Summoning Technique

The dim, yellow sunset cast its light upon the courtyard as dusk approached. A slightly chilling autumn wind swept through, carrying dry, yellow leaves that landed in the palm of the old woman's hand resting on her lap.

"Little Senba, what Ninjutsu are you best at?" Lady Momoka, her fingertips stained with a dry leaf, finally decided to try and nurture this child. After all, he might be the last outstanding junior she would see in her lifetime.

"Grandma Momoka, I'm best at sealing techniques. Uh, to be precise, the Scroll Sealing Method." As he spoke, Senba extended his right hand, and a small scroll appeared in his palm.

Without him making any move to release a seal, a puff of white smoke appeared out of nowhere, and a giant Wind Demon Shuriken materialized in his right hand. Senba's thumb twitched slightly, and the four crescent blades spread out like a pinwheel, beginning to spin at an incredibly high speed, even emitting a sound that seemed to tear the air.

This was one of Senba's current trump cards: summoning a Wind Demon Shuriken unexpectedly after close-quarters combat. The immense force driving the spinning blades would instantly tear apart both the opponent's attack and their body.

Watching the child before her firmly control the high-speed spinning Wind Demon Shuriken, coupled with his earlier introduction of his specialty, the Scroll Sealing Method, Lady Momoka's fingers, which were holding the dry leaf, paused for a moment. She hadn't expected such a coincidence.

"Little one, you have great ambitions. You should know that besides the two Hokages, no one else has been able to learn this Ninjutsu." Lady Momoka, seeing through Senba's intentions at a glance, said with deep meaning, looking at Senba without joy or sorrow.

Seeing Senba's silent acknowledgment, Lady Momoka lightly brushed the dry leaf, and a miniature Slug appeared in her palm with a puff of white smoke.

"Lady Slug, it's been a long time. You've grown so old. And little Senba, we meet again."

The small Slug greeted them both gently. Having lived a long life, she was accustomed to the comings and goings of her contractors, so she didn't feel too much sorrow.

"Lady Slug, the last time we met was during the Second Shinobi World War. You brought me information about Nawaki. This time, I've come to trouble you for a favor."

As she spoke, Lady Momoka pointed at Senba and said, "I want to see if this child can successfully form a contract with you. Senba, try it. See if you're worthy of learning that Ninjutsu. You only have one chance to prove yourself, little Tsunade."

As soon as she finished speaking, Tsunade leaped down from the roof. She held a sake flask in one hand and leaned a giant scroll against the ground with the other, looking at Senba with complex emotions.

"Kid, Summoning Technique is a fundamental application of space ninjutsu. In the Senju Clan, besides Great Uncle, only Second Granduncle managed to summon the great Lady Slug, comparable to a house, on his first try as a youth. The facts also prove Second Granduncle's mastery of space ninjutsu. Your Chakra level is barely at the Special Jonin level. Try it."

With that, Tsunade flung the contract scroll leaning against the ground towards Senba. The scroll, barely longer than an arm, flew towards Senba with a faint whistling sound.

"Bang!"

A dull thud, like a club striking leather, echoed. Senba's hands went numb, but he stood firm, taking no steps back, steadily catching the contract scroll. He then cradled the scroll and walked out from under the eaves into the courtyard.

Lady Momoka, who had accepted a cup of tea from a maid, saw this and a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes. Many people thought Tsunade's Super Strength Fist was just due to special techniques. In reality, for Senju clan members whose bloodline reached a certain level, they could unleash immense power without Chakra enhancement.

However, other members of the Senju Clan had better options; there was no need for close combat. Lord Hashirama's Wood Release and Lord Tobirama's Water Release were enough to crush any enemy.

Lady Momoka watched Senba, who was currently asking Tsunade about the usage of the Book of Contracts. Little Senba was already 12 years old, which, in the short-lived profession of a ninja, meant he was an adult.

But in the eyes of the over seventy-year-old Lady Momoka, he was still a child, a tender leaf that needed protection. His sharp edge shouldn't be revealed too much.

Thinking this, her mind involuntarily drifted to another child who had died in the Second Shinobi World War, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes simultaneously.

On the other side, the Slug saw Senba unfurling the contract scroll and automatically dissolved into white smoke, vanishing from Lady Momoka's palm. It was likely to avoid interfering with Senba's Ninjutsu.

At this moment, as the scroll was unfurled, a long string of names, now faded, appeared in Senba's eyes. Among them, he recognized Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Nawaki. Only two sets of blood remained vibrant: Lady Momoka and Tsunade.

Senba's finger lightly brushed over the names of Tsunade and Nawaki, then he cut his left palm. After a moment of thought, he dipped his right hand in the blood and wrote the name "Senju Senba" in the blank space.

Then, he pressed his fingerprint below it. Thus, the contract was established.

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

Although he hadn't entered the Chakra space, he believed the other party could hear him.

In fact, he was correct. Senba of the Forest, who was currently sitting cross-legged beside a Chakra Flame, immediately stood up, placed his hands on his hips, and laughed heartily with a delighted expression.

"That's right, that's how it should be! Host, show them how you, who will one day stand in the heavens, will astound the world! Let's begin!"

After his chuunibyou outburst, Senba of the Forest began to perform hand seals in sync with Senba in the outside world. Their speed wasn't fast, with nearly two seconds per seal. Simultaneously, the two pools of Chakra within their bodies began to be mobilized.

"Boar-Dog-Rooster-Monkey-Ram, Ninjutsu, Summoning Technique!"

"Bang!"

As Senba, with Chakra overflowing from his body, pressed his right hand down, a massive puff of white smoke erupted in the courtyard. Senba's spirit felt like it had connected with a powerful existence at that instant. However, the other party's gentle and benevolent nature put Senba at ease.

Then, his mental energy returned to reality, and he found his perspective constantly rising, soon reaching the height of the adjacent rooftop. However, in the next second, his body completely gave out, and he collapsed onto Lady Slug.

Senba felt as if his Chakra had been completely drained by the Summoning Technique. Exhausted, he struggled to stay conscious.

"Well done, little Senba. Lord Tobirama's summoning of my body in his youth was similar to yours. However, my continued presence would harm you. I look forward to our next meeting."

With that, the Slug's massive body dissolved into white smoke once more and disappeared. Senba then lost consciousness again.

"Today is truly a perfect day for sleeping."

Before losing consciousness, Senju Senba quipped to himself, then fell into a deep slumber, beginning his freefall.

From the moment Senba summoned the Slug's main body until he lost consciousness and was picked up by Tsunade by the collar and placed under the eaves to rest, Lady Momoka never showed a hint of surprise.

"Tsunade, go prepare some things..."

After Lady Momoka gave her instructions, Tsunade looked somewhat puzzled, as if the investment in Senba's training seemed a bit small.

"This is just the first phase. If we want him to be safe, we must do this. You know some people; their upper limits are very low, and their lower limits are nonexistent."

Hearing Lady Momoka's words, Tsunade nodded silently and went to prepare.

Meanwhile, Lady Momoka gazed at the setting sun in the sky, lost in thought. The withered, yellow leaf in her hand had, at some unknown point, been ground into dust and scattered into nothingness by the wind.