No matter what, good news always lightens one's mood—and Hiruko was not wrong. Having personally witnessed the might of Hashirama, Danzō understood well the First Hokage's vast reserves of chakra and the terrifying power of Wood Release.
He gave Hiruko a faint glance and said:
"Continue."
Hiruko went on smoothly:
"Next was the case of the 23-year-old chūnin, which further confirmed my theory. After transplanting Hashirama's cells, he immediately erupted with chakra levels surpassing that of an average Jōnin — the magnitude of chakra even exceeded my own.
During that period, I tried many things: for instance, using chakra test paper on him, or leaving wounds on his body. The results were quite promising.
Originally, his chakra nature was only fire, but he unexpectedly developed two new natures: water and earth.
Even the wounds inflicted during the time he hadn't yet transformed into a tree healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. I believe all of this was due to Hashirama's cells.
Combined with their manner of death, I can almost be certain of both the effects and side effects of Hashirama's cells.
The effects: greatly enhanced chakra reserves and vitality, along with additional chakra natures. Judging from the fact they eventually became trees after death, if one could perfectly integrate with Hashirama's cells, mastering Wood Release should also be possible.
In other words, if someone could achieve perfect fusion with Hashirama's cells, they would stand a chance of recreating the First Hokage's glory. They might not reach the same earth-shattering level of power, but their strength would certainly not be weak."
Hearing this grand vision painted in Hiruko's words, Danzō's breathing quickened. Wood Release, vast chakra reserves, and vitality — weren't these exactly what he longed for?
If he could perfectly obtain these enhancements, then surely neither Hiruzen nor even Gekko Hoshiyomi would be able to stop him.
But before he could let his fantasies take flight, Hiruko doused him in cold water:
"However, we still cannot solve one problem: how to prevent the Hashirama cells from eroding the host's life force—or, to put it another way, how to prevent the subject from transforming into a tree. Unless this issue is solved, all of those enhancements are meaningless."
At these words, the smile that had just appeared on Danzō's face instantly vanished. He turned his head and asked discontentedly:
"Not even the slightest clue toward a solution?"
Hiruko handed him a third file:
"Originally, no. But after you brought me that member of the Senju clan some time ago, I managed to form a few ideas. Though they're just ideas for now — turning them into reality will still require a great deal of time and experimentation."
The moment Danzō heard the word "time," an image of a certain handsome face flashed in his mind. His expression darkened, and his tone grew harsh:
"Just tell me your idea."
Hiruko cursed inwardly, but his words remained respectful.
"First, during the physical tests of that Senju clansman, I discovered that the Senju body constitution itself is unique.
Though it doesn't reach the level of a kekkei genkai, but his strength, chakra reserves, and physical resilience were all slightly superior to Root ninjas of the same age and rank. These traits bear strong similarities to Hashirama's cells.
In my view, this is essentially a diluted version — a weakened variant — of Hashirama's cells. So, I conducted a small experiment using this Senju clansman's cells.
I wanted to see what would happen when Hashirama's cells and Senju cells encountered one another."
Danzō's attention was fully caught by his words. He asked subconsciously:
"What happened?"
At this point, Hiruko's expression became intrigued.
"The changes were minimal, but not nonexistent. When the two types of cells encountered each other, the Hashirama cells devoured the others as usual — but afterward, the Hashirama cells themselves also changed… how should I put it? They seemed to become a little more obedient."
Danzō wasn't in the mood to play along. He spoke impatiently:
"Spare me the step-by-step explanation. Say it all at once."
Hiruko shrugged helplessly and laid it out in one breath:
"I discovered that when Senju clan cells are fused with Hashirama's cells, the activity level of the Hashirama cells decreases slightly. Though the reduction is minor, at the very least it proves that Senju cells can serve as a buffer against Hashirama's cells.
The greatest difficulty in fusing Hashirama cells lies in their overly aggressive vitality. Based on my observations, when introduced into the human body, Hashirama cells rapidly devour the host's own cells to strengthen themselves, and then instinctively begin to extract Wood Release chakra.
But since they consume nearly all of the host's cells, the subject's life force plummets. Deprived of sustenance, the Hashirama cells perceive themselves as threatened and begin releasing Wood Release chakra for self-preservation — which results in the phenomena we've been witnessing.
Having confirmed that Senju cells can serve as a buffer, I began to consider whether I could use measured amounts of Senju cells in varying proportions to gradually dilute the Hashirama cells.
For example, creating nutrient solutions with concentrations of 10%, 30%, and so on, then transplanting them into the body in stages — allowing the host to gradually adapt to the power of the Hashirama cells, until finally achieving perfect fusion."
Hearing this, Danzō's expression finally began to ease. To him, this plan seemed entirely feasible. He nodded and said:
"There's some logic to it. In that case, I'll give you three months. Can you produce nutrient solutions of varying Hashirama concentrations within that time?"
Hiruko could hardly believe his ears. His voice rose sharply:
"What? Three months? You must be joking. This kind of experiment involves proportional adjustments at every stage, each requiring lengthy clinical observation. How could three months possibly be enough?"
Danzō cast a glance at the assistant, signaling him to leave. Then, he directly explained his feud with Hoshiyomi and that Hoshiyomi would be returning to the village in three to six months. Finally, he said:
"Right now, we're like grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If I die, you won't survive either. That means our only path forward is the Hashirama cells.
If I can transplant them and gain power strong enough to deal with Hoshiyomi and Hiruzen, then both of us can live. If not…"
Cold sweat trickled down Hiruko's face as he listened.
In near-desperate circumstances, people often give rise to terrifying ideas they'd never have dared to imagine before — just as Hiruko did now.
After long contemplation, sweat pouring from his forehead, a somewhat crazed smile suddenly spread across his face:
"To ensure both the safety of the nutrient solution and a sufficient boost in strength within three months, there's only one method."
Danzō quickly asked:
"What do you mean by that?"
Hiruko's voice was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
"I need a Senju clansman with purer blood — a far more efficient buffer, one whose strength won't diminish as much. For example… Hashirama Senju's own grandson, Nawaki!"