Sage Mode

In those few short dozen minutes, Tobirama's opinion of Uzumaki Gamu changed several times!

His first impression was of a frivolous man, but he soon recognized the other man's talent for ninjutsu-He's no less gifted than I am!

Then, once Uzumaki Gamu began sparring with his older brother, Tobirama discovered something else-their combat habits were surprisingly alike!

They both liked using shadow clones to feint before chaining together attacks with several different ninjutsu. More importantly, they shared one very similar habit!

Just when their opponent felt certain of victory, they would exploit that moment of carelessness to launch a sudden attack-a tactic Tobirama particularly enjoyed.

Uzumaki Gamu pulled it off effortlessly, too, making Tobirama feel as though this man was his real older brother... They were both so wicked!

After a while, though, he stopped thinking that... At the very least, Tobirama couldn't bring himself to fight using taijutsu like Thousand Years of Death. People would never let him live it down!

That ridiculous behavior made Tobirama revise his impression of Uzumaki Gamu into a blend of himself and Hashirama-his own deviousness combined with his brother's goofiness... And since the Uzumaki and Senju were distant relatives, did that mean... their ancestors had been devious idiots? (Asura Otsutsuki: "Achoo~~ Who's bad-mouthing me?")

Even then, Tobirama's impression of Uzumaki Gamu hadn't quite settled. He heard Uzumaki Gamu openly admit that, to find Mount Myōboku, he had performed the Summoning Technique without any summoning contract-thirty-nine times in succession... All for a Mount Myōboku he could only theoretically reach?

Was this guy insane? Wasn't he afraid that blindly using the Summoning Technique would teleport him into lava, the ocean, or straight into a wall?

Leaving aside the first two, the famous Level 4 esper Ketsuiki Awaki certainly had plenty to say about how unpleasant getting stuck inside a wall could be!

Thirty-nine consecutive attempts-any ordinary person would have died and turned to ashes long ago. Yet this guy was still alive... In a sense, that was impressive, too!

After hearing Uzumaki Gamu's account, Hashirama laughed heartily and slapped him on the back. "Hahaha! That's Gamu for you! Always doing the unexpected!" Whether it was retaliation or not, Hashirama slapped him so hard that it felt as though he might knock Uzumaki Gamu's lungs out.

This guy's still holding a grudge because I jabbed him in the butt... Whatever. That really does hurt. I'll let him slap my back to blow off some steam~

"I don't think 'unexpected' is the word for something like that," Tobirama remarked helplessly.

While the three of them talked, a crowd gathered outside the training grounds. Naturally, leading them were the current Senju clan head, Butsuma Senju, and Uzumaki Gamu's older brother-Genma Daigu!

Their fight had made such a racket and even shaken the ground. There was no way everyone else could ignore what was happening here. Of course they had come to look.

Butsuma patted Daigu's back and said with the easy familiarity of an elder, "Daigu, your little brother's quite strong~" Daigu was already very capable. Who would have thought his younger brother could match Hashirama... The youngsters of this Uzumaki generation really are extraordinary.

"Yes... My brother has already surpassed me!" Daigu said awkwardly. That wasn't the main reason for his embarrassment, though. His younger brother had started fighting their host's eldest son in someone else's home... What would he do if something went wrong?

"Don't sell yourself short. You're already very strong!" Butsuma thought highly of Daigu, so he focused on encouraging him. "Speaking of which, when did your brother get to know my son Hashirama?"

"Well... I've never heard Gamu mention knowing Hashirama... But my brother liked running all over the place three years ago. Maybe they met then?" Their clan lands weren't that far apart. Uzumaki Gamu, who loved roaming around, might have met Hashirama back then... No, that could only have been when they met!

Butsuma also recalled how his son had enjoyed wandering outside their compound three years ago. Only after meeting that inherently evil Uchiha brat had he settled down and focused on training... Perhaps being betrayed by that evil Uchiha brat had unleashed Hashirama's unprecedented potential. His strength was now terrifying compared with others his age... Even Butsuma could barely beat him anymore.

