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[Konoha] Chapter 240: Sage Transformation and Wood Release!
🕑 Added 2024-11-30 02:30:02 +0000 UTC“This is the cell you said could achieve Sage Transformation?”
Tsunade examined the proliferating cells before her with a solemn expression. “Indeed, this is something entirely different! The rate of proliferation... no, it surpasses even my grandfather’s cells.”
Shūichi smiled as he observed the gray, swollen mass devouring part of White Zetsu's cells. “Of course. The First Hokage’s cells proliferate by absorbing ordinary ninja energy, but they’re no match for Jūgo’s Sage Transformation.”
“Jūgo’s cells don’t just absorb the power of White Zetsu’s cells; they also incorporate the Sage Chakra I infused into them, triggering an autonomous Sage Transformation.”
“However,” Shūichi added, “this kind of Sage Transformation proliferation has its limits. It won’t cause over-absorption of natural energy and result in petrification like traditional Sage Mode training.”
Tsunade frowned thoughtfully. “So, you acquired this from Orochimaru to study Sage Transformation and conduct research on its controllability?”
Shūichi nodded. “My ultimate goal is for cells to absorb natural energy directly—that’s something I’ve been pursuing for a long time.”
“I’ve drawn power from the Tailed Beasts, yet I haven’t gained this ability.”
“Human bodies have significant limitations. To wield chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast’s is a rarity in the ninja world.”
“And to exceed the power of a Tailed Beast... aside from the Sage of Six Paths, perhaps only the First Hokage achieved that.”
Reflecting on this, Shūichi sighed. “Compared to the vast power of nature, the human body is indeed insignificant.”
“The Sages of the Three Great Lands have lived for millennia. Take the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, for instance. From what I know, it even taught the senjutsu.”
Tsunade was startled upon hearing this. “Is that true?”
Shūichi nodded. “Yes. While it’s possible to use Cursed Seals to gradually condition cells toward Sage Transformation, it’s far too slow.”
Tsunade furrowed her brow. “Slow, yes, but also incredibly safe. At your age, you should have no problem waiting.”
Shūichi shook his head. “I’ve reached a bottleneck in my current power.”
“Though I keep improving, it’s not enough to break through.”
“The Eight Gates Formation is incredible—it can push my strength to levels tens or even hundreds of times beyond the Five Kage, allowing me to kill Nagato or even defeat past legends like Uchiha Madara or the First Hokage. I could reach the power of the Sage of Six Paths.”
“But it’s fleeting.”
“With my current medical ninjutsu and the Star Cursed Seal, I can barely survive after opening all Eight Gates. Still, I wouldn’t have any combat power left in the short term.”
Tsunade snorted. “The world doesn’t rest on your shoulders. You don’t have to bear everything alone.”
“You’re not even the Fifth Hokage yet. Stop worrying about everything.”
Shūichi chuckled. “Tsunade, have you never heard the saying, ‘When the sky falls, the tallest must hold it up’?”
“Arrogant as it sounds, I am now the tallest figure in the ninja world.”
Turning serious, he looked at Tsunade. “If someone threatens to destroy Konoha, should I run and let you all face death?”
Caught by his intense gaze, Tsunade looked away, an inexplicable irritation bubbling within her. “What kind of enemy are you so worried about?”
“You claim there’s a hidden mastermind behind the Eye of the Moon Plan, but that’s just speculation. There’s no evidence, is there?”
Shūichi shook his head. “The Uchiha clan’s stone tablet is proof enough.”
Looking directly into Tsunade’s eyes, he spoke earnestly, “For me, this isn’t a burden.”
“On the contrary, I love the feeling of growing stronger. And even more, I enjoy protecting all of you.”
Tsunade instinctively turned away, feeling flustered under his piercing gaze. She muttered, “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t need anyone’s protection.”
Shūichi laughed. “Of course. You’re Konoha’s greatest kunoichi!”
“Now, let’s get back on track.”
“Step one: We’ll study this Sage Transformation and work toward controllable transformation.”
“Step two: We aim to develop cells that absorb natural energy to replenish stamina. Achieving this would grant recovery capabilities comparable to a Tailed Beast.”
He speculated that the Sage of Six Paths hadn’t fully reached the level of the sages from the Three Great Lands; otherwise, he wouldn’t have died.
As for the claim that the Sage died from losing the power of the Tailed Beasts, Shūichi found it unlikely.
What he was sure of, however, was that the Sage of Six Paths had managed to make his soul absorb natural energy and convert it into chakra.
Otherwise, how else could he grant Naruto and Sasuke their extraordinary powers?
The research continued, with Shūichi working tirelessly, even forgoing sleep.
For Shūichi, acquiring more Kekkei Genkai was about broadening his abilities—it wasn’t enough to raise his power ceiling significantly.
