With the success of the Reverse Summoning, Mizuki Ryosuke and Senju Tsunade were transported into a rainforest with breathtaking scenery. The sheer magnificence of the landscape was beyond comprehension.
This is unbelievable…
Mount Myōboku was already known for its ancient Toad Sages capable of foreseeing the future and its countless powerful toad summons. Yet, standing here in the heart of Shikkotsu Forest, Mizuki Ryosuke was forced to acknowledge an even deeper mystery—one that defied common sense itself.
To match the power of the other two great summoning realms with its own unique strength… What kind of existence was this?
"Oh? Xiaogang is blushing."
Tsunade flinched at the teasing voice, her normally composed face now betraying a rare expression of shyness. Even the ever-serene Katsuyu, the enigmatic ruler of this sacred land, turned slightly, as if intrigued.
"Good grief… not even sparing an old lady who's been single for a thousand years…"
Recalling everything that had just transpired, Tsunade covered her flushed face, unable to suppress her embarrassment.
Another gentle yet playful voice echoed, causing her blush to deepen. A faint trace of awkwardness flickered in her blue eyes.
"Let me heal your wounds first, Xiaogang. This is the worst I've seen you hurt in years."
The term "towering tree" almost seemed inadequate in this place.
After all, the ability to master Sage Mode was exclusive to the three great summoning realms.
While Ryūchi Cave's full scale remained uncertain, Yakushi Kabuto's recollections suggested its structure bore similarities to Mount Myōboku. Apart from the Great White Snake Sage, the cavern was home to a vast variety of powerful snake summons.
"Immortal, you overestimate me. To compare me to Senju Hashirama…"
The difficulty of mastering Senjutsu was unimaginably high. Even among elite ninja, only a handful had succeeded.
"Oh?"
What truly set these realms apart, no one could say with certainty.
And yet, one undeniable fact stood before them—this was but a fraction of Katsuyu's true form.
Tsunade muttered to herself.
"An interesting young man."
Could it be that Katsuyu's words implied that Mizuki Ryosuke possessed a talent on par with the God of Shinobi himself?
A tree trunk thicker than any Mizuki Ryosuke had ever seen pierced the sky, disappearing into the clouds. No matter how far he tilted his head back, its peak was impossible to see.
"Sage power…"
Tsunade, having shaken off her earlier embarrassment, cast a surprised glance at the young man beside her.
Among the known users of Senjutsu, Naruto and Jiraiya had trained at Mount Myōboku, while Kabuto had mastered the Ryūchi Cave's method. The origin of Hashirama's Sage Mode, however, remained ambiguous.
Yet, compared to the sheer presence of this place, those mysteries seemed insignificant.
Katsuyu was the most enigmatic of the three Great Sages, her power never fully revealed.
The title of Holy Land was granted to these three domains because they were the only places where mortals could acquire the power of the Sages.
And yet, neither Tsunade nor Ryosuke moved an inch, still frozen from the earlier shock.
Mizuki Ryosuke had long known that Shikkotsu Forest was fundamentally different from its counterparts.
Even in the face of the unfathomable Sage Katsuyu, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Among all known Shinobi, only Jiraiya, Naruto, Kabuto, and Hashirama had successfully mastered Sage Mode.
A warm, feminine voice drifted through the air, its slightly teasing tone reminding them of their current predicament.
Aside from everything else, Ryosuke felt an intense curiosity toward the elusive Katsuyu Sage.
How tall could a tree possibly grow?
"Katsuyu-sama!"
"Hahaha! Well, well…"
Tsunade's connection to Katsuyu suggested that the source of Hashirama's Senjutsu was, indeed, the Shikkotsu Forest.
Perhaps sensing Ryosuke's gaze, Sage Katsuyu turned slightly, her twin eye-stalks swaying in acknowledgment.
Mizuki Ryosuke blinked in surprise, sensing a deep sincerity in her words.
"Tsk tsk… astonishing."
The sheer vastness of the world outside the reach of human civilization was staggering.
And these trees were not mere exceptions—they formed an entire forest.
A surge of awe filled him.
Of the three summoning realms, Shikkotsu Forest was the most enigmatic, shrouded in mystery for generations.
Even with his keen observation, Mizuki Ryosuke struggled to pinpoint their exact location.
The power of Hashirama Senju… just how terrifying was it?
"Like…"
Five meters? Ten? Twenty?
Now, if Mizuki Ryosuke told someone that these trees stretched beyond 100 meters in height, would they believe it?
"Young people these days are quite bold."
Mizuki Ryosuke forced himself to suppress the odd sensation stirring within him and refocused on their situation.
Unlike the other two summoning realms, Shikkotsu Forest had only one summoning beast—Katsuyu herself.
Whether it was the radiant blonde princess or the dark-haired youth, the two seemed momentarily caught in each other's eyes, unable to look away.
In the original records, the number of humans who had ever attained Sage Mode without the aid of a Tailed Beast could be counted on one hand.
On the other side, Tsunade's reaction was even more exaggerated than Ryosuke's.
"This is…"
Mount Myōboku was well-documented, having played a crucial role in the training of Jiraiya and Naruto.
"Other than that boy Hashirama, this is the first time I have seen a human with such natural talent."
Katsuyu merely exhaled lightly in Tsunade's direction, and the severe wound that should have been fatal vanished before their eyes. Not even a scar remained. It was as if she had never been injured at all.
Tsunade's already pale face deepened to a shade of red akin to an autumn persimmon, her curvaceous figure still trembling slightly.
"Someone like Grandpa…"
Compared to the boundless surroundings, Katsuyu's physical form was remarkably small.
Finally, the two of them snapped out of their daze.
Unlike Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest had rarely been explored in depth.
Mizuki Ryosuke shook his head slightly, refusing to accept such lofty praise.
In appearance, this Katsuyu was nearly identical to the one Tsunade typically summoned—except for the addition of a flowing blue robe draped over her enormous body.
Yet, Katsuyu only chuckled in response, choosing not to pursue the topic further.
As she continued to tease Tsunade, Mizuki Ryosuke surveyed their surroundings.
Their synchronized movements—stepping back and turning away—were executed so flawlessly that the coordination was uncanny.
Even so, considering that this was the legendary Shikkotsu Forest, Mizuki Ryosuke chose to accept what he saw.
The differences among the three summoning realms also influenced the distinct characteristics of their respective Sage Modes.
In this world, war and chaos had long limited human populations, leaving vast uncharted regions of nature untouched.
Mizuki Ryosuke observed the astonishing healing techniques of Sage Katsuyu, a flicker of desire glinting in his gaze.
"I'm never getting married at this rate…"
For a brief moment, Tsunade's expression softened as she glanced at Mizuki Ryosuke.
Tsunade, though frustrated, could not conceal the unmistakable hint of bashfulness in her tone—something even Ryosuke clearly picked up on.
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