"Hahaha—wait, he has talent?!"
One second, Tsunade was laughing loudly. The next, her laughter abruptly stopped.
Her eyes widened as she pressed further, "Slug Sage, are you sure he really has talent?"
"Yes, his aptitude is quite good—not inferior to that of young Hashirama. If he puts in the effort, he will definitely be able to master the senjutsu of the Shikkotsu Forest," the Slug Sage confirmed, even bringing Senju Hashirama into the comparison.
Takashi's talent for learning senjutsu was comparable to her grandfather's—Senju Hashirama! Did this mean... the clown here was actually her?
After realizing she was the one who'd been the fool, Tsunade was no longer in a laughing mood.
She knew better than anyone who her grandfather, Senju Hashirama, was. The title "God of Shinobi" wasn't just for show—it was universally acknowledged across the ninja world.
If Takashi's aptitude for learning senjutsu could be compared to Hashirama's, it meant he was very likely capable of mastering it.
"..."
What should I do now? Tsunade thought, filled with regret.
Her current feelings were complicated—afraid that Takashi wouldn't succeed, but also afraid that his talent was too exceptional, making her look foolish in comparison.
After all, talent like this was certified by the Slug Sage.
"Wait, I want to know, how exactly does one learn the senjutsu of the Shikkotsu Forest?"
If it were anyone else hearing the Slug Sage's assessment, they'd probably be ecstatic. Takashi, however, remained calm—he wanted to know the exact steps of the process.
If learning senjutsu meant getting swallowed by the Slug Sage again, he wasn't interested.
That disgusting experience was not something he wanted to relive.
The Slug Sage, being just a slug, had no concept of human humor or what might be considered gross.
For the slugs, being covered in mucus was the ideal state. If they ever dried out, it would mean injury.
Unfortunately, what slugs love, humans certainly don't. Being swallowed by a massive slug and covered in sticky mucus was far from enjoyable.
The Slug Sage, oblivious to what Takashi was worried about, replied earnestly:
"It is quite simple. You sit cross-legged on the ground, and during the process, small slugs will lie on you to help you absorb natural energy."
"These little slugs not only assist in absorbing the energy but also prevent the natural energy from overwhelming you."
Learning senjutsu requires absorbing natural energy and then blending it with your own physical and spiritual energies to reach a balance. Finding this balance is extremely difficult, and most who fail to master senjutsu fail at this step.
Ironically, the initial step of absorbing natural energy wasn't as demanding.
The small slugs, however, help newcomers absorb natural energy, absorbing any excess to prevent an imbalance from causing a destructive surge.
If natural energy ran out of control, the result was turning into a stone statue.
Whether it was the Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myoboku, or Ryuchi Cave, the consequences of failing to learn senjutsu were the same—you became a stone statue. There were plenty of statues at Mount Myoboku to prove that point.
"So it's similar to the toad oil at Mount Myoboku?"
"Yes, but unlike the toad oil, which damages the body, the small slugs are careful. They help you, and they will absorb the natural energy for you if needed," the Slug Sage continued.
Upon hearing this, Takashi let out a sigh of relief.
If it just involved a bunch of small slugs lying on him, he could accept it. If it had required getting swallowed by the Slug Sage again, he'd be out.
Once was more than enough to experience that awfulness.
After arranging a time to begin the training, Takashi and Tsunade were sent back to Konoha.
"Damn it!"
The moment he landed on the floor, Takashi almost slipped, nearly falling flat. His whole body was still wet with mucus, making him feel utterly miserable.
Slugs loved this stuff, but humans couldn't stand it—unless you were some kind of weirdo.
Without even pausing to grab a change of clothes, Takashi rushed straight into the bathroom, desperate to scrub himself clean as quickly as possible.
Wait, is my talent really that bad?
Tsunade slumped onto the sofa, lost in thought, still grappling with an existential crisis.
After spending a year stationed at the border, Takashi needed some time to rest now that he was back in the village. His duties at the hospital were on hold, and the plan was to start senjutsu training after the New Year.
"Takashi, wake up!"
Early in the morning, Kushina burst into his room, standing by the bed and calling out softly.
Good thing he hadn't ended up sleeping with Tsunade last night—Kushina walking in would have caused some real chaos.
A disheartened Tsunade had decided she needed some time alone to clear her head.
"Kushina, you're up this early?"
Takashi rubbed her head gently.
"It's not that early!"
Kushina glanced at the window, then grabbed his wrist with both her little hands, trying to pull him up. "Takashi, hurry up! We need to go to the market to buy supplies. After that, we need to marinate the meat—it takes a long time."
After throwing on some warm clothes, he took Kushina's small hand, and they stepped out into the chilly air. Takashi yawned into the cold wind.
Really, on a cold winter morning, nothing could be better than sleeping in, bundled up in a warm blanket. Unfortunately, he'd promised Kushina to prepare barbecue for her friends, so they had to get up early to get ready.
"Kushina, here for groceries again?"
"Kushina!"
It was funny—because of her frequent trips to the market, Kushina had become well-acquainted with the vendors there.
Seeing her arrive, the eyes of the vegetable and meat sellers lit up.
Kushina was quite the little rich girl—every time she shopped, she bought a lot. The vendors loved doing business with someone like her.
She was cute, polite, sweet-talking, and most importantly, rich! And she didn't haggle over prices.
"Stop, stop! Are you trying to move the entire market back home? Just because we have a fridge doesn't mean you can go crazy like this."
Kushina's shopping spree left Takashi sweating. She had such a carefree heart—a few sweet words from the vendors, and she was ready to buy up half the market.
"Everyone's just so enthusiastic," Kushina said sheepishly.
Takashi flicked her forehead lightly, scolding her, "They just want you to buy everything they've got. Stick with me, and don't say anything."
"Okay…"
Rubbing her forehead, Kushina pouted, her lips sticking out so far that you could almost hang a kettle from them, her face full of grievance.
Still, the little girl was obedient. She quietly followed Takashi around, not speaking, playing the role of a well-behaved sidekick.
After finishing their shopping, they headed to the ramen shop for breakfast.
As for Nawaki and Tsunade, unless something important came up, those two siblings would probably be sleeping in for a long time.
"Ahhhh, it smells amazing~"
Whenever she was with Takashi, there was never a lack of smiles on Kushina's face.
The little girl was enjoying her meal happily. Once she was full, she held Takashi's hand, skipping all the way back home.
Watching her bounce along like a little rabbit, Takashi suddenly felt as though he were raising a daughter.
She needed all kinds of guidance, lots of coaxing, and constant companionship.
Back at home, Takashi gave Kushina her mission for the morning—to get Tsunade and Nawaki up and working.
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Hey everyone! I'll be releasing a bonus chapter for every 200 power stones we reach, also if you like the story be sure to leave a review, or vote with stones, every little bit is appreciated, thank you all!