"So it really is like this."
Looking at the tree branches rising from the ground around her, Tsunade opened her mouth, her eyes filled with shock.
It was probably her first time using it, so her proficiency was lacking.
The scale of the rising tree branches was not very large. They merely formed a small, stunted forest around her.
The branches twisted like pythons, but their power was not particularly impressive.
Even so, it brought Tsunade a pleasant surprise.
Wood Release!
That strange sensation inside her body.
Was it because she had awakened Wood Release?
"Holy crap, Wood Release!?"
Watching Tsunade use Wood Release, Seiryū could not help but curse.
Tsunade had actually awakened Wood Release?
This was somewhat beyond Seiryū's expectations.
Seiryū had once imagined what it would be like if Tsunade awakened Wood Release.
He had not expected to see Tsunade using Wood Release today.
"The Senju Clan has produced another shinobi who can use Wood Release."
Katsuyu was also surprised.
Naturally, she was no stranger to Wood Release.
Senju Hashirama had once been her contractor from Shikkotsu Forest.
Furthermore, as an old monster who had lived for who knew how long, she also knew about the conflict between the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths.
Ashura was also a Wood Release shinobi!
She simply had not expected it.
Tsunade would actually awaken Wood Release at this time.
'Is it because she is highly compatible with Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode, causing the Kekkei Genkai in her body to awaken?'
Katsuyu had some guesses in her heart about Tsunade awakening Wood Release.
Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode was highly compatible with shinobi who possessed powerful vitality.
The reason Hashirama's Wood Release was so powerful was because it was even more compatible with Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode, and his stronger vitality fed back into his Wood Release.
And Tsunade possessed the bloodlines of both the Senju and Uzumaki Clans.
Her vitality was also extremely powerful.
After mastering Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode, her vitality became even stronger while in Sage Mode. In turn, that stimulated the Senju Clan bloodline within her, awakening the Senju Clan's Kekkei Genkai!
'Did Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode increase the Yang Release Chakra in that bad woman's body until it reached a critical point, causing it to awaken naturally?'
As a transmigrator, Seiryū knew even more than Katsuyu.
He had a similar guess.
Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode increased one's vitality.
That, in itself, was a manifestation of Yang Release Chakra.
Tsunade was a member of both the Senju and Uzumaki Clans, and her own vitality was already very powerful.
Combined with that, her Yang Release Chakra reached a critical point.
Wood Release was definitely related to one's vitality. To naturally awaken Wood Release, one's Yang Release Chakra needed to reach a certain level.
It was just like the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan, which only increased its ocular power after Yin Release Chakra reached a certain level.
Was it possible to naturally awaken Wood Release?
It was definitely possible!
A Kekkei Genkai was developed and perfected by a certain individual, leaving that part of the gene in the body to be inherited by future generations.
Anyone from the Senju Clan had the possibility of awakening Wood Release.
It was just that the conditions were too harsh.
Even harsher than awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
That was why only a few people naturally awakened Wood Release!
Seiryū instantly flashed in front of Tsunade using the Flying Thunder God Technique and grabbed onto her slender, beautiful legs.
This was Wood Release.
Wood Release strengthened by Senjutsu, no less.
Even if it could not reach the First Hokage's level, it would certainly surpass those crooked methods that relied on transplanting the First Hokage's cells.
"You really are realistic. Just a moment ago, you were demanding that I admit defeat, so why are you acting like this now?"
Looking at Seiryū, who was hugging her legs, Tsunade had black lines on her forehead.
This kid was too realistic!
"I'm happy for you!"
Although separated by her pants, Seiryū could still feel the delicate smoothness of Tsunade's long legs.
So, he could not help but pinch them.
They felt good.
A ticklish sensation came from her thigh, and Tsunade's cheeks inexplicably flushed red. She reached out and lifted Seiryū up, gritting her teeth slightly. "What are you doing?"
Seiryū said seriously, "Hugging a thigh, of course. I feel like I can see another God of Shinobi rising, so I need to get on your good side!"
Tsunade: "…"
Did they still need to get on good terms?
They could even be a couple.
It was just that this kid was still too young.
"Be serious!"
"I am clearly being very serious, okay!"
Seiryū muttered, then asked curiously, "How does it feel to awaken Wood Release? Does it feel like having all your chakra pathways opened?"
Tsunade glanced sideways at Seiryū. "Nothing special."
"How do you know how to use Wood Release? And such a big technique like Deep Forest Emergence?"
"Nonsense! I am a princess of the Senju Clan. My great-grandfather once taught me!"
"I see. I suddenly have a very curious question. Can Wood Release be used to grow food? Like accelerating the growth of crops or something?"
"Wood Release is Wood Release. It is not Potato Release, not Rice Release, and not Corn Release!"
