Deception and Trickery

"I don't have any clansmen. My family is all dead." The boy still watched Tsunade and Shizune warily.

To Tsunade, every trace of the boy's wariness felt like a slow torture to her heart.

In him, she seemed to see Nawaki's shadow once more.

"I really..."

Just as Tsunade was about to explain in detail, the ground around them suddenly began to churn. Roots burst from the earth, then gathered together to form a ten-meter-tall Wood Human.

Tsunade revealed a look of surprise. Was this boy's talent really so good?

He had actually mastered Wood Release: Wood Human Technique so quickly.

Tsunade removed the green crystal pendant hanging around her neck and tossed it directly to the boy.

"Can you feel it? The life force contained within this pendant."

The boy caught the pendant and indeed sensed an aura that shared the same origin as his own.

This boy was naturally Uchiha Huan's Clone Technique.

And he remembered very clearly that this pendant concealed a super weapon.

As long as Tsunade crushed the crystal pendant, it could unleash a super Wood Release capable of instantly suppressing the complete Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Huan's gaze flickered. Tsunade seemed to sense the boy's hesitation and said, "This pendant is yours."

"Thank you..."

"What's your name?"

"I forgot."

Tsunade looked at Uchiha Huan and thought for a moment. Perhaps the tragic deaths of his family and the destruction of his home had traumatized him too deeply.

"How about coming with me?"

Tsunade noticed that the boy's suspicion toward her had not completely faded.

It seemed that Konoha's ninjas had made him deeply resentful and resistant. He now remained wary of everyone.

"Are you a ninja?"

"Yes."

"Can you teach me ninjutsu?"

"I can."

After several days of contact, the boy finally stopped being so resistant toward Tsunade.

"Your physique is even stronger than I imagined. But that isn't strange. We of the Senju Clan are born with exceptionally powerful bodies." Tsunade's eyes shone. This boy's talent might rival that of her grandfather. "I can't offer you much help in developing Wood Release, but I can teach you Senju Monstrous Strength."

Uchiha Huan looked at Tsunade with hopeful eyes. This was one of the reasons he had approached her.

Tsunade could shatter an entire street with one punch, while Hashirama Senju could punch the Nine-Tails into a vegetative state. That was the Senju Clan's Monstrous Strength.

Part of it came from the Senju Clan's naturally powerful vitality and Bloodline Power, while the rest naturally came from their special training methods.

Tsunade and Shizune did not know that Uchiha Huan's true body was staying in the room next to theirs at this inn.

Since training Monstrous Strength was physical training, it could not be handled by a Clone Technique.

So Uchiha Huan needed to train immediately, then secretly switch out the clone afterward.

After training for half a month, Uchiha Huan could clearly feel his physique growing stronger. Most importantly, this Monstrous Strength training method had also stirred the Senju bloodline within him.

The two should complement each other. The Senju bloodline gave the body powerful vitality and strength, making Monstrous Strength even more terrifying. Likewise, the Monstrous Strength training method made the Senju bloodline stronger.

"Huan, let's head outside town. Let me see how well you've mastered Monstrous Strength."

Uchiha Huan followed Tsunade and Shizune out of town.

"Attack with all your strength... Wait... Don't use Wood Release."

Uchiha Huan nodded. Bloodline Power erupted from his body, and a red wave of energy rippled outward.

The next instant, Uchiha Huan had already charged toward Tsunade with his fist raised.

Bang—

Tsunade raised her fist to meet his. Their fists collided, sending a burst of force sweeping outward.

"Not bad strength, but it's still not enough!" Tsunade's power suddenly increased.

Bang—

Tsunade's fist force burst forth, sending Uchiha Huan flying dozens of meters away. His right arm went slightly numb and swollen with pain.

The next moment, Tsunade slammed a fist into the ground.

Rumble—

The earth shattered, and a surge of force spread through the ground toward Uchiha Huan's feet.

Uchiha Huan hurriedly leaped away, but Tsunade had already appeared before him, her fist swinging toward his head.

Uchiha Huan immediately crossed his Twin Arms before his head to block.

But Tsunade was not aiming for Uchiha Huan's head. Her fist instead smashed into his abdomen.

Uchiha Huan was blasted away again.

He had already gone all out, but Tsunade might not have used even one-tenth of her strength.

If Tsunade's strength were placed in the Douluo World, she would definitely be at Title Rank, and a power-type Title Douluo at that.

Even Tang Hao's strength might not surpass Tsunade's.

Uchiha Huan's current strength was at least at the level of a power-type Soul Ancestor.

Yet every movement he made was completely transparent before Tsunade.

After fighting for more than ten minutes, Uchiha Huan had taken dozens of punches.

"Alright, that's enough for today. By the way, do you want to cultivate Sage Art?"

Uchiha Huan froze. This was not part of his plan.

His original plan had been to learn the Monstrous Strength training method and the Yin Seal technique.

But Tsunade's words immediately filled him with wild joy.

Still, Uchiha Huan put on a confused expression.

"What is Sage Art?"

"You'll find out when the time comes."

Tsunade pressed both palms to the ground. "Summon. Summoning Scroll."

Bang—

After the smoke cleared, a huge scroll half the height of a person appeared before Tsunade.

Tsunade then tossed the scroll directly into Uchiha Huan's arms.

The Summoning Scroll was extremely heavy. Even with Uchiha Huan's physique, he nearly lost his footing.

"To cultivate Sage Art, you need Katsuyu's recognition. Don't try it lightly until you are prepared."

"Ah... Lady Tsunade, then this scroll..."

"This is the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Scroll. From now on, you are the holder of the Shikkotsu Forest scroll. Pass it on to your disciple in the future."

Uchiha Huan happily put away the Summoning Scroll.

After returning to the inn, Uchiha Huan began studying the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Scroll.

Should he go there as a clone? Or should his true body go?

The master of Shikkotsu Forest, the Slug Sage, would not keep his secret for him.

If the Slug Sage learned his identity, she would most likely tell Tsunade who he really was.

But his clone seemed unable to form a contract, and the first contract would definitely teleport him to Shikkotsu Forest.

That left Uchiha Huan in a dilemma.

The Sage Arts of the Three Sacred Lands each had their own differences.

If one failed to absorb the Sage Art of Ryūchi Cave, the Three Snake Princesses would directly devour the failed cultivator.

But the Three Snake Princesses all treated humans as snacks. Even if someone succeeded, they would still consider them a failure.

If one failed at Mount Myoboku's Sage Art, they would turn to stone or become a toad. Even with low compatibility, toad-like traits would appear on their body.

As for Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Art, failure would cause Sage Art to corrode the body, perhaps even dissolve it outright.

Why had Tsunade failed to cultivate Sage Art?

She most likely did not want to turn herself into an ugly monster through Sage Art cultivation, so she had never tried it at all.

Still, among the Three Sacred Lands, only the Slug Sage was easy to talk to.

The White Snake Sage and the Toad Sage—one liked eating people and gambling, while the other was busy investing in the Child of Destiny.

Only the Slug Sage was a true homebody, indifferent to everything and content to stay in Shikkotsu Forest. Her personality was also exceptionally good.

Uchiha Huan would never give up cultivating Sage Art.

If I'm exposed, I'm exposed...

So Uchiha Huan opened the Summoning Scroll. On it, he saw ancestors of the Senju Clan, including the names of Hashirama Senju and Tsunade.

Summoning Technique. Contract. Seal!

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