Holy land: Shikkotsu Forest
Under Tsunade's anxious gaze, the black divine markings about to cover Naoki Senju's cheeks miraculously began to recede little by little.
Tsunade's keen eyes caught this detail, and she immediately cried out excitedly:
"Look, look! The divine markings are receding! Katsuyu Sage, is Naoki about to master Sage Mode?"
Katsuyu Sage was much calmer than Tsunade. After all, she had seen scenes like this countless times before.
"It should have worked."
Still, this is only little Hashirama's senjutsu chakra, little Hashirama's Sage Mode. Whether little Naoki can comprehend its mysteries and achieve his own Sage Mode remains unknown, Katsuyu Sage thought, but she did not say it aloud, lest she spoil little Tsunade's excitement.
"That's wonderful!"
Tsunade waved her little fists happily, her sweeping movements making her magnificent peaks heave and sway. Unfortunately, Naoki Senju's eyes remained tightly shut, leaving him unable to appreciate the peerless view right before him.
As Tsunade waited nervously, the black divine markings on Naoki Senju's cheeks dwindled until only a ring around his eyelids and a circular divine marking on his forehead remained.
To Tsunade's senses, Naoki Senju's aura had clearly changed. It had become heavier, deeper... and dangerous!
Naoki, who had briefly entered Sage Mode, was already enough to give her a sense of danger. That alone showed how powerful Sage Mode was. Unfortunately, she had failed to master this power back then.
But after a brief moment of dejection, Tsunade grew even happier. By mastering Sage Mode, Naoki had surpassed her in this respect, and surpassed the Sannin as well. Just imagining Orochimaru's and Jiraiya's envious looks made Tsunade laugh aloud.
(The Sannin spent an extremely long time apart, roughly ten to twenty years, without ever meeting. During this period, Tsunade created the Strength of a Hundred Technique, Orochimaru mastered Soft Physique Modification, Orochimaru-Style Body Replacement, and the Cursed Seal, and Jiraiya learned Sage Mode.)
"What were you thinking about, Sister Tsunade? You look so happy."
An arm tightened around Tsunade's waist and drew her into an embrace, but she showed no displeasure at all. Delighted, she wrapped her arms around the person before her.
"Naoki, you're finally awake."
Naoki Senju raised his hand to pat Tsunade's back, only to realize that the top of her head now reached just his chin. This height difference... was perfect for patting her head!
Feeling warmth atop her head, Tsunade instinctively wanted to swat his hand away. How could anyone casually touch a Sannin's head? Did she have no dignity left?
But an intensely soothing sensation spread from the top of her head, and half her body instantly went limp.
"Mmm~"
After letting out a soft moan, Tsunade leaned weakly against Naoki's chest and demanded in embarrassed indignation:
"What did you do?! What was that just now?"
Naoki Senju did not stroke her head for long. Though her soft golden hair felt wonderful to the touch, too much was as bad as too little. The current Tsunade could not yet bear too much of his favor.
Even though it had not lasted long, Tsunade was like a puddle of mud, unable to muster any strength. Her face was flushed, her eyes were liquid, and she looked utterly alluring.
Tsunade tilted her head up and scolded softly beside Naoki Senju's ear, "What mischief have you been up to now, you little pervert? And to think I was so worried about you just now."
Taking advantage of Tsunade's inability to fight back, Naoki pinched her soft, tender cheek again. It felt as though he could squeeze water from it. Tsunade was like a ripe peach, constantly tempting him.
But Naoki had excellent self-control-or perhaps it was thanks to Sage Mode. He resisted the temptation and explained beside Tsunade's ear:
"I wasn't deliberately teasing you. What entered your body just now was senjutsu chakra, Sister Tsunade, only a somewhat weakened version. Once your body gradually adapts to it, you'll be able to practice senjutsu too."
This sounded simple, but putting it into practice was extremely difficult. For now, he was merely drawing on what Hashirama had left behind. Only once Naoki Senju could use Sage Mode proficiently would he truly be able to accomplish this.
Overjoyed, Tsunade could not resist examining herself and, sure enough, discovered that different chakra.
"Naoki, mmph~"
Tsunade's eyes widened...
Naoki pressed a finger against Tsunade's soft lips. Had he not been mindful of Katsuyu Sage beside them, he certainly would not have used this method.
"There's no need to thank me, Sister Tsunade. As long as you come to my room every night..."
"In your dreams!"
Chomp~
Hiss~
Tsunade bit Naoki's finger, leaving clearly visible tooth marks. But before she could feel bad about it, the shallow marks vanished.
Noticing something, Tsunade looked up at the senjutsu markings on Naoki's face and immediately understood.
Her Strength of a Hundred Technique had been developed based on the Yin Seal and Sage Mode in the first place. However, because she lacked senjutsu chakra, its chakra requirements were extraordinarily terrifying. Only when the Yin Seal was completely filled with chakra could she use it once.
The genuine Sage Mode's regenerative ability certainly would not be weaker than her imitation's. Reassured at once, Tsunade bit him "viciously" a few more times, thoroughly venting her anger.
Naoki Senju withdrew his saliva-covered finger. All the tooth marks had vanished, and only an imperceptible trace of senjutsu chakra had been consumed.
"It's only a massage. Is even that off-limits?" Naoki Senju argued.
"Even massages are off-limits!" Tsunade refused righteously.
The two fooled around for quite a while, until Katsuyu Sage, who had been waiting all this time, could not help reminding them of her presence.
"Ahem!"
Only when that vigorous cough rang out did Naoki Senju and Tsunade separate as though nothing had happened. Throughout their horseplay, Tsunade had remained nestled in Naoki's arms, yet neither of them had thought anything was wrong with that.
"Little Naoki, did you meet little Hashirama?"
"I did."
Naoki Senju answered calmly while taking Tsunade's excited little hand, signaling with his eyes that they would talk after returning.
"Mm. Did little Hashirama tell you the method for cultivating Wood Release senjutsu?"
Naoki Senju nodded. Hashirama Senju had left that wisp of chakra precisely to pass on Wood Release's unique senjutsu cultivation method.
"That's good. I can no longer offer much help with cultivating Wood Release senjutsu, but the natural energy in Shikkotsu Forest is abundant. You can stay here and cultivate for a while longer. If you have any questions about Sage Mode, little Naoki, you can come to me at any time."
Katsuyu Sage shifted her body, preparing to return to the shrine, but Naoki Senju stopped her and asked very seriously:
"Katsuyu Sage, have you ever heard of the Ryūmyaku?"
"I have," Katsuyu Sage answered without hesitation.
"Then, Katsuyu Sage, have you heard of the Ryūmyaku having a spirit?" Naoki Senju asked tentatively.
But Katsuyu Sage's reaction was far stronger than he had imagined. She even lost some of her composure as she exclaimed:
"What?! Have you seen the deity?"
"The deity?"
Naoki Senju knew that he seemed to have inadvertently unearthed a great secret.