"Fruit trees are also wood. If you study it, you might be able to do it. Fruit grown with Wood Release would definitely taste better. This is a way to get rich!"
"…"
"Damn it, if only I had enough money, I would have contracted the Forest of Death. Now that you have awakened Wood Release, I could use slogans like, 'The secrets of Wood Release are hidden within the Forest of Death,' to attract tourists. That is another way to get rich!"
"…"
"Tch, so boring!"
Seeing Tsunade remain silent, Seiryū curled his lips.
She had no business sense at all.
How was she supposed to get rich like this?
Seiryū continued in a serious tone, "Are you confident you can train to the same level as the First Hokage? With a casual slap, Wood Release suppresses Bijū and sweeps across the shinobi world!"
"Forget becoming Hokage, you could even become the King of the Shinobi World! You are the future King of the Shinobi World, and I am the future King of the Three Realms. We truly are a perfect match!"
Seiryū was very clear about the magnificence of Wood Release!
Besides, it was a pair of beautiful legs, so he had to hold on even tighter.
"The reason I awakened Wood Release probably has something to do with Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode."
Tsunade was no longer silent. She glared at Seiryū, shook her head, and said, "It is still different from my great-grandfather. Great-grandfather's talent was definitely better than mine."
"I do not think I can reach the same level as Great-grandfather."
The same level as her own great-grandfather?
She could only think about such things.
She did not believe she could do it.
Even though she had already awakened Wood Release.
But the gap in talent could not be easily bridged by hard work alone.
"Give me back my expectations. Sure enough, the prettier a woman is, the more likely she is to lie. I was waiting for you to become the King of the Shinobi World, and now you tell me you cannot do it? You are not a match for me at all!"
Hearing this, Seiryū immediately showed an expression of disgust.
His attitude changed instantly.
It was as if the flattery just now had not come from him at all.
Tsunade: "…"
Her fists tightened.
She had to admit, this kid was really good at making people angry.
She was stirred up by those sentences, not by affection, but by anger.
Did she even say anything?
Wasn't it all just this kid making things up in his head?
Also.
Why did not becoming that so-called King of the Shinobi World mean she was not a match for him?
"I may not be able to reach Great-grandfather's level, but once I master Wood Release, my strength will still increase significantly."
Suppressing the urge to beat up Seiryū, Tsunade curled her lips and revealed a beautiful smile. "It will not be so easy for you to surpass me in the future!"
The awakening of Wood Release gave Tsunade some confidence.
It would not be so easy for this kid to surpass her anymore.
It was not that she did not want to see Seiryū's strength exceed hers. She was just secretly competing with him.
Being surpassed too quickly was certainly because of Seiryū's exceptional talent, but it also meant that she was only average.
At the same time.
She also did not want Seiryū to encounter danger in the future while she lacked enough strength to help him, leaving her only able to watch helplessly as Seiryū fell into danger.
She did not want to experience that feeling of powerlessness again!
Seiryū looked Tsunade up and down without saying anything.
When Tsunade's expression became somewhat unnatural, he stifled a laugh and said, "You once said I would need ten or twenty years to surpass you. Then it became ten years, then a few years."
"Now you do not even mention time anymore and have started being vague, right?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are clearly so good-looking, but you are still thick-skinned. What you say changes again and again. Not a single word is true!"
Seiryū shook his head. "The world is going downhill! People are not what they used to be! Even the know-it-all Trump is not as unreliable as you!"
Every time Seiryū said a sentence, Tsunade's fist tightened a little more.
The smile on her face gradually darkened.
"Die!"
Finally unable to endure it, Tsunade let out a furious low shout, and her tender white fist smashed directly toward him.
Seiryū dodged with the Flying Thunder God Technique, laughing heartily as he looked at the flustered Tsunade. "Hahaha, she is panicking. Katsuyu, look, she is panicking!"
"Very well, brat. If I do not break your legs today, I will..."
"What? Do you want to write your name backward again? You have already done it once, Edanust-sama!"
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
"Tsk, tsk. I remember that in the legends, the First Hokage-sama's Wood Human Technique could go head-to-head with Bijū and was enormous in size. How did it become a dwarf in your hands? Heh, mere Wood Release is not even half as good as my Fullbring: Heaven's Chain. Watch me suppress your Wood Release!"
Boom! Boom, boom, boom!
The battle that had stopped erupted again.
But obviously.
Tsunade had only just awakened Wood Release, so she could not use it well at all.
Its power was almost nonexistent. It was barely at the level of landscaping.
"How nice."
Watching the two of them fight and bicker, Katsuyu once again revealed an auntie-like smile that no one else could see.
When the two of them got married in the future, she had to go drink the wedding wine!
Time flew by.
The New Year had passed.
It was now Konoha Year 48.
The tense situation in the shinobi world did not ease with the passage of time. Instead, it became even stranger and more oppressive.
