Chapter 86: Training Wood Release, Battlefield Crisis
The next day, morning
"Big Sis, my Wood Release has awakened."
Taking advantage of the fact that Tsunade hadn't left yet, Ling Yu ran to her tent and told her the good news about awakening Wood Release.
"Hm? Really or fake? Don't try to trick me just because today is your birthday."
Tsunade was washing up and thought Ling Yu was joking when she heard his words.
"It's real—watch, Big Sis."
Ling Yu smiled slightly, gathered chakra in his hand, pressed it to the ground, and in the next moment, a small tender sprout grew out of the earth.
"This… this rich life force… it really is Wood Release!"
Tsunade quickly dropped her toothbrush and rushed over to Ling Yu, grabbing his hand tightly and carefully examining the chakra inside his body.
When she sensed the abundant chakra contained within Ling Yu, Tsunade's heart shook—this life force was several times richer than that of Hashirama Senju's Sage Body.
"Finally… after more than ten years, someone in our Senju clan has awakened Wood Release again."
Tsunade hugged Ling Yu tightly, so excited that tears flowed from her eyes.
"Don't cry, Big Sis. Awakening Wood Release is a good thing, right? I'm still waiting for you to take me to find the Wood Release ninjutsu scrolls."
Ling Yu patted Tsunade's back to comfort her while opening a teleportation gate—the destination set to their residence, the Senju compound.
"Mm, I'll take you there right now."
Tsunade smiled through her tears, wiped them away, took Ling Yu's hand, and walked through the teleportation gate together.
Konoha – Senju Compound
Tsunade brought Ling Yu to the underground storage area, following a hidden passage to a large door covered in sealing ninjutsu.
"This is where our Senju clan stores our most confidential ninjutsu. Only the clan head is allowed to know about this place. Grandfather's Wood Release ninjutsu is kept here."
"Now that you've also awakened Wood Release and can take on the position of the next Senju clan head, I'm bringing you here early to familiarize yourself with it."
Tsunade skillfully unlocked dozens of sealing techniques, opened the door, and led Ling Yu inside.
After entering, Tsunade lit the oil lamps along the walls one by one. Only then could Ling Yu clearly see the interior.
Before him was a dim narrow passage. After walking for a short while, the two emerged into a spacious secret chamber.
"This place doesn't only contain Grandfather's Wood Release ninjutsu—there are also records of our Senju clan's history and the process of Grandfather founding Konoha."
After Tsunade lit all the torches in the chamber, the walls covered in painted patterns were revealed, along with a massive scroll placed in the center of the room.
"Is the Wood Release ninjutsu inside this scroll?"
Ling Yu walked up to the scroll, looked at the layers of sealing techniques covering it, then turned to ask.
"Mm. Not only Wood Release ninjutsu—it also contains many of Second Grandfather's S-rank forbidden techniques. Now I'm handing it over to you."
Tsunade nodded, performed several ninjutsu to解除 the seals, and then passed the scroll to Ling Yu.
After returning to the camp, Tsunade spent the entire day in high spirits, as if she herself had awakened Wood Release.
That evening, while the girls were celebrating Ling Yu's birthday, he told them about awakening Wood Release, shocking them all.
After all, the last person to use Wood Release was Senju Hashirama—the man known as the "God of the Ninja World." Back then, his Wood Release had terrified the entire ninja world.
Over the next week, Ling Yu spent every day training Wood Release while also practicing some of the forbidden techniques left behind by the Second Hokage. Through his diligent training, he finally mastered most of the Wood Release techniques.
After finishing his Wood Release training, Ling Yu planned to begin training Sage Mode to further enhance his overall strength and elevate his Wood Release to the next level.
But at that moment, unfavorable news arrived from the battlefield between Konoha and the Sand ninja.
The Land of Wind had deployed the One-Tail into the war, breaking the previous balance between the two sides. Konoha suffered heavy losses.
