Frustrated, Dosuke threw the remaining half bottle of Hero Water into the pool.
The bottle floated in the pool, causing slight ripples.
Katsuyu-sama pointed to the pool of water beneath her.
The body fluids of the slug family have a certain healing ability, and the slugs also have the function of transmitting and amplifying chakra, which is highly valuable in assisting combat.
By passing chakra, others can be healed from a distance, and the slugs can combine their own chakra to boost the caster's chakra. This is why, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Tsunade could support the entire ninja army with the help of the slugs.
If Tsunade's own chakra alone could heal so many people, her jinchuriki chakra wouldn't have been enough.
"This pool is the final gathering place for the Shikkotsu Forest's rainwater and rivers. Although the healing ability of slugs isn't outstanding, it has accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years. This pool still has good healing properties, though the healing speed is slower," Katsuyu-sama explained to Dosuke.
That's why Katsuyu-sama isn't afraid of his failure; even if he fails, sending him to this pool in time can heal him.
At least it will ensure he doesn't die.
"Little Dosuke, although I don't know what's happening in the outside world, you still chose to use it even though you knew this so-called Hero Water has such serious side effects."
"Even if I explained the danger of this practice, would you still do it?"
As a psychic beast that has lived for thousands of years, Katsuyu-sama has seen too many people. This practice guaranteeing Dosuke's survival is the greatest assurance.
Hearing Katsuyu-sama's rhetorical question, Dosuke didn't say anything to refute and walked a few steps forward, squatting by the edge of the pool.
He couldn't answer Katsuyu-sama's question just now.
Even if he knew the danger of this practice and had to choose again, Dosuke would take the risk.
He succeeded this time and obtained chakra comparable to a jonin in his current age group.
The biggest shortcoming in the past, the amount of chakra, has finally been resolved. Though it can't compare to the Senju or Uzumaki's exceptional physiques, it surpasses most civilian ninjas.
Feeling the full chakra in his body, Dosuke can finally stand tall in the ninja world and compete with those geniuses.
It wasn't until this time that Dosuke realized he wasn't so opposed to the Third Great Ninja War. His previous rejection and worry all stemmed from a lack of strength.
Dosuke stood up suddenly, took off his sandals, and walked barefoot toward the Hero Water floating in the pool.
Picking up the bottle, he asked, "Katsuyu-sama, can the water in this pool absorb and store chakra?"
Dosuke looked up at Katsuyu-sama and asked.
As early as the first step into the pool, Dosuke felt something was off. Because of his fine chakra control, he was well aware of the chakra output when stepping on water.
But this time, when he stepped into the pool, he noticed that the chakra he released was continuously pouring into the water.
At first, Dosuke thought his skyrocketing chakra and declining control were the cause, but after a while, he keenly discovered that the extra chakra output wasn't a loss but was slowly absorbed by the pool.
This amount is extremely small; if it weren't for his exceptional control over his own chakra, most people wouldn't detect it at all.
"Oh, did you notice?" came Katsuyu's unique ethereal voice.
"The water in the pool is mixed with the body fluids of our slugs. It does have a certain storage capacity. You are the first to discover it."
Dosuke covered his head after hearing what Katsuyu-sama said.
Others can't find it because they don't need to split their chakra like him or seek to refine it into finer portions.
"Katsuyu-sama, can I take some of this pool water back?" Dosuke asked.
"No problem, you can take it as you like," Katsuyu-sama replied with a smile.
Hearing Katsuyu-sama's response, Dosuke turned and walked toward the shore, putting on his sandals.
"Great Sage, my practice is over this time, so I'm going back." Dosuke bowed deeply to Katsuyu-sama to express his gratitude.
Clack, clack
"You should come to the Shikkotsu Forest often when you have time, Little Dosuke." After finishing, Katsuyu-sama plunged into the pool and disappeared.
Splash, splash Katsuyu-sama's plunge into the pool soaked Dosuke with the splash.
"Great sage..." Dosuke dripped water all over his body and walked out of the cave.
While walking, he controlled Water Release to drain the water from his clothes.
When he walked out of the cave, the first thing he saw was Chiling circling the cave entrance.
Chiling's whole slug body stood upright—Dosuke didn't know how she managed it with a slug's soft form.
Chiling used her tail as a support, her whole body spinning rapidly. If Dosuke read correctly, a shallow dent had already formed on her tail.
Dosuke looked at Chiling in a daze.
"Chiling, what are you doing?"
"Well, um..." Chiling stopped abruptly when she heard someone call her name.
Then she felt like the whole slug was embarrassed.
"Dosuke..."
"Dosuke, please wait for me a moment... I... I feel a little unwell... I want to vomit."
Dosuke "..."
After a while, Chiling approached Dosuke, shaking her head.
"Dosuke, have you finished visiting?" Chiling's lively girlish voice was in a naive state.
"Well, it's over. I'm leaving the Shikkotsu Forest and saying goodbye to you and Mizurina."
"Sister Mizurina is resting after putting in so much effort this time, and I was hoping to spend some time playing with you, Dosuke. I found these beautiful clothes for you, which was rare, but it seems I won't get the chance now," Chiling said with a hint of regret.
Chiling's words left Dosuke with a head full of black lines; Chiling did it on purpose.
"Then I won't disturb Mizurina anymore. Chiling, I'm leaving. And don't spin around anymore; it's dizzying and uncomfortable."
"Well, Chiling understands, but I used to fall asleep right after spinning like this."
If you spin like that, everyone would sleep well.
Without saying more, he waved to Chiling.
"Ninja Technique, Reverse Summoning Technique."
Boom
Dosuke disappeared from the Shikkotsu Forest.
Looking at Dosuke who disappeared, Chiling shook her head. She turned her body sideways and rolled toward the distance.
Konoha Hospital Laboratory, Boom.
Tsunade and Shizune were looking at the surveillance.
"Don't worry, Shizune. Dosuke isn't heading to the Shikkotsu Forest."
"Last time, Katsuyu-sama went with me. She said Dosuke was practicing."
"If something happens to Dosuke, Katsuyu-sama will definitely notify me."
At that moment, a puff of smoke drifted past, and Dosuke in a lady's yukata appeared directly in the Konoha Lab.
Tsunade and Shizune looked at Dosuke in front of them with surprised eyes.