Chapter 390: What Is Lifespan? A Brief Discussion on the Role of DNA Telomeres in the Life Process
[After drinking Hero's Water, the Genin experimental subject was able to cast Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu 212 times instead of 22.]
Amamiya Kenichi looked at the Genin from the Land of Snow, who was now utterly exhausted, then turned his gaze toward the training ground that had been scorched completely black.
He could not help but suck in a cold breath.
"Is Hero's Water really this effective?"
"However, I also have to consider that Genin from the Land of Snow may not share the same standard of strength as Genin elsewhere. Even so, purely from an individual comparison, this Genin experimental subject's Chakra increased by roughly ten times," Amamiya Kenichi said, looking down at the experimental log in his hand.
Although differences existed between individuals, this test did not compare one ninja against another. It compared the same person before and after drinking Hero's Water.
"Currently, he only took a normal sip, about forty milliliters?"
Amamiya Kenichi looked at the records in his hand.
According to Takigakure's records, the more Hero's Water one drank, the greater the burst of power. This could be understood as a greater increase in Chakra.
However, relatively speaking, the amount of lifespan lost would also increase.
To some extent, this could be understood as exchanging lifespan for Chakra.
Could this be considered equivalent exchange?
"It's a little difficult to understand. What exactly is the principle behind this thing?"
Amamiya Kenichi looked curiously at the gourd in his hand.
The ninja serving as the experimental subject was currently sitting on the ground, refining Chakra to recover what he had depleted. However, judging by his appearance, there were no significant changes.
This made Amamiya Kenichi even more curious about how Hero's Water consumed lifespan.
And what exactly was the concept of lifespan?
It could not possibly be that a few lines written in the Book of Life and Death had been altered, could it?
If considered from a biological perspective, lifespan might be understood as a large-scale loss of cells. However, most cells in a normal human body were constantly dying and being born, repeating that cycle again and again.
The cells in a normal human body were affected by DNA telomeres.
When DNA replicated, it consumed a small portion of the telomere, and this telomere did not carry genetic information.
In other words, the consumed telomeres did not affect the complete expression of genetic information during DNA replication.
It was similar to human fingernails. Cutting off a small part of them would not affect the normal shape of the whole nail.
However, the problem was that telomeres had a length limit.
Even if only a tiny portion of telomeres was consumed with each DNA replication, once enough was consumed, the total length of the telomeres would continue to decrease.
When the telomeres were nearly exhausted, the genetic information replicated by the DNA would begin to develop problems.
Problematic genetic information would lead to cell aging and death.
This was also what the scientific community generally considered to be one of the human body's biological clocks.
If telomeres were seen as a clock, then once the hour hand returned to zero, the person was destined to die.
Because once the telomeres were gone, the replicated DNA information would become flawed, and the cells would no longer function properly. They could only die.
The human body would no longer be able to produce new, normal cells to perform its necessary functions, and in the end, the person could only gradually walk toward death.
"If that's the case, is there a possibility that the essence of Hero's Water is actually to promote large-scale DNA replication, thereby increasing the upper limit of certain cells in the body, which then leads to an increase in Chakra?"
"And because of that large amount of replication, the rate of telomere shortening accelerates, directly speeding up the ninja's death? The more they drink, the more DNA replicates, the higher the upper limit of certain cells becomes, and the stronger the power they unleash. But for the same reason, more telomeres are consumed, leading to death?"
Amamiya Kenichi nodded.
He felt that this possibility existed, and the likelihood was quite high. After all, this speculation was rather reasonable.
However, it still needed support from experimental data.
A theory was only a theory. Without proper data, it could not become a conclusion.
"How do you feel?" Amamiya Kenichi asked the Genin who was refining Chakra.
Amamiya Kenichi did not know the other party's name.
In Amamiya Kenichi's experimental log, he was merely recorded under a code name: Experimental Subject Genin.