In desperation, the Third Hokage could only request reinforcements from Tsunade's side. However, Tsunade—the strongest combatant here—was currently in a delicate situation on the Rain battlefield and couldn't easily leave to provide support.
In the end, when Ling Yu heard that a tailed beast had appeared, he took the initiative to volunteer. After some discussion, Koharu Utatane decided to send Jiraiya and Ling Yu to reinforce the front.
After all, Koharu still clearly remembered Ling Yu's feat of wiping out three thousand Rain ninja with a single technique. Sending Ling Yu along with Jiraiya would definitely be enough to hold back the Sand ninja's advance.
Moreover, Ling Yu did not bring Mikoto and Kushina with him. He asked them to stay and assist Tsunade, preventing the Rain ninja from launching a desperate all-out attack on Konoha just because he had left.
Meanwhile – Land of Rain / Konoha–Sand Battlefield
Inside the Konoha tent
"Lord Third, ever since the One-Tail joined the battlefield, our Konoha forces have been completely suppressed by the Sand ninja. We can't retreat any further. If we fall back again, we'll be pushed to the border of the Fire Country—and at that point, we really won't be able to stop the Sand ninja's advance."
Hatake Sakumo held the latest casualty report in his hand and spoke gravely to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Has support from the other two battlefields arrived yet?"
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe, his expression also grim.
"From the first battlefield, they've sent Senju Ling Yu, Jiraiya, and two thousand troops. According to the timing, they should arrive today."
"Two thousand troops—enough to relieve our pressure. I also feel more at ease with Jiraiya coming."
Hiruzen's face relaxed slightly when he heard his student's name, then he continued:
"But Senju Ling Yu? It's said he wiped out three thousand Rain ninja with a single technique in front of Hanzō. Though I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I hope his arrival can turn the tide for us."
At that moment, a Konoha ninja rushed in hurriedly, dropped to one knee, and reported respectfully:
"Lord Third Hokage! The Sand ninja have begun another offensive. This time they're going all out—estimated enemy numbers have gathered around six thousand."
Bang!
"Damn it! Those sneaky Sand ninja actually deployed their One-Tail jinchūriki."
Hiruzen angrily slammed the table, removed his outer robe to reveal his combat attire underneath, and walked out of the tent.
"Quick! Assemble the troops! Hold them off—we must last until our reinforcements arrive."
On the battlefield
"Once we finish this war, our Hidden Sand Village can advance into the Land of Fire. We'll be one step closer to conquering Konoha."
The Third Kazekage stood before the massive Sand army, looking at the Konoha ninja ahead with greed in his eyes. Then he turned his gaze to the elderly bald monk beside him.
"Bunpuku, when the time comes, you directly control the One-Tail to break through to the rear of the Konoha ninja and block their escape route. Don't let them run. Can you do that?"
At this time, Bunpuku was still the One-Tail jinchūriki of the Hidden Sand Village and could skillfully control Shukaku.
Originally, the Sand higher-ups had ordered him imprisoned in jail to prevent the jinchūriki from going berserk. Under normal circumstances, he would have died of old age in prison.
But the newly ascended Third Kazekage was wildly ambitious. Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi appear on the battlefield, he wanted to defeat him in combat to solidify his own authority in the village—so he dragged Bunpuku onto the field.
At first, Bunpuku was unwilling. He had a good relationship with Shukaku and believed the Third Kazekage's actions were exploiting the tailed beast.
This went against his long-held belief in peaceful coexistence between humans and tailed beasts. But in the end, he was threatened by the Third Kazekage.
If Bunpuku refused to fight, the One-Tail would be extracted from his body and sealed into a new jinchūriki, who would then be sent to the battlefield.
Rather than let a new jinchūriki lose control and cause Shukaku to rampage indiscriminately against friend and foe, it was better for him to control the One-Tail himself—at least that way fewer people would die.
"I'll do my best."
Faced with the Third Kazekage's threat, Bunpuku could only nod helplessly.
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