Chapter 122 - Chapter 121: Naruto and Hashirama, Are They the Same Person?

Senju Tobirama stood frozen, staring at the results in disbelief."How is this possible? Naruto's cells match Big Brother Hashirama's perfectly? Could it be that Naruto is Big Brother's..."His mind involuntarily flashed to the image of his elder brother's silly grin. He shook his head violently, snapping himself out of it."No, absolutely not! That's impossible!"Even on his brother's wedding night, it was Uzumaki Mito who had taken the initiative. Hashirama, for all his power and charisma, had always been rather simple and clueless when it came to romance.Tobirama had personally—yes, personally—seen him off to the bridal chamber. Beyond that day, Hashirama had no known contact with any other woman.Although Naruto's mother was also from the Uzumaki clan, there was no direct relation to Mito. So how could there be a connection?Could Hashirama have cheated on Mito?Tobirama dismissed the thought just as quickly. Hashirama may have been carefree, but betrayal wasn't in his nature.---Meanwhile, Uchiha Madara was also troubled.He tried to recall every detail of the past—the days when he and Hashirama skipped stones by the river, their dreams of peace, their battles, and their friendship.Despite their rivalry, he had to admit that Hashirama, though infuriating at times, was honorable to a fault."He would never do something like that," Madara muttered.Then a thought struck him.He remembered the secret Uchiha stone tablet—an ancient record only readable through the power of the Sharingan and Rinnegan. It spoke of the origins of their clans.According to the tablet:The Sage of Six Paths had two sons—Indra and Ashura.Indra inherited the Sage's eyes, representing power and intellect, and Ashura inherited the Sage's body, symbolizing vitality and willpower.Over generations, their descendants became the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan, respectively.Although both brothers died, their chakras never truly disappeared. Instead, they were reincarnated into the strongest ninjas of each generation.Madara had long suspected himself to be the reincarnation of Indra.And Hashirama, with his unrivaled life force and Wood Style, must have been Ashura's reincarnation.This belief was what pushed Madara to awaken the Rinnegan in the first place.But by the time he did, his body had already withered, and he had to rely on the Gedo Statue just to stay alive. This form—weak and decayed—was never how he wanted to dominate the ninja world.So he laid his plans, using Obito as a pawn, aiming to revive himself at full power.But now… this unexpected revelation shook him to the core.Naruto's cells had merged perfectly with Hashirama's.Madara's eyes widened."What?!" he muttered. "This isn't just a coincidence. It means… Naruto is also the reincarnation of Ashura?"It was the only explanation that made sense.But if that were true, it contradicted the stone tablet.The tablet said Indra and Ashura's reincarnations would come from the Uchiha and Senju clans respectively. Yet Naruto was clearly not Senju—he was Uzumaki!There were only two explanations:1. The Senju clan, after suffering heavy losses during the ninja wars, no longer had viable descendants for Ashura's chakra. So the reincarnation passed to the Uzumaki clan, a close blood relative.2. The stone tablet itself had been tampered with or misinterpreted.---Elsewhere, various figures from across the ninja world were reacting.Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "So it's true... Naruto is the Child of Prophecy the Toad Sage spoke of. The fact that his cells match the First Hokage's proves it!"Orochimaru licked his lips with excitement. "So that's it. Naruto really is the Child of Prophecy. Looks like I can't focus on Sasuke alone anymore."Deidara smirked. "Heh. This just keeps getting more interesting, yeah!"Kakuzu added coldly, "If he's the Child of Prophecy, the bounty should be even higher."Itachi looked down thoughtfully. "If Naruto is the chosen one... then what does that mean for Sasuke?"Nagato disagreed fiercely. "No! The true Child of Prophecy was Yahiko. I will shape the world he dreamed of."Obito frowned, mumbling to himself, "Why does this all sound so familiar…"---Back in the lab, Orochimaru explained the findings directly to Naruto.The boy scratched his head, unimpressed."So… does that mean I can use Wood Style now?" he asked.Orochimaru chuckled. "In theory, yes. But I need time. There are more experiments I want to try.""Alright, but remember—I want results. Real ones."Naruto's voice was calm and confident. He wasn't bothered by Orochimaru's involvement—after all, the more precise the experiments, the more benefits he would gain."Seems like the idea of merging the First Hokage's cells was right on track. I wonder what would happen if we added Uchiha cells next…"Because Orochimaru had been so focused on merging Hashirama's and Naruto's cells, Sasuke's Uchiha cells hadn't yet been introduced into the equation.Suddenly, the Nine Tails growled from within Naruto's mind."Naruto, are you sure about trusting Orochimaru? That guy is dangerous!"Naruto responded quietly, but firmly."I know. But I also know what I'm doing. Orochimaru wants the results as badly as I do. And if he tries anything funny… I'll handle it.""I always convince people with reason," Naruto said with a smirk."Orochimaru, remember—I want both Senju and Uchiha cells in this!"He tossed a small vial to the scientist. "Sasuke has plenty of chakra to spare. Don't be wasteful."Orochimaru grinned. "Don't worry, Naruto-kun. I never waste anything."---After Naruto left, Orochimaru resumed his work, this time adding Sasuke's Uchiha cells to the mix.At first, he was cautious—not because of Sasuke's cells, but because he still deeply respected the rarity of Hashirama's."Master Orochimaru," Kabuto said, analyzing the data, "Sasuke's cells are also integrating perfectly!"The two stared at the results in awe.They had conducted countless experiments—most of which ended in painful failure. Yet this one… this one was flawless.No instability. No rejection. No resistance.It was as if these cells were destined to merge.For the first time, even Orochimaru, a man who scoffed at fate and believed only in science, began to waver."Is this… divine will?" he whispered.The combination of Hashirama's vitality, Naruto's unique chakra, and Sasuke's Sharingan potential—all coming together naturally—was almost too perfect.But then Orochimaru gritted his teeth and shook his head."No. Naruto must be hiding something."---Two days later…Orochimaru summoned Naruto back to the lab.In his hands was a tube of glowing red liquid."Naruto-kun, it's time. I'm going to inject the fused cells into your body."His voice was serious, almost reverent."Although these cells are perfectly fused, I must warn you—an experiment is still an experiment. The outcome is never guaranteed."Naruto stood firm."I understand. Do it."And with that, the next chapter in Naruto's destiny began.