The three of them entered the core research room, where they were met by a group of researchers.
Orochimaru stood at the center, receiving looks of admiration and respect from those around him.
To the side, Hiruko—whom Xu Ming had recommended—was smiling, his eyes filled with admiration for Orochimaru. The inferiority complex he had once displayed in school was nowhere to be seen.
'As expected, recommending Hiruko was the right choice,' Xu Ming thought to himself.
'A talented person like him must be properly guided. Otherwise, he could end up like in the original timeline—turning rogue and eventually being killed.'
Up ahead, Danzo couldn't contain his impatience any longer.
"Orochimaru, has the Wood Style research yielded any results?" he asked anxiously.
Orochimaru nodded slightly.
Seeing this, both Danzo and the Third Hokage exchanged surprised glances. They then turned toward Xu Ming, silently acknowledging his keen insight. He had indeed been correct—Orochimaru was capable of uncovering the secrets behind Wood Style.
"What have you discovered?" Danzo pressed on.
Rather than answering immediately, Orochimaru glanced around the room.
Taking the hint, the researchers, including Hiruko, all left voluntarily. The laboratory door closed behind them with a heavy thud.
Boom.
With the room now sealed off, Orochimaru made a series of hand signs, activating a soundproof barrier to prevent any eavesdropping.
Such a cautious approach only heightened the anticipation of the Third Hokage and Danzo.
'This must be something significant,' Xu Ming mused, his curiosity piqued.
Orochimaru finally broke the silence.
"To be precise, we haven't simply made progress—we've uncovered the fundamental secret of Wood Style."
His words left the room in stunned silence.
Xu Ming's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, but he remained calm.
"Wait… What did you just say!?" the Third Hokage stammered, his face filled with disbelief.
"The secret of Wood Style?" Danzo's reaction was even more exaggerated. He rushed forward and grabbed Orochimaru's shoulders, his excitement barely contained. "You mean to say… you've figured out what Wood Style truly is?"
"Yes," Orochimaru affirmed, gently shaking off Danzo's grip.
He then glanced at Xu Ming, seemingly intrigued by his lack of an intense reaction. However, he made no further comment and instead retrieved a stack of documents.
Dividing them into three portions, he handed them to the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Xu Ming.
"Wood Style is not a Kekkei Genkai, nor is it simply a fusion of Earth and Water Release, as we previously assumed."
As the three men flipped through the documents, Orochimaru continued.
"It merely behaves like a Kekkei Genkai. In reality, it is something far more advanced—a form of superior power."
Orochimaru's expression darkened.
"Through extensive testing on Hashirama's cells, I made a startling discovery. This power is not linked to the Senju bloodline at all!"
The Third Hokage and Danzo were visibly shaken by this revelation.
"In Hashirama's cells, I found traces of the Senju clan's strength and Wood Style's unique properties," Orochimaru explained.
"When I isolated the Wood Style properties, I discovered multiple unique traits—one of which was the ability to combine multiple powers."
He paused for dramatic effect.
"So, I conducted further tests, analyzing these traits. And do you know what I found?"
The Third Hokage and Danzo remained frozen, waiting for the answer.
Only Xu Ming remained unfazed, calmly reading through the documents.
"I discovered that Wood Style is an amalgamation of three distinct bloodline abilities:
The tenacity of the Senju clan.
The regenerative power of the Uzumaki clan.
The adaptability of the Hagoromo clan."
Orochimaru's voice was tinged with excitement.
"Wood Style is actually the result of these three bloodlines merging and evolving into something greater!"
Danzo and the Third Hokage were left in stunned silence.
Senju and Uzumaki were known to be distant relatives, with a history of intermarriage. But the Hagoromo clan…
Centuries ago, a noble family in the Land of Fire, closely related to the Ōtsutsuki-descended Senju, had once existed—the Hagoromo clan. However, internal conflicts had weakened them, leading to their eventual downfall.
The surviving members had fled to the Land of Lightning, where they later became known as the infamous Gold and Silver Brothers—Ginkaku and Kinkaku.
These two had once been swallowed whole by the Nine-Tails yet survived by devouring its flesh. They lived inside its stomach for an entire week before the beast was forced to spit them out.
From that day forward, they had wielded the power of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Orochimaru had pieced together all of this information over the course of his research.
"In order to fully understand Wood Style, I had to study the history of the Senju clan itself," he explained.
Danzo took a deep breath, attempting to process everything.
"So what you're saying is..." he asked slowly.
"Hashirama's power originated from the ancient bloodlines of the Senju, Uzumaki, and Hagoromo clans?"
"No, quite the opposite," Orochimaru corrected him.
"The bloodlines of these three clans have been diluted and diverged over the generations. Their abilities have been isolated.
"In theory, a fusion of their powers should be impossible. And yet... Wood Style exists."
The Third Hokage frowned. "Then how did Hashirama acquire it?"
"That's the mystery," Orochimaru admitted gravely.
"And do you know how I sensed this Wood Style power in the first place?"
He extended a single finger.
"I sensed it using the unique perception granted by Sage Transformation."
Danzo and the Third Hokage paled.
Orochimaru continued, his voice low.
"I even attempted to corrupt Wood Style with Sage energy… but instead, Wood Style absorbed the Sage power and suppressed it!"
He turned to look at them.
"This means that Wood Style is actually a form of advanced Sage Power!"
The Third Hokage and Danzo stiffened in shock.
This revelation shattered all of their previous assumptions.
Of everyone present, only Xu Ming remained calm, quietly listening to the explanation.
"But if it truly is Sage Power, why wasn't Lord Hashirama corrupted?" Danzo asked, voice thick with doubt.
"Why was he still able to enter Sage Mode?"
Orochimaru glanced at Xu Ming once more.
"There is only one explanation..."
"Wood Style's power was external. It did not belong to Hashirama himself."
"Perhaps it was a gift."
Orochimaru's voice dropped lower.
"But after Lord Hashirama's battle with Uchiha Madara, something changed. The power went out of control—turning from a gift into a curse."
"In the end, rather than saving him, it suppressed his natural regenerative abilities. That's why Hashirama—despite his unmatched healing factor—died from wounds that should not have been fatal."
"A gift… and a curse…"
Orochimaru repeated the words, then glanced at Xu Ming one final time.
He recalled something Xu Ming had once said—
"Chakra was given as a gift. But if you trace its origins… you will find that it is also a curse."