Neither the slug before him nor Tsunade's summoned beast in the future could compare to the original—Slug Sage. Legend had it that when the Slug Sage so much as stretched or yawned, an entire mountain range would tremble as though from a small earthquake. On occasion, fragments of its vast body would fall away, birthing countless smaller slugs. These fragments, imbued with independent consciousness and vitality, could heal and provide invaluable support to others.
After biting his finger and signing the summoning contract with his blood, Kakuzu pondered a question: if the first to contract with Shikkotsu Forest was Hashirama Senju, why hadn't he summoned the Slug Sage during battle? Such a colossal being could crush Madara Uchiha's fully-armored Susanoo with a mere flick of its mountainous frame.
The answer lay beyond mere chakra reserves. Much like how even Jiraiya and Naruto, the Child of Prophecy, couldn't summon the Great Toad Sage at will, the Slug Sage, an ancient "divine entity" from the era of the Sage of Six Paths, wasn't so easily called forth.
Returning his focus to himself, Kakuzu clenched his fist, feeling the power coursing through him. Learning Sage Mode had enhanced his abilities significantly, even outside Sage Mode activation. Most notably, he found his control over Wood Release far more intuitive.
Wood Release symbolized life force, while Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode epitomized regeneration and restoration. Their synergy not only accelerated his growth but also strengthened his innate abilities. By his estimation, the dilution of Hashirama's cells in his body had decreased to an astonishing 1:80 ratio.
Closing his eyes, Kakuzu formed hand seals.
"Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique."
Crack!
A section of wood extended from Kakuzu's body, rapidly splitting away. As it hit the ground, it transformed into an identical clone of Kakuzu. This Wood Clone was the pinnacle of clone techniques, far superior to Shadow Clones, Water Clones, or Lightning Clones. It possessed enhanced vitality and battle instincts, capable of functioning independently unless recalled by the original.
Reversing his hand seals, Kakuzu transformed the Wood Clone back into a chunk of wood. Its "roots" burrowed deep into the ground as branches sprouted from its surface, growing into a towering tree.
Bidding farewell to Katsuyu, Kakuzu activated Reverse Summoning. Runes spread rapidly from his palm, engulfing his body in smoke before he vanished from Shikkotsu Forest.
When Kakuzu reappeared, he was met with a familiar scene: endless yellow sand. Harsh winds carried grains of sand that pelted against his face.
"This place… it hasn't changed much," he muttered.
Though the weather seemed slightly calmer compared to a year ago, something felt different. Looking up, he noticed two hawks struggling against the unforgiving winds, their flight erratic and unstable.
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.
Hawks wouldn't venture into such harsh conditions unless compelled—these were messenger hawks.
As if confirming his thoughts, the hawks descended toward him in a desperate spiral, finally collapsing into the sand, too exhausted to land properly. Kakuzu retrieved the scrolls from their leg cylinders, his brows furrowing as he read the brief, urgent message.
White Tree Town attacked! Hanabusa critically injured!
Without hesitation, Kakuzu vanished from the spot.
Upon his arrival at White Tree Town, devastation greeted him: collapsed buildings, fires raging amidst the ruins, and the acrid scent of blood mingling with smoke.
This place wasn't just any settlement—it was Kakuzu's first stronghold in the Shinobi World, a base he had poured his efforts into establishing.
He walked toward a half-destroyed inn that concealed the entrance to his underground laboratory. A few weary ninja patrolled the area. These weren't shinobi from the Five Great Nations. They lacked headbands, their mismatched armor marking them as mercenaries or wanderers.
The ragtag group tensed upon seeing Kakuzu but faltered in forming a proper defensive formation, revealing their lack of formal training.
"Stand down!"
A bloodied Heisei Rokuno emerged from the wreckage, silencing the group. Approaching Kakuzu, he dropped to one knee.
"Kakuzu-sama… you've finally returned."
In the year Kakuzu had spent mastering Sage Mode, the Second Shinobi World War had erupted. Though any of the Five Great Nations could have seized White Tree Town, the attackers were clearly someone—or something—else entirely.
The underground exchange center they protected was tied to the black market—a shadowy force that steered clear of direct involvement in the conflicts of the ninja world. Even the Five Great Nations refrained from recklessly meddling in black market affairs, as it represented a fragile yet crucial balance born from their power struggles. No one wanted to be the first to shatter that equilibrium.
But no one could have anticipated this outcome.
Kakuzu helped lift Heisei Rokuno to his feet.
"Your arm..."
The sleeve of Heisei Rokuno's right arm hung limp, completely empty—a clear sign of his loss during the recent conflict. He shook his head, his expression twitching with a brief flash of anguish.
"Kakuzu-sama," Heisei began, his voice trembling. "The forces of Sunagakure attempted to bypass us to launch a sneak attack on Iwagakure. But they were discovered by the Iwa troops. Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and even Konoha ended up clashing fiercely right here."
"Our underground laboratory was unfortunately exposed in the process and dragged into the chaos. I deployed every shinobi under my command, recruited rogue ninja, and joined forces with Miss Hanabusa to defend it with everything we had."
"We leveraged the tensions among the three factions to maneuver strategically and used your name to intimidate them. While the losses we suffered were severe, the laboratory remains intact."
As Heisei's explanation unfolded, Kakuzu began to grasp the situation.
Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure had all collided in a brutal battle here, and in the crossfire, his underground lab had been compromised. The lab housed invaluable research materials, making it a tempting prize for all three villages. None of them would admit it outright, but the desire to seize the lab for themselves was evident.
However, the fierce rivalry between the factions worked in Kakuzu's favor. The delicate balance of power among the three ensured that no single village could claim victory over the others, let alone capture the lab. Days of combat had passed, and the stalemate continued.
Of course, beyond the mutual conflict, another critical factor ensured the lab's survival—something even more vital.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Where is Hanabusa?" Kakuzu's tone darkened as he noticed only Heisei Rokuno had come to meet him. The absence of Hanabusa was troubling.
Heisei's expression crumpled, and his voice cracked. "Miss Hanabusa… she…"
Fighting back tears, Heisei led Kakuzu into the lab.
The laboratory was a wreck, its contents scattered and damaged, but the most important materials and research notes had been safeguarded. Yet, amidst the destruction, Hanabusa lay on a makeshift bed.
Her body was covered in blood, her vitality draining away with every passing moment. Her breath was faint, as fragile as a flickering flame about to be extinguished.
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I have a new fanfic about a transmigrator reborn as Yagura Karatachi from Kirigakure. It's quite unique in terms of setting, so I highly recommend checking it out! The title is Naruto: Reborn as Yagura Karatachi, or you can find it through my Webnovel profile.
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