The ruins of Uzushiogakure no longer resembled a village at all.
Jagged boulders littered the coastline, half-submerged beneath the waves, their surfaces overgrown with thick algae and clinging shellfish. Here and there, faint traces of old defensive walls jutted from the rocks—crumbling remnants carved with the Uzumaki clan's spiral patterns, now faded and half-swallowed by time.
The three stopped at a rare stretch of flat ground.
Tsunade stood motionless for a moment, her golden hair stirred by the sea breeze as her eyes swept across the desolate remains.
"If you're going to train in Sage Jutsu, do it here," she said. "Since Uzushiogakure's fall, no one has set foot on this land. You won't be disturbed."
Roshi didn't answer right away. His gaze moved methodically, scanning every shadow, every crevice among the ruins. Only after confirming there was no trace of life or danger did he slowly sit down cross-legged and used the summoning jutsu.
A small Katsuyu appeared on his palm, her soft, serene voice carrying through the sea breeze. "Roshi-kun."
"Lady Katsuyu, I'm about to begin Sage Jutsu training."
The little slug's antennae twitched, sensing the faint stir of natural energy in the air. Then it turned toward Tsunade.
"Split off a small one, Katsuyu," Tsunade said curtly. "I'll need to support him with Chakra."
"Understood. With Lady Tsunade's Chakra assistance, the risk will be greatly reduced." Katsuyu's voice was calm as ever, her body dividing neatly into two. The smaller fragment wriggled up onto Tsunade's shoulder.
Roshi exhaled slowly, letting the residue of their earlier spar fade from his body. His consciousness sank inward, his senses tracing the flow of Chakra within him—then outward, past the boundary of flesh, until he could feel it: that vast, ancient energy woven into the world itself. Natural Energy.
He reached for it cautiously.
At first, it was gentle—a subtle current, like a cool stream trickling into his body.
Then, all at once—
The dam burst.
An overwhelming surge of raw, chaotic energy flooded into him, as if the very air had come alive.
Roshi grit his teeth, controlling his Chakra desperately to stabilize the flow, but the Hashirama cells within him reacted violently. Their greed for energy was insatiable—drinking in the power like dry soil absorbing a storm. In an instant, his skin began to desiccate and roughen, wooden lines crawling up his arms and neck like spreading roots.
"Tch… troublesome brat," Tsunade muttered, but she didn't hesitate.
The diamond mark on her forehead flared open—the Strength of a Hundred Seal releasing its vast reserves in an instant. Through the small Katsuyu perched on her shoulder, her chakra flowed directly into Roshi.
At the same time, the Katsuyu on Roshi's arm pulsed and glowed softly, aiding the regulation of natural energy within his body.
Under the stabilizing influence of Tsunade's chakra, the woody texture receded rapidly, his skin returning to normal.
Shizune stood nearby, clutching Tonton anxiously. Her breath hitched as black markings appeared around Roshi's eyes. For a moment, his limbs began to harden again—tiny branches even sprouting from his fingertips—only to wither and fall away.
It was a cycle of danger and recovery, over and over. Yet, as time passed, the intervals grew shorter, the transformations weaker. Slowly, painstakingly, the balance of the three energies—physical, spiritual, and natural—began to stabilize.
After an unknown length of time, the chaos finally subsided.
No more distortions crept across his skin. The sage markings around his eyes settled, firm and defined.
When Roshi finally opened his eyes, the world seemed sharper—every sound, every motion of the wind alive with detail.
He had succeeded.
It was only the first step—a fragile equilibrium still—but a crucial one nonetheless.
Tsunade cut off her chakra flow and sighed. "At least my effort wasn't wasted."
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. And Lady Katsuyu," Roshi said earnestly.
The training had proven far more perilous than he'd expected. The Hashirama cells' hunger for energy made even basic Sage Mode induction a battle for control. His body felt heavy, drained—the kind of exhaustion that reached the soul.
"Now that you've drawn in natural energy once, it will get easier with time," Katsuyu assured him gently.
Roshi bowed his head slightly. "Understood."
Tsunade had already turned away. Having released her Strength of a Hundred Seal, she needed to replenish her reserves immediately—or risk her age catching up to her. That was something she refused to let anyone see.
Shizune hurried forward with the prepared meal, but before Tsunade could reach for it, a sudden rush of warmth surged through her body—fresh Chakra flooding into her depleted system.
"This is…"
Her brows lifted. "Tch, that brat still had this much Chakra left in him?"
Feeling her cells hum with renewed vitality, Tsunade couldn't help but smile faintly.
Maybe this trip wasn't a total loss after all.
Roshi, meanwhile, examined the traces of his Sage Mode. No animal traits. Just black markings and faint golden hues along the edge of his pupils.
This was the Sage Mode of Senju Hashirama—whether due to his method or the genetic imprint of the cells within him.
Still, he was relieved. Unlike Madara, he hadn't grown a second face. Having the same power without that… was already a blessing.
The first day of training ended, and the three set up camp among the ruins.
"Roshi." Tsunade's voice came suddenly—gentler than usual. "What do you know about Uzushiogakure?"
"It was the homeland of the Uzumaki clan," he answered. "Allies of Konoha, and distant relatives of the Senju. The Uzumaki emblem on our Jonin uniforms symbolizes that bond."
Tsunade nodded slowly. "Yes. My grandmother was from Uzushiogakure. The Uzumaki were strong… but strength alone doesn't guarantee survival." Her gaze drifted toward the weathered spiral carvings nearby. "Do you know why they fell?"
Roshi shook his head. "Please, enlighten me."
"Because they couldn't keep up with the times." Tsunade's tone was low, almost bitter. "Even with Konoha as their ally, they couldn't survive the chaos of the Shinobi Wars."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Konoha was under siege for years, but the Land of Whirlpools wasn't far. If Uzushiogakure could've held out for just two or three days, reinforcements would've come. But they didn't. They fell before help could arrive."
Her voice softened, colored with something between frustration and melancholy. "For all their mastery of sealing arts… they couldn't even last that long."
She paused, exhaling slowly, her gaze fixed on the crumbling stone beneath her feet.
"That was when I finally understood why even Uncle Tobirama agreed with my grandfather's decision to dissolve the clan system."
"A single ninja clan," she said quietly, "no matter how powerful, cannot survive the wars of nations… not unless they possess the kind of strength my grandfather once held."
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Next Chapter : Tsunade - I'm not an insignificant Senju! you brat!!
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