"Strength is strength. There's no luck or anything like that involved."
Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand, then turned to Tsunade.
"You came to get that thing?"
"Obviously."
Tsunade crossed her arms, looking entirely unapologetic.
"You promised. It's time to make good on it, isn't it?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly and gestured to the Anbu Ninja outside the door.
A short while later, an Anbu Ninja came in carrying a long wooden case. He carefully set it on the desk, then left the room.
Sarutobi Hiruzen opened the case.
A sword lay inside.
More precisely, it was a hilt.
A dark gray metal grip was wrapped in cord for a better hold, and the guard was a simple round metal disk.
There seemed to be a special crystal set in the middle.
Qingyu guessed that the sword was made from some kind of special material.
The Shinobi World had all sorts of unusual materials: red stones capable of bearing a shrine maiden's power, the Gelel Stone from the ancient civilization in the movie, and Chakra Metal, among others.
Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword, which could change its length freely and cut through anything, had also been made from a special material.
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the hilt and handed it to Qingyu.
"The Sword of the Thunder God was an experimental ninja tool forged by the Second—that is, by my teacher when he was young."
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke slowly, his tone tinged with nostalgia.
"It has no physical blade. The blade is formed entirely from the user's chakra. The stronger the chakra, the sharper the sword."
Qingyu took the hilt in both hands.
It felt heavier than he'd expected.
Following Sarutobi Hiruzen's instructions, he slowly fed chakra into it.
Vmmm...
A low hum sounded.
In an instant, a blade of crackling chakra lightning extended from the hilt, making faint snapping sounds in the air.
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the blade, approval flashing in his eyes.
To activate it on the first try... This boy really was suited to the path of the sword.
Still, he didn't forget to warn him:
"The sword's strength depends on its wielder. If your chakra isn't strong enough, it might be weaker than an ordinary iron sword."
Qingyu understood that, of course.
In the original story, the rookie Aoi Rokushō had used it to embarrass himself.
But that was the user's fault, not the sword's.
A ninja tool forged by Senju Tobirama himself couldn't possibly be trash.
Qingyu increased his chakra output.
Vmmm!
The blade suddenly grew thicker, and its light illuminated the entire office.
Qingyu couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding a lightsaber from Star Wars.
Leaning against the wall, Tsunade watched the lightning-wreathed sword in Qingyu's hand, her gaze turning distant.
The sight reminded her of the Second Granduncle she'd seen as a child.
The silver-haired man who was always stern and never smiled seemed to overlap with the dark-haired boy before her.
"Not bad."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
Qingyu's chakra reserves were already impressive for his age. That kind of talent was worth investing in.
"Old man, Qingyu also said that if he keeps coming in first, you'll give him an extra reward."
Tsunade spoke up.
At that, Qingyu stopped feeding chakra into the hilt. The blade vanished, and he slipped the hilt into his ninja tool pouch.
"I did say that."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Tsunade, who was clearly trying to squeeze a reward out of him, and didn't know what to say.
He had to admit, Tsunade really did treat Qingyu well.
"Old man, going back on your word isn't like you."
Tsunade added another jab.
"Of course. But we'll need time to see if he can keep it up."
Sarutobi Hiruzen replied.
For a talent like Qingyu, a little extra cultivation was nothing to begrudge.
That night, the bathroom in Tsunade's house was thick with the smell of herbs.
Tsunade filled the tub with hot water, then poured several kinds of green herbal powder from a pile of bottles and jars straight into it.
A fine layer of bubbles spread across the surface, and the water turned a hard-to-describe dark green.
"Take your clothes off."
Tsunade pointed at the tub.
Qingyu looked at the strange liquid still bubbling away, his expression a little uncertain.
"Tsunade, what is this?"
"A medicinal bath recipe passed down through the Senju Clan."
Tsunade flicked her golden twin tails and, for once, explained with complete seriousness.
"My grandfather and the Second Granduncle used it when they were young. It strengthens your foundation and improves your physique. You're still young, and your bones and meridians are still developing, so it'll work best now."
Qingyu knew Tsunade was highly skilled in Medical Ninjutsu, so the bath should be safe. He took off his clothes and prepared to get in.
But he soon realized Tsunade was still standing there, with no intention of leaving. Qingyu turned to look at her.
"Tsunade, could you go outside first? I can handle it."
"Oh?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile appearing on her face.
"Look at you, all grown up. You even know how to be shy now?"
Qingyu replied without changing his expression:
"I'm not shy. You being here would affect the medicinal bath's results."
"...What kind of ridiculous excuse is that?"
Tsunade was momentarily at a loss for words, but still turned toward the door.
At the doorway, she glanced back and added:
"Stay in for at least an hour. Not a minute less."
"Got it."
The door closed, leaving Qingyu alone in the bathroom.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the tub.
The water was quite hot, and the herbs mingled with it as it enveloped his body.
Almost immediately, Qingyu felt a gentle warmth seep through his pores and flow slowly along his meridians.
A pleasant tingling spread through every limb.
The Senju Clan's medicinal bath really did live up to its reputation.
Qingyu closed his eyes and leaned against the edge of the tub, doing his best to relax.
According to Tsunade, the recipe had been used by Hashirama Senju and Senju Tobirama when they were young. Its main purpose was to lay a solid foundation for the body during its growth.
Still, Qingyu figured Hashirama Senju had become so powerful simply because he was a freak of nature. The medicinal bath had nothing to do with it, or at most, it had only been the icing on the cake.
An hour later, Qingyu climbed out of the tub, his fingers wrinkled from the water.
He dried himself and changed into clean pajamas.
When he left the bathroom, his body felt much lighter.
Then Qingyu noticed Tsunade was still in the living room instead of going to bed.
She sat on the sofa with her legs crossed. Half a bottle of unfinished sake rested on the coffee table in front of her.
Hearing his footsteps, she looked up.
"So, how do you feel? Notice any changes?"
For once, Tsunade didn't use her usual lazy tone. She asked earnestly.
"My body feels a lot lighter, and my muscles don't ache anymore."
Qingyu answered honestly.
"Good. Keep taking the bath tomorrow, too. Stick with it for six months, and you'll see a much bigger difference."
Tsunade nodded with satisfaction, then seemed to remember something and beckoned him over.
"Oh, right. There's something I want to tell you."
Qingyu sat down across from her.
"In a little while, I'm planning to take you to Shikkotsu Forest to form a contract."
Tsunade said.
Before you continue