Hearing Raiko casually mention Mei Terumi's name, Ringo Ameyuri frowned, and a flash of killing intent appeared in her eyes.
Mei Terumi had not only given her the Twin Blades: Kiba but also taught her sage techniques, making her like a half-teacher to Ringo Ameyuri. She would not tolerate anyone disrespecting her.
Sensing Ringo Ameyuri's killing intent, Shishou raised an eyebrow.
Then, he lifted a finger, and a fiery red Rasengan appeared instantly.
"Huh... it's you?"
Seeing the Rasengan in Shishou's hand, Ringo Ameyuri was momentarily dumbfounded, and her killing intent dissipated immediately.
Shishou had demonstrated the Rasengan in front of her twice before, once with water and once with fire, leaving a deep impression on her.
Shishou removed his mask and smiled, "You still haven't answered my question?"
Seeing it was really Shishou, Ringo Ameyuri pouted and sat by the campfire, calling out to the shadows, "Haku, Chojuro, keep an eye on the surroundings."
The earlier commotion had naturally alerted Haku and Chojuro, but not knowing the enemy's strength, they hadn't shown themselves.
"Yes," came the responses from the shadows as the two disappeared.
Shishou sat by the campfire, facing Ringo Ameyuri, and looked up at her.
Ringo Ameyuri continued to carve her stick and said, "You're probably asking about my method of integrating sage energy into my ninjutsu, right?"
"It's actually quite simple. You absorb natural energy and immediately release it. This way, even if you can't enter Sage Mode, you can enhance your jutsu's power."
Shishou was surprised and looked at her with interest.
"Absorb and then immediately release?"
The difficulty of Sage Mode lay in the precise balance of natural energy and one's own chakra. Absorbing too much natural energy could harm the body, causing petrification.
Because of this, when teaching sage techniques, Shishou had always had the Great Slug Sage and the three snake sisters supervise to clear excess natural energy immediately.
He hadn't expected Ringo Ameyuri to come up with such a bold method—absorbing and then immediately releasing it.
This woman was indeed a genius.
However, though 'absorb and immediately release' sounded simple, successfully executing it like Ringo Ameyuri required immense chakra control.
After all, natural energy wasn't easy to tame.
Ringo Ameyuri, still carving her stick, continued, "Yes, absorb and immediately release. This way, excess natural energy can't harm the body."
"For someone like me, who hasn't fully mastered sage techniques, it's very useful."
"Of course, this method only works for me."
Shishou was curious, "Why only for you?"
Ringo Ameyuri looked at the wooden stick she had carved and started roasting it over the fire.
"Because any mistake in this method would cause severe damage to the body. So only I can use it."
Shishou looked puzzled, "You mean you've never made a mistake?"
Ringo Ameyuri shook her head, "No, I mean I don't fear mistakes."
Shishou raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
Ringo Ameyuri answered matter-of-factly, "Because I'm dying."
"..."
Hearing Ringo Ameyuri so calmly state that she was dying, Shishou was taken aback.
Firstly, he hadn't expected such a reason.
Because she was dying, she didn't fear bodily harm or making mistakes, making this method only usable by her. It was a reasonable logic chain.
Secondly, the fact that a seventeen-year-old Ringo Ameyuri could face death so calmly left him quite shocked.
He then remembered that in the original story, Ringo Ameyuri, as the second user of the Twin Blades, had indeed died young due to illness.
Shishou asked, "So you came to Konoha to seek treatment from Tsunade?"
Ringo Ameyuri nodded, waving her stick, "Yes, Lady Mei arranged it and has already contacted Konoha's Tsunade. That's why I'm here for the Chunin Exams with them."
Hearing that Ringo Ameyuri was indeed with a team of three, Shishou's face darkened, "So you replaced one of them to participate in the Chunin Exams?"
Ringo Ameyuri pouted, "Tsunade hasn't returned yet. I'm bored."
Shishou shook his head with a wry smile, "So I guessed right."
Then he asked, "Do you know what illness you have?"
Ringo Ameyuri shook her head, "They couldn't find out."
Shishou extended his right hand, "Give me your hand, I'll check you."
On Mei Terumi's behalf, Shishou decided to use his parasitic insects to examine Ringo Ameyuri's body to identify her illness.
"I didn't know you could use medical ninjutsu."
Ringo Ameyuri muttered and extended her hand to Shishou.
She had heard from Mei Terumi about this man's strength.
The strongest in the ninja world, the so-called number one.
Moreover, Mei Terumi had intended for Shishou to check her if Tsunade couldn't find the problem.
Holding Ringo Ameyuri's small hand, Shishou attentively sensed the feedback from his parasitic insects.
Before long, he opened his eyes and looked at Ringo Ameyuri with a puzzled expression.
"Your body seems perfectly normal, apart from slightly low cell activity."
According to his insects' feedback, Ringo Ameyuri's body was fine, except for slightly low cell activity.
Ringo Ameyuri, waving her stick, said indifferently, "That's what the Mist medical-nin said too, but I keep coughing up blood periodically, and it's getting worse."
"Looks like I'm doomed this time."
Hearing this, Shishou frowned, "After Tsunade checks you, if she still can't find the problem, I'll think of something."
Such a talented kunoichi, it would be a shame if she died.
Moreover, if all else failed, Mei Terumi would surely ask him to help.
If it came to that, Shishou could consider infusing her with the power of Hashirama or the sage bloodline of the White Snake Sage.
He couldn't believe that awakening the sage body in Ringo Ameyuri wouldn't save her.
Ringo Ameyuri, hearing this, clasped her hands in thanks.
"Thank you."
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POWER STONE!!!!
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This fanfiction is complete on my P@treon. If you want to read it, you can find it at p@treon.com/Betek.
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