Time flew by, and October arrived.
Returning from the daimyo’s palace, Shūichi was about to dive back into his lab when memories from one of his clones flooded back.
“It finally worked!”
A smile spread across Shūichi’s face.
Wood Release!
What he thought he’d mastered last year had only come to fruition now. Clearly, his luck last year had been exhausted on Yang Release.
Now that Wood Release has finally been mastered...
“But... there’s nowhere to properly test it out!”
Shūichi sighed.
“Should I go find Nagato for a fight?”
Currently, Shūichi felt that only Nagato in the ninja world could be a match for him.
Well, except for that massive Tenseigan on the moon.
As the thought crossed his mind, another figure surfaced in his memory.
The Ōtsutsuki who came to Earth alongside Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
“I remember the name—Jigen, or rather, his true form was Isshiki Ōtsutsuki.”
“If that guy unleashes his full power, I wouldn’t stand a chance...”
Shūichi shook his head, exasperated. “Still too weak!”
Suppressing his frustration, he refocused on the Tag Tree.
Scorch Release, Lava Release, Boil Release, Magnet Release, and now Wood Release. With five Kekkei Genkai in his arsenal, the Kekkei Expert tag could finally be unlocked.
Enhancements from [Kekkei Expert]:
- Physical Strength: +100%
- Mental Power: +100%
- Body Compatibility: +100%
- Chakra Nature Transformation Talent: +100%
Tag Effect: Chakra nature transformations and fusions are no longer a mystery to you. Your only limitations are your body, mind, and intellect.
As soon as the tag activated, Shūichi’s body trembled slightly.
Then, with a loud boom, chakra erupted from within him, sending a terrifying shockwave throughout his study, scattering papers and books in all directions.
This triple enhancement of physical strength, mental power, and body compatibility brought dramatic changes.
As predicted, the increased body compatibility allowed Shūichi to fully assimilate the Nine-Tails’ power.
Not just that—he also unlocked the Flame Release power of the Two-Tails, which had previously eluded him.
Clearly, his previous absorption of the Tailed Beasts’ powers had been incomplete, relying somewhat on luck.
Now, with his body and mind doubled in strength, the results were explosive.
Inside the seal, the Tailed Beasts were astonished by Shūichi’s transformation.
“What’s with this sudden surge in his power?” Shukaku exclaimed.
The Two-Tails murmured, “I can sense the power of Flame Release!”
The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes, clearly uneasy. “This guy... even my power has...”
The Eight-Tails observed carefully. “His strength now feels on par with mine—no, probably on par with the Nine-Tails.”
The Six-Tails added, “The chakra quality is completely on the Nine-Tails’ level, though the amount is still slightly less.”
“But... isn’t this already beyond the strength of Hashirama Senju back in the day?”
Though his chakra reserves were smaller, his chakra’s quality rivaled that of the Nine-Tails. The Six-Tails believed that Shūichi had surpassed Hashirama in overall strength.
The Tailed Beasts nodded in agreement—they had all witnessed Hashirama’s power firsthand.
They turned their attention to the Nine-Tails.
The Four-Tails asked bluntly, “Nine-Tails, do you still think he’s unworthy of cooperation?”
The Nine-Tails snorted coldly. “Unlike you, I don’t trust humans so easily.”
“With his strength, even if he breaks his promises, what could you do about it?”
“And let’s not forget, reviving the Ten-Tails isn’t exactly easy.”
Shukaku scoffed, “You’re just being stubborn, aren’t you?”
“Given the choice between becoming part of the Ten-Tails or seizing a sliver of hope, it’s hardly a difficult decision.”
“But suit yourself. If you prefer staying locked in that cage, so be it!”
Among the Tailed Beasts, only the Nine-Tails was still confined within its iron cage, while the others roamed freely inside the seal.
...
Ignoring the chatter of the Tailed Beasts within, Shūichi began stabilizing his rapidly growing power.
“My upper limit has increased significantly…”
Feeling the chakra coursing through him—its quality fully comparable to that of the Nine-Tails—Shūichi’s mind teemed with new ideas.
He had previously considered using Wood Release as a base to combine other Kekkei Genkai powers, and it was indeed possible.
However, Wood Release felt too cumbersome and lacked mobility.
Now, with chakra rivaling the Nine-Tails in quality, he could develop a mode akin to the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
Or perhaps even something similar to Susanoo.
Motivated by these thoughts, Shūichi’s determination surged.
Just as he was about to head out and test his Wood Release by planting trees, memories from one of his shadow clones returned—it came from the Root division.
“The Land of Grass incident…”
Shūichi raised an eyebrow, leaving a shadow clone behind as his main body made its way to the Hokage’s office.
“Shūichi, the Lord Fourth and the others are already in the meeting room,” said Genma, who had been waiting for him.