Of course, Hashirama still couldn't match Gamu, but Butsuma believed in his son's talent-he had never seen a child who could compare with Hashirama, not even Gamu! Given time, Hashirama would surely become the strongest person in the Shinobi World!

Of course, he didn't mind Gamu being no weaker than his son. Given the relationship between the Senju and Uzumaki, along with Hashirama and Gamu's own friendship, Gamu would undoubtedly be his son's staunchest ally!

Give those two some time to grow, and before long they would become powerhouses of the Shinobi World. Then... they could fight the final decisive battle against the evil Uchiha!

With those two helping, they would surely defeat the evil Uchiha and drive them from these lands once and for all... At last, he could avenge his father and his children!!! Too many of Butsuma's relatives had died at Uchiha hands. His obsession wasn't without reason!

Naturally, he showed none of these thoughts. He simply patted Daigu's shoulder, told him not to worry, and went off to attend to his own affairs.

Daigu scratched his head in confusion, glanced toward Uzumaki Gamu, then went to find his wife.

Nothing else happened for the moment, and evening soon arrived.

After enjoying the Senju's hospitality, Uzumaki Gamu followed Hashirama back to his room... The two were getting ready for bed!

Now that they were finally alone, they could discuss things they couldn't tell other people.

So Uzumaki Gamu asked, "How's that guy doing?"

"Uh... All right, I suppose. We've run into each other a few times... Everyone's been holding back," Hashirama said helplessly. He clearly didn't want to fight Madara, but he had no choice... The hatred between the Uchiha and Senju ran too deep. It wasn't something the two of them could end just because they wanted to.

That was also why Hashirama trained so hard. He wanted to bring about the future Uzumaki Gamu had described as soon as possible.

"Sigh... Nobody has it easy!" Uzumaki Gamu lamented. If even Hashirama felt this way, the more sensitive Madara was probably suffering even more.

Hashirama's efforts did make sense, so Uzumaki Gamu asked, "Say, Hashirama, are you interested in Sage Mode?"

At the mention of Sage Mode, Hashirama immediately straightened up and stood. "I am... Are you going to teach me?"

"Mm... That Wood Release of yours is your kekkei genkai, right?" Uzumaki Gamu asked.

"Yes... And right now, I'm the only one in the Senju Clan who can use it... Does that make me a mutation?" Hashirama asked curiously.

"No, it's more like a throwback, I think? According to the Toad Sages of Mount Myōboku... one of our ancestors used wood-based ninjutsu, too~" Uzumaki Gamu replied.

"Huh? Who?" Hashirama asked curiously.

"Someone named Asura... Back then, the Senju and Uzumaki hadn't split into separate clans yet. He was our common ancestor. Apparently, he was incredibly strong. He could use Wood Release to create a Buddha statue taller than a mountain, then swing a thousand wooden arms to destroy his enemies... Just imagining it is terrifying~" Uzumaki Gamu spun the information he knew into a story for Hashirama.

"Whoa~~ Our ancestor was amazing!! So... what does that have to do with Sage Mode?" Hashirama asked curiously.

Uzumaki Gamu explained, "People born able to use Wood Release have a special constitution-a sage body. It contains powerful vitality and potential, making them naturally suited to learning Sage Mode... After all, if someone doesn't have a large amount of chakra to begin with, the power of nature can easily consume them."

Hashirama nodded in understanding. "I'm pretty confident in my chakra reserves!" If even he lacked confidence, nobody in this world could claim to have much chakra.

Uzumaki Gamu rolled his eyes at Hashirama. "Easy for you to say when you've hit the jackpot... We may share the same ancestor, but with your sage body, you have far more chakra than I do~" Although both clans were renowned for their chakra reserves, Hashirama was Hashirama, Naruto was Naruto, the Senju were the Senju, and the Uzumaki were the Uzumaki-you couldn't lump them all together! (Nagato also had a special constitution. Otherwise, Madara couldn't have used him to nourish his Rinnegan. Karin, despite also being an Uzumaki, had far less chakra than those overpowered freaks~)

Hashirama scratched his head, playing dumb, then said, "Let's leave that aside for now... How do you train in Sage Mode?"

