Jade Rabbit Mode

"Bang!"

Sasuke Uchiha was sent flying.

While in midair, he rapidly formed hand seals, gathering a mouthful of Chakra in his chest. He flipped over, aimed at Wu Yu, who stood motionless where he was, and opened his mouth to spew an enormous blazing fireball.

Did I hit him?

Just as Sasuke thought that while still flying backward, Wu Yu's voice sounded right beside his back. "I'm over here."

"What!?"

Sasuke Uchiha twisted his body forcefully in midair, driving a kick at Wu Yu behind him.

"Too slow. Your movements are far too slow."

Wu Yu casually caught the incoming calf and flung it aside. Sasuke crashed face-first into the ground.

Ignoring the blood streaming from his nose, Sasuke pushed off the ground and sprang up, kicking fiercely at Wu Yu's lower back.

Bang!

This time, he truly landed the kick. Yet Wu Yu did not budge in the slightest.

Sasuke Uchiha spun around and changed moves—punches, kicks, sweeping low kicks... He brought every bit of his Taijutsu skill to bear, circling Wu Yu as he attacked. Yet Wu Yu merely blocked casually, parrying every strike. And the attacks he did not block, he simply did not care about, as though Sasuke's fists and feet were no more than a drizzle.

Am I really this weak? Impossible!

Sasuke Uchiha retreated swiftly and stared wide-eyed. Wu Yu had actually followed close behind, throwing a punch at him.

Damn! If that hits...

Sasuke's back slammed into a tree. He hurriedly turned his head aside to dodge, feeling only a light breeze brush past his ear. At the same time, a thunderous boom rang out as Nakamori Wu Yu's punch snapped apart the massive tree, thick enough that four people could barely wrap their arms around it.

"Crack, crack... boom!" The broken tree toppled, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Sasuke Uchiha panted heavily, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his face. "If that had hit me, it would've killed me outright, right?"

"Heh heh, is this still only Physical Strength 2? If this still doesn't rate as Physical Strength 10, then I really can't accept it."

Wu Yu, with long pointed ears and dark red Sage Face Markings around the eyes on his forehead, lowered his fist. Looking at the giant tree he had broken, he was immensely satisfied with the enhancement to his strength.

"And..."

His body moved. With a flash of Body Flicker, he appeared behind the panting Sasuke Uchiha, his arms folded across his chest.

"My speed is definitely..."

Wu Yu's voice suddenly rang out behind him. Sasuke whipped around, but saw no one. Then Wu Yu's voice continued seamlessly from behind him again. "...more than just Speed 2, right?"

"..." Sasuke Uchiha had completely given up on attacking.

He turned around again and asked blankly, "Just who are you?"

"How should I put it..." Wu Yu touched his elf-like pointed ears. "A rather lucky person, I suppose!"

Whoosh...

As he touched them, the sensation of the pointed ears vanished. His sage transformation suddenly disengaged.

"..." Wu Yu gave a deadpan stare. [Little Jade, what's wrong?]

The Jade Rabbit inside him apologized, [I'm sorry, Wu Yu. My power can only sustain you for five minutes at most... But it's fine, I'll recover! Really!]

"Looks like the 'Spirit' stat is still the weak link..."

Wu Yu mocked himself inwardly, but there was no reason to blame the Jade Rabbit. After all, he had been the one to allow Mysterious Kaguya to withhold it... Though who knew how much Chakra she had withheld after taking it from Tsunade.

In that earlier state, his explosive power, speed... every one of his attributes had unquestionably increased by more than tenfold!

That was basically Tenfold Kaio-ken.

Using only a portion of Chakra combined with Nature Energy to create a "Sage Art Tailed Beast" that let him maintain a "pseudo-Sage Mode" for five minutes was already something he should be satisfied with.

Wu Yu raised a hand to signal the confused Sasuke to stay calm, while Little Jade continued explaining in his mind. [Wu Yu, once my Chakra recovers, I can let you use it again, I promise!]

Wu Yu smiled. [I'm not blaming you! How long will it take to fully recover?]

Little Jade thought for a moment. [Maybe... ten times as long? Fifty minutes? That'll definitely be enough, I promise!]

Wu Yu pondered. [Then if I only activate... forget it, let's call it Jade Rabbit Mode. If I only activate Jade Rabbit Mode for one minute, would you only need ten minutes to recover too?]

Little Jade laughed. [Wu Yu, you're so silly. If you only use it for one minute, I can still let you use it for another four minutes, can't I?]

