The light bulb overhead cast a dim yellow glow. Tsunade solemnly took out a huge scroll over a meter long and said very seriously:
"This is the Summoning Scroll of the Slug Clan of Shikkotsu Forest. If you want to enter Shikkotsu Forest and meet the Katsuyu Sage, you must sign a Summoning Contract with Shikkotsu Forest."
Naoki Senju took the Summoning Scroll and carefully unrolled it. To his surprise, the first contractor listed on its opening page was not a member of the Senju Clan. Only at the fifth contractor did a Senju Clan name appear, and every name after that belonged to a Senju.
It was not until the twenty-seventh contractor that Naoki Senju finally came across a few familiar names: Butsuma Senju, Hashirama Senju, and, at the very end, Tsunade.
Looks like the Senju Clan's ancestors also understood how confiscating fortunes and exterminating clans could make you rich, Naoki Senju thought to himself.
"Write your name on it in blood, then leave the fingerprints of one hand, and the contract will be complete. The summoning hand seals are Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram. If you want to strengthen the summoning formula and summon a more powerful beast, you can use blood to help," Tsunade reminded him from beside him.
Naoki Senju nodded, then bit the tip of his thumb without hesitation and wrote his name after Tsunade's. He touched his thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger to the blood one by one, then pressed down all five fingerprints.
Tsunade took back the Summoning Scroll and glanced over it. After confirming nothing was missing, she instructed him:
"Try the Summoning Technique now. Remember to control your chakra. Don't summon too large a slug, or you might accidentally destroy the hideout, and Orochimaru will start nagging again."
As she spoke, Tsunade found it increasingly strange. Having to control his chakra output when using the Summoning Technique to keep it from being too powerful-Naoki Senju had to be one of a kind. Everyone else wished their Summoning Technique could be stronger, and stronger still.
Naoki Senju was also afraid of accidentally destroying the hideout. The thought of Orochimaru constantly watching him from the shadows with those cold eyes afterward sent a chill down his spine.
"I understand. I'll be careful."
With that, he began forming hand seals.
Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram.
"Summoning Technique!"
As Naoki Senju's palm touched the ground, a thick cloud of white smoke appeared. Before it could clear, a gigantic body appeared in the room. Caught off guard, Naoki Senju and Tsunade were shoved straight against the wall. Not a single piece of furniture escaped either; everything was crushed up against the walls.
Because of where he stood, Naoki Senju was pushed against the wall first, with his back to it. Tsunade suffered the same fate, but unlike him, she was facing the wall-and happened to be in exactly the same spot as Naoki Senju.
The two were thus squeezed together face-to-face. Tsunade's voluptuous, soft body, beguilingly supple as though boneless, crashed into Naoki's arms, and her faint natural fragrance drifted into his nose.
Though Tsunade was still an inexperienced "maiden," she was the Shinobi World's foremost medical-nin. Her lovely face instantly flushed red.
"Naoki, you..."
Naoki Senju gave her an awkward but polite smile. But men could only control their silver tongues.
"It's all because you're just too beautiful, Sister Tsunade. With a beauty like you in my arms..." He even winked at her afterward.
A flash of inspiration struck Tsunade, and she immediately snapped:
"Katsuyu, split into something smaller! We're still inside a room!"
Only then did the slow-to-react Katsuyu realize what had happened. She cried out, "Ah! Lady Tsunade, I'll shrink right away!"
The slug occupying the entire room split in two. One half vanished in a puff of white smoke, returning to Shikkotsu Forest.
The space instantly opened up. Tsunade hurried several steps back, breathing deeply, and her racing heart returned to normal.
"Coincidence. It was all a coincidence."
Tsunade comforted herself, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the culprit. At the sight of that bulge, her phoenix eyes could not help glaring at Naoki Senju.
Pah, what a little lecher.
Tsunade silently cursed him, but her beautiful eyes were practically brimming with moisture. She looked alluring, full of charm, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Fortunately, although Orochimaru's hideout was shabby, its construction and soundproofing were excellent. Even Shizune next door had heard nothing. Otherwise, Tsunade might have spent the next several days avoiding Naoki Senju.
A short while later, once most of the sensual atmosphere in the room had dissipated, Tsunade finally remembered their business and introduced him to the Katsuyu Naoki Senju had summoned:
"This is my younger brother, Naoki Senju, the Senju Clan's new Wood Release wielder. He signed the contract and summoned you."
Tsunade stressed the words "younger brother," hoping to warn someone who was getting increasingly out of hand. Unfortunately, rather than calling it utterly useless, one could only say it accomplished nothing.
"Hello, Katsuyu." Naoki Senju smiled in greeting while deliberately spreading his Wood Release chakra into the surroundings.
"Oh, hello, Lord Naoki," the guileless Katsuyu replied a little nervously, yet she could not help moving a little closer.
The natural energy around this Senju is so dense. Astonished, Katsuyu absorbed the natural energy somewhat greedily.
As expected, the Slug Clan-or rather, the Katsuyu Sage-has quite formidable senjutsu. Naoki Senju breathed a sigh of relief, stroking Katsuyu as though petting a cat.
After all, neither Katsuyu nor her contractors, such as Tsunade and Sakura, had ever used senjutsu. Even a tenth of the Katsuyu Sage's body had only ever used extremely wide-area Medical Ninjutsu, whereas even Gamakichi had used senjutsu.
And the First's senjutsu had not necessarily come from Shikkotsu Forest. After training deeply in Wood Release, Naoki Senju had become increasingly certain of that.
He had originally worried that Shikkotsu Forest had no senjutsu at all. Now he felt much more reassured.
"Katsuyu, didn't you say before that the Katsuyu Sage wanted to see me? How about now?"
The Katsuyu he questioned looked utterly bewildered, unsure how to explain. Fortunately, Tsunade explained for her:
"Naoki, although all the Katsuyu come from the Katsuyu Sage, their consciousness splits as well every time they divide. This Katsuyu isn't the one we met last time."
Moved to "tears," Katsuyu choked out:
"Thank you... thank you, Lady Tsunade. But I can ask the Sage right now."
Tsunade and Naoki turned in unison to look at Katsuyu. The meaning in their "fierce" gazes was perfectly clear-Then what are you waiting for?
Katsuyu was scared out of her wits...
A short while later, Katsuyu raised her lowered head and solemnly extended an invitation:
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Naoki, the Sage requests your presence."