just performed.
Nono Yakushi added, "The most concerning issue is his age—he's still very young, which will affect his development."
Kagami's face darkened with worry. "Will this prevent Hayate from becoming a ninja, Lady Nono?"
"No."
Shūichi responded, placing the report down. "His physical abilities will be somewhat limited, and the respiratory issues will impact him in combat."
"But the most important problem is that we can't fully resolve this."
"Every time we remove the fibrotic tissue, it will grow back, and this repeated cycle will take a toll on his life."
"Our current recommendation is to minimize the use of his Kekkei Genkai to slow down the progression."
Kagami looked devastated. "Is there no way to completely cure this?"
Shūichi shook his head. "The exact mechanisms of Kekkei Genkai disease are still not fully understood, but from what we can see, it's caused by genetic mutations and defects in his immune system."
While Shūichi had some ideas about treating the immune system, the deeper issue lay in the genetic mutations caused by the Kekkei Genkai itself.
So, they were back to square one.
Calming his thoughts, Shūichi reassured, "Don't lose hope, Uncle Kagami. Hayate is still young. There's plenty of time to find a solution."
"And for now, it won't stop him from becoming a ninja."
"In fact, awakening his Kekkei Genkai, even without using its full power, will still give Hayate an edge."
Just then, Hayate's eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes.
His vision was blurry at first, but after a moment, he focused and saw Shūichi standing beside him. His eyes lit up with excitement, "Shūichi!"
Shūichi was his idol, after all!
But then, Hayate remembered his condition before he lost consciousness.
With a warm smile, Shūichi greeted him, "Hello, Hayate!"
Hayate looked around at everyone, especially his father's worried face, and his expression fell. "Senpai, does this mean I can't become a ninja anymore?"
Shūichi smiled reassuringly, "That's not true."
"Although there are some minor issues, nothing will stop you from becoming a ninja right now."
Hayate's spirits lifted instantly. "Really?"
"Father, is what Shūichi Senpai said true?"
Kagami, having composed himself, nodded. "Of course! Shūichi is a medical jōnin, after all."
"That's great!"
Hayate finally relaxed, his fears melting away.
Shūichi then said, "Well, Hayate, how about you try out your Kekkei Genkai for us?"
"Alright!"
Hayate nodded eagerly and focused inward to activate his power.
Soon, Hayate Gekkō's figure vanished from everyone's sight.
Not only that, but even his presence disappeared completely.
However, he was still detectable through Shūichi's Listening Technique, and more than that...
Suddenly, Shūichi's eyes ignited with blue flames.
Heat Vision!
"The body's heat radiation hasn't disappeared…"
Through his Heat Vision, Shūichi could see the now transparent Hayate Gekkō.
Lying on the bed, Hayate also sensed Shūichi's gaze. Seeing those bright blue, fiery eyes, he was taken aback. "Is this... some kind of dōjutsu kekkei genkai that Shūichi-senpai possesses?"
"I've never heard of Shūichi-senpai having a kekkei genkai…"
Shūichi deactivated his Heat Vision and said, "Alright, Hayate, you can stop the technique now."
Hayate immediately dispelled the technique, but then he suddenly felt his breathing become labored. He quickly patted his chest in concern.
Meanwhile, Nono and Oushou were closely watching the monitor, which showed that the condition in Hayate's lungs had indeed worsened with the use of his kekkei genkai.
It was now certain—Hayate had Kekkei Disease.
Gasping for air, Hayate finally caught his breath and, panicking, asked, "Shūichi-senpai, what's happening to me?"
Shūichi reassured him, "Your kekkei genkai puts a lot of strain on your lungs, so you need to use its power with caution."
"Also, make sure to train and strengthen your lung capacity."
With that, Shūichi, Nono, and Oushou left the room and headed to the office.
Once there, Shūichi asked, "Oushou-senpai, with all your experience, have you encountered Kekkei Disease before?"
Oushou, a cold and stern woman in her forties, replied, "I haven't encountered Kekkei Disease directly, unless you count the Uchiha clan."
The Uchiha...
Shūichi shook his head.
Then he thought of the Kurama clan. Like the Gekkō clan, the Kurama clan had also gone many years without anyone awakening their kekkei genkai.
"I wonder if Yakumo Kurama has been born yet. Would her condition also count as Kekkei Disease?" Shūichi's thoughts wandered.
Meanwhile, Nono and Oushou continued discussing Hayate Gekkō's case, searching for ways to slow the progression of his disease.
As for a complete cure, that was still unrealistic.
Even with their advanced medical techniques, they were not yet able to fix genetic mutations.
Listening to their discussion, Shūichi's mind turned to Hashirama Cells.
If Hayate Gekkō could handle them, Hashirama Cells might be a solution.
Aside from Hashirama Cells...
Shūichi thought for a moment and then considered Orochimaru's human modification techniques.
"If there's no way to solve the root cause of Kekkei Disease, then maybe it's time to treat the symptoms instead…"
Shūichi shifted his thinking. Perhaps using Orochimaru's methods to modify Hayate's body, strengthening his lungs or even replacing their function, could be a viable option.
However, such a drastic method required careful consideration, especially since he would need to get approval from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to maintain political correctness.
"If I submit a report, I'll need to prepare thoroughly. Hmm... I'll wait until Orochimaru's soft body modifications are complete before proceeding."
After making up his mind, Shūichi turned to Nono and Oushou, saying, "Director, Oushou-senpai, I think I should pay Lady Tsunade a visit."
Nono Yakushi and Oushou both nodded in agreement, as they had already considered this idea.
