Did Senju Hashirama learn his Sage Mode in Shikkotsu Forest? It's still a question worth pondering.
If Hashirama truly learned it in Shikkotsu Forest, why couldn't he summon Katsuyu, the slug summon?
During his battle with Uchiha Madara, it was a fight to the death. Both exhausted nearly all their techniques, and shortly after Madara's death, Hashirama also passed away due to overexerting his life force.
Otherwise, with his exceptional vitality, living to a hundred years old wouldn't have been a problem.
This suggests that the exact nature of the Sage Mode in Shikkotsu Forest remains a mystery, known only to those who have been there.
The third Sage Land, Ryūchi Cave, is the only one with a confirmed physical location.
In Boruto, Boruto and his team pass through a thick fog and eventually arrive at Ryūchi Cave.
It's clear that Ryūchi Cave's coordinates exist in the real world.
"I need to find a way to connect with the Sannin."
The simplest way to reach one of the Sage Lands and learn Sage Mode would be to establish a relationship with Jiraiya, Orochimaru, or Tsunade.
By becoming a disciple of any one of them, access to these sacred grounds would come easily.
Moonlight spilled over the courtyard, while the lights in the house remained bright.
Shimizu sat, contemplating how to connect with one of the Sannin.
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha residence—
Mikoto wiped her hands dry and placed the dishes back into the cupboard.
"Fugaku, is something wrong with the Uchiha clan?"
Mikoto knelt on the tatami mat, her gaze fixed on the furrowed brows of Fugaku.
"No, there's nothing wrong with the Uchiha," Fugaku replied, shaking his head.
"I'm just thinking about Shimizu. The results of today's Chūnin Exams were beyond my expectations."
"Could it be that the child failed the written test?"
Mikoto sipped her tea gently and asked, "If he failed, he failed. It happens every year. What's the rush?"
She tried to console Fugaku, urging him not to be overly concerned if Shimizu didn't pass the exams.
After all, it wasn't a one-time opportunity. Passing on the first attempt was rare.
She herself had taken the exams multiple times before finally becoming a Chūnin. Afterward, it took several more years to accumulate enough experience to become a Jōnin.
"He passed," Fugaku said solemnly.
"Well, that's great news. Why are you still worried?"
Mikoto tilted her head, puzzled by Fugaku's reaction.
"He... passed too quickly."
Fugaku sighed.
Shimizu had turned in his written test first and scored full marks, as Fugaku later found out.
In the second round of the Chūnin Selection Tournament, Shimizu defeated opponents one after another, even besting Yūra, a representative from Sunagakure who was thought to be one of their elite candidates.
Many well-informed shinobi families believed Yūra was a handpicked contender from Sunagakure, yet Shimizu still defeated her.
"Hm?"
The more Mikoto listened, the more confused she became.
She had missed the exam due to an unexpected obligation, so she hadn't seen the events unfold.
Still, wasn't winning quickly a good thing?
"I've already spoken to the Third Hokage. Shimizu will be working at the Konoha Hospital as a Chūnin," Fugaku explained.
"So, you're worried it would be a waste of his talent to send him to the hospital?"
Mikoto finally began to understand Fugaku's concerns.
In Konoha, the social hierarchy was strict. Genin were at the bottom, and their status was far below that of Chūnin, let alone Jōnin.
Even though Konoha housed many civilians, its essence was still that of a mercenary organization—a system of violence used to fulfill missions and earn commissions.
The Chūnin Exams were designed to strengthen Konoha's brand and attract more lucrative contracts.
If the village couldn't offer its shinobi sufficient benefits—whether in terms of resources, techniques, or status—it risked defections.
Defections hurt the village's interests, revealing classified information and tarnishing its reputation. Thus, rogue shinobi were relentlessly pursued.
Previously, Shimizu had been working part-time at Konoha Hospital, but as a Genin, he wasn't officially part of the system.
Now that he had become a Chūnin, he was eligible for official placement, marking his full entry into the ninja profession.
But considering his combat abilities, it seemed wasteful to keep him confined to the hospital.
"Yes, even as clan leader, I cannot interfere too much. Shimizu has already caught the Third Hokage's eye," Fugaku admitted, gazing out into the night sky beyond the sliding doors.
After a long pause, he added, "Tomorrow, invite Shimizu over. I want to hear his thoughts. His strength is vital to the clan. The future draws near…"
"The future?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Just handle the invitation," Fugaku said sharply, silencing Mikoto with a glance.
Fugaku's secret, the awakening of his Mangekyō Sharingan, was something he had buried deep within himself, hidden even from Mikoto.
"Yes," Mikoto replied, bowing her head.
The Uchiha clan followed a traditional structure where wives typically held a subordinate role and deferred to their husbands' decisions.
"Lord Fugaku, Namikaze Minato has gone to see Shimizu," a voice from outside suddenly reported.
Minato's arrival at this hour had to be announced to Fugaku.
"Namikaze Minato has gone to see Shimizu…" Fugaku withdrew his gaze from the night sky and stared into his teacup.
The ripples on the surface distorted his reflection—just like the uncertain and elusive future he foresaw.
At Shimizu's residence—
"Good evening, Shimizu."
Namikaze Minato greeted him politely.
"Good evening," Shimizu replied, eyeing Minato and guessing that his visit concerned joining the Hokage's team.
"Come in, have a seat," Shimizu offered, stepping aside to let Minato enter.
"Thank you," Minato said, his warm smile radiating kindness.
As Shimizu led Minato through the courtyard, Minato's gaze briefly lingered on the marks scattered across the yard.
When his eyes fell on a wooden post riddled with small holes, his expression sharpened slightly.
The marks appeared to be caused by some kind of high-speed, rotating chakra sphere.
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