Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 318: In the Midst of Fusion

"It's done."

"Not a drop was wasted." Orochimaru withdrew the syringe and tossed it onto the plate beside him, the sharp clink echoing in the room.

"Do you feel anything?" Kawakaze asked eagerly, momentarily forgetting that the effects weren't immediate.

"What kind of feeling could there be? It hasn't even started yet," Tsunade retorted, still composed enough to argue. Despite her words, she could sense a strange energy beginning to spread slowly through her body, carried by the flow of her blood.

"That's good, that's good," Kawakaze muttered, trying to reassure himself. The possibility of sudden, dangerous side effects haunted him. He knew all too well how hazardous this procedure was.

"Don't worry," Orochimaru said calmly. "The effect will kick in soon. For you, it was one minute and thirty seconds." He recalled Kawakaze's data from memory with precision. Although Orochimaru's demeanor was casual, he had meticulously prepared for this experiment. If it were him lying on the table, he likely wouldn't have shown the same level of care.

"You've got a sharp memory," Kawakaze said, surprised. During his own procedure, he hadn't bothered keeping track of the timing—he only remembered the unforgettable, indescribable pain that came right after.

"This is basic training," Orochimaru replied. "Back then—"

"Ahhh!" Tsunade's sharp scream cut him off as intense pain suddenly tore through her body.

Everyone froze for a moment, their hearts jolting at the sound. Her face contorted in agony, and Kawakaze, shaken by her screams, felt his knees weaken. He had no idea he had gone through this kind of pain before.

"This is normal," Orochimaru said, his voice steady despite the tension in his expression. "Misaki, how's the data?"

Misaki didn't turn her head, her eyes fixed on the instrument's screen. "The data increase is similar to my brother-in-law's last time and remains within the normal range."

"Good. Notify me immediately if there's any change," Orochimaru instructed, his voice firm as he refocused his mind.

Kawakaze, a complete layman in these matters, stood to the side, struggling not to interfere. In his current state, simply staying out of the way was all Orochimaru could hope for.

"Yes." Misaki acknowledged the instruction but offered no further response, her focus locked on the fluctuating data.

Tsunade's screams grew louder as the pain intensified. Her body writhed on the operating table, the agony surpassing what even her formidable willpower could endure. If it were an option, she'd have begged someone to knock her out, though she doubted it would offer much relief—she was certain the pain would wake her long before it subsided.

"I'm here, I'm here," Kawakaze muttered, his voice shaky as he instinctively reached for Tsunade's hand.

"It's best not to touch her right now," Orochimaru advised softly, refraining from physically stopping him. He trusted Kawakaze would heed his words.

"Okay." Kawakaze's trembling hand hovered for a moment before he slowly pulled it back.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Tsunade's screams filled the room, each one sharper and more anguished than the last. The operating table groaned under her violent movements, the reinforced frame barely holding together.

"Sensei, the data is fluctuating wildly," Misaki reported, her voice tight with anxiety. Despite knowing this had happened during Kawakaze's procedure, she still found it hard to watch. For an ordinary person, this level of strain would have been fatal.

"Yes, it's almost time," Orochimaru replied calmly. "Alert me if the data exceeds the previously measured threshold."

"Yes, Sensei." Misaki nodded, though her fists were clenched tightly, betraying her tension.

"Is Tsunade turning red?" Kawakaze asked, his voice thick with concern. He didn't dare touch her and, not understanding what was happening, turned to Orochimaru for answers.

"The cells in her body are restructuring. It's a good sign," Orochimaru explained, glancing at the thermometer. Tsunade's body temperature had risen to 45 degrees—one degree below the peak Kawakaze had reached during his own fusion process.

For anyone less physically extraordinary, even an elite ninja, such a temperature would be lethal. A sustained body temperature over 40 degrees could cause fatal organ failure, essentially cooking the body from within.

Orochimaru's sharp mind noted this as he thought to himself. I'm not as physically robust as these two. My own fusion plan will need to account for that and be adjusted accordingly.

"How long will this process last? Is there any way to alleviate her pain?"

Kawakaze watched helplessly as Tsunade writhed in pain, his heart pounding with worry. Despite his desperation, there was nothing he could do to ease her suffering.

"Yes, but I dare not use it," Orochimaru replied, his tone measured and firm. "Without any empirical data, I could end up making things worse. She'll just have to endure it—just like you did last time."

Orochimaru's honesty was blunt, but it was the kind of straightforwardness Kawakaze expected from him. Even if Orochimaru had lied, Kawakaze wouldn't have known any better.

"Okay then," Kawakaze muttered reluctantly, forcing himself to trust Orochimaru's judgment. He knew he was out of his depth here; listening to Orochimaru was his only option.

Tsunade's wails filled the operating room, each scream like a dagger to Kawakaze's heart. Her face, once beautiful, was now contorted beyond recognition by the overwhelming pain. This was why she hadn't wanted him to stay—she hadn't wanted him to see her like this.

The helplessness, the inability to do anything but watch, tore at him. Kawakaze hated himself for being powerless to take her place and bear her pain. Silently, he prayed for this nightmare to end, even resigning himself to the thought that if the fusion failed, he'd be content as long as she survived.

Just as he could no longer bear to watch, something unexpected happened.

A loud cracking sound shattered the tense silence, and the reinforced operating table twisted violently, mangled by an immense force.

"Run!" Orochimaru shouted, grabbing Kawakaze's arm and pulling him back.

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Tsunade was on her feet now, barefoot on the bloodied floor, her eyes bloodshot and unfocused. It was impossible to tell if she was still conscious of her actions or completely lost to the process.

As Orochimaru and Kawakaze reached Misaki's side, they saw it—a dense thicket of sharp, menacing tree spikes rapidly sprouting from Tsunade's body, growing outward in every direction.

There was no mistaking it—this was Wood Release.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals, slamming his hands to the ground. A thick wall of earth rose before them, shielding the group.

Puff! Puff! Pop! Pop!

The wooden spikes pierced through the wall, splintering its defenses with frightening ease. They came dangerously close to impaling the group behind it.

Orochimaru's expression darkened. He had underestimated the sheer power of these trees.

"Did it work?" Kawakaze asked eagerly, completely ignoring the chaos in the operating room, which was still being torn apart by Tsunade's violent outburst. His face lit up with excitement as he gripped Orochimaru's shoulders tightly.

"I think so..." Orochimaru replied hesitantly, pausing to consider. While he appeared calm, he wasn't entirely certain. This was only the second time he had attempted the Hashirama cell fusion experiment—far too few trials to claim expertise.

"What do you mean, 'I think so'? Take a good look!" Kawakaze's impatience flared. The vagueness in Orochimaru's answer was frustrating, especially in a moment like this.

"Fine, I'll take a look," Orochimaru said, cautiously poking his head around the earthen wall.

Almost immediately, Kawakaze leaned over him, another head appearing above Orochimaru's as both of them surveyed the scene.

"Is she... passed out?" Kawakaze asked, spotting Tsunade suspended in midair. The tree spikes, now embedded in the walls, held her aloft like a macabre cradle. Her head lolled backward, her body limp and motionless.

"I think so," Orochimaru said again, this time with more confidence.

The trees' assault was already fading rapidly, and within moments, an eerie silence had settled over everything.