"Hmm?" Kai looked at Tsunade with a hint of confusion. His ability to use Wood Release was no secret—not only to Tsunade but to almost everyone in the ninja world.
Before Kai could respond, Tsunade handed him another scroll and said, "This is the secret scroll of Wood Release left behind by my grandfather. It contains all the Wood Release ninjutsu and secret techniques he mastered."
Without any hesitation or formality, Kai took the scroll and unrolled it:
Wood Release: Flowering Tree World Descent!
Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!
Wood Release: Ranking Technique!
Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands!
Sage Art: Wood Release—Top Transformed Buddha!
As Kai scanned through the various Wood Release techniques, his heart burned with excitement.
Especially the last two Sage Art Wood Release techniques. Kai knew full well the combined power of these two techniques—Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands Top Transformed Buddha. This combination had once shattered Uchiha Madara's so-called impenetrable Susano'o with a single blow!
However, as his eyes lingered on the words "Sage Art" before the Wood Release techniques, Kai's expression fell. He didn't know how to enter Sage Mode, so how could he possibly learn Sage Art Wood Release?
"What's wrong, kid?" Tsunade asked with a grin, noticing Kai's change in demeanor.
Hearing her voice, Kai looked up, his eyes filled with expectation. He scratched his head awkwardly and pointed at the Sage Art Wood Release techniques in the scroll. "Uh, Tsunade-sister, you see..."
Tsunade rolled her eyes at him and said, "Of course I know. I've already prepared for this."
Summoning Technique!
A massive scroll appeared in Tsunade's hands. As she slowly unrolled it, rows of densely packed characters resembling tadpoles filled the entire scroll.
"This is the summoning scroll of Lady Katsuyu. Use your blood to write your name on it, and the summoning contract will be complete," Tsunade explained, pointing to a blank spot on the scroll.
Kai, unable to hide his eagerness, bit his finger and quickly signed his name. Tsunade, watching him, added, "Remember, every Katsuyu is a division of the Katsuyu Sage from Shikkotsu Forest. You must always address them respectfully as 'Lady Katsuyu.'"
Kai nodded in agreement. By the time the summoning contract was complete, the wound on his finger had already healed, thanks to his Sage Body's regenerative abilities. He had to bite his finger again and pressed it to the ground.
Summoning Technique!
Boom! A puff of smoke dispersed, revealing a slug over a meter long. Its blue back and white belly gave it a distinctive appearance. The slug looked around before focusing on Tsunade. "Oh, it's little Tsunade. Why have you summoned me?"
Tsunade quickly replied, "Lady Katsuyu, I wasn't the one who summoned you. It was him." She pointed at Kai.
The slug turned its head toward Kai, its four antennae twitching as if greeting him. "Young one, are you my summoner?"
"Greetings, Lady Katsuyu. I am Mitarashi Kai. I look forward to your guidance in the future," Kai said respectfully. He knew that this seemingly soft and squishy creature was far older than even the Sage of Six Paths.
"Young one, why have you summoned me?" Lady Katsuyu asked. Despite being a summoned beast, her immense age had granted her a keen insight. She could tell at a glance that Kai had a specific purpose in calling her.
"I wish to learn Sage Mode from Shikkotsu Forest, Lady Katsuyu," Kai replied directly.
"Sage Mode, is it?" A trace of nostalgia flickered in Lady Katsuyu's eyes. "Little Tsunade must have told you about it. Sage Mode is indeed powerful, but the training process is extremely dangerous. A single misstep could cost you your life. Even little Tsunade hasn't succeeded in mastering it. Are you sure you still want to proceed?"
"Yes, I've made up my mind," Kai said without a moment's hesitation. The power of Sage Mode was worth the risk.
Lady Katsuyu nodded. "Very well. Come with me to Shikkotsu Forest to meet my true form. Little Tsunade, will you be joining us?" she asked, turning to Tsunade.
At Lady Katsuyu's question, Tsunade's expression darkened, and she quickly shook her head.
Lady Katsuyu didn't press further. She nodded and wrapped her body around Kai. With a poof of smoke, both she and Kai vanished.
Watching Kai disappear, Tsunade murmured to herself, "I hope that kid can endure the harsh environment of Shikkotsu Forest."
Kai felt a brief moment of disorientation before he could finally take in his surroundings.
Towering bone-white stone pillars stretched into the sky, and the entire sky itself was an eerie shade of pale white.
"Follow me," Lady Katsuyu said, her body gliding forward effortlessly.
Indeed, Lady Katsuyu moved by gliding, as the ground of Shikkotsu Forest was covered in a thick, mucus-like substance.
After following her for what felt like half a day, Kai finally saw an enormous slug—so massive that it stood hundreds of meters tall. The slug Kai had summoned earlier immediately merged into this colossal being.
"Young one, you wish to learn Sage Mode?" the massive Lady Katsuyu asked.
"Yes, Lady Katsuyu," Kai replied with a nod.
"It has been a long time since anyone successfully mastered Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode. The last one to do so was decades ago," Lady Katsuyu said with a hint of melancholy.
"Decades ago? Could it have been Hashirama Senju?" Kai couldn't help but ask.
"Oh, you know him? Well, that's not surprising. Little Hashirama was Tsunade's grandfather." The massive Lady Katsuyu nodded before continuing, "To master Sage Mode, you must first balance your spiritual energy, physical energy, and natural energy perfectly. If you fail to do so, even if you manage to activate it, your body will partially transform into a slug."
The thought of his body turning into a soft, squishy slug sent a shiver down Kai's spine. He resolved never to use Sage Mode unless he mastered it perfectly.
"Next, you must sense the natural energy present in the environment. Natural energy is difficult to perceive, so to speed up your training, you can smear the mucus from Shikkotsu Forest's ground onto your body. This will increase your affinity with nature and help you sense natural energy more easily..." Lady Katsuyu explained the key points of Sage Mode training.
The mere thought of covering himself in the slimy mucus made Kai feel nauseous. Shaking his head repeatedly, he walked over to a nearby stone pillar and sat down cross-legged.
"Young one, natural energy isn't something that can just—" Lady Katsuyu began, but then stopped mid-sentence, stunned.
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