Summoning Technique

The dim yellow sunset fell over the courtyard. Dusk was approaching, and a slightly chilly autumn wind swept in, carrying with it the dry yellow leaves that fluttered down into the old woman's palm resting on her knee.

"Little Senba, what Ninjutsu are you best at?" Senju Momoka, a withered leaf stuck to her fingertip, finally decided to try nurturing this child. After all, he might be the last outstanding junior she would see in her lifetime.

"Grandma Momoka, I'm best at Sealing Jutsu—uh, more precisely, the Scroll Sealing Method." As he spoke, Senba stretched out his right hand, and a tiny scroll appeared in his palm.

Without making any move to release the seal, he simply watched as white smoke appeared from thin air. A huge Wind Demon Shuriken appeared in his right hand. Senba moved his thumb slightly, and its four crescent blades spread open like a windmill before beginning to spin at incredible speed, even producing the sound of air being torn apart.

This was one of Senba's current killing moves: after engaging in close combat, he would summon the Wind Demon Shuriken unexpectedly. The rotating blades, driven by immense force, could instantly tear through an opponent's attack—and body.

Watching the child in front of her firmly control the rapidly spinning Wind Demon Shuriken with his right hand, and recalling his claim that he excelled at the Scroll Sealing Method, Senju Momoka's fingers paused for an instant on the withered leaf. She had never expected such a coincidence.

"Little one, you have lofty ambitions. You should know that apart from the two Hokage, no one has ever managed to learn this Ninjutsu." Senju Momoka saw through what Senba wanted at a glance and spoke meaningfully, watching him without joy or sorrow.

Seeing Senba's tacit acknowledgment, Senju Momoka lightly traced the withered leaf with one finger. A tiny Slug appeared in her palm amid white smoke.

"Lady Momoka, it's been a long time. You've grown so old, and little Senba, we've met again."

The little Slug greeted them warmly. Having lived for a very long time, she had long grown accustomed to the births and deaths of her contractors, so she was not overly sorrowful.

"Lady Slug, the last time we met was during the Second Shinobi World War. You brought me news of that child, Nawaki. This time, I wanted to ask you for a favor."

As she spoke, Senju Momoka pointed at Senba. "I want to see whether this child can successfully form a contract with you. Senba, give it a try. Let's see whether you have what it takes to learn that Ninjutsu. You only have one chance to prove yourself, little Tsunade."

The moment her voice fell, Tsunade leaped down from the roof. She held a sake gourd in one hand and a huge scroll propped against the ground in the other, her expression complicated as she looked at Senba.

"Boy, the Summoning Technique is the most basic application of spatial techniques. Among the Senju Clan, apart from Great Uncle, only Second Granduncle summoned Lady Slug, whose body was as large as a house, in a single attempt when he was young. That also proved Second Granduncle's attainments in spatial techniques. The amount of Chakra in your body has barely reached the level of a Special Jonin. Give it a try."

As she spoke, Tsunade flung the Contract Scroll propped against the ground toward Senba. The scroll was no longer than an arm, yet it flew toward him with a faint whistle.

"Bang!"

A muffled sound like a stick striking leather rang out. Senba's hands went numb, but he still held his ground without taking a step back, catching the Contract Scroll firmly before carrying it out from beneath the eaves and walking into the courtyard.

Seeing this, Grandma Momoka accepted the tea handed over by a maid, a trace of amusement flashing through her eyes. Many people believed Tsunade's Super Strength Fist only erupted through special techniques, but in truth, Senju Clan members whose bloodline had reached a certain level could unleash tremendous strength without any Chakra burst.

The other members of the Senju Clan simply had better options. There was no need for close combat. Lord Hashirama's Wood Release and Lord Tobirama's Water Release were both sufficient to crush every enemy.

Grandma Momoka watched Senba ask Tsunade about how to use the Book of Contracts. Little Senba was already twelve years old. In the short-lived profession of being a Ninja, that was already adulthood.

But in Grandma Momoka's eyes, despite being over seventy, he was still a child—a young leaf who ought to be protected. He could not reveal his edge too much.

At that thought, another child who had died during the Second Shinobi World War came involuntarily to mind, and a trace of sorrow flashed through her eyes.

Meanwhile, when the Slug saw Senba open the Contract Scroll, she automatically transformed into white smoke and dispersed from Grandma Momoka's palm, presumably to avoid interfering with Senba's Ninjutsu.

As the scroll was unfurled, a long string of names, all turned gray, appeared before Senba's eyes. Among them were Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Senju Nawaki. The only two whose blood remained fresh were Senju Momoka and Tsunade.

Senba's finger lightly passed over Tsunade's and Nawaki's names. He then cut open his left palm, pondered for a moment, and dipped his right hand in blood before writing the name "Senju Senba" in the blank space.

He then pressed his fingerprint beneath it. The contract was complete.

"Senba of the Forest, let's begin!"

Although he had not entered the Chakra space, he believed the other him could hear.

In fact, he was right. At that moment, Senba of the Forest, who was sitting cross-legged beside the Chakra Flame, immediately stood up, put his hands on his hips, and laughed delightedly.

"That's right, just like that! Original body, show them how dazzling the future you, who will stand above the heavens, will be. Let's begin!"

After that over-the-top declaration, Senba of the Forest began forming Hand Seals in sync with Senba in the outside world. Neither moved quickly—in fact, they took nearly two seconds per seal—while the two cards' worth of Chakra in their bodies also began to circulate.

"Boar—Dog—Rooster—Monkey—Goat. Ninjutsu, Summoning Technique!"

"Bang!"

As Senba slammed his right hand down, Chakra overflowing from his entire body, enormous white smoke exploded across the courtyard. In that instant, Senba's consciousness seemed to connect with a powerful existence, but the other's gentle goodwill allowed him to lower his guard.

His consciousness then returned to reality, and he discovered that his viewpoint was continuously rising. Soon, he was nearly as high as the nearby roof. But in the next moment, all strength left his body, and he collapsed onto Lady Slug.

Senba felt as though the Summoning Technique had truly drained all the Chakra from his body. Exhausted, he struggled to remain conscious.

"Well done, little Senba. When Lord Tobirama was young, the body of mine he summoned was about the same size as yours. However, my continued presence will damage your body. I look forward to seeing you next time."

With that, the Slug's enormous body once again transformed into white smoke and vanished. Senba promptly passed out again.

"What wonderful weather for sleeping."

Before losing consciousness, Senju Senba mocked himself. Then he sank into a deep coma and began free-falling.

From the moment Senba summoned the Slug's main body until he passed out and Tsunade carried him by the collar to rest beneath the eaves, Grandma Momoka never once showed any surprise.

"Tsunade, go prepare some things..."

After Grandma Momoka gave her orders, Tsunade looked somewhat puzzled, as if she felt Momoka was being a little too stingy with the resources devoted to Senba's training.

"This is only the first stage. If we want to keep him safe, we have to do this. There are some people you know about—people whose limit for what they will do is very low, and whose bottom has no limit at all."

Only then did Tsunade silently nod and go downstairs to make the preparations.

Senju Momoka gazed silently at the sunset on the horizon. At some point, the withered, decayed leaf in her hand had been crushed into powder, which scattered into nothingness on the wind.