Wood Release had actually taught itself how to absorb natural energy—absorbing it automatically and feeding it back to Hashirama, allowing him to learn Sage Mode just like that.
If the Great Slug Sage hadn't said this herself, who in the world would believe such a thing could really happen?
No wonder Hashirama's Wood Release always activated instantly. He was the type to throw out massive amounts of chakra with a single gesture, planting forests instead of just trees. A whole stretch of Wood Release could spontaneously absorb natural energy and return it to him, skipping the entire process of sensing, harmonizing, and balancing. How could his Sage Mode not activate instantly under those conditions?
Hearing this, Hoshiyomi completely shut down inside. For the first time, this self-proclaimed cheat-master finally understood the difference between himself and the so-called "chosen one."
He only had an external cheat system—but Hashirama? He was the cheat.
There was simply no comparison.
Seeing Hoshiyomi's depressed expression, the Great Slug Sage tried to console him:
"Little Hoshiyomi, don't be discouraged. People are not all the same, and we don't need to measure ourselves against Hashirama's experience."
Hearing those comforting words, Hoshiyomi's mood lifted somewhat.
After all, hadn't the Great Slug Sage personally acknowledged that his body was unique? Surely that meant he had the potential to learn Senjutsu as well.
Gathering his spirits, Hoshiyomi asked with hidden anticipation:
"Slug Sage, didn't you say my body is very special? Does that mean I do have a chance of learning senjutsu?"
"Ah?"
The Slug Sage was stunned for a moment, then quickly remembered:
"Oh right, I meant to say that just now. Little Hoshiyomi, your body truly is special. I'm honestly very curious—your innate talent is actually quite poor, so how did you manage to cultivate to such a level? There must be some kind of unknown energy at work within you.
Even I've never seen such energy before. Perhaps this unknown force could actually help you when you attempt to train in Sage Mode."
Hoshiyomi was left wearing a full-on "??? face."
So in other words… this big, white, pure-looking slug—was actually black on the inside?
Hadn't she just been giving him motivational chicken soup? How did it suddenly turn into poison halfway through?
So that "once in a thousand years" she mentioned earlier… it wasn't about being gifted at all. It was about managing to raise a mediocre body to such strength—something only possible because of his Sword-Heart System. Without it, this kind of miracle really would be one-in-a-thousand-years.
Hoshiyomi sank back into self-doubt. He was perfectly aware of how average his natural talent was. The fact that his name "Gekko Hoshiyomi" was completely absent from the original series already said it all.
It wasn't that he disliked ninjutsu. He had simply realized very early on that his ninjutsu aptitude was painfully mediocre. Not to the extent of Naruto's "Clone Jutsu turning into a puddle of noodles" level, but he certainly didn't have the genius spark of Itachi or Sasuke either.
Yes, his chakra control and reserves weren't bad—but when it came to raw ninjutsu output, he seemed naturally disadvantaged. Take the Fireball Jutsu for example: when Sasuke or Itachi used it, it could reach more than two meters across. Hoshiyomi's version? Barely one meter. Not weak compared to an average ninja, but absolutely pitiful when compared to real prodigies.
By his own estimation, without the Sword-Heart System, his ceiling would've been at best a jōnin or a tokubetsu jōnin.
The reason he could so smoothly develop sword techniques using chakra later on was partly thanks to his years of swordsmanship foundation, but mainly because of one thing: Nature Transformation.
That ability to perfectly control all chakra natures directly solved his problem with chakra release. Because of it, he'd been able to copy and create techniques at such speed.
Thinking that over, Hoshiyomi suddenly felt the gap between himself and senjutsu was rather wide.
Nature Transformation didn't include an option for natural energy, and Sage Mode had no connection to swordsmanship — in other words, if he wanted to learn Sage Mode it looked like he'd have to do it on his own.
But with his own puny, mediocre natural talent, could he really learn senjutsu?
Hoshiyomi couldn't find an answer. He scratched his head in frustration and looked up at the Great Slug Sage.
"Do you think my body has any chance of learning senjutsu?"
The Great Slug Sage hesitated a moment, then said:
"If someone had asked me before today whether a body like yours could learn senjutsu, I would have said no. But with you… I'm not sure. That strange energy inside you — even I don't know what it is.
The fact you've reached your current level is itself a kind of miracle.
If Hashirama was the Chosen One, then perhaps you are the favorite of Lady Luck — there seem to be infinite possibilities in you.
So my answer is: I think you should give it a try."
Hoshiyomi fell silent for a moment. A miracle?
He wasn't even originally from this world; now he'd come here and somehow ended up with a Sword-Heart system. That alone could be called a miracle.
If he had a "golden finger" (cheat), why not try? The system could even fill in missing chakra attributes — surely natural energy and senjutsu wouldn't be impossible for it to handle.
He only needed a trigger: if he could sense even a sliver of natural energy, the system would become aware of it. Just like before, when the Two-Tails' chakra imbued his sword and the system granted him the Soul Devouring Demon Slash, if he absorbed even a thread of natural energy, the system should react.
After thinking it over, Hoshiyomi decided to try.
He now understood the training methods of the three Great Holy Lands. Having decided to learn senjutsu, he would proceed with his original plan.
Mount Myōboku's method uses special toad oil as a medium to sense natural energy; when natural energy runs wild you use a special black rod to expel it.
Ryūchi Cave's method uses snake venom that contains natural energy, forcing the learner to gamble with their life.
Shikkotsu Forest's method uses the Great Slug Sage's body as the medium to sense natural energy.
Hoshiyomi had originally thought to study all three lands and blend their strengths. But it now seemed the differences weren't that great: all three guide humans to learn natural energy through a sacred species in the land.
Snake venom and toad oil let you perceive natural energy fastest, but both affect the body to some degree. Shikkotsu Forest's method is gentler on the body but much longer and more complex.
There didn't seem to be a real "take the best of all three" shortcut — unless he could directly sense natural energy without relying on external aids.