[What I mean is, without affecting your recovery, theoretically ten minutes would be enough for you to make up for the Chakra you lent me for one minute, right?]

[Mm! That's right! I promise!]

Wu Yu felt that this Jade Rabbit was truly as innocent as a child, eagerly trying to please him, her "father." He could not help asking, [Was your personality formed entirely at random?]

Little Jade replied, [I'm not sure either... But Mother seemed to have created me based on you, Wu Yu.]

Customized, huh?

Wu Yu had not expected Mysterious Kaguya to be this thoughtful. He could not help glancing in her direction, where she was still floating around like a white-haired female ghost.

Yes, Sage of Six Paths, your mother and I have a child.

Uh, two?

Wu Yu looked at Tsunade lying on the ground.

While in Jade Rabbit Mode just now, Wu Yu had clearly sensed that the little white rabbit that had entered Tsunade's body was silently channeling Sage Chakra into all the meridians throughout her body. It maintained a slow, balanced state of "income and expenditure," continuously nourishing Tsunade.

Even while unconscious, Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu, which she used to preserve her youth and beauty, automatically began operating after receiving Chakra support.

The skin on her arms and face visibly grew firmer and smoother...

Where was this?

In the vast white space, with no way to distinguish up from down or left from right, Tsunade looked around in confusion.

She felt over her body. She should already have been...

[Hey! Human!]

A rumbling voice suddenly sounded behind her, like that of an energetic young girl brimming with authority.

Startled, Tsunade turned around and saw a... white rabbit? As enormous as the Nine-Tailed Fox, squatting in the void and looking down at her tiny figure with huge blood-red eyes.

[You're finally awake?] the giant white rabbit said imperiously.

[I'm still alive?] Tsunade asked in surprise. [And this... who are you?]

Unspeakable's enormous shadow enveloped Tsunade. In a tender yet commanding voice, it said, [I am... huh, it seems I don't have a name? Forget it. In any case, I am Mother and Lord Wu Yu's child. To save your life, I entered your body! From today onward, we'll be dependent on each other for survival! Do you understand?]

[Wu Yu...] Tsunade repeated the name, then suddenly frowned. ["Mother"?]

Kaguya Otsutsuki—the woman with white hair, white robes, and three eyes?

[So you're not allowed to die!]

Thinking Tsunade was spacing out, Unspeakable lowered its huge head and nudged her.

[...] Tsunade reached out and touched Unspeakable's soft fur. [So you're something like a Tailed Beast, and I've now become your Jinchuriki, is that right?]

[Mm...] Unspeakable seemed to enjoy Tsunade's touch. It narrowed its huge red eyes, then with a bang, shrank to the size of a palm and hopped into Tsunade's hand. [According to the knowledge Mother left me, that should be it~ Yes, yes, stroke me like that~~]

"Creating a Chakra creature like a Tailed Beast out of thin air?"

Tsunade's expression remained unchanged, but she was deeply shaken inside. Creation of all things—wasn't that a miracle only the Sage of Six Paths from ancient records and mythical legends could accomplish?

She stroked the little white rabbit in her palm. [You said you don't have a name. Can I give you one?]

[Sure, keep petting me. Don't stop.] The little white rabbit contentedly nestled against the big white rabbit.

Tsunade smiled. [Let's call you... Haotu. How does that sound? Haotu, can you tell me what happened while I was unconscious?]

[It's fine to tell you, but I don't know when you passed out. When Mother—ah, ah, ah, that feels good... When Mother created me, you were already lying on the ground asleep. And you looked so old back then! You're much prettier now~~]

Tsunade's hand never stopped stroking it as she thought, "As expected, all the Chakra in the Yin Seal was taken away as well... If so, why save me? To save me, he even specifically created this child and gave it to me..."

Was it because he feared Konoha's retaliation and pursuit, so he did not dare truly kill her?

That made no sense. He could already create a "Tailed Beast" out of thin air!

With such godlike abilities, would he be afraid of being unable to escape Konoha?

There were countless rogue ninja in the world, but as long as they possessed the strength of an S-rank wanted criminal, the Five Great Ninja Villages could do little against them. After all, they could not possibly ignore the villages' daily operations and mobilize all their elite forces solely to hunt down one rogue ninja. That was absolutely impossible.

"If that's the case, then the only reason Nakamori Wu Yu saved me is that he still bears goodwill toward the village..."

With that thought in mind, Tsunade slowly opened her eyes.

In the forest, the sky was already darkening, and the light was dim.

In the darkness, she heard a voice say, "You're awake. Don't worry, the breast-reduction surgery was a success..."