When it came to medical expertise, Tsunade was still the best in Konoha.
...
After leaving Konoha Hospital, Shūichi arrived at Tsunade's home. One of his shadow clones was still there, and when she saw both of them, Tsunade couldn't help but be surprised.
"Shūichi, is something wrong?" Tsunade asked.
After dispelling his shadow clone, Shūichi sat down and explained Hayate Gekkō's situation.
Tsunade shook her head after hearing the explanation. "There's no way to cure Kekkei Disease. What you've been doing is already the best approach."
Shūichi wasn't disappointed by this response. Instead, he said, "I actually came to ask about the village's research on the First Hokage's cells."
Tsunade frowned. "Are you planning to use that to solve the boy's problem?"
Shūichi shook his head. "I haven't seen the research yet, but I know that the First Hokage's cells aren't something an ordinary person can handle."
"The reason I need to review the First Hokage's cell research is related to a medical ninjutsu we're developing."
"If we want to achieve rapid healing, the quickest way is through cell metabolism and division."
Tsunade nodded. This aligned with current research on how to accelerate cellular metabolism and division.
Shūichi continued, "During my training with the Lightning Release Body Flicker, I noticed that lightning-style chakra can permanently enhance cellular activity."
Tsunade nodded again. "Yes, that's true. The Raikage's physical strength is partly due to that kind of training."
Shūichi shifted the conversation. "Lady Tsunade, you're also aware of Asuka's special condition, right?"
"Her body has an incredible healing ability and can even replenish chakra, which fundamentally stems from her strong Yang Release."
"However, Yang Release can manifest in different ways. For example, Asuka can replenish stamina and heal others, but she can't heal herself."
"There are stories about the First Hokage having extraordinary self-healing abilities. My theory is that his cells are so active they can divide automatically when injured—without requiring any conscious control or hand seals."
Shūichi likened Hashirama's cells to some highly reactive elements, needing only a small stimulus to trigger a powerful reaction.
This wasn't just a wild guess but a hypothesis based on his own experience with increasing cellular activity, the effects of tailed beast chakra on cells, and his observations of Asuka's unique constitution.
If only he had his own lab, Shūichi would conduct further research on Asuka's cells.
After pondering Shūichi's words, Tsunade got up, retrieved a scroll, and handed it to him. "Take a look."
"Your theory is correct. My grandfather's cells do have incredible vitality. That's why none of the previous experiments succeeded—no one could withstand the power."
"Not only did they fail to acquire Wood Release, but they were consumed by the power of my grandfather's cells."
Shūichi nodded silently and began reviewing the research.
By the time he finished reading, night had fallen. Shizune had returned from Konoha Hospital and was preparing dinner.
Exhaling deeply, Shūichi smiled.
Hashirama's cells indeed possessed remarkable vitality. Once transplanted, they would infinitely replicate by consuming the host's life force. This process was uncontrollable, and the eventual result was the overwhelming resurgence of Wood Release, causing the host to sprout a tree.
The host would essentially become fertilizer!
Tsunade glanced at Shūichi. "So, what do you think? Any ideas?"
Shūichi nodded. "The essence of highly active cells is strong life force, much like how energetic children are always so lively."
"However, powerful life force doesn't only manifest in hyperactive cells—it can also have a more reserved form, like Asuka's."
"Just like people's personalities—some are energetic and bouncing around, while others, like my sister, are more reserved."
Tsunade nodded again.
Shūichi continued, "Another core aspect of strong life force is the strength of Yang Release."
"Yin Release techniques can create form from nothing, while Yang Release represents the energy of the body. Yang Release techniques can breathe life into that form."
"In the current shinobi world, the pinnacle of Yin Release is Susanoo, which perfectly embodies the concept of creating form from nothing."
"As for the pinnacle of Yang Release, it's Hashirama Senju. His Wood Release shows the essence of Yang Release—breathing life into form."
"Hashirama infused life into his Wood Release!"
Based on his current knowledge and available information, Shūichi realized this might be the reason Yamato's Wood Release could never compare to Hashirama's.
Yamato had inherited the kekkei genkai of Wood Release, but he didn't have the immense Yang Release power of Hashirama's cells. This might also be why Yamato survived the experiments—he didn't acquire the overwhelming Yang Release power that Hashirama possessed.
In other words, Wood Release's true strength wasn't due to the technique itself, but to the fact that Hashirama, with his immense Yang Release ability, wielded it.
Wood Release and Hashirama were a perfect match!
This gave the impression that Wood Release was an incredibly powerful kekkei genkai—or perhaps, even a kekkei tōta (advanced bloodline limit).
Shūichi's thoughts raced, aided by his unique perspective and key insights.
Yin and Yang are complementary forces. So why did Hiruzen Sarutobi's experiments with Hashirama's cells fail?
Because Hashirama was dead!
His cells, or rather the power they embodied, had lost the balance with Yin Release. As a result, the cells went out of control when transplanted into others.
Why couldn't anyone resist this imbalance?
Shūichi believed the problem was insufficient mental strength, or more specifically, a lack of Yin Release power.
This was why early successful transplants always involved the Sharingan.
The Sharingan represented strong Yin Release.
Especially at the Mangekyō Sharingan level.
That's why Obito Uchiha could perfectly control Hashirama's cells, while Danzo, who only had a Sharingan with three tomoe, couldn't.
In fact, Danzo's body was eventually overwhelmed, as the Yin Release power of three tomoe wasn't enough to balance Hashirama's cells.
(End of Chapter)
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