After his battle with Obito, Naruto Uzumaki returned to Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village).
Through the Telescope Technique, Konan had witnessed the entire fight.
Watching alongside her was Captain Yamato, who had come to Amegakure on a long-term mission assigned by Tsunade.
[Note from the author: After careful consideration, I've decided to remove the setting where Wood Release consumes life force. The dialogue from Tsunade and the circumstances of the First Hokage's death have been revised as follows.]
"Tenzo, Naruto has now mastered my grandfather Hashirama's Wood Release. While it's true that Wood Release consumes a significant amount of chakra, that's not the real concern. What truly matters is the healing ability of my grandfather's cells.
No-hand healing is convenient, but it also makes one overlook its dangers. A person's cells can only divide a finite number of times in their lifetime. Once that limit is reached, their lifespan is shortened. Even someone as strong as my grandfather, Hashirama Senju, couldn't escape the accumulated side effects, which ultimately led to his premature death.
So, Tenzo, I hope you'll stay by Naruto's side, supervising and reminding him to avoid following in my grandfather's footsteps. Naruto has agreed to this—it's an incredibly honorable yet challenging mission. What do you say, Tenzo?"
In the southern district of Amegakure, inside one of the towering buildings:
Captain Yamato earnestly advised, "Naruto, even though you can now heal injuries with ease, you must still avoid getting hurt whenever possible. During the Warring States period, research on cellular biology was extremely limited. Even the great First Hokage, Lord Hashirama, didn't realize the drawbacks of no-hand healing.
Because of this, he often didn't bother avoiding attacks in battle. Sometimes, Lord Hashirama, being the kind-hearted man he was, would even deliberately take hits to preserve his opponent's dignity!
But every time he got injured, he would use no-hand healing. The long-term accumulation of side effects from countless battles ultimately led to his untimely death.
So, you must be extra cautious! Avoid any attack you can dodge. Don't rely on your regeneration abilities to recklessly waste your finite cellular divisions. Do you understand?"
Naruto smiled warmly, patiently listening to Yamato's lecture.
When Yamato finished, Naruto reassured him, "Don't worry, Captain Yamato. I've got it under control. Besides Samehada and Sasuke, no one else has even managed to make me bleed! By the way, how's the new house? Comfortable?"
Yamato scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh, the house is amazing, honestly. I've never lived in a place so spacious and comfortable. But, uh, are you sure it's okay for me to live alone in such a big house?"
Naruto teased, "What? Are you planning to marry someone from Amegakure?"
Yamato's face turned red. "What are you saying? My roots are in Konoha! But if you don't mind, maybe I could bring an Amegakure woman back to Konoha someday... I might consider it!"
Naruto laughed and patted Yamato on the shoulder. "By the way, go see Kakuzu later to collect your salary for this month."
Yamato was stunned. "Salary? Is that appropriate? I already receive a salary from Konoha. Getting paid by Amegakure as well… isn't that too much?"
Naruto grinned, "What's wrong with dual salaries? Save up while you're young. That way, you can enjoy a peaceful retirement. Isn't that the best outcome for a ninja?"
Yamato couldn't help but ask, "Naruto, what about you? What are you working toward?"
"Me?" Naruto paused, then said calmly, "I'm working so that more ninjas can have that kind of peaceful retirement."
With those words, Naruto stepped out into the rain beyond the tower.
"There's no such thing as a peaceful life without someone bearing the burden of hardship," Konan murmured, her voice cold yet resolute. She opened her oil-paper umbrella and followed Naruto.
The two shared an umbrella as they walked toward Orochimaru's laboratory.
Konan asked, "What do we do with Obito's blood?"
Naruto replied, "We'll keep it for now as a deterrent. He mentioned that our next battle would be our last. He's clearly made up his mind. Until he's absolutely confident, he won't show himself again."
Naruto's eyes gleamed with sharp insight. "But before he reappears, Obito will undoubtedly do one thing."
Curious, Konan asked, "What's that?"
Naruto smiled knowingly. "He'll kill Hidan. Before making his move, he won't leave any loose ends."
Konan frowned. "Should we strengthen Hidan's protection?"
Naruto shook his head. "Given the terrifying nature of Obito's time-space jutsu, no amount of protection is absolutely foolproof.
That's why I have an idea: we'll have Orochimaru create a clone of Hidan. We'll hide the real Hidan while letting the clone go out in public. The clone will take Hidan's place and be killed by Obito. This way, Obito can proceed with his plans, believing he's eliminated the threat, while we retain Hidan as a crucial trump card. It's the classic strategy of substituting one thing for another."
Konan sighed in admiration. "Honestly, it's your ability to think this far ahead that's truly terrifying."
Upon meeting Orochimaru, Naruto got straight to the point. "Orochimaru, I want the same Sage Mode as Hashirama Senju."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, setting down the equipment in his hands. "Oh? Naruto-kun, you've finally decided to pursue this?"
Rustle!
Naruto sat upright, his expression serious. "Tell me everything about Hashirama's Sage Mode."
Leaning against the table, Orochimaru's golden slit eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Hashirama's Sage Mode is called Freedom Sage Mode. It doesn't belong to any of the three major regions—Mount Myoboku, Shikkotsu Forest, or Ryuchi Cave—but it incorporates the strengths of all three."
Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The strengths of all three… I've studied the three major Sage Modes. Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode, also known as Mutation Sage Mode, is known for its violent nature. It emphasizes enhancing physical energy, activates quickly without meditation, and lasts a long time. However, it causes physical changes and induces extreme mental excitement.
Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode, also known as Serenity Sage Mode, emphasizes enhancing mental energy. It allows for calm and precise decision-making during battle, reducing mistakes. Its drawback is the long meditation required to activate it.
Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode, also known as Harmony Sage Mode, focuses on sensing and manipulating external natural energy. It boasts the strongest natural perception among the three, and can weaponize natural energy for attacks. Its downsides are the need for meditation and its short duration."
Orochimaru nodded with a sly smile. "Exactly. Lord Hashirama mastered all three Sage Modes, extracting their essence while discarding their flaws. He created Freedom Sage Mode, which enhances physical, mental, and natural energy simultaneously. It requires no meditation to activate, has no physical or mental side effects, and boasts extraordinary stamina. Truly, it's a dream-like Sage Mode."
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