Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 85: Cellular Research

After leaving Orochimaru's lab, Tonari headed to the hospital to check on Kushina.

From the medical staff, he learned that her condition was stable, though she remained unconscious from exhaustion.

Satisfied with the update, Tonari didn't immediately return to the Nara compound. Instead, he went to the shop he had purchased six months ago with Teuchi's help.

The shop had been mostly renovated by now, entirely through Tonari's handiwork.

One advantage of the shinobi world was the unparalleled craftsmanship of ninjas. Every wooden fixture in the store, while somewhat rustic, was handmade by Tonari himself—crafted nail by nail. Though simple, the shop exuded a natural charm, with a faint scent of wood filling the air.

Tonari enjoyed this serene atmosphere alone.

After inspecting the shop to ensure everything was in order, he pushed aside a cabinet, revealing a concealed wooden panel beneath it. Lifting the panel uncovered freshly disturbed soil.

He formed a cross-shaped seal with his fingers.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

With a puff of smoke, a clone appeared beside him.

"Take care of this," Tonari instructed softly.

Leaving his clone to guard the shop, Tonari formed another set of seals.

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"

Slowly, Tonari sank into the ground, the soil pressing in on all sides.

Once he descended a certain depth, the oppressive sensation lessened, and he emerged in a small underground space, brightly lit yet secluded from any external passageways.

This underground chamber was a secret base Tonari had painstakingly excavated over the past six months. Not only had it strengthened his mastery of Earth Style chakra control, but it also provided him with a private lab hidden from prying eyes.

Located directly beneath Ichiraku Ramen, the lab was virtually undetectable. The thick layers of soil above ensured that even Teuchi wouldn't suspect a thing.

In this space, a shadow clone dissipated, transferring its accumulated memories back to Tonari. He paused to process the flood of information, then donned a white lab coat hanging on the wall.

On the workbench, Tonari noticed several small white mice, some of which were undergoing transformations while others lay still.

After briefly checking the experiments, he set them aside and retrieved the scroll Orochimaru had given him.

The scroll's contents were dense with technical jargon and unique formulas specific to the Naruto world. For most people, the text would be incomprehensible. Even Tonari, with his half-year of training under Orochimaru, needed time to fully decipher it.

As he skimmed the scroll, it became clear that Orochimaru had delved into cellular research long ago, though it hadn't been his primary focus at the time. Recently, however, Orochimaru's experiments had increasingly shifted toward cellular studies.

"This recent shift… Is it because of Orochimaru's collaboration with Danzo? Has he already acquired cells from the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju?" Tonari muttered.

He knew that research on Hashirama's cells wasn't exclusive to Orochimaru; Danzo's Root division undoubtedly had its own secret studies.

It was even possible that Hiruzen Sarutobi was aware of Danzo's activities but turned a blind eye.

As Hokage, Sarutobi would never openly endorse experiments on the First Hokage's body. Publicly, he had to maintain a facade of disapproval. However, should Danzo produce useful results, Sarutobi wouldn't hesitate to use them.

The relationship between Orochimaru and Danzo was likely no secret to Sarutobi.

Tonari's thoughts turned cold.

"Hashirama's cells… If I ever get the chance, I'd really like to study them myself."

Cellular research was a long-term endeavor, requiring meticulous planning and patience.

Tonari cleared his workbench, revealing three glass containers marked with labels: "Kushina Uzumaki," "Minato Namikaze," and "Tonari."

Inside each container were cultured samples of cells from these individuals. Over the past six months, Tonari had painstakingly developed techniques to cultivate these cells, using both modern scientific knowledge and the unique methodologies of the Naruto world.

Even now, Tonari wasn't entirely sure of his ultimate goal. He was driven by curiosity—fascinated by the Uzumaki clan's unique constitution, Minato's exceptional physical prowess as a so-called "ordinary" civilian, and the changes in his own body after partially fusing with the Two-Tails' chakra.

The chakra of a tailed beast wasn't just energy; it contained traces of natural energy and the mysterious force known as Sage Jutsu.

From his pocket, Tonari retrieved a small vial containing blood.

"Hidden Cloud's Lightning Chakra Mode stimulates body cells. I've been wanting to try it, but without a proper reference, I didn't know where to start. Fortunately, this guy left me some valuable material."

The blood and tissue sample came from Night One, the Cloud special jōnin skilled in taijutsu.

With these samples, Tonari hoped to uncover ways to push his taijutsu development beyond its current limits.

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(Chapter End)

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