Chapter 138 : Sunagakure Attacks!

"Given his potential, do you believe this kid can grow up?" Orochimaru muttered, stepping away from Takeshi.

"Don't underestimate any Uchiha with a strong ambition. Remember that even the tail of a certain crane wasn't as impressive as he is now," Takeshi chuckled. "It's like planting a seed. I don't anticipate him becoming a towering tree, but with Uchiha blood, something intriguing is bound to occur. We have time ahead of us to influence the destiny of this ninja."

"...I think you've turned into a Sage and lost your mind," Orochimaru shook his head, leaving quietly.

"Next time, get yourself a set of Sharingan. I don't have time to waste my valuable scientific research time coddling poor childninjas."

"Really? Haha..." Takeshi watched Orochimaru's retreating figure, a light smile on his lips.

As time went by, Takeshi found himself occupied with ANBU duties every day. Simplicity, monotony, and repetitiveness became the themes of his life.

However, Takeshi wasn't exactly compliant with his duties. During patrols, he would quietly study ninjutsu. At times, he would contemplate problems related to his experimental research and even draw diagrams with a pen.

His team members pretended not to notice. Not only did they help Takeshi cover up, but they also occasionally took on his share of work, including Tiger, which eased Takeshi's worries.

Hyuga Kazuki eventually departed. In Takeshi's somewhat sarcastic perspective, Kazuki resembled a newlywed daughter who had left her paninjasts' home, unlikely to be seen often in the future.

Hyuga Kazuki left a communication token for Takeshi, allowing him to contact the Hyuga clan directly if needed. Despite his outlook, Takeshi held a more positive view of Hyuga Kazuki, albeit not for his foresight.

A month passed, and the Sand Ninja finally took action during this period. They engaged in several skirmishes with Konoha on the border, without any surprise attacks or covert reinforcements. The two sides seemed to be locked in a low-intensity attrition.

Since the initial clash, the Sand Shinobi had adopted harassment tactics. Leveraging the geographic advantage of the Land of Wind, they frequently dispatched small squads to attack inconsequential targets before promptly retreating.

Minor skirmishes every three days and larger ones every five days became the norm, but no decisive battles emerged. It was a state of equilibrium.

Nonetheless, this situation forced Konoha to allocate more resources, tying down a significant force on the southern border.

It was clear to anyone that Sand Ninja's "declaration of war" was merely a formality. In a bid to rally allies against prosperous Konoha, Sand ninjas didn't even bother with a substantial casus belli, opting for a vague statement.

Events often unfolded suddenly, with reasons becoming clear only in hindsight. The conflict between Konoha and the Sand Shinobi remained unresolved, creating a ripe environment for other nations—particularly the Land of Lightning —to harbour their own designs.

Realizing that his excessive caution had led to errors, Tobirama decided to take a more aggressive approach, dispatching more personnel for offensive actions.

Konoha needed to resolve the conflict with the Hidden Sand in the most resolute manner, eliminating the latent threat to the south.

"Takeshi, come and see. We have results!"

One day, while Takeshi was away from the Uchiha clan, he received an urgent message via Orochimaru's shared sensory connection.

Using this opportunity, Takeshi hurried to the laboratory, where Orochimaru was looking smugly at a glass enclosure.

Inside, a mouse with bird wings transplanted onto its body was fluttering around.

It was apparent that transplanting tissues and ensuring survival wasn't a daunting task. What was truly astonishing was that a transplanted organ could function flawlessly.

"This... is the Troy Cell!"

Takeshi was exhilarated as well. They had retrieved Troy's flesh and blood tissue along with the serum he had personally prepared. The goal was to harness the abilities of these cells that defied common sense of ninjas.

While Troy used these cells to fuse chakra, creating puppet warriors, Takeshi could use them to transplant bloodline limit in the manner of a ninja. Danzo's arm, laden with seals, and the body implanted with first-generation cells used these kinds of unbeatable cells to suppress volatile powers.

Now, Takeshi possesses this capability as well. Given his white-scaled serpent lineage, he could directly ingest them. This granted Takeshi an additional benefit: his higher complementing characteristics meant less loss and more bloodline limit strengthening during the fusion ability phase when devouring others' blood later on.

Moreover, with Orochimaru obtaining these cells, it was possible to significantly reduce mortality rates during the development of the Curse Seal that transformed the human body using natural energy.

This advancement could be applied to future experiments like intercolumnar cell transplants and the cultivation of wood-style ninjas. The success rate was likely to rise, possibly sparing many from the fate Yamato endured, being one of thousands.

Takeshi now realized that the person who needed these cellular powers the most was Hiruko.

With such magical cells, the limitations of the Chimera Jutsu might diminish. There might be no need, unlike in the original story, for a nine-tailed fox, a ceremony, or anything of the sort.

Even for someone like him, the simple act of transplanting a pair of eyes might not be fatal.

Having laid the groundwork for the Troy Cell plan, Takeshi's thoughts shifted to awakening Wood Release using Senjutsu Chakra.

Unlike previous endeavours, this was a century-old puzzle, unsolved by generations of ninja before and after him. Takeshi possessed a few initial ideas, but they were far from sufficient. The path ahead required copious resources, experimentation, and—sacrifice.

"Black Snake Squad, assemble at once!"

Yet, a directive from Senju Tsushima broke his train of thought.

"Master Tsushima!"

Seeing the youth before him, Tsushima's gaze held a mix of complexities. Since their last interaction, Takeshi had grown even stronger. Tsushima couldn't quite pinpoint why, but he sensed an enigmatic aura emanating from him, a mastery of perception that belied his age.

Unbeknownst to Tsushima, the person standing before him was Takeshi, who cultivated the True Essence—a fact that eluded him. Tsushima only felt that the coming generation was formidable, and the future of Konoha was in good hands.

"We encountered issues battling the Sand Shinobi. Tobirama-sama wishes to swiftly defeat these adversaries, even if it incurs greater costs. But we've run into a formidable opponent!"

Tsushima explained the situation deliberately, "A female puppeteer who's adept at concocting lethal poisons. A mere scratch from her can incapacitate or kill many. Even our Konoha soldiers, strong as they are, have suffered losses."

A female puppeteer from the Sand? Could it be...

"Her name is Chiyo, a Jonin rank Sand Shinobi. She's also a prodigy among the younger generation of Sand Shinobi."

Tsushima's words confirmed Takeshi's suspicion: "To expedite the conflict, Hokage-sama dispatched two ANBU squads. Our task is to discreetly eliminate this troublesome adversary."

Senju Tsushima regarded Takeshi with a serious expression. Over the past months, Takeshi's ANBU team had undertaken numerous missions with exceptional precision. This mission, however, posed a unique challenge.

"Black Snake, Chiyo is of the same generation as your instructor, Sarutobi-sama, and her strength is remarkable. Her puppet mastery is extraordinary, and battling her one-on-one might prove fatal."

Tsushima's tone was grave, "Furthermore, she currently commands the Sand Shinobi. Many ninja guards will be around her. We must succeed on our first attempt; otherwise, dealing with a puppet master on the loose will be extremely troublesome."

"Grandma Chiyo?"

In Takeshi's mind, an image of the hunched old woman surfaced—Chiyo. She should be in her prime, a valiant beauty.

"Interesting. I wonder if her poisons will affect me?" Takeshi playfully licked his lips, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

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