Chapter 3: Devouring the Cells – The Power of Wood Release
The instant Lin Mu selected "Use," a tingling itch erupted in his chest—exactly where that small piece of flesh had burrowed when he first obtained Hashirama's cells.
It seemed the system had already begun integrating them the moment he took the vial.
But right now, Lin Mu had no time for such details. Excitement consumed him entirely.
Hashirama's cells! These were Hashirama's cells!
With them, he could awaken his first character template—the Hashirama Template!
And who was Hashirama? The God of Shinobi! The reincarnation of Asura, son of the Sage of Six Paths!
Leader of the Senju clan, co-founder of Konoha, and the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.
During the Warring States era, he single-handedly captured tailed beasts left and right. At the Five Kage Summit, following Tobirama's advice, he distributed the beasts evenly among the five great nations in exchange for peace.
The nine tailed beasts—terrifying monsters that struck fear into the entire shinobi world—were nothing but toys before Hashirama's Thousand Hands Buddha.
His strength even surpassed that of Madara Uchiha, the other "legendary ninja" of their era.
Recalling Hashirama's overwhelming power and legendary achievements, Lin Mu forced himself to calm down and focus on the changes in his body.
The tingling itch that began in his chest slowly spread throughout his entire body.
"Mmm..." The sensation was incredibly pleasant, as if his very soul was being elevated.
As his cells transformed to match Hashirama's Wood Release cells, Lin Mu watched in awe as his physique changed visibly.
His muscles filled out, his hair grew longer, and even his height increased inch by inch.
Three hours passed. When the transformation finally ended, the difference was night and day.
If the old Lin Mu had been a scrawny ten-year-old boy, the new one already carried the build of a young teen.
He stood, stretched, and heard his bones crackle like popping beans.
Clenching his fist, he felt boundless strength coursing through him.
Pulling up the system panel again, he saw massive changes.
His rank had jumped straight from Genin Mid-Tier to Chunin Mid-Tier.
That level of power was now comparable to Gaara during the Chunin Exams.
Lin Mu had a feeling he could even hold his own against Rock Lee with five gates open.
His eyes moved down the panel and landed on a new section:
Physique: Bloodline Limit — Wood Release Body (Evolvable into Sage Body; Sage Techniques available for purchase in the System Mall.)
The ninjutsu section had changed too:
Ninjutsu: Wood Release Techniques
Yes! The sight of those two words sent another surge of joy through him.
Wood Release was the bloodline limit Hashirama created by simultaneously combining the nature transformations of Earth and Water chakra.
With the Wood Release body, Lin Mu's aptitude for Earth and Water ninjutsu would skyrocket—not to mention the raw destructive power of Wood Release itself.
Still reveling in his new body, his gaze fell on the fruit knife lying on the table.
He paused, thought for a moment, then picked it up and slashed deeply across his forearm.
A long, ugly gash opened instantly.
But then—astonishingly—the wound healed before his eyes.
All he felt was a slight drain on his chakra, negligible compared to the enormous reserves granted by the Wood Release body.
"No doubt about it—this is Hashirama's seal-less healing."
Remembering Madara's words on the battlefield—that no one could kill Hashirama—Lin Mu's excitement grew.
This regeneration was a powerful safety net in this dangerous world.
And one day, he could even buy Sage Techniques from the mall and evolve his Wood Release body into a true Sage Body. The possibilities were limitless.
Of course, that was still far off. For now, it was time to test Wood Release properly.
Calming his mind, Lin Mu extended his right hand and focused chakra into it.
Crack—crack—
His right arm began to lignify visibly.
The more chakra he poured in, the harder and denser it became.
He was certain that one punch now could shatter a wall.
But he wasn't about to demolish his own house just to test it.
His eyes scanned the room and settled on the solid wooden table.
"BAM!"
The sturdy table exploded into splinters under a single strike.
Incredible! Lin Mu marveled, caressing his wooden fist with delight.
After a while, he turned to the broken table, gathered his chakra, and channeled it into the wreckage.
An amazing sight followed.
Fresh wooden buds sprouted from the fractured edges, weaving the pieces back together. In moments, the table was whole again—good as new.
What an extraordinary technique!
And this was only the beginning. Once he mastered Wood Release, he could unleash techniques without hand seals, giving him a massive advantage in combat.
While Lin Mu was undergoing his transformation and exploring his new power, far away in the secret forest base, Orochimaru was losing his mind.
"My Hashirama cells... where are my Hashirama cells?!"
The beautiful woman from earlier was gone. In her place stood a serpentine monster—half human, half snake—face twisted in rage, fangs bared like a demonic Medusa.
The experimental creatures floating in the glass tanks trembled in terror, no longer daring to thrash as they had against Lin Mu.
"Was it... him?"
Orochimaru froze mid-rampage, suddenly remembering the little boy hiding in the bushes.
"Kukuku... what a naughty little boy."
In an instant, she shifted back into the stunning female form, but the icy killing intent in her voice remained.
She glided to one of the tanks, gently stroking the glass as if speaking to the creature inside—or perhaps to herself.
"Kukuku... when I destroy Konoha tomorrow, I certainly hope I don't find you, little boy."
The creature inside the tank shrank into the corner, motionless—as if it had already died.