Chapter 233: Experiment Results

Konohagakure.

Early in the morning, Tsunade dragged Kawakaze out of bed.

Kawakaze was still groggy, as last night had been another long night of hard work.

"Get up! We have some business today." Tsunade held Kawakaze's shoulders and shook him vigorously, her breasts jiggling.

"I'm awake, I'm awake."

Kawakaze's head swayed back and forth as he opened his eyes dazedly. Then, he was momentarily blinded by the two white objects in front of him.

"What are you looking at? Let's go to the lab."

"I have an appointment with Orochimaru to look at the final results of the experiment today."

Seeing that Kawakaze had woken up, Tsunade took her hands away and covered her chest. In two or three steps, she got out of bed and dressed quickly.

"Okay, my dear wife." Kawakaze rubbed his eyes, still feeling tired. By the time he got up and dressed, Tsunade had already left.

After washing up, he went to the dining room. The kids had all gone out on missions, leaving the house quiet. He sat down next to Tsunade and started eating breakfast.

"You're up early today," said Sakumo, giving Kawakaze a teasing look. At this hour, Kawakaze was usually nowhere to be seen at the table.

Nayuki rolled her eyes and stayed silent, knowing it was pointless to say anything.

I really don't know what's so funny about that. I didn't notice it before, but now I know Kawakaze is like this because of Sakumo to some extent. Both brothers are no good!

"Heh, you've figured it out again." Kawakaze didn't even lift his head, his tone still angry with Sakumo.

"Come and have a leek bun." Sakumo, unfazed, showed remarkable skill. Without a hint of irritation, he flipped his hand, catching a leek bun and tossing it accurately into Kawakaze's bowl.

"Thank you," Kawakaze said viciously, taking a big bite.

The two women nearby burst out laughing, while Kakashi joined in with a foolish chuckle. Having these two characters at home was its own kind of entertainment.

After breakfast, Sakumo headed to the Anbu to check in. Meanwhile, Tsunade and Kawakaze said goodbye to Nayuki and walked toward the hospital.

"Have you said hello to Shōta?" Kawakaze asked, thinking Tsunade would head to her office first.

"I spoke to him yesterday. I'll let him do the hard work today," Tsunade replied, having already made preparations. Today's experiment results were crucial.

"Achoo, achoo..."

"I guess Shōta is scolding me again," Kawakaze said, sneezing twice in a row and rubbing his nose.

"Haha, it's normal to scold you."

Tsunade found amusement in being seen as the good person in Shōta's eyes, leaving Kawakaze to bear the brunt of his complaints. After all, Shōta wouldn't dare scold her directly.

"It's all for your own good," Kawakaze said, placing a hand on Tsunade's shoulder. The two disappeared from the spot.

"Sister Tsunade, brother-in-law," Misaki said, her sweet voice echoing in the laboratory as they arrived.

"Here you are," Orochimaru said, having also just arrived. He was chatting with Misaki, answering a few points of professional knowledge in passing. Misaki was genuinely eager to learn, the kind of student her Sensei appreciated.

"Well, let's get started." Tsunade said nothing, pushing open the laboratory door and walking in.

Kawakaze and Orochimaru followed closely behind, while Misaki stayed outside. She knew the scene inside was not suitable for her.

Tsunade didn't bother putting on a lab coat and went straight to the door of a closed room. Inside was the vivarium. She entered the password, and the door opened.

Kawakaze followed her in, greeted by rows of massive glass jars connected to pipes. He couldn't identify the liquid inside. Each time he entered and saw the people in the jars, he felt like he was watching a horror movie.

"Don't look. They're all dead," Orochimaru said. "Only that one is still alive."

He pointed to a jar in the distance, and Tsunade walked over to it. The other corpses hadn't been disposed of yet since Orochimaru hadn't finished recording their data.

"Oh, I kind of remember that person."

Kawakaze glanced at one of the corpses—a Ninja who had killed five members of a civilian family. This kind of person had wanted posters plastered all over Konoha, and his death was not to be regretted.

"Don't worry. He died a horrible death," Orochimaru said, wickedly licking his lips. The gesture made Kawakaze's scalp tingle. In the dimly lit environment, Orochimaru's appearance was downright unsettling.

"Stay away from me," Kawakaze muttered, shaking his body as he hurried to catch up to Tsunade.

"Haha~" Orochimaru laughed gleefully. Orochimaru could never forget how much Kawakaze disgusted him sometimes. This could almost be considered payback.

By the time Orochimaru caught up, Kawakaze had already helped Tsunade release the person from the jar. The man was still attached to the equipment, his vital signs normal and stable, though there was no sign of him waking up.

"In good condition, the cell fusion should be quite high. I just don't know if he has awakened the Wood Release."

Orochimaru observed the values displayed on the equipment and took out a small knife. He made a cut on the test subject's wrist, and bright red blood flowed down the lab bench.

In no time, the wound on the test subject began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. By the end, aside from the residual bloodstains, it was as if nothing had happened.

"What a wonderful experiment," Orochimaru said, his eyes shining with admiration, as though he were admiring a work of art.

"He's inherited the healing abilities of both me and your grandfather?" Kawakaze asked, surprised by the speed of healing, which seemed to rival his own.

"Yes, it seems our improvement plan was correct."

Tsunade refrained from mentioning that there had been a previous experiment subject with similar results, but it had begun to mutate as its wounds healed. In the end, the subject had turned entirely into wood.

After finishing her explanation, Orochimaru and Tsunade secured the limbs of the test subject to the experimental table.

"Awaken him," Tsunade said, her eyes fixed on the test subject.

Orochimaru quickly performed a series of seals and pressed one hand against the test subject's head.

"Hmm~"

With a low groan, the subject's eyelids twitched. Orochimaru removed his hand, and the subject's eyes snapped open.

"I'm going to kill you!" he shouted, struggling furiously as the experimental table shook under the tremendous force.

These days in the laboratory, he had paid for his past sins, enduring pain beyond description.

"Hate me. The pain will give you strength," Orochimaru said, his words carrying a strange charm.

These death row inmates were no experts, and only a strong desire could stimulate the power hidden within them.

"Ahhh..."

As the test subject roared, Kawakaze could clearly feel its life slipping away. The subject's face began to sink in, leaving Kawakaze uncertain if this was a good or bad sign.

Seeing Tsunade's serious expression and furrowed brow, he refrained from asking questions and continued to observe patiently.

Swish!

The subject's hands suddenly transformed into massive tree branches, sweeping toward Orochimaru with astonishing speed.

"It worked."

Orochimaru wasn't alarmed but instead seemed pleased to be attacked. Several snakes emerged from his sleeves, intercepting the tree branches, and the two sides began to wrestle.

Gradually, the subject's eyes sank deeper, its body began to dry up, and the tree branch hands lost their strength, collapsing heavily to the ground.

"It's dead?" Kawakaze asked as Orochimaru retracted the snakes. He was confused. If it was a success, why had the subject died?

"You think that if he succeeds, he would survive?"

"You underestimate yourself and my grandfather," Tsunade said, too lazy to explain further. She shot Kawakaze a look, silently reminding of the importance of reading the materials she always recommended but that he rarely bothered with.