The Root

Tsunade fell into thought.

She understood what the kid meant.

The reason Genma had asked was the state Tsunade had been in while fighting Edo Madara.

After undoing the Yin Seal, she had used the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Creation Rebirth, allowing her to rapidly recover from any injury—even a pierced heart.

But this state had a drawback: even the smallest wound healed rapidly through accelerated cell division.

This caused two problems: it consumed too much chakra, and the excessive cell division shortened her lifespan.

In other words, she was over-healing!

So why did this happen?

Was it because, in this state, Tsunade couldn't control how much chakra she used?

Clearly, that couldn't be the case.

Genma believed the key lay in the strength of the Yang Release nature transformation involved in Creation Rebirth.

Tsunade couldn't freely adjust the strength of her Yang Release nature transformation, which led to even minor wounds being over-healed and consumed more chakra.

As for Senju Hashirama's seal-less self-healing, Genma suspected it was probably passive.

It stemmed from the Sage Body of the Sage of Six Paths.

It was just like Karin's special constitution. She couldn't control her own abilities, either.

Their Yang Release was naturally fixed at an extremely high level.

Of course, these were only Genma's deductions based on the information he had and his own training.

That was why he had asked Tsunade about it today.

While Tsunade was thinking, Shizune said quietly, "Using Yang Release nature transformation on the level of the Mystical Palm Technique must require chakra of corresponding strength. So why not just use the Mystical Palm Technique directly?"

"Even if the Healing Technique requires less chakra control, wouldn't reaching the same level of Yang Release nature transformation as the Mystical Palm Technique still require the same level of chakra control?"

That was indeed the case, which was why Genma's earlier question had left Shizune baffled. It was completely unreasonable—like taking off your pants to fart.

Genma smiled, then raised his right palm. Green chakra glowed across it. "Shizune, this is Yang Release chakra. In terms of nature transformation, is it any different from yours?"

Shizune felt it carefully, then shook her head.

Genma looked at Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, can you show Yang Release nature transformation stronger than mine in the same way?"

Tsunade looked at Genma differently now. This kid really was unusual.

She had to admit that he had piqued her interest.

"Not at the moment, but I should be able to if you give me some time."

Tsunade had great confidence in herself.

Shizune was a bright child, too. She suddenly exclaimed, "If you can do that, does it mean you'll be able to use the Mystical Palm Technique without Hand Seals?"

Tsunade nodded. "I'll be able to use it without Hand Seals."

But that wasn't the most important part. There was no need to explain it to Shizune just yet; she wasn't ready to understand.

When Genma heard Shizune mention Hand Seals, he immediately thought of Indra and the Creation Seal.

What was the purpose of Hand Seals?

To help shinobi perform ninjutsu more effectively.

And where did that come into play?

Shape transformation and nature transformation!

So Genma's repeated questions to Tsunade were actually aimed at uncovering the essence of strengthening Yang Release nature transformation without Hand Seals.

Just like with Wind Release nature transformation.

Tsunade had grown interested, too. She picked up a scroll from the desk and handed it to Genma. "This is a scroll for the Chakra Scalpel. It doesn't have any further requirements for nature transformation; it mainly involves shape transformation and chakra control."

"Mastering this technique will greatly improve your chakra control."

"As for what you brought up earlier, I'll teach it to you once I've mastered it."

Genma accepted it without hesitation. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade waved him off, then shooed him away. "Go train on your own. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me. Off you go!"

Genma got up, said goodbye, and left.

Then Shizune was sent off to train on her own, and Tsunade took a deep breath and began training for the first time in a long while.

"Tsunade's the strongest medical ninja in the Ninja World right now. Her talent goes without saying. She should be able to figure it out, right?"

After leaving Tsunade's home, Genma glanced back.

He was looking forward to seeing what Tsunade could achieve.

He turned away and hurried home, heading into his study.

He opened the scroll and read it carefully.

The Chakra Scalpel was an A-rank technique, meaning it was Jonin-level.

It was also a ninjutsu that required no Hand Seals.

Just as Tsunade had said, the only difficult parts for him were shape transformation and chakra control.

"This really suits me."

Genma grinned, then threw himself into training with renewed enthusiasm.

Winter gave way to spring. Before he knew it, Konoha's spring break in Year 43 had ended, and Genma had officially become a third-year student at the Ninja Academy.

"You've been hiding a trick from me, huh?"

Genma spat out smoke, his hair standing on end.

He'd been shocked.

Kakashi, standing across from him, didn't look apologetic in the slightest. He argued, "Don't forget, intel warfare is part of being a ninja, too."

He had just mastered Lightning Release nature transformation, so he'd decided to test it out on his friend Genma. It seemed to have worked pretty well, even though he hadn't managed to knock Genma down.

"That's true. In that case..."

Two seconds after he finished speaking, Genma suddenly appeared behind Kakashi and pressed a Kunai to his neck.

Kakashi's scalp tingled, and his body stiffened involuntarily.

Then he watched as the Genma whose hair had been shocked upright went poof and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Shadow Clone?"

"When did you do that?"

Genma put away his Kunai.

It was the first time he had used the Substitution Technique during a spar with Kakashi.

Kakashi turned around. Seeing the marks left on Genma by the Lightning Release attack, he immediately discarded his earlier guess.

The Lightning Release had indeed hit the real one.

So what had happened just now?

A clone and a genjutsu?

Genma smiled without explaining, then waved a hand. "That's enough for today."

"Come to think of it, you've already mastered two nature transformations. Looks like I'll have to work harder if I want to surpass you."

Kakashi snorted. "Who could possibly work harder than you?"

The two most obsessive trainers in their year were Genma and Guy. They made it impossible for Kakashi to take a break, too.

"Besides, you've mastered two nature transformations as well. You just used three genjutsu. I've only mastered one Lightning Release technique."

Kakashi added.

That only made Genma more annoyed. "My genjutsu don't work on you at all."

It was awkward.

Kakashi had seen through all three genjutsu with ease.

The lower limit of genjutsu really was low.

Of course, Kakashi hadn't graduated yet, but his abilities in every area would have made him stand out even among Chunin.

So were low-level genjutsu only good for beating weak opponents?

Seeing his friend's dejected expression, Kakashi thought for a moment, then suggested, "You've got more talent for genjutsu than medical ninjutsu. Why not try developing your own genjutsu?"

Genma raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to develop your own ninjutsu?"

Kakashi's eye twitched. "You... You're way too perceptive!"

Genma had guessed right!

His father was proficient in Lightning Release, but he didn't know many Lightning Release techniques. Instead, he specialized in combining Lightning Release with the Chakra Blade.

So Kakashi had started thinking about developing his own Lightning Release techniques.

More importantly, his father, Hatake Sakumo, had once told him, "What suits you is what works best!"

Hatake Sakumo believed in his son's talent, which was why he had guided him this way.

After all, Kakashi was still young and had plenty of time to experiment.