Chapitre 159: Chapter 160 : Senju Bloodline
The course of history often hinges on unexpected turns. While Tobirama favoured Sarutobi and Danzo, as a Hokage dedicated to Konoha, his actions were often enigmatic, leaving people guessing whom he'd prioritize at any given moment.
"Orochimaru, you've arrived!"
Inside the tent, a group of individuals and Tsushima were recovering from their injuries.
Takeshi and his comrades, with their eyes shut, focused on recuperating. They quietly refined the Gelel Stones embedded in their cuffs, silently augmenting their strength.
The recent clashes between the Sand Shinobi and Konoha's forces had maintained a restrained intensity. Both sides appeared accustomed to this low-key standoff. However, the poison inflicted to Homura had not subsided, and Koharu was lost in thought.
"Ah, Tsunade, what brings you here?"
Takeshi exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise.
Tsunade appeared somewhat dishevelled, her white coat still bearing the marks of battle, now smeared with patches of blood, making her look somewhat fatigued.
"Uncle Tsushima!"
Tsunade respectfully greeted the eldes of the Senju clan. Being a valuable asset of the Anbu, Takeshi and his companions weren't being thrown into the fray as mere cannon fodder during daylight battles.
Nightingale shot a glance at Tsunade, emitting a subtle snort. With the growing strength of her Wood Release abilities, her confidence was soaring. Takeshi had indeed been showing her exceptional care lately, altering his attitude towards her.
"Orochimaru, word has it that you embarked on a perilous mission. I came to check up on you. Why the cold reception?!"
Tsunade's tone became sharp, as she threw her gloves onto the ground in frustration.
"Jiraiya and I have been your childhood friends. Yet now, here you are with your Anbu comrades, distancing yourself from your older sister?!"
"Uh..."
Takeshi felt a sting on his cheek. Tsunade, you're still my aunt, and yet you've unveiled your true self barely two minutes after being decent in front of Tsushima.
"Ah, the distinguished Lady of a Senju, indeed, we lesser mortals are unworthy of your gaze."
Nightingale suddenly stood, playfully eying her clan sister, who stood slightly shorter.
"What?!" Tsunade's ire was palpable.
"Our captain recently showcased his formidable power on the battlefield and needs his rest. Unlike you, who leisurely lingers at the rear."
"Hmph! Do you fathom the effort I expend daily saving lives, tending to the injured, and treating ninjas? What gives you—"
"That's enough," Tsushima intervened at last, recognizing this was a spat amongst youthful emotions.
Nightingale momentarily hesitated, realizing she might have let her confidence get the better of her. After all, Tsunade was the granddaughter of the First Hokage!
"Hmph," Tsunade huffed, disdainfully averting her gaze.
As the host, Takeshi felt somewhat embarrassed, yet as an adult, he saw Tsunade's point. His eyes gleamed when he heard "Saving Lives" and "Healing Shinobi."
Right, how could he forget? There were numerous invaluable samples of the Senju awaiting his collection!
With Nightingale successfully harnessing the abilities of Wood Release, Takeshi couldn't be oblivious to the possibilities. Wood Release could restrain tailed beasts, and his energy-devouring talents could be applied to tailed beasts as well. They were prime material for his future pursuits.
And now, without his Wood Release capabilities awakened, his foremost objective was to amass an abundance of Senju Clan cells!
At that moment, Takeshi fell into contemplation, while Falcon, Tiger, and even Shadow observed discreetly, their gazes alternately flicking between Takeshi, Tsunade, and Nightingale.
As expected, silence was akin to unsheathed blades, concealing a fervent fire of intrigue!
"Tsunade, you've been toiling excessively. I'm unoccupied at present. Allow me to assist you," Takeshi suddenly beamed at Tsunade.
"Well..."
"Quit dawdling; we can't keep the samples waiting... Patients are in dire need!"
Takeshi couldn't wait. He grasped Tsunade's hand and led her away!
"Release me, I have my own legs!"
...........
"Begin!"
Nightingale watched them depart, her heart an enigma of strange vexation. At some point, perhaps when her Wood Release grew mightier, Takeshi's place in her heart had deepened.
"Alright, gather around, and I'll examine everyone."
Takeshi swiftly donned a white coat, initiating his clandestine medical care. The incessant battles had swelled Konoha's wounded ranks, especially considering the poison of the Sand ninja. Many injuries were far from simple to heal.
In reality, Takeshi had been collecting cells previously, albeit without explicit targeting of the Senju Clan. His intentions were distinct.
When vying for the Gelel Ore Vein, Takeshi mused about acquiring Wood Release abilities. His options included:
Worst approach: Direct Hashirama cell transplant.
This path required waiting years for an opportunity, which wasn't guaranteed to succeed. Takeshi wasn't confident in taming that overpowering corrosive force. Like Danzo, employing Orochimaru's help and integrating Uchiha Shisui's cells could suppress Wood Release cells under normal circumstances. But using these cells activated a slew of complications.
The most arduous route entailed cultivating cells between Nightingale and Tsushima, incrementally assimilating the weak force with the aid of the white-scaled serpent's devouring prowess. Progressing to completion? That was anyone's guess...
Then the optimal method emerged: Phagocytosis and transplantation of white cells!
Nightingale's Wood Release was borne from the Divine Tree. These transformed individuals harboured pure Wood Release potential—derived from millennia of melding and metamorphosis—making them easily controllable with minimal corrosiveness!
While Nightingale might pale in comparison to Hashirama, Takeshi recognized the advantages inherent in gaining that power.
Yet, procuring intercolumnar cells proved a distant prospect, beyond reach.
Thus, Takeshi nurtured a daring idea—awakening his own Wood Release!
How, then, to rouse it?
Commencing with bloodline power, latent abilities dormant within one's blood—some awakened naturally, others remaining dormant a lifetime, with potential to stir even after awakening. Even those stronger than the Six Paths might possess evolving Bloodline LImit, as observed in the Uchiha's formidable mental strength and chakra, as well as the Senju's extraordinary physicality.
The Uchiha's Sharingan was an embodiment of Yin Release, and Wood Release, fundamentally, emerged from the Divine Tree's power.
Stimulating Yin Chakra required intense emotions, relatively straightforward. As for Wood Release, Takeshi's previous attempts indicated a need for absorbing Senjutsu Chakra. Even those devoid of innate abilities harboured potential in their bloodline.
Takeshi aimed to amass the concealed Senju' power, igniting his own awakening through substantial Gelel Stone exposure.
Drifting into action, Takeshi employed devouring on oblivious ninjas, channelling their latent energies.
To the uninitiated, the stolen power went unnoticed. Only the slightly robust felt a tinge of weakness. They'd experience chakra and physical decline, baffled by the cause.
A heartless healer, Takeshi excelled at this role.
"Countless ninjas are present. While absorbing every ninja isn't essential, the gained power now seems inadequate, chakra and physique enhancements negligible."
The formidable chakra was insufficient.
"Absorbing every Senju clansman here might enable me to attempt awakening my acquired Bloodline Limit!"
Behind his mask, ruthless serpent eyes shimmered. Despite his medical expertise, Takeshi's demeanour contradicted that of a dedicated physician.
"Opportunities are fleeting. How might I disguise treating uninjured individuals for my plans?"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone