A Double Bloodline Start, Root Delivers an Experience Pack

A Double Bloodline Start, Root Delivers an Experience Pack

After Team Seven left the Land of Waves, the return journey was noticeably easier.

Naruto carried the luggage at the front, arguing with Sasuke the entire way about whether he had played any role inside the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.

"If I hadn't drawn that guy's attention, Sasuke would've been turned into a pincushion long ago."

Sasuke said coldly, "You just took the most hits."

"Taking hits is a tactic too!"

Sakura Haruno raised a hand to her forehead, no longer wanting to join this meaningless argument.

Chenshu Senju walked at the back of the group and opened the system interface.

Sixty-eight normal draws and one rare draw.

The battle in the Land of Waves was over, and he now had enough time to process the rewards. There was little point in saving them any longer.

"Sixty draws."

[Draw successful. Obtained Chakra Capacity Enhancement.]

[Draw successful. Obtained Wood-Style Chakra Enhancement.]

[Draw successful. Obtained Sage Body Fragment.]

[Draw successful. Obtained Basic Genjutsu Resistance.]

One prompt after another rang out in his mind.

When the sixth ten-draw ended, a surge of heat far greater than anything before suddenly flooded into Chenshu Senju's body.

His blood flowed noticeably faster, and his already immense chakra increased once again.

[Sage Body Fragment fusion progress has reached 100%.]

[Obtained complete Sage Body.]

[Vitality, chakra capacity, and recovery ability greatly increased.]

[Wood Style power has received a permanent enhancement.]

Chenshu Senju's steps paused slightly.

The chakra within him was recovering on its own, several times faster than before.

At his current level, even if he used Wood Style continuously, it would be difficult to truly drain himself dry.

If an ordinary jonin tried to outlast him, they would probably exhaust themselves to death.

"Use the rare draw."

[Draw successful.]

[Obtained rare bloodline limit: One-Tomoe Sharingan.]

A faint sting came from his eyes.

Chenshu Senju closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his black pupils had turned scarlet, a single tomoe slowly rotating within them.

Everything around him slowed down.

Naruto's stepping foot, Kakashi's fingers turning a page, even the path of leaves falling from the branches—all of it became incomparably clear.

Wood Style was responsible for attack and defense, while the Sharingan could track movements and copy ordinary ninjutsu.

Starting with two bloodline limits.

If the ancestors of the Senju Clan saw this, they would probably fall silent for a while too.

"Your eyes..."

Sasuke suddenly stopped, staring fixedly at Chenshu Senju.

Chenshu Senju deactivated his Sharingan, and the scarlet quickly faded. "I only learned it recently."

"The Sharingan is the bloodline limit of the Uchiha Clan. How could you possibly learn it?"

"Maybe after seeing you use it, I suddenly figured it out."

Sasuke: ...

Even Kakashi's hand holding the book paused.

That explanation could no longer be described as merely ridiculous.

If he had not seen that tomoe with his own eyes, he might have suspected Chenshu Senju had simply put on a pair of red contact lenses.

Several days later, Team Seven returned to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Before they could hand in their mission, an Anbu appeared in front of the Hokage Building.

"Chenshu Senju, the Hokage wishes to see you."

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage set down his pipe with a gentle smile on his face.

"You did very well on the Land of Waves mission."

"If this is about the mission reward, you can just tell me how much it is."

The Third Hokage's smile faltered. "Young people should not only focus on immediate rewards. You are a descendant of the Senju Clan and have awakened Wood Style. In the future, you will surely become one of the village's pillars."

Chenshu Senju understood.

The familiar process of selling dreams.

First came talk of the future, then responsibility, and finally the hope that he would contribute willingly. The whole point was getting people to work without paying them.

"So, what about the reward?"

The Third Hokage coughed lightly and took a pass from the drawer. "You may enter the Scroll of Seals reading room and choose two basic ninjutsu."

"Only basic ninjutsu?"

"Advanced ninjutsu requires merit."

Chenshu Senju accepted the pass and asked seriously, "Then where exactly is the emphasis in that 'special cultivation' you just mentioned?"

The Third Hokage fell silent.

The atmosphere in the office suddenly became somewhat awkward.

After being Hokage for so many years, this was the first time he had encountered someone who asked to his face just how big the dream he was selling was.

"Young man, don't be impatient."

"Understood. The pie isn't done baking yet."

Third Hokage: ...

After leaving the Hokage Building, Chenshu Senju did not immediately return home.

A ninja wearing a white mask emerged from the mouth of an alley and blocked his path.

"Lord Danzo thinks highly of you."

"And then?"

"Root can provide what the Hokage cannot. Join Root, and you will receive training best suited for a Wood Style ninja."

Chenshu Senju sized him up. "Including the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal?"

The masked ninja's presence shifted slightly.

"You know about Root's seal?"

"I don't. I was just guessing."

"..."

Chenshu Senju walked past him and headed straight for his residence.

"Go tell Danzo that if he truly wants to recruit me, he should come himself. Sending someone who does not even dare show his face isn't sincere enough."

The masked ninja remained where he was and did not stop him.

Deep within the Root base, Danzo quickly received the reply.

"Rejecting me?"

He pressed one hand against his cane, his right eye narrowing slightly. "Uncontrolled Wood Style will only become a destabilizing factor for the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Arrange an attack."

"Make him understand that aside from Root, no one can protect him."

Late that night.

Three masked figures silently approached the Senju residence.

The first person vaulted over the courtyard wall. Before he could land, the earth beneath his feet suddenly split apart.

Dozens of wooden spikes shot into the sky, instantly sealing off every route of escape.

"An ambush!"

The Root ninja drew his short blade. He had only just cut through two wooden spikes when his arm went numb.

The spikes were poisoned.

The second person swiftly formed hand seals, but a Wood Locking Wall rose within the courtyard, completely trapping all three of them inside.

Inside the room, Chenshu Senju sat by the bed with eight normal draws remaining in his hand.

The system prompt rang out at just that moment.

[Draw successful.]

[Obtained epic reward: Flying Thunder God Technique Fragment.]

Chenshu Senju looked at the three Root ninjas in the courtyard, the corners of his lips rising slightly.

Draws required attempts.

Attempts required opponents.

That old bastard Danzo seemed far more generous than the Third Hokage.