"Reporting, Lord Amamiya. Right now, I just feel a little tired, and I really want to rest properly," the Genin stood up respectfully, lowered his head, and honestly answered Amamiya Kenichi's question.
Amamiya Kenichi glanced at the data from the various monitoring instruments attached to the other party.
The overall data was relatively normal, with no particular changes.
If there was any abnormality, it was probably that the other party's electrocardiogram had changed slightly after drinking Hero's Water.
It was roughly like his heart rate had shifted from a normal resting state to the state after a short run. His heartbeat had become slightly faster, but not exceptionally so.
"Purely from the data, there are no special changes. But perhaps that's also because the amount consumed wasn't large?"
Amamiya Kenichi frowned in thought, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
There was no need to think about that problem right now.
What he needed to do now was calculate the maximum Chakra multiplier that Genin, Chunin, and Jonin could reach after drinking Hero's Water.
As for how Hero's Water achieved this effect, that was not something Amamiya Kenichi needed to research for the moment.
Soon, Amamiya Kenichi called in a Chunin and a Jonin from the Land of Snow who had received the "blessing."
He first had them cast their most proficient Ninjutsu until their Chakra was almost depleted.
After they refined Chakra and recovered, Amamiya Kenichi had them drink forty milliliters of Hero's Water. Then he tested them again, still having them cast their most proficient Ninjutsu.
[After drinking forty milliliters of Hero's Water, the Chunin experimental subject's Ninjutsu output also reached roughly ten times its previous level, while the Jonin's increase was roughly eight times.]
[The Chunin, Jonin, and Genin all drank forty milliliters of Hero's Water. Although the Jonin's increase did not reach ten times, the difference was not significant. Hero's Water still had an effect on Jonin.]
Amamiya Kenichi closed his experimental log.
This was enough.
Genin, Chunin, and Jonin all experienced an increase in Chakra after drinking Hero's Water.
From this, it could be seen that Hero's Water was indeed highly effective.
Although it was still unknown how it achieved such an effect, that no longer mattered for now.
With this item, Amamiya Kenichi could be said to have gained the ability to stir up the Ninja World.
"How do you feel?"
Amamiya Kenichi glanced at the monitoring data.
It was the same as before. Whether it was the Chunin or the Jonin, their current physical data was similar to the previous Genin's. Their heart rates had accelerated, but there were no other particularly obvious effects.
"I feel a little tired." The Chunin rubbed his chest.
"I'm fine, but my body feels a little strange." The Jonin frowned and squeezed his arm. He always felt that something was off with his body, but he could not pinpoint it.
Amamiya Kenichi heard this and looked over the Jonin's physical data a few more times, but he still could not see anything.
The other party's data was very normal, with no especially obvious changes.
The human body would show subtle changes even under normal conditions, so it was difficult to say whether this slight difference was a sign of reduced lifespan.
Although Amamiya Kenichi currently had some conjectures about the lifespan reduction caused by Hero's Water, proving it would still be troublesome.
First, he would need to observe the existence of telomeres, but the Ninja World did not yet have machines that precise.
"But perhaps I can prove it through other methods."
Amamiya Kenichi pondered.
He had already thought of a method. It was relatively simple, and although not particularly accurate, it should still be useful.
"However, now isn't the time to obsess over this. What I need to do now is spread the news about Hero's Water."
Amamiya Kenichi shook his head.
This problem could be researched slowly, but wasting time now would not be good.
Amamiya Kenichi intended to spread news of Hero's Water while stirring up emotions in the Ninja World. At the same time, he would continue conducting research.
Hmm. It seemed he could not research it after all.
Once this news spread and the major Hidden Villages took action, he would need to begin preparing his plan: ignite a war between the Four Great Nations, then launch a lightning strike against Kirigakure while they were stuck in tense confrontation or already embroiled in war.
Even if those Hidden Villages remained somewhat rational and sent elite ninja to investigate, Amamiya Kenichi did not care.
