Chapter 438: Cultivation of Senjutsu (Part 2)
"Eat... eat me?" Haruno Sakura was startled, "Wait, shouldn't it be Combination Transformation Jutsu?"
Combination Transformation Jutsu could combine two creatures with chakra into one, which was considered a relatively unpopular ninjutsu, but Sakura often saw others use it: Sasuke's Cursed Seal transformation, Naruto's fusion with toads, and even Kisame Hoshigaki whom she fought a few weeks ago actually fused with a sword.
Combination Transformation could merge the advantages of both transforming parties. Theoretically, Haruno Sakura could also transform together with Katsuyu, but she had never considered this point—did Katsuyu have any advantages besides its large size?
However, now that Katsuyu mentioned it, she suddenly realized this move seemed feasible for Senjutsu cultivation?
"Hehe, it's still different from Combination Transformation Jutsu." Katsuyu shook its tentacles with a smile and said, "You rarely use this transformation jutsu, so you don't understand it well enough, right? Combination Transformation can combine the 'characteristics' of both parties into one, but my ability to use Senjutsu is essentially an experience and insight gained after learning, not an inherent trait of mine... So even if we merge, you can't use Senjutsu."
"Besides, Tsunade and you have never merged with me, probably because you considered the image problem after the Combination Transformation, right?"
"Uh..." Haruno Sakura's face stiffened, having to admit it made sense.
She didn't dislike her own summon. Katsuyu looked a bit like jelly in appearance, not ugly, and even cute after getting used to it, but Combination Transformation with Katsuyu was another matter—
Imagine a dark green, semi-transparent, soft, chubby, and slimy Haruno Sakura.
Although following the way of thinking she hadn't changed since her previous life, believing that strength was the most important thing and other beauty and ugliness issues could be ignored, and no matter what, she wouldn't be like Ino, a typical little girl who regarded aesthetics as the priority, but if a ninjutsu would make her ugly beyond looking at, and had basically no improvement to her strength...
Then she would absolutely have no interest in using it.
Rejected for being ugly!
"Just like Toad Oil, when you are inside my body, I can guide natural energy into your body, thereby helping you quickly perceive the existence of natural energy." Katsuyu explained patiently, "So, let me swallow you!"
"Before that, take off your clothes first. Because I need to directly contact your skin."
Haruno Sakura always felt a strange smile seemed to appear on the little slug's expressionless face.
"Uh..." She hesitated for a moment and stopped struggling, "Alright."
After all, there were no outsiders here, only a Slug Sage; for cultivation, any sacrifice was acceptable, no need to be hypocritical about a small matter.
By the way, slugs are hermaphrodites... or can be said to have no gender.
This way it wouldn't be awkward.
Anyway, the Slug Sage's cultivation method looked weird, but the effect was indeed quite significant.
The first time she was swallowed by Katsuyu and began to guide natural energy, Haruno Sakura had a distinct feeling—a strange energy originating from the outside world surged into her body like a tide, and for the first time in her life, she felt the existence of natural energy!
This huge energy was originally dispersed in nature, ubiquitous like nitrogen in the air, with huge reserves, but imperceptible to humans; and Katsuyu's function was to endow this energy with "flavor" or something else, purify and gather it, then pour it into Haruno Sakura's body, and then, Haruno Sakura perceived something...
As if opening the door to a new world.
The experience of gaining a new sensation is very difficult to describe.
For example, due to the evolutionary defect of the human eye, there is a blind spot in human vision. That is to say, if what the left eye sees is printed into a photo, there will permanently be an area on this photo without patterns... but people are not aware of this. Natural energy is actually also a "blind spot" in human perception.
And Haruno Sakura lying inside Katsuyu at this moment was like a colorblind person suddenly returning to normal, the blind spot suddenly disappearing, and the world in her eyes suddenly becoming rich and complete!
"Is this the feeling of natural energy?" Sakura muttered to herself.
