The Birth of Yamato

After finishing negotiations with the Uchiha clan, he bumped into Fugaku on the way. Fugaku saw Mikoto and Lin Fan walking out of the house. He knew about the clan's plan. At this moment, he felt empty inside, as if he had lost something important.

Fugaku went inside to talk to En-gaku about what to do next.

Lin Fan took Mikoto back to her home.

The courtyard was very large; after all, Mikoto's family was a clan elder, on par with Uchiha Setsuna.

He met Mikoto's father, a kind-hearted man named Uchiha Kyohei. However, due to the war, this kind-hearted man lost his wife and his dominant left arm, and was now just a middle-aged man enjoying his retirement at home.

During their conversation, the honest-looking man saw through everything but didn't expose Lin Fan and Mikoto's affair. Instead, when Lin Fan asked him what he liked, he said, "If possible... please be kind to Mikoto, Assistant."

Lin Fan glanced at Uchiha Kyohei in surprise, then chuckled and replied, "I will."

After leaving the Uchiha clan, Lin Fan sent a shadow clone to buy some gifts before making another trip to the Uchiha clan.

He himself went to Orochimaru's research institute.

The research institute had enough staff, and among them, Yakushi Nonou became Orochimaru's assistant and apprentice. Of course, for Yakushi Nonou, this was just a job; she only needed to cooperate with Orochimaru in researching Hashirama cells.

When he came in, Lin Fan greeted Yakushi Nonou, and then followed Orochimaru to the laboratory where only Yamato remained.

Although it was only a brief encounter, Yakushi Nonou recognized Lin Fan at a glance.

"Mr. Lin Fan..." Yakushi Nono really wanted to repay Lin Fan, but because Lin Fan's status and position were not something that Yakushi Nono could easily meet now, she could only keep it in her heart.

In the laboratory, Orochimaru told Lin Fan about the data from the Yamato experiment:

"I don't have a high opinion of this boy."

"I conducted 'related experiments' on him during this period. His compatibility with interstitial cells is not high. If the experiment is forced to start, he will most likely die."

"But I think he will succeed."

—After all, in the original work, apart from Ashura, Hashirama Senju, White Zetsu, and the Sharingan suppressing it.

Only Yamato successfully used Wood Release.

Of course, Moegi's Wood Release doesn't count.

Seeing Lin Fan's resolute attitude, Orochimaru didn't say anything. On the control panel, he adjusted Yamato's instruments and then saw streams of darker green liquid continuously flowing into the nutrient tank.

As time passed, the boy's breathing became more and more rapid.

Water continued to flow out of the cabin, air surged, bubbles rose with a gurgling sound, and the instrument's location triggered an alarm.

Orochimaru frowned as he observed the fluctuations on the electrocardiogram monitor.

"Lin Fan, he will die."

"continue."

Lin Fan still only had one sentence.

He remembered that the boy Yamato had no memories at birth. In other words, unlike Tenzo, he was probably not yet intelligent when he became an experimental subject. Even if he hadn't become an experimental subject, he would likely have forgotten most of his memories from that stage when he grew up.

As the instruments kept alarming, the red lights flashed, the liquid sloshed around inside the chamber, and the boy's abnormal complexion...

Click.

Orochimaru and Lin Fan retreated immediately, and the liquid fell to the floor, creating a white mist as if boiling water had been poured onto the floor.

The boy lay in the ruptured cabin, barely breathing, his breath faint.

Orochimaru sighed.

"It failed."

From his perception, the boy's presence had completely disappeared.

However, in Lin Fan's perception, the boy still had a faint breath. Because a ninja's perception depends on chakra and life force, and the boy's life force at this moment was like a candle flickering in the wind, as if he were completely dead, so a ninja's perception could not detect it.

"I'll go get someone to clean it up..."

Just as Orochimaru was about to call his men over to "clean things up," Lin Fan reached out and stopped him.

At this moment, Lin Fan smiled and interrupted:

No. You succeeded.

"Success? Are you kidding me?" Orochimaru was full of confusion. He wasn't wearing gloves right now, otherwise he could have checked on Yamato's condition.

Lin Fan ignored Orochimaru, took out a jacket, mask, hood, and gloves from the cabinet next to him, and went forward to treat Yamato's body:

A warm green light enveloped the boy's body, and with the help of the hemostatic technique, a distinct life force slowly emerged from his body, which had been hanging by a thread...

"This... how could this be..." Upon sensing the presence of life, Orochimaru realized how foolish he had been, almost letting the seed of Wood Release slip through his fingers.

With Lin Fan's treatment, Yamato's vitality gradually stabilized. Orochimaru ordered Yamato to be sent to recuperate, since vitality could be restored, but cellular fatigue was something Lin Fan couldn't recover from. Yamato was like a body whose cells had fought a 'virus,' and after the battle, new cells appeared that betrayed the original cells because their own cells weren't strong enough.

This principle is somewhat similar to the concept of cancer cells.

Separated from the Yamato room by a glass partition, Orochimaru said to Lin Fan:

"Just one month, and this boy can be officially discharged from the hospital."

"Hahaha! Konoha finally has a Wood Release ninja!"

If Yamato weren't so weak, Orochimaru would have dismantled Yamato's body right now to see how Yamato would adapt to Hashirama's cells.

Seeing Orochimaru's excitement, Lin Fan didn't say anything. Orochimaru was currently enjoying himself as if he had completed a "great experiment." Lin Fan didn't feel much excitement himself, after all, he wasn't a scientist.

After exchanging words, Lin Fan took another look at Orochimaru's other disciple, Tenzo, who knew the Mist Release technique.

Inside the Dark Guard training camp, Tianzang was diligently sparring with another new Dark Guard member. When kunai flew towards him, Tianzang could even transform into a cloud of gray mist to dodge. The kunai weaved through the gray mist, and Lin Fan remained silent for a moment: "..."

Orochimaru proudly said, "This is a technique I helped Tenzo develop. If Tenzo had known this technique at the last tournament, that Hyuga Chunin might have been tricked by it."

Haha, Logia-type users fighting Konoha Chunin... that's just a joke.

"good."

Lin Fan casually commented. Although he was jealous, he couldn't be. He was Lin Fan, the Great Ninja of the Rabbit, how could he be defeated by a mere Mist Release... Damn, I'm so envious!

On the way back:

"Orochimaru, do you think I can adapt to Hashirama's cells?"

Lin Fan suddenly asked a question.

Orochimaru remained silent for a while before saying, "I can try. Let me draw a vial of blood first."

In the past, Lin Fan would have hated having his blood drawn, but now... he would!