"First, you need to understand the principle. Put simply, Sage Mode is a state where you use senjutsu chakra to power ninjutsu. Senjutsu chakra is made by absorbing a force called natural energy and combining it with your own physical and spiritual energy, balancing all three in a 1:1:1 ratio. The special chakra formed that way is senjutsu chakra. Since you use Wood Release, you should have some understanding of natural energy, right?"

"Mm... I have sensed something like that... Energy that living things in nature release unconsciously... So that's what it was!" Hashirama seemed to realize something.

Uzumaki Gamu continued, "Don't act like you've suddenly achieved enlightenment. If you don't control natural energy properly, it'll turn on you... Take Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode as an example. Ninjutsu chakra already requires a balance between spiritual and physical energy. You then add natural energy to that foundation and establish a new balance. That's the hardest part of the training. Too little natural energy, and you can't produce senjutsu chakra. Too much, and you'll turn into a toad. In worse cases, you'll turn to stone-the irreversible kind~"

"So great power inevitably brings risks?" Hashirama nodded in understanding.

"Exactly. But you don't need to worry too much. It's a problem you can solve by improving your proficiency. It doesn't happen to me anymore!" Uzumaki Gamu paused, then continued, "You need to remain still to absorb natural energy. So far, nobody has managed to produce senjutsu chakra while moving. So if you want to practice..."

Uzumaki Gamu launched into a lengthy explanation of how to train in Sage Mode and what precautions to take. Hashirama listened quietly... Of course, someone else was quietly listening outside the door-Tobirama.

Sage bodies, Sage Mode, and that 'guy'... So Gamu really is that person, isn't he? Wary of Uzumaki Gamu and worried about his older brother, Tobirama had come to eavesdrop.

Naturally, he made no fuss. He silently committed everything he heard to memory. Cautious as he was, he wouldn't casually share this information. Then he went back to bed.

After Tobirama left, Uzumaki Gamu suddenly said, "Your brother finally left~"

"Ahaha~" Hashirama laughed awkwardly. Both of them had noticed Tobirama eavesdropping from the start! That was why they hadn't used Madara's name!

Hashirama explained, "Tobirama means no harm. He's just... worried about me, I guess?"

Uzumaki Gamu agreed. "True. He keeps his love for his older brother close to his heart~ But... his hatred of Madara is real, too. Still, Tobirama's actually all right. He's not someone who'd sacrifice everything for revenge."

"Mm... Tobirama always sees further ahead than I do. He cares about the future... Maybe he'd make a better clan head!" Hashirama agreed.

"Your brother can't match you in a fight, though... In this era, strength still matters most!" Uzumaki Gamu sighed.

"Yeah... Strength..." Hashirama and Uzumaki Gamu both sighed. Neither was someone who pursued power for its own sake, yet this world forced them to keep growing stronger.

It really was frustrating!

They said little else, simply closing their eyes and going to sleep. After that, Uzumaki Gamu guided Hashirama in learning Sage Mode. In theory, taking him to Mount Myōboku would have been easiest, but Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode clearly wasn't as useful as Hashirama's own version. (Although plenty of people say Hashirama's Sage Mode is connected to Shikkotsu Forest, there's currently no direct evidence. Let's call it fake news for now! Besides, Hashirama could enter his own Sage Mode instantly. That's clearly more useful than the versions from Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave.)

And just like that, his family visit ended. Uzumaki Gamu had to return to the Uzumaki Clan Homeland with the other Uzumaki!

Before leaving, Uzumaki Gamu reminded Hashirama and Tobirama, "Don't rush your Sage Mode training. If something goes wrong, it'll be a real headache!"