At that time, he would have his ninja troops change into the clothes and forehead protectors of other Hidden Villages to instigate conflict.
Then launch a lightning strike against Kirigakure.
If that did not work, then these Hidden Villages would still need to exchange information to avoid misjudgments, right?
While their attention was focused on that matter, he would launch a lightning strike against Kirigakure.
Well, no matter what happened, he would launch a lightning strike against Kirigakure, just like the lightning attack on Poland back then.
"So, how should this news be conveyed?"
Amamiya Kenichi glanced at his sealing scroll.
He wondered if Yakushi Kabuto had completed the plan he had arranged earlier.
If Kabuto had already completed it, then he should also have time to do something else, right?
"...So, I need to spread this information and make sure the other Hidden Villages know about it?"
In a tavern in a remote town, Yakushi Kabuto, who had just been about to rest, was approached by a woman.
He looked at the other party helplessly, speaking with some dissatisfaction.
"Yes. That is the Lord's command." Uchiha Shiori sat upright in her chair, holding a cup of tea in her hand, and took a sip.
Yakushi Kabuto rubbed his temples.
Why did it feel like he had just escaped from that dreadful place called Root, only to fall into an even deeper pit?
The previous matter had been fine. After all, it was just gossip. Yakushi Kabuto himself did not believe it, and there had been no issue spreading it.
People loved spreading that sort of gossip, so the process had gone rather smoothly.
But this mission...
Looking at the scroll in his hand and the five small bottles of silver-white liquid, Yakushi Kabuto licked his lips.
Although he was not very old, he was already a ninja, so he naturally understood how terrifying it would be if the information about this thing were confirmed after it spread.
The most outrageous part was that the Lord had prepared five portions of this liquid.
According to his request, these five portions would separately fall into the hands of the five Hidden Villages.
Even if not all five could obtain it, at least three Hidden Villages had to get their hands on this miraculous liquid.
The danger level here was truly high.
"The Lord said that Root has been destroyed. He also learned some interesting information from Danzo, such as information about the former director of the Konoha orphanage, a woman named Yakushi Nonou," Uchiha Shiori said unhurriedly.
Yakushi Kabuto's pupils suddenly contracted.
Yakushi Nonou.
He knew that name all too well.
His surname, Yakushi, came from her. The reason he had become a spy was also because of that gentle person.
"I will complete this mission," Yakushi Kabuto said, his expression becoming resolute.
If there was anyone in this world he would sacrifice everything for, it would undoubtedly be that gentle person.
If not for Yakushi Nonou, Danzo would not have been able to control him so easily.
It could only be said that people with bonds always tended to hesitate.
Uchiha Shiori nodded noncommittally.
This Yakushi Kabuto's ability was indeed outstanding. One had to admit that Lord Amamiya truly had a good eye for talent. He was always able to discover excellent individuals.
"By the way, the Lord also said that once this mission is complete, you can leave Konoha. Yakushi Nonou will also be taken by the Lord to the place you want to go," Uchiha Shiori added.
Yakushi Kabuto nodded.
He trusted Amamiya Kenichi's words very much, because the other party had basically fulfilled his promises.
Of course, he currently had no other choice.
He could only keep walking down this path to the end.
"This is for you."
Uchiha Shiori handed over a file bag.
Yakushi Kabuto took it and glanced inside, then froze.
After a long while, a happy smile appeared on his face, one that did not suit his age.
He looked at the photo in his hand, smiling so hard that tears streamed down his cheeks without him even noticing.
He let the tears drip onto the photo, but still held it tightly.
Uchiha Shiori calmly took another sip of tea.
There was a trace of envy in her eyes.
Lord Amamiya had personally set off from the Land of Snow to Konoha to fulfill his promise to Yakushi Kabuto.
Given that Lord's strength, he should probably have arrived by now, right?
Following that Lord was truly fortunate.
.....
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