The existing chakra paper technology system of the Shinobi World could be said to have already reached a highly mature stage.
But that also meant it had fallen into a bottleneck, with no substantial innovation for a very long time.
Kurenai and Shizune also held their breaths, their large eyes filled with curiosity as they looked at Shinichi, waiting for his answer.
"Thinking about it now, I guess I was pretty lucky."
Shinichi smiled and explained, "About ten days ago, while training in the Forest of Death, I tried taking bark from several trees in one area and used them as the main component while experimenting with a few combinations alongside other materials. In the end, I unexpectedly created this kind of paper capable of stably carrying medical chakra and preserving its activity."
As he spoke, Shinichi took out a small section of a branch that he had already prepared from the ninja pouch at his waist and handed it over.
In reality, of course, things were nowhere near as simple as Shinichi made them sound.
Those trees truly were special.
But they still required precise ratios of other materials and special craftsmanship to create mature Shinichi Paper.
If someone else attempted it, they would still need countless tedious experiments with supporting material ratios and different manufacturing methods.
That was simply how materials science worked.
The same ingredients could produce completely different properties depending on the process used.
The same target performance could correspond to countless compositional and structural solutions.
Thus, trial and error and experimental validation would forever remain the core of material research and development.
As for Shinichi, he had succeeded in less than a day of experimentation.
Trial and error? Go discuss that with my luck!
"What is this?"
Tsunade immediately accepted it, then carefully touched and sensed its special texture.
Suddenly, it was as though she thought of something. Her other hand suddenly gripped the green crystal pendant she always wore close to her body, the first Hokage's necklace.
"It's Wood Style!"
Sensing the identical life fluctuations between the branch and the first Hokage's crystal, Tsunade blurted out: "This is the unique aura only found in trees created by my grandfather using Wood Style! Shinichi, what you found in the Forest of Death and used as raw materials were trees created back then by the first Hokage's Wood Style Ninjutsu!"
"Hm?"
Shinichi paused in surprise, seemingly not having considered that possibility before, suddenly realizing the truth.
"So that's how it is. No wonder I thought these trees' life fluctuations were exceptionally active and unlike those of ordinary trees. Thinking about it now, it's not strange at all. The first Hokage's Wood Style was famous for its immense vitality from the start. It's only natural that trees left behind by his Wood Style would retain such characteristics."
At this point, Shinichi paused briefly before continuing: "Since they're trees left behind by the first Hokage, then calling it Shinichi Paper wouldn't really be appropriate anymore. How about calling it..."
"Call it Shinichi Paper!"
Before Shinichi could finish, Tsunade interrupted him while speaking in a serious tone.
"If it's named after the first Hokage, then once these medical scrolls are mass-produced and spread in the future, the name of the paper itself will become a huge clue."
"People from other villages could easily connect the name to grandfather's Wood Style and infer that the key to this new material may be related to the creations he left behind back then. They would do everything possible to infiltrate the Land of Fire, search for trees grandfather left behind from his past use of Wood Style, attempt to transplant and cultivate them, or even replicate this technology. Even if the possibility is extremely low, as long as that risk exists, it must be eliminated from the beginning."
Tsunade gently placed the scroll on the laboratory table and concluded, "So, calling it Shinichi Paper is perfectly fine. It's simply a new kind of paper named after its developer, created using unknown materials and unknown techniques."
"That way, even if medical scrolls become widespread in the future, the first thing people will investigate is what Shinichi Higashino invented this time. Is it a new synthesis process or a unique chakra treatment technique? Their attention will focus on you as a person."
Shinichi listened silently, then, after a moment, he slowly nodded.
"I understand, Tsunade-sensei. You've considered this very thoroughly. Then it will continue to be called Shinichi Paper."
"Mm."
Tsunade's expression eased slightly as she redirected her attention back to the scroll and the branch before her.
"Then let's continue."
Tsunade raised her head, her gaze sweeping across Shinichi before turning toward the two students beside them as she spoke: "On the foundation of Shinichi Paper, we'll overcome the technical difficulties and find a way for these medical scrolls to eventually achieve stable and reliable large-scale mass production someday in the future!"
"Shizune! Kurenai!"
"Yes!" The two girls immediately straightened their backs.
"Your task is to record all the data throughout the entire process! Experimental procedures, material ratios, chakra reaction data, every idea discussed, every bottleneck encountered, and even every single line of dialogue, don't miss anything! Understood?"
"Understood, Tsunade-sensei!"
"Very good." Tsunade nodded, then looked at Shinichi. "Kid, bring out all your experiment notes, failed samples, and every production idea you can currently think of. We're going to reorganize everything again from the most fundamental level."
As her words fell, the atmosphere inside the laboratory instantly changed, like a precision instrument beginning to operate.
Shinichi and Tsunade immediately immersed themselves in high-speed, intensive technical discussions, sparking a fierce clash of ideas.
Shizune and Kurenai Yuhi also quickly entered working mode. One rapidly recorded key points and parameters in the experimental log, while the other party operated the instruments nearby, ready at any moment to conduct rapid verification or data collection for newly proposed ideas.
Time passed rapidly amidst the busy work.
The light outside the window gradually shifted from the clear brightness of morning to the blazing intensity of noon, then slowly toward the slightly lazy slanting glow of afternoon.
Nearly ten hours passed. More than thirty newly completed scrolls had already been neatly placed on the experimental table, each containing one sealed C-rank Medical Ninjutsu, Healing Technique.
This was already the best batch they could currently reproduce stably.
Tsunade picked up one of the scrolls and carefully sensed the stable flow of medical chakra within it once again. Then she looked at the densely packed data records nearby, her brows gradually furrowing as she fell into deep thought.
After a long time, Tsunade put down the scroll, lightly exhaled, and looked at Shinichi with a complicated expression.
"In the field of Medical Ninjutsu, you've already done this almost perfectly. Honestly, I can't provide many substantial improvement suggestions anymore."
"But the problem lies in mass production."
She pointed at the blueprint covered in sealing formulas nearby, her expression serious.
"With the current sealing structure, although it can stably preserve medical chakra, the engraving process is too complicated, and the precision requirements are far too high. Even a ninja proficient in Sealing Jutsu would need over an hour to fully produce a single one. At this efficiency, large-scale production is impossible."
"We have to simplify it. While guaranteeing the Ninjutsu's effect and stability, we need to make the sealing structure simpler and easier to replicate quickly."
Shinichi nodded and said, "Do you have any ideas, Tsunade-sensei? After all, in the field of Sealing Jutsu, I really can only be considered a beginner who entered not long ago."