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"I'll take my leave now."
Hashirama bid farewell with utmost courtesy. In his heart, the Great Slug was almost akin to a master.
"Go ahead." the Great Slug said, narrowing its eyes as it watched the prodigiously talented Senju clan leader depart.
If it were to describe Hashirama's potential, it would say he was in no way inferior to his ancestor, Asura.
Of course, the Great Slug, having had little contact with either of the two brothers, didn't know the full truth.
Asura himself wasn't particularly gifted; without the power bestowed by his father, he would have stood no chance against Indra.
It was precisely this inherent unfairness that became the cornerstone of the thousand-year feud between the brothers.
As the Great Slug silently reminisced about the past, it suddenly seemed to sense something, prompting it to turn its head toward the southwest.
"That place…"
As the smaller slugs had mentioned before, all of them were merely extensions of the Slug Sage, each possessing with differing sets of memories.
Even the largest among them only knew that something of earth-shattering significance lay hidden in that direction.
As for what exactly it was, it couldn't say.
The gaps in its memory left the Great Slug with a lingering sense of unease. What it did know, however, was that the very existence of the Shikkotsu Forest was intertwined with guarding that secret.
For millennia, there had been no disturbances in that direction. Yet now, an unexpected change has occurred.
"Is it because of him?" The only explanation the Great Slug could think of was the recently departed leader of the Senju clan.
But why him? What kind of secret had the Slug Sage concealed within the Shikkotsu Forest?
Though somewhat puzzled, it did not dwell on the matter.
Before long, the tranquility of the canyon returned to its usual state.
Following the guidance of the smaller slugs, Hashirama leisurely made his way north, heading towards the barrier that marked the exit of the Shikkotsu Forest.
After about half an hour later, having traveled over seventy kilometers, he finally reached his starting point.
However, to his surprise, a masked ninja was already standing there, waiting in silence.
"You've finally arrived."
It was evident that the masked man had been waiting specifically for him.
"And you are…?" Hashirama's eyes widened in astonishment. He hadn't expected to encounter another human being in the Shikkotsu Forest.
Noticing Hashirama's curious expression, the man under the mask seemed to chuckle softly.
"Who I am doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I mean you no harm."
"Oh…" Hashirama nodded foolishly, his innocent reaction causing the masked man to shake his head repeatedly.
For some inexplicable reason, Hashirama didn't doubt the masked man's words at all, even though the man exuded an unmistakable air of mystery from head to toe.
"Ah, he doesn't seem very bright," the masked man sighed deeply, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu at the scene.
With a shake of his head, he pulled out a small booklet from his cloak. In a tone full of temptation, he spoke:
"Are you troubled right now? Even though your power has increased significantly, it feels like the Wood Dragon is no longer sufficient to fully harness your abilities, doesn't it?"
How does he know?
Hashirama hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded honestly.
The truth was just as the masked man had said. After mastering the perfect Sage Mode of the Shikkotsu Forest, Hashirama's power had advanced by leaps and bounds.
The Wood Dragon Technique, which previously required him to expend his life force, was now far easier to use—if not effortlessly, at least without the same burden.
The problem, however, lies in the fact that according to the ancient texts of the Senju clan, the Wood Dragon Technique was considered the pinnacle of Wood Release.
There were no more advanced secret techniques to pursue beyond it, leaving Hashirama deeply troubled.
"Do you see this?" The masked man waved the booklet in his hand, continuing to entice him.
"It contains secret techniques far more powerful than the Wood Dragon, and there are quite a few of them."
"Do you want to learn them?"
"I do!"
"Hahahaha!" The masked man laughed heartily, suddenly he condensed a terrifying amount of chakra into his fist, so tangible it seemed to solidify.
"Take one punch from me, and you'll earn the right to learn them."
Without waiting for Hashirama to reconsider, the masked man moved swiftly. In a flash, he appeared directly in front of the Senju clan leader.
Yang's Supreme Fist – Sun Fist!
Amit the dense concentration of chakra, a fleeting sun-shaped symbol flickered for a moment.
"Danger!" Alarm bells rang in Hashirama's mind, prompting him to immediately enter Sage Mode.
Crossing his arms defensively in front of his chest, he braced himself to take the masked man's attack head-on.
With a resounding boom, the air burst apart with an explosive roar that reverberated painfully in his ears. Despite being in Sage Mode, Hashirama was still forced back more than ten meters by the punch.
"Hah… it's been a while since I've had this much fun," the masked man said, swinging his arm as if to shake off the residual energy, clearly tempted to throw another punch.
However, upon seeing Hashirama's flushed face, he chuckled and dismissed the idea.
"Here you go. You've proven yourself worthy of learning it." With that, he casually tossed the small booklet into Hashirama's hands.
"Thank you, senior. You…" Hashirama lifted his head excitedly, only to discover that the man had vanished without a trace.
"What a peculiar person," he muttered, shaking his head as he came to a conclusion.
Although strange, Hashirama couldn't deny the man's terrifying strength, which far surpassed even that of Kyousuke.
The punch's strength was undoubtedly more fearsome than the attack Uzushio Village had suffered back then.
Had he been his former self, he might not have survived the blow.
"There are truly many powerful individuals out there," he murmured.
Clutching the booklet in his hands, Hashirama decided not to rush out of the forest. Instead, he found a clean spot, sat down, and began studying its contents with focus.
"Advent of a World of Flowering Trees… Seems to be an advanced version of Deep Forest Emergence."
"Wood Golem Technique… Wow, this one's incredible."
"And this Sage Art… this… this is…"
Hashirama's pupils widened as if he had stumbled upon something truly extraordinary.
---
Meanwhile, the masked man traveled westward until he reached a concealed cave entrance.
With a subtle movement of his hands, he formed a seal. The space before him rippled like water.
Stepping forward, it felt as though he had crossed into another dimension.
He found himself in a vast hall, dimly lit, with towering pillars stretching upward and high platforms lining both sides. On these platforms sat emaciated figures, each resembling a dried corpse.
At the center stood a statue with a grotesque visage, its features twisted and far from human.
Beneath the statue lay a cushion, upon which sat a frail old man with his eyes tightly shut.
The people in the hall, all skeletal and frail, resembled mummies from an ancient pyramid.
However, if an outsider were to witness this scene, they would likely be paralyzed with fear, or worse, lose control entirely.
This was because every single mummy emanated an overwhelming, bone-chilling aura.
The masked man silently surveyed his surroundings, let out a sigh, and muttered under his breath, "Thirty more years… How am I supposed to endure that long?"
"Ugh, could one of you wake up early? Just to chat with me, if nothing else."
In that moment, the enigmatic and profound demeanor the masked man had shown before Hashirama vanished entirely.
He was now like a bored child, making a racket in the vast and empty hall.
After some time, as if exhausted, he removed his mask and carelessly tossed it aside.
Raising his head slowly, he gazed at the plaque at the top of the hall.
On it, two bold characters were deeply engraved:
Shinobi Sect!
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[IMAGE]
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[Chapter End's]
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