Chapter 169 - 169

Words : 1225 Updated : Oct 10th, 2025

Of course, Natsuki was always both thick-skinned and greedy. He spoke up directly: "Tsunade-sama, I have two requests I'd like to make." Tsunade raised her brows in curiosity. "What are they?" "First," Natsuki said seriously, "I need knowledge. Ninjutsu, fuinjutsu (sealing techniques), barrier arts—knowledge in all areas. I want to deepen my understanding. So... I wonder if Tsunade-sama would allow me to access the Senju clan's archives?" Everyone was surprised and turned to look at Natsuki. Sasuke and Neji unconsciously clenched their fists—the same idea suddenly blooming in their minds. Sasuke thought back to Natsuki's advice: train, study, reference, and imagine. Now, Natsuki was requesting to learn more, to study all kinds of techniques and theories to build a stronger foundation for future growth. And one of the most knowledge-rich places must surely be the ancient records left behind by the Senju clan. The Uchiha may have once had their own archives, but Sasuke could no longer locate them—they'd likely been taken or destroyed. But if the Senju clan's archives still existed, Sasuke wanted access too. After all, the Senju were once the Uchiha's greatest rivals. There might be detailed records of how the Senju fought the Uchiha—knowledge he could use to grow stronger. This was exactly what Natsuki's advice had emphasized—learning and borrowing from others! Damn it. He wanted to ask too! As for Neji, he considered the fact that the Senju clan, like the Hyūga, was an ancient family. There might be information in the Senju archives related to the Hyūga's history. If he could find it, it might be incredibly valuable for him. Damn it! He wanted to ask too! So the two of them actually stepped forward. "Tsunade-sama, we'd like to see the Senju archives too. If that's allowed..." That left Tsunade a little speechless—she hadn't expected anyone to even remember the Senju clan archives, let alone request to see them. But instead of being annoyed, she was rather pleased—there were still people who recognized the strength of the Senju. These three kids wanted access to the archives to become stronger—they clearly acknowledged the power of the Senju. Otherwise, why seek out their knowledge? Though Hashirama had once insisted on dissolving the clan's presence and fully integrating into the village—so much so that the surname "Senju" had practically disappeared—Tsunade still had strong feelings about her clan. To her, the village wasn't just the legacy of her two grandfathers—it was the Senju. Their blood had blended into the foundation of Konoha. To protect the village was to protect the family. As for the clan archives, she had no desire to let them sit around collecting dust. Since these kids were asking, she wouldn't be stingy. But there had to be conditions—otherwise anyone could walk in and read them, and that would cheapen the name of the Senju. "Ahem! You want access to the Senju archives? It's not impossible." Tsunade grinned. "The conditions are the same for all three of you: complete three S-rank missions, and I'll allow you to read the archives for three days. If you want to read them again later, you'll need to complete three more S-rank missions. Oh—and Natsuki, this last mission doesn't count. You'll have to start fresh." Tsunade thought she was a genius. Some dusty old books, and she could use them as a bargaining chip to get the kids to complete high-level missions. Brilliant. With Natsuki's strength, S-rank missions should be no problem, which meant some of her toughest pending jobs could now be solved. Sasuke and Neji had solid potential too—once they reached jōnin, they could also handle S-rank missions with ease. That meant her job as Hokage would get so much easier. Haha! Hurry up and agree already! Natsuki didn't hesitate at all. "Deal. Three missions. It's a promise!" Sasuke and Neji quickly followed. "We agree too!" They couldn't do S-rank missions yet, but they figured it was only a matter of time. The day they'd earn access to the archives wasn't far off. Tsunade clapped her hands decisively. "Then it's settled! Now, what's your second request?" Natsuki answered calmly: "I want to speak with Katsuyu." "Katsuyu?" Now everyone was even more confused. What could he possibly want to talk about with a summoning beast? But only Tsunade, Shizune, and Kakashi—more experienced—understood. Katsuyu wasn't just any summoning beast. If Natsuki wanted to speak to her directly, it definitely wasn't some small talk. He was almost certainly after something big. Tsunade didn't refuse. "Of course. Do you want to talk right here? I'm curious what you're planning to say." Natsuki nodded. "Sure, right here is fine." Tsunade bit her thumb, formed the hand seals, and slammed her palm on the desk. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Summoning Technique!)" Poof! A face-basin-sized slug appeared on the desk and spoke in a soft, gentle voice. "Tsunade-sama, what would you have me do?" Everyone seeing Katsuyu for the first time stared in curiosity. They'd all heard that Tsunade's summoning beast was a slug, but no one expected her to look exactly like a giant mucus blob. No one could figure out what Natsuki wanted to discuss with this "snot slug." Tsunade gestured. "It's this kid who wants to talk to you—his name is Natsuki." Katsuyu turned to him. "Natsuki-dono, it's a pleasure." Natsuki waved quickly. "No need for such formality. You're a division of the Katsuyu Sage, right? So that means you share her consciousness?" Katsuyu Sage!? This little slug was a sage!? Tenten, Shino, Neji, and Sasuke were stunned. But it made sense—they were the younger generation and didn't know much about the Three Great Sage Lands. Katsuyu nodded. "That's correct. Unlike Mount Myōboku with its toad population, or Ryūchi Cave with its snakes, Shikkotsu Forest has only me. My body is too large to summon in full, so what Tsunade-sama brings forth is just a fraction of me." Natsuki smiled. "To control an entire Sage Land alone... Katsuyu Sage is clearly more impressive than the Toad Sage or the White Snake Sage." "You flatter me, Natsuki-dono." Her voice remained gentle. "What would you like to ask?" Natsuki didn't hide his goal. "I want to know—does Shikkotsu Forest have a method for learning Senjutsu (Sage Mode)?" That was Natsuki's true purpose! He had originally wanted to ask Jiraiya, but they weren't exactly on good terms. Jiraiya might not even like him, and just giving him the Four Sealing Techniques had probably been thanks to the Flying Thunder God Technique. So, Natsuki never tried asking again. Instead, he set his sights on Katsuyu. As one of the Three Great Sage Lands, there was no doubt the Katsuyu Sage should have a form of Senjutsu! "Sage Mode?" The younger crowd heard another unfamiliar term. Even Tenten—who was closer to Natsuki—was hearing it for the first time. Natsuki hadn't mentioned it to her yet. After all, some things were too complicated. And sometimes, not knowing was safer. (End of Chapter) [Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/zaelum] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]

Chapter 169 - 169

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