The Spring Water of Shikkotsu Forest

This was a forest, yet its trees were unlike any Kazemori Masaki had ever seen. They had no leaves, only bare branches, and their surfaces bore a pale sheen. At a glance, they looked like bleached bones, making for a truly chilling sight.

Moisture hung in the air, though he had no idea where it came from. Kazemori Masaki took a gentle breath and found it remarkably fresh, as though both his body and mind had grown more comfortable. At the same time, he could sense that the Natural Energy here was exceptionally active. Even without any effort on his part, it rushed into his body.

Fortunately, Kazemori Masaki came to his senses in time and consciously controlled the influx of Natural Energy, preventing an overload. This strange phenomenon also made him realize that this was Shikkotsu Forest, one of the places where Senjutsu was passed down.

"Whew, it's been ages since I last came here. It hasn't changed a bit." Hashirama's nostalgic voice came from beside him. Kazemori Masaki turned and saw him stroking one of the trees.

"Lord Hashirama, is this..."

"Yes, this is Shikkotsu Forest. Not quite what you imagined, is it?" Hashirama smiled. "After all, the Slug Sage isn't the same species as us, so naturally, the environment here isn't suited for ordinary people to live in. But don't worry. Follow me, and you won't run into any danger."

Kazemori Masaki nodded slightly, then followed Hashirama forward. There were paths here that ordinary people could walk along, presumably provided for those seeking to learn Senjutsu. Everywhere else lay an endless expanse of trees and pools of every size. According to Hashirama, some pools had accumulated over the long years in Shikkotsu Forest. They contained abundant natural energy and could heal the body. Others, however, contained the Slug Sage's acid. One careless step into those could cost a person their life.

Kazemori Masaki listened to Hashirama as he continued following him, slowly sweeping his gaze around. He could already sense the presence of Natural Energy clearly. In his sensory vision, everything around him shone with intense light, its brightness reflecting the concentration of Natural Energy. He had never seen anywhere in the Konoha Ninja Village with a glow that could compare.

Since this was a place where Senjutsu was passed down, it had probably gathered a considerable amount of Natural Energy, Kazemori Masaki thought. He could not help recalling the sacred grottoes and blessed lands spoken of in another world. To him, these places of Senjutsu inheritance were precisely such blessed lands. No wonder the sages lived here rather than elsewhere in the shinobi world. Where else could be as comfortable as this?

Just then, Hashirama stopped. They had reached their destination. Standing behind him, Kazemori Masaki looked ahead and saw an enormous pool. Its water was exceptionally clear, and a fresh scent drifted from it. In Kazemori Masaki's perception, the light within the pool was dazzling beyond compare, the brightest he had seen so far.

"You've finally arrived, Lord Hashirama." A small slug slowly crawled out. She appeared to have been waiting here for some time. Looking up at Kazemori Masaki, she asked, "Lord Hashirama, is this the gentleman who needs to use it?"

Hashirama nodded with a smile and said, "Sorry for the trouble." Then he turned to Kazemori Masaki. "Masaki, this is what I told you about. This spring water is produced by the unique environment of Shikkotsu Forest. On one hand, it attracts natural energy and assists with Senjutsu training. On the other, it promotes physical development and strengthens the body."

It was very similar to Mount Myōboku's toad oil, but that second effect was something toad oil lacked. Kazemori Masaki asked, "In other words, as long as I drink this, my constitution will gradually improve?"

"Yes, this Spring Water is extremely effective. If it didn't attract Natural Energy, I would have brought every member of my clan here long ago," Hashirama said. "Unfortunately, not everyone is suited to controlling Natural Energy. Letting them drink it directly would be too dangerous, so we have to take the spring water away from here. Once it leaves Shikkotsu Forest's environment, its effects diminish greatly. After we process it using a special method, it becomes our Senju Clan's secret training medicine."

Then Hashirama reached out and patted Kazemori Masaki's shoulder, smiling. "But you've already learned to control Natural Energy, so drinking it directly won't be a problem. Just be careful not to drink too much. About one bowl will do. If you drink too much, Natural Energy will come rushing into your body. Lose control for even a moment, and you're done for."

"Ah! Lord Hashirama, can Lord Kazemori control Natural Energy too?" the little slug exclaimed in surprise. She had not expected the young man before her to be capable of using Natural Energy.

"Like me, this kid started attracting Natural Energy without even knowing when it began," Hashirama told her. "I've been teaching him how to control it lately. How should I put it? He's already quite skilled now, but his body is a little weak, so he can't advance any further. That's why we need this Spring Water."

The little slug was astonished. Training in Sage Art was extraordinarily difficult, and scarcely anyone had mastered them over the past thousand years—even with instruction at a place where Senjutsu was passed down. As for people like Hashirama, who could adapt to Natural Energy on their own, the Slug Sage remembered only three, including him. Yet now another had appeared, and he was not even descended from the Sage of Six Paths of a thousand years ago. He was merely an ordinary person.

Incredible. In terms of aptitude for Sage Art alone, this young man might even surpass Lord Hashirama, the little slug thought. She knew that Hashirama's ability to adapt to Natural Energy owed much to the Sage Body inherited from his ancestors. Kazemori Masaki, however, had inherited nothing of the sort, yet he could still attract Natural Energy without ever visiting a place where Senjutsu was passed down.

Suppressing her shock, the little slug pushed out a stone bowl and said to Kazemori Masaki, "Lord Kazemori, please use this to drink the Spring Water. Just as Lord Hashirama said, you only need one bowl, once a day. That way, your constitution will gradually improve, allowing you to adapt to Natural Energy more easily."

"Thank you," Kazemori Masaki said. He stepped forward, picked up the bowl, and walked to the pool to fill it. After staring at the bowl for a moment, he steeled himself and drank it all in one go.

The spring water tasted sweet and refreshingly cold, as though a cool sensation were gradually seeping into his body. Kazemori Masaki sensed the surrounding "light" stirring, then rushing into him as though drawn by some force.

Kazemori Masaki calmed his mind and focused, slowly controlling the natural energy entering his body. He blended it with his own chakra to form senjutsu chakra, and sage markings gradually spread across his body. This time, they spread unexpectedly fast. Fortunately, Kazemori Masaki had plenty of experience, and under his careful control, nothing went wrong.

Watching Kazemori Masaki, the little slug inwardly gasped. He truly had mastered Sage Mode, and its form was completely different from those of the three places where Senjutsu was passed down. It even differed somewhat from Hashirama's Sage Mode. Although Hashirama had already told her about it, seeing it with her own eyes was far more startling.

Seeing Kazemori Masaki's composure, Hashirama breathed a silent sigh of relief. He had believed that Masaki's skill should be enough to handle the effects of one bowl of spring water, but he had still worried that things might not go as expected. Now it seemed that Kazemori Masaki could indeed manage it.

Once that "side effect" had been handled perfectly, the other benefit of the spring water—the one Kazemori Masaki needed—would slowly begin to manifest. Although he did not immediately feel his constitution improving, in Sage Mode he could sense subtle, indescribable changes within his body. Those changes were undoubtedly for the better.

Kazemori Masaki felt a flicker of excitement. If he kept drinking it over time, his constitution would surely grow stronger, and his chakra would increase along with it. Then his command of sage arts would improve as well. Perhaps he could even reach an entirely new stage.

(End of chapter)