The candle flames inside the tent suddenly flickered. The golden sphere of light hovering above Hashirama's palm abruptly contracted into countless tiny motes, swirling around Tsunade like a swarm of fireflies on a summer night.
Neji's Byakugan clearly saw those motes seep into Tsunade's brow along some profound trajectory, completely erasing the cracks in her soul.
"All Creation is not merely a healing technique. It possesses the power of creation, and what it creates depends entirely on the caster's understanding!"
Hashirama's voice was low and ethereal, as though it had come from somewhere far away. "Life and death are simply two sides of the same whole."
Neji looked at him with partial understanding, but Hashirama offered no explanation.
His hands formed the Tiger seal, and gnarled roots suddenly sprouted from the wooden floor, intertwining beneath Tsunade to form a lotus-shaped altar.
Fine runes emerged across the roots' surfaces, echoing the floating motes as they traced the image of yin and yang fish in the air.
Neji's pupils contracted slightly—he sensed the aura of the Way! Hashirama's understanding of natural energy had actually reached the level of rules.
He saw the wounds deep within Tsunade's soul being repaired by a force beyond chakra's very nature, while her previously dim chakra pathways regained their radiance at a visible pace.
"So that's how it is..." Hashirama suddenly opened his eyes, emerald light flowing within them. "The ultimate form of Yang Release is creation—and balance."
When the final mote sank into the Yin Seal on Tsunade's forehead, the entire tent stirred despite the absence of wind.
The floating yin-yang symbol suddenly collapsed into a single point of golden light, which burst into a pale golden ripple over Tsunade's heart. Her pale fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.
"She's waking up!"
Hashirama let out a long breath,