Shūichi nodded, vanishing in an instant.
By the time he arrived, the meeting room was already full.
There sat his teacher, Minato Namikaze, alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Shikaku Nara.
This was Konoha’s highest decision-making circle.
Once Shūichi had taken his seat, Minato immediately said, “Shikaku, please brief Shūichi on the situation.”
“Understood!”
Nara Shikaku turned to Shūichi and explained, “Shūichi, after a period of calm, Iwagakure has finally made its move.”
“But this time, their target isn’t the daimyo of the Land of Grass—it’s the ministers and nobles collaborating with us and the Land of Grass.”
“The scale of the assassinations is significant, and the Land of Grass has suffered considerable losses.”
Shūichi nodded. “This is meant to destabilize our foundation in the Land of Grass.”
Shikaku nodded. “According to our intelligence, the daimyo of the Land of Earth and the Tsuchikage are aligned on this matter.”
“They’ve clearly sensed the danger we pose.”
Koharu Utatane interjected, “Our actions were too blatant, too unusual. It’s no surprise they noticed.”
“The problem now is that this undermines all our prior efforts.”
“And if we press forward, the Third Tsuchikage and the daimyo of the Land of Earth are determined enough to risk war to prevent us from fully controlling the Land of Grass.”
Shūichi glanced at his teacher, Minato Namikaze, before turning to Koharu. “So, what’s your suggestion, Koharu-senpai?”
Koharu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Homura Mitokado before saying, “It’s best to stop here. Otherwise, war will become inevitable.”
“The time isn’t ripe to annex the Land of Grass.”
Shūichi shook his head subtly.
This was retreating at the first sign of difficulty.
And it was exactly what that old fox Ōnoki was counting on.
At that moment, Homura Mitokado added, “We can’t fully retreat either. Otherwise, all our prior investments will have been in vain, and we won’t be able to explain it to the daimyo.”
“It would be best to maintain the current situation without further escalating tensions.”
Shūichi turned to Nara Shikaku. “What do you think, Shikaku-senpai?”
Shikaku pondered for a moment before replying, “Compared to the time of the last Shinobi War, our strength has undoubtedly increased, even though our manpower hasn’t fully recovered.”
“Furthermore, the current state of the ninja world is far more complex than before, mainly due to the rise of the Akatsuki organization.”
“Whether we should continue our efforts in the Land of Grass depends on the cost and benefits.”
“If we proceed, will Iwagakure dare to go to war with us?”
“Will other villages join in, as they did last time, and attack us collectively?”
Shūichi nodded to himself.
Now that’s someone with a brain.
Minato also nodded in agreement.
Noticing their expressions, Shikaku continued, “We are currently allied with Sunagakure and share mutual interests. If Iwagakure dares to start a war, there’s at least a 70% chance we can convince Sunagakure to join us in attacking them.”
“Kumogakure’s stance is the hardest to predict.”
“As for Kirigakure, I doubt they’d seize the opportunity to act.”
Koharu immediately retorted, “If the Akatsuki controls the Mizukage, wouldn’t they want to weaken us through war?”
“The Akatsuki could easily exploit the chaos of a conflict.”
Shikaku countered, “But it would be more advantageous for the Akatsuki to let us exhaust our strength. After all, Kirigakure barely counts as a tool in their arsenal.”
“Moreover, we can expose this connection, forcing Kirigakure to focus on internal issues and rendering them unable to participate in a war.”
“So, the most likely outcome is a two-on-two scenario.”
“With the full support of our daimyo, I believe we have the strength to handle it.”
Clap, clap, clap!
Shūichi applauded with a smile. “Impressive as always, Shikaku-senpai!”
Then he turned to Koharu and Homura. “Your desire to protect Konoha is understandable, but that’s exactly what Ōnoki is banking on.”
“He’s gambling that we won’t dare start another war, which is why he’s acting so aggressively now.”
“After all, it was us who were desperate to end the last war.”
“But times change, and we can’t view the current situation through the lens of the past.”
Koharu and Homura’s expressions darkened slightly.
Shūichi, however, smiled again. “Of course, it’s still too early to talk about war.”
“Ōnoki might not even have the guts to start another war.”
“Sensei, let me take a trip to Iwagakure first!”
Minato wasn’t surprised by the suggestion. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Take Shisui with you.”
Shūichi readily agreed.
Minato added, “Even though war isn’t inevitable, we can’t abandon our efforts in the Land of Grass.”
“And we must be prepared in case war does break out.”
Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been silent until now, spoke up. “I’ll personally visit Kusagakure.”
“If we aim to take over the Land of Grass—or even just control it—securing Kusagakure is the first step.”
Minato agreed without hesitation. “I’ll leave it to you, Third Hokage!”
(End of Chapter)
