Mastering Wood Release

Uchiha Ying Yue, standing at the center of the storm in Konoha, was unaware that his information had been repeatedly discussed on the desks of Konoha's high-ranking officials, or that it had even become a hot topic at the clan meetings of Konoha's major families.

However, even if Ying Yue had known all of this, he would not have cared in the slightest.

For Uchiha Ying Yue, these external evaluations and discussions could not shake his inner resolve.

Ying Yue focused on his own goals and pursuits, refusing to be swayed by the opinions of others.

In Ying Yue's view, only through his own efforts and strength could he establish a foothold in the chaotic ninja world; therefore, he would continue to move forward, constantly improving himself.

Recently, Uchiha Ying Yue had been continuously testing his Wood Release abilities and properties, and he was surprised to discover that his Wood Release differed significantly from that of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

First, there was a clear discrepancy in power; Ying Yue could distinctly feel that the Wood Release techniques he could perform were far inferior to those of Senju Hashirama in terms of raw might.

When Ying Yue attempted to use techniques such as "Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence," he found he was completely unable to manifest them.

After several attempts, Ying Yue discovered that he could, at most, create a large number of sturdy trees and vines to bind enemies or form barriers, yet the growth rate and aggression of these trees were nowhere near as terrifying as those demonstrated by Senju Hashirama.

This made Ying Yue realize that although he had mastered Wood Release, the limits of this power were far removed from those of the First Hokage.

Secondly, the chakra-absorbing properties of his Wood Release were also different.

According to the legends of Senju Hashirama, his Wood Release could rapidly absorb an enemy's chakra upon contact, even to the point of draining them to death.

However, Ying Yue found that while his Wood Release possessed the property of chakra absorption, the speed was disappointingly slow.

Uchiha Ying Yue attempted to use vines to entangle a target and absorb their chakra through his Wood Release.

Yet, the absorption process was exceptionally slow, one might even call it "gentle."

With Ying Yue's current ability, even against a Genin, it would take at least ten minutes or more to drain them to death via chakra absorption, and that was assuming the opponent offered no resistance at all.

Ying Yue frowned in thought; such Wood Release capabilities were clearly far from the terrifying level of Senju Hashirama.

Ying Yue could not help but begin to wonder if he had only mastered a fraction of the Wood Release's potential, or if his current chakra reserves and control were insufficient to fully unleash the true power of the technique.

Ying Yue speculated repeatedly in his mind that the reason Senju Hashirama could wield Wood Release to such a terrifying degree might not only be due to the inherent power of the Wood Release itself, but also because Senju Hashirama possessed vast chakra reserves and a profound mastery over natural energy.

Ying Yue realized that the limited power of his current Wood Release might be related to his chakra storage, his control, and even his understanding and application of natural energy.

Uchiha Ying Yue continued to test his Wood Release abilities at the training ground; although he could now skillfully manipulate trees and vines, both their power and their chakra-absorbing capabilities were far from the strength he had imagined.

After many attempts, Ying Yue realized that his current Wood Release ability had reached, at most, a level comparable to Yamato, and compared to the earth-shaking power of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the gap remained immense.

Unwilling to accept this, Ying Yue decided to seek answers from the system.

"System, why is my Wood Release not as powerful as Senju Hashirama's, and why is even the property of absorbing chakra so weak?" Ying Yue asked in his heart, his tone laced with confusion and unease.

A moment later, the system's response echoed in his mind:

[Host, it is because your Sage Body is too weak compared to Senju Hashirama's. As the reincarnation of Asura's chakra, Senju Hashirama possesses a near-perfect Sage Body. The strength of the Sage Body directly affects the power and properties of Wood Release. For the host to achieve Wood Release capabilities like those of Senju Hashirama, you need to reach at least 80% Sage Body.]

Upon hearing this answer, Ying Yue immediately understood much more.

Ying Yue knew that the Sage Body was not merely a matter of simple physique; it involved the quality of chakra, the absorption and application of natural energy, and even the strength of one's overall life force.

The reason Senju Hashirama's Wood Release was so powerful was precisely because his Sage Body was nearly perfect, allowing him to maximize the potential of Wood Release.

However, his own current Sage Body was clearly far from sufficient, which directly resulted in the limitations of his Wood Release abilities.

Subsequently, Uchiha Ying Yue stood in a corner of the training ground and silently opened the system's attribute panel.

Ying Yue carefully observed his various statistics, his heart filled with contemplation and anticipation.

[Character: Uchiha Ying Yue]

[Identity: Ninja Academy Student]

[Bloodline: Senju Clan, Uchiha Clan]

[Kekkei Genkai: Sage Body 21%, Sharingan (Unawakened), Eye Power 66%, Wood Release]

[Chakra: 1500 (1.5 Kakashi)]

[Special Ability: Ninja World Dance King]

[Ninjutsu: Three Basic Jutsu, Body Flicker Technique, Uchiha Style Taijutsu, Uchiha Style Shurikenjutsu]

[Destiny Value: 2260]

Ying Yue's gaze swept over the various attributes, and especially in the Kekkei Genkai section, he discovered some gratifying changes.

First, Ying Yue noticed that his Sage Body attribute had increased from 20% to 21%.

Although it was only a 1% increase, this was a positive signal for improving the power of his Wood Release and the quality of his chakra.

Every point of increase in the Sage Body meant he was one step closer to the peak represented by Senju Hashirama.

Secondly, the eye power of his Sharingan had also increased from the previous 60% to 66%.

Although the Sharingan had yet to awaken, this indicated that his Uchiha bloodline was constantly awakening, and the future opening of the Sharingan might bring a massive increase in power.

What comforted Ying Yue the most was that Wood Release had stably appeared on the Kekkei Genkai panel.

This meant he officially possessed this legendary ability; although its current power could not be mentioned in the same breath as the First Hokage, he knew that as his Sage Body further strengthened, the potential of Wood Release would be gradually unleashed.

The increase in chakra also surprised Ying Yue. Previously, his chakra was only 1000 points (1 Kakashi), but now it had risen to 1500 points (1.5 Kakashi).

The increase in chakra reserves not only improved his endurance in battle but also meant he could perform more powerful ninjutsu.

The [Ninja World Dance King] ability, inherited from Uchiha Madara, is one of the combat techniques Ying Yue relies on most.

With the accumulation of practical experience, he has gradually become more and more proficient in using this ability; the improvements in his reaction speed, dynamic vision, and combat awareness have all allowed him to occupy an absolute advantage in battle.

What Ying Yue particularly noticed was that his Destiny points had actually increased by more than 1,000 in a short period of time, which left him quite surprised.

He recalled that he hadn't deliberately set out to complete any special missions or challenges recently, so this sudden growth in Destiny points might be related to his reputation.

"Could it be because of my performance at the Ninja Academy?"