"First Hokage, this ninja was used as an experimental subject by Root. He was implanted with your cells as a child and inherited the Wood Release technique."
After the brief introduction, Jiraiya turned to Yamato. "This is your chance! Show the First Hokage your Wood Release!"
"If you impress him, the power of your Wood Release might increase significantly!"
"Implanted with my cells?!" Hashirama exclaimed before Yamato could even respond. His face immediately fell, and he pouted like a scolded child.
"I remember Danzo's arm was covered in Sharingan cells, and it seemed to have my cells in it too! Now there's another guy named Yamato with my cells all over his body!"
"Studying how to fuse dead cells every day... you people from the future are truly terrifying..."
Hashirama had felt a strange sense of familiarity when he saw Danzo's arm earlier. Hearing that Root had successfully transplanted his own cells, he finally understood. Honestly, if he weren't already dead, he'd probably have goosebumps all over.
"Uh..." Jiraiya was momentarily embarrassed, unsure what to say. This kind of corpse research was beyond perverse—it was straight-up Orochimaru-level mad science. And knowing Orochimaru and Danzo were working together... Jiraiya couldn't help but feel ashamed that the First Hokage now looked down on him too.
Yamato instantly mirrored Hashirama's expression, squatting on the ground with a gloomy look, hugging his knees and drawing circles in the dirt.
"So I'm that scary to the First Hokage? I knew I shouldn't have come... maybe I shouldn't have even been born. Maybe I should just die..."
Hashirama: "..."
Realizing his complaining had crushed a promising young ninja, Hashirama waved his hands frantically. "Sorry, sorry! That's not what I meant! I just felt a little... uncomfortable. No, disgusted. Wait, that's not right either!"
"Oh well! Anyway, I wasn't talking about you! Hahaha!" Hashirama awkwardly scratched the back of his head, trying to laugh off his blunder.
Watching Hashirama make things worse with every attempt to explain, Jiraiya sighed and told the still-squatting Yamato, "Just show us your Wood Release. It'll be good for rebuilding this destroyed area."
Hearing the order, Yamato immediately stood up and composed himself. "Lord Hokage, I'm no longer an ANBU captain. Just call me by my name."
He formed hand seals and slammed his palm into the ground. "Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!"
Buzz!
Under Yamato's chakra, the earth bulged upward. Deep-buried roots and seeds erupted and grew wildly—all in the blink of an eye.
Countless tree-woven villas stood tall along the ruined street.
"Wow, amazing!" Hashirama's jaw dropped, his eyes sparkling. He never knew his Wood Release could be used for construction! Before, he'd only thought about crushing enemies with giant wooden golems. What a waste—if he'd realized this sooner, Konoha could've been so much bigger!
Patting Yamato's shoulder with satisfaction, Hashirama laughed. "Hahaha, not bad! Your Wood Release is really something!"
"Compared to mine, you're just a little lacking!" Hashirama held up his fingers dismissively.
"Really?!" Yamato stood up, exhausted but filled with joy and disbelief. He suspected Hashirama was lying, but had no proof.
"Of course I'm stronger. I just have a little more chakra than you~" Hashirama held up his fingers again.
Jiraiya: "..."
One guy dared to say it, the other dared to believe it! Jiraiya had seen Hashirama block a Tailed Beast Ball from Menma with Wood Release. That clash had been terrifying!
Hashirama, itching for a challenge, looked at the houses. "Your ninjutsu is pretty good. Let me try too—I'll rebuild the rest of the damaged streets."
He slammed his palms together. "Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
BOOM!
A massive surge of chakra erupted from Hashirama's body. The earth for kilometers around trembled violently as if an underground dragon were thrashing. Hidden beneath the surface, trees ten times thicker than Yamato's burst forth, shattering rocks and tearing through the hard ground.
In an instant, towering villas twenty meters high rose across the destroyed landscape—four or five times taller than Yamato's five-meter structures.
Jiraiya: "..."
Yamato: "!!!"
"Hahaha, not bad, right~" Hashirama nodded proudly at his masterpiece.
"The First Hokage's Wood Release is indeed powerful," Jiraiya admitted. "But that technique name reminds me of an old friend..."
Jiraiya had realized Hashirama's airheadedness outside combat was just like Minato's.
Yamato looked at his tiny villa—now sandwiched between Hashirama's towering buildings like a public toilet—and felt utterly defeated.
"He did it on purpose! The First Hokage definitely did this on purpose!"
"A little bit stronger? What a load of crap!"
"I'm so useless, I might as well call myself Grass Release. I'm not worthy of Wood Release!"
Deeply wounded, Yamato squatted back down and started drawing circles again.
"Hahaha, young man, don't be discouraged. You'll surpass him eventually..." Hashirama laughed, about to comfort Yamato, when he suddenly spotted Tsunade emerging from behind the houses.
His face lit up with surprise. "Tsunade!"
"It's me, Grandfather." Tsunade sighed, watching Hashirama show off against Yamato. "I couldn't believe the rumors were true. That bastard Orochimaru actually resurrected you."
"Sigh." Hashirama sighed too. "Actually, it's not really that kid's fault. It's all Tobirama's ninjutsu."
"As for you... so many years have passed. That little girl who used to cuddle me is now over fifty."
"WHAT?!!" Naruto, following behind Tsunade, squealed like a pig. "Over fifty?! He looks so young! First Hokage, you're lying!"
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