Wood Release

Wood Release is an advanced nature transformation which grows trees, wood and plants by combining earth and water chakra to create the source of life.

A desert could be turned into a forest with this power. It is a style capable of both tremendous offence and defence, possessing the durability of Earth Release, the versatility of Water Release and the sheer diversity of nature itself.

Its wood and plants can be produced over huge ranges and from any surface. The wood doesn’t even have to appear as natural plants and can be grown into specific constructs like buildings, bridges and statues which is how Konoha was built in the first place. Whereas substances created by chakra hold a short life, the constructs grown with this power are permanent, remaining alive for years even after their creator’s death.

These plants can even be grown directly from the caster’s own body to turn themselves into a weapon. Other chakra natures require advanced ninjutsu to transform the body into an element but because Wood Release creates living matter, it is uniquely capable of transforming a person’s living cells.

And unlike other elements, Wood Release has the ability to absorb and suppress an individual’s chakra. These make it ideal for restraining opponents as it can interfere with their ability to mould chakra as well as consume any chakra they have created, rendering them powerless. Usually, the chakra that is absorbed it used to reinforce the ninjutsu itself but it can also be transferred to the caster to replenish their chakra levels or even into the land itself to grant it new life.

This quality is especially effective against the Tailed Beasts and their Jinchuuriki. The wood chakra resonates with theirs to grant it control over them; suppressing the immense power they can unleash, absorbing their inhuman chakra at astonishing speeds and even binding the beast in both body and mind.

That power comes from the fact that both Wood Release and the Tailed Beasts are derived directly from the source of all chakra, the God Tree. Many of the Sage of Six Paths’ descendants had the genetic potential for Wood Release but only Senju Hashirama had the requirements to awaken it. He was born with unnaturally powerful and massive physical energy and vitality, so much so that he possessed a healing power akin to regeneration that could heal most of the injuries he suffered. Creating life is the domain of yang chakra and Hashirama unknowingly combines that with his earth and water chakra to create plant life.

Every Wood Release technique in existence is one that has been created by Hashirama. While his younger brother is well-known for developing several advanced ninjutsu, it is often forgotten that Hashirama essentially invented an entire style of ninjutsu single-handedly since, as the first to ever awaken this kekkei genkai, there were no scrolls, teachers or even stories for him to learn from. Every intricacy of Wood Release is one that he alone discovered and every technique is one that he devised and tested in battle himself.

All those who followed him never awakened the nature themselves and instead only attained it using the cells and chakra of the First Hokage. So they could only ever achieve a bastardization of his Wood Release, unable to quite reach the same level of power as the original. Despite that, it is such a coveted ability that they will likely always be those who would do anything to gain that power.