It was as if only a single trigger was needed to ignite this oppressive atmosphere and set the entire shinobi world ablaze with the flames of war.
Because reliable information stated that Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, had been acting more and more frequently over the past year. They often launched operations against the surrounding small lands and had already wiped out several small nations.
Many people had a premonition that Kirigakure might become the fuse for the outbreak of the Shinobi World War.
After clearing out the "hidden dangers" around it, Kirigakure would launch even more extreme actions and declare war on the other Great Shinobi Villages.
But that was not the case.
Even a few months ago.
Kirigakure began to close itself off from the world, completely sealing the village, allowing no one to enter or leave!
This behavior left countless observers unclear about what Kirigakure wanted to do or what kind of plans it was hiding.
As for what was happening inside Kirigakure.
Countless people speculated.
But they were unable to learn the accurate situation.
Even spies from other shinobi villages could not pass information from inside Kirigakure.
Kirigakure had become a completely closed-off land.
This naturally attracted the attention of the other shinobi villages.
Some shinobi villages sent scouts to investigate, but they never returned.
It was precisely because of Kirigakure's unusual behavior that the situation in the shinobi world became increasingly tense, strange, and ominous.
Konoha was also taking it very seriously because the situation in the shinobi world was becoming increasingly strange.
All of Konoha had entered a state of combat readiness.
At the slightest sign of trouble, they would be able to react immediately. They were already prepared to deal with war!
At this time.
Somewhere in the Forest of Death.
Tsunade stopped practicing Wood Release, slowly exhaled, and looked at the large trees around her.
She muttered to herself, "Without guidance, relying only on my own exploration, it really is not that easy to master Wood Release."
Three months had passed since she awakened Wood Release.
After this period of training, Tsunade's Wood Release had made significant progress. It was stronger than the Wood Release shinobi she had seen during the Rōran mission.
However, Tsunade was not satisfied with this level of strength.
Wood Release should not only have this kind of power!
With only this level of strength, perhaps it would not be much help in the war that might break out in the future.
"I cannot activate Sage Mode instantly like Great-grandfather. Sure enough, there is a huge gap in talent between people."
Tsunade rubbed her brow helplessly.
Her talent was not bad.
But it depended on who she was compared to.
Compared to true geniuses, she was a bit inferior.
Her great-grandfather's Sage Mode could be activated instantly without wasting any time at all. With a single thought, he could absorb enough natural energy, condense it into Senjutsu Chakra within his body, and activate Sage Mode.
Although Seiryū's Sage Mode was very special, he could instantly absorb enough natural energy. Meanwhile, she needed more than a minute to absorb natural energy and activate Sage Mode.
The gap.
This was the gap!
"Could it be that there is something special about Seiryū and Great-grandfather that allows them to instantly absorb enough natural energy? It cannot be that they can do it, but I cannot, right?"
"Although that kid Seiryū's strange ideas can make up for this weakness in some aspects, it is still a bit troublesome when encountering sudden situations."
Tsunade felt a bit tired.
Obviously, she was the first one to master Sage Mode.
But Seiryū could already use Senjutsu so skillfully, and he had even developed some other applications. Meanwhile, she had not made no progress at all, but she had only shortened the time needed to condense Senjutsu Chakra.
That kid's talent was truly too much.
It made her feel that this was not ninjutsu at all!
"Continue training. I need to improve my strength as much as possible before the war arrives."
Tsunade shook off the many thoughts in her mind. Improving her strength as much as possible was the most important thing.
She sat cross-legged on the spot.
She began to gather natural energy, condense Senjutsu Chakra, and activate Sage Mode!
When she opened her eyes again, Tsunade had already activated Sage Mode, and her vision and perception were enhanced at that moment.
Subconsciously, she spread out her perception.
"Hmm?"
Then Tsunade suddenly paused, her gaze turning in one direction.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed subconsciously. "This is... Wood Release Chakra fluctuation? And it is very similar to that Wood Release shinobi Yamato from before."
Wood Release also had special Chakra fluctuations.
And this Chakra fluctuation was very similar to the Wood Release shinobi Yamato she had seen before.
"You finally showed your true colors!"
Tsunade's gaze sharpened.
Someone in Konoha was conducting experiments on transplanting the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai. This was a fact she had already confirmed in her heart!
She had originally wanted to investigate deeply and see exactly who was secretly conducting this kind of experiment.
But because she had been a bit busy during this period, she could only suppress that idea again.
She had not expected to sense this special Wood Release Chakra fluctuation here.
Then she would go and take a look!
She would see exactly who was secretly conducting this kind of experiment!
However, no matter who it was, as a princess of the Senju Clan, she could not let it go!
Transplanting the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai certainly involved using the flesh and tissue of her great-grandfather's body.
And that kind of experiment, who knew how many people would be killed or injured?
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)