"Don't worry about that. I'm incredibly patient!" Hashirama said with a smile. "Still... I feel like this is going to take a long time..."

Hashirama wasn't selling himself short. It really was difficult. Training at Mount Myōboku involved something called toad oil, which accelerated the absorption of natural energy. Only with that aid could someone quickly learn to sense it!

Hashirama, meanwhile... was still learning to sense it. As for when he could begin absorbing natural energy... that depended on his talent~

Then Uzumaki Gamu looked at Tobirama. "Don't lose the Sage Staff I borrowed from Mount Myōboku! Give it back once your brother finishes his training~" To assist Hashirama, Uzumaki Gamu had also borrowed a Sage Staff from Mount Myōboku that could knock natural energy out of someone. That way, even if Hashirama absorbed too much at once, they could promptly expel it and prevent him from transforming!

Of course, Hashirama, who was still learning to sense natural energy, had no use for it yet. But with his talent, it probably... wouldn't take long?

Since Uzumaki Gamu didn't know exactly when that would be, he could only entrust the Sage Staff to Tobirama. After all, he couldn't stay at the Senju Clan Compound forever!

"I will," Tobirama replied calmly.

With everything said, Uzumaki Gamu waved goodbye to the two brothers and returned to his own clan's homeland.

Once home, Uzumaki Gamu returned to his leisurely old life~

"The cool breeze brings its tidings, the autumn moon stretches boundlessly; longing for my beloved makes each day feel like a year... Well, if Hashirama learns Sage Mode now, he really won't need me in a fight anymore. I... might as well settle for being ordinary!" Uzumaki Gamu said, holding his fishing rod during an outing. This trip to the Senju had shown him just how vast the gulf in talent between ordinary people and geniuses could be!

Wasn't comparing himself with those monsters just making life hard for himself? Better to make peace with himself and stop forcing himself to do things he wasn't good at!

Of course, that didn't mean Uzumaki Gamu would stop training entirely... He still intended to travel in the future. He couldn't drag Madara and Hashirama around as his bodyguards, could he? To move freely, he still needed enough strength to protect himself in the Shinobi World!

Watching beside him, Mito asked curiously, "So... who is this Hashirama?" She had come along to fish this time.

Your future husband! Uzumaki Gamu certainly couldn't say that aloud, so he answered, "The Senju's young heir, and my sworn brother. He's incredibly strong~ Well, if you meet him, you might fall for him~"

"...What does he look like, for me to fall for him?" Mito asked curiously.

"As long as he keeps his mouth shut, he's a handsome, elegant young man~" Uzumaki Gamu said.

"And... if he opens his mouth?" Mito followed up.

Uzumaki Gamu thought for a moment. "...A scatterbrain?" The moment Hashirama spoke, he revealed his true nature as a goofball. There really was no helping him~

"..." Mito was speechless. Who would fall for someone like that?

But speak of the devil-just as Uzumaki Gamu mentioned Hashirama, his voice came from afar. "Gamu, are you here?"

Mito instinctively closed her eyes to sense him. "There's... a very powerful chakra signature coming from that direction? It feels so gentle... As warm as the sun?"

Uzumaki Gamu nodded. "Oh~~ Then that should be Hashirama~ But why would he come here?" Could he have come to hang out with me? Uzumaki Gamu couldn't help wondering.

"Oh~~ So that's Hashirama? He does seem interesting~" Mito's expression brightened with interest.

Just then, Hashirama came bounding over.

When Uzumaki Gamu saw him, he asked, "What brings you to our Uzumaki Clan Homeland?"

"Father sent me to return your gifts..." Hashirama stopped halfway through.

What happened? Had an enemy arrived?

No-sparks had flown!

As Hashirama bounded over, his attention had been entirely on Uzumaki Gamu. Then he glanced sideways out of the corner of his eye... And that was it. He couldn't look away. Mito had completely captivated him!

