The Path of Cultivation

In the world of Hokage, the so-called peace is merely temporary; unrest is the norm. Ever since the Otsutsuki descended from the heavens, battles that were once primitive struggles have escalated into the high-tech clashes of the Fourth Shinobi World War, and the bloody slaughter never ceases.

Moreover, Senba is all too familiar with the plot progression of this world. Every character who could be called a driving force of the era was... a lunatic.

Under such circumstances, anyone not seeking death must train day after day to become stronger. Even if they merely wish to enjoy their own lives, they must do so.

The core of a ninja's path to strength is the refinement and increase of "Chakra."

Refining the body and tempering the spirit are for increasing Chakra.

Sealing Tailed Beasts into bodies to create the ultimate weapon, the "Jinchuriki," also hinges on possessing powerful Chakra.

Even other unorthodox cultivation methods, such as Orochimaru's Curse Mark, or more brutally, consuming Tailed Beast flesh and blood, ultimately use Chakra as their foundation.

With the amplification of Chakra, even a ninja's ordinary martial arts can shatter mountains and rocks. Some can even summon meteorites to devastate the earth.

Without Chakra's amplification, everything is an empty shell, like a samurai discarded by the era. They might be able to fight one or ten men, but they can still be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Senba's memory of the original work's details has become quite hazy, but he will never forget the scene on the desert where the ninja army looked up at Madara Uchiha summoning a meteorite.

The moment the meteorite fell from the sky, all bonds and justice became a joke. They didn't even have the right to look at Madara Uchiha, so how could they speak of justice?

Standing on the training grounds, Senba shook his head. After glancing at Iruka and Uchiha Yue, who were training in the distance, he began his own training plan.

As a descendant of the Senju Clan, Senba's Chakra far surpassed that of his peers after his bloodline awakened, and his future potential far exceeded that of ordinary ninjas.

However, if he didn't further enhance his Chakra intensity, he would ultimately only become an ordinary Kage-level powerhouse.

"Kage-level isn't enough. It would be difficult even to deal with the Akatsuki," Senba muttered inwardly, licking his slightly chapped lips before beginning to train according to the "Monster Strength" training manual Tsunade had given him.

Senba placed his hands on the ground to support his body, then his legs began to twist slowly in a manner that defied the natural curvature of human limbs. From a distance, he looked like a contorted statue.

The pain was excruciating. Within moments, sweat beaded on Senba's forehead and streamed down his contorted cheeks, clearly marking the yellow earth.

Many people mistakenly believe the "Monster Strength" ninjutsu is simply about channeling Chakra and unleashing it. This is a flawed assumption. Precise Chakra control is only one aspect; a thoroughly tempered body is also essential.

Otherwise, the moment Chakra circulates, the body would first be unable to withstand it and begin to crack. Even if it were barely executed, at the moment of power release, the part releasing the Chakra would turn to pulp.

This is why Sakura in the original work used specially made gloves, though their power is debatable. Just as with Wood Release, how can Wood Release: Wood Release: Four-Room House compare to Wood Release: Buddha's Wrath?

As Senba shifted his body, the Chakra within him flowed along specific pathways. The pain of his twisted limbs intertwined with the agony of Chakra tearing his internal cells, nearly causing him to lose his posture and collapse onto the ground.

Senba's face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead. Just as he felt he would injure his foundation if he continued, a surge of vitality emerged from his cells, slowly repairing the damage left by the Chakra's circulation.

After a few minutes, feeling the pain subside, Senba moved to the next pose. As his body rotated, the sound of his joints and bones dislocating made Iruka and Uchiha Yue, who had rushed over out of concern, wince with empathetic expressions. It must have been very painful.

However, they soon made different choices. Uchiha Yue gritted her teeth and returned to her training area, frantically unleashing the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. After depleting her Chakra, she began practicing ninja tool manipulation, her movements with kunai and other tools dazzling to behold.

From the training methods of Senba and Uchiha Yue, one could see that the latter's clan, due to the burden on the body from the Sharingan and the immense consumption of their own Chakra, focused not only on the Sharingan but also relied heavily on ninja tools for combat.

The Senju Clan, with their vast Chakra reserves, were the epitome of brute force. They used whatever ninjutsu had immense power, like Wood Release and Water Release, "whoosh-whoosh"-ing them at their opponents. Their philosophy was quantity over quality, and they didn't care if the opponent could handle it.

Seeing this, Iruka, with self-awareness, wisely kept his distance from the two "freaks" and diligently practiced ordinary, low-level ninjutsu, focusing on improving his proficiency.

Iruka didn't question why two comrades had changed so drastically after a disaster. He was simply happy for them; this was Iruka's unique charm. The word "jealousy" never appeared in his demeanor.

After completing three poses, Senba's body was exhausted, and he lay limply on the ground, gazing at the sky with excitement in his eyes. He felt himself growing stronger, a feeling that was addictive.

Senba took a deep breath, raised his trembling hands despite the pain, and painstakingly formed a few hand seals.

"Summoning Technique!"

A puff of smoke appeared, and a palm-sized slug landed on Senba's chest. In the next second, Senba felt a comfortable, warm current emanating from the slug's body, slowly nourishing him.

"Little Senba, you're working very hard. To achieve this on your first try training Lord Tsunade's Monster Strength is already quite good," the slug said, sensing Senba's condition. It propped itself up on his chest, shaking its head and swaying, its small body appearing exceptionally cute.

"Thank you for the praise, Slug-sama. I may need to trouble you often in the future," Senba said, knowing he would rely on the slug for both training and missions. He offered an early apology.

"It's fine," the little slug seemed to enjoy the leisurely life, lying back down on Senba's chest. "Ever since Lord Tsunade developed Hemophobia, I haven't participated in battles or treated the injured for a long time. It'll be good to relive some familiar memories. After all, a long life can be too boring. When Little Senba becomes a Jonin, visit Shikkotsu Forest. There's a secret technique there you can try."

Hearing the slug's words, Senba's eyes lit up with understanding. That must be the Sage Mode, a different cultivation system that bypasses Chakra, "Nature Energy."

Just as Senba's anticipation grew, the little slug coiled on his chest cast a faint glance toward the shade of the nearby trees before settling back down.

Beneath the dark, decaying trees, a small, slender venomous snake was rapidly retreating. Although they were both from the three great Sage Regions, the slug, with its true form consciousness, could clearly suppress the ordinary vipers of Ryūchi Cave, causing them to panic.