Uzumaki Gamu watched Hashirama stare foolishly at Mito... like a landlord's dim-witted son. Helplessly, he stood, walked over, and waved a hand in front of Hashirama's eyes. "Hey, you're drooling~" Yep, Hashirama had fallen for Mito at first sight.

Uzumaki Gamu inwardly sighed. Those gestures, that expression-it's just like Naruto's reaction to Sakura... I finally see the resemblance between you two reincarnations of Asura~ Was their shared trait being unable to move when they saw a woman they liked?

Well, that was the early-stage symptom. In the later stages, they couldn't move when they saw the man they liked~

Hashirama no longer cared about appearances. He grabbed Uzumaki Gamu's hand and asked, "Say, Gamu, who's this...?"

"My younger sister. Mito Uzumaki~" Uzumaki Gamu introduced her.

Mito confidently extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Mito Uzumaki... I've heard about you from my second brother."

"Mm... I'm Hashirama... Um, Miss Mito, well... this... I..." Hashirama froze. After stumbling for a long while, he suddenly asked, "Miss Mito, is there someone you like?" At least Hashirama had courage, directly asking whether she liked anyone... Much better than a certain someone who didn't dare confess to the girl he liked!

Mito looked at Uzumaki Gamu, her eyes full of bewilderment. This is the handsome man you said looks good when he's still? Who asks whether someone has a crush the moment they meet?

"Well, he's not exactly being still now~" Uzumaki Gamu replied.

Speechless, Mito said, "I'll head back first. You two take your time talking!" With that, she returned to the clan homeland.

Uzumaki Gamu and Hashirama simply watched Mito leave.

Uzumaki Gamu tapped Hashirama's forehead. "Uh... My sister's gone."

"Oh~~" Although Mito had already left, Hashirama kept looking in the direction she had disappeared. "Gamu... Your sister's so pretty~"

"Yes, I agree, but could you show a little dignity? You've left a terrible first impression on her!" Uzumaki Gamu said, exasperated.

Blushing, Hashirama said, "Sorry... I... think I'm in love." Thirteen was precisely the age when first love began to bloom.

But... didn't you like Madara anymore?

Well, what he shared with Madara was brotherly friendship. His true love would obviously still be a woman~

Uzumaki Gamu said, "How should I put it? It's pretty normal to fall in love when you see my sister, so... could you stop hanging off me?" Hashirama was clinging to Gamu as though he were Mito.

Hashirama grinned foolishly. "Don't say that~~ Tell me... what should we name our children?" When he had seen Mito just now, Hashirama had already imagined their children.

"How about Wood Golem?" Uzumaki Gamu snapped, then chopped Hashirama on the head with the edge of his hand. "My sister's only eleven, and you're already thinking about children?"

"Well... There's nothing wrong with thinking ahead, is there?" Hashirama said, scratching his head.

"That's far too early..." Uzumaki Gamu said, speechless. "The best age for women to have children is between twenty-three and thirty. Their physical functions are at their peak then, and they're mentally mature, which benefits fetal development. Having children too early is bad for both the child and the mother's body~"

"Huh? Is that really a thing?" Hashirama asked in confusion. In this era, people generally had children as soon as they were able. Who waited until twenty-three?

Incidentally, Uzumaki Gamu had learned yesterday that his sister-in-law was pregnant. In another eight months, he would become an uncle.

"It's not a saying. It's science... Anyway, why did you come to our Uzumaki Clan Homeland? Don't tell me you've learned Sage Mode?" Uzumaki Gamu asked curiously.

"That's still a long way off." Hashirama continued scratching his head sheepishly, then said, "Father ordered me to come to the Uzumaki Clan Homeland with gifts in return~" When Daigu had visited the Senju relatives earlier, he had brought plenty of things. Etiquette required reciprocation-especially since Uzumaki Gamu had also taught Hashirama Sage Mode. Although Hashirama hadn't mastered it yet, freely sharing such an incredible skill with another shinobi clan was a tremendous favor that had to be repaid.

And so Hashirama had brought the gifts his father prepared, along with an entourage, to return the favor!