Endless natural energy kept pouring in. Haruno Sakura was intoxicated in this wonderful feeling of gaining new perception, and for a moment she was lost in thought—
"Sakura-sama, what are you dazing for?" Seeing this, the little slug shouted loudly, "Control the natural energy quickly, don't forget what I just told you!"
Its reminder came a little too late.
Being reminded loudly by Katsuyu, Haruno Sakura shuddered, finally recovered from that wonderful perception, and realized she was still in dangerous cultivation!
Natural energy is not harmless.
Haruno Sakura could already feel it eroding her body!
"Hmph... damn it, must control it quickly!"
She gritted her teeth, her brain spinning frantically, desperately recalling the content about natural energy introduced by Katsuyu before.
"...Remember well! Spiritual energy, physical energy, and natural energy must be accurately fused in a 1:1:1 ratio to form a perfect balance, only then can you learn controllable Senjutsu chakra!"
"Conversely, if natural energy is not controlled well and too much is inhaled, you will be 'naturalized,' which means... you will die!"
—The little slug said so before.
"Precise ratio of 1:1:1? Tsk... this thing is so hard to control!"
Regarding her own spiritual energy and physical energy, Haruno Sakura's control power was probably ranked first in the entire ninja world, manipulating them as freely as moving her arms and fingers, but the unfamiliar natural energy, originating from the outside world, was extremely difficult to control!
Haruno Sakura frowned tightly.
Although inside Katsuyu, she seemed to clearly feel large drops of cold sweat on her forehead.
Natural energy poured in too much and too fast. She felt like she was driving a high-speed truck running amok on the road, liable to rush off the road and hit a hard rock at any time, instantly resulting in a tragic car crash and death!
The most terrible thing was that this truck not only had no brakes, but the accelerator was also locked, accelerating frantically!
The frantically pouring energy accumulated constantly in Sakura's body, and soon reached a certain critical point—
"Can't control it!"
Within a few seconds, the natural energy completely declared loss of control!
Haruno Sakura widened her eyes abruptly, and then in the next second—
She was spat out by Katsuyu.
"Cough cough, cough cough!" The girl was covered in slime, lying on the Slug Sage's back coughing weakly. It took a while for her to catch her breath and say, "Phew... failed the first time as expected."
"It's normal to fail the first time. Even Hashirama-sama practiced many times back then before succeeding." The little slug moved slowly over, walked to her side and said, "You lasted several seconds, which already exceeded my expectations!"
Haruno Sakura shook her head and smiled faintly.
"No need to comfort me... I know I made a serious mistake just now. Perceiving natural energy for the first time, I was dazed for a moment. It won't happen next time."
The girl admitted her mistake frankly. She stood up weakly, leaned on Katsuyu, used Water Style to wash away the sticky liquid on her body, and then looked down at her hands and body.
"Is this the so-called 'naturalization'?"
Abnormal changes appeared on her hands and feet: the flesh became transparent, and through the flesh, the bones inside were vaguely visible, very eerie. The originally soft muscle curves also sagged limply, and dark green stripes faintly appeared on the skin.
In short, the whole person had a tendency to turn into a small slug.
Thinking of herself turning into a 1.6-meter-long slug, Haruno Sakura shuddered all over violently. That image was too beautiful, she dared not look at it at all! Fortunately, as the natural energy was extracted by the little slug, the mutation in Sakura's body was disappearing rapidly, and the soft flesh regained the sense of muscle strength.
"That's right," Katsuyu replied, "If natural energy is absorbed too much and uncontrollable, your body will undergo irreversible changes, eventually losing consciousness and turning into a small slug inside my body..."
"Those losers who underwent such changes eventually irreversibly lost their ability to think, so you can also consider—"
"They died."
Haruno Sakura frowned: "If so, there should be other slugs existing in Shikkotsu Forest, right?"
The little slug shook its tentacles.
"Sakura-sama, you are mistaken..." It stared into Sakura's eyes and said slowly.
"People who fail cultivation and turn into slugs will be merged into my main body, which is the Slug Sage, and die forever..."
"Finally becoming a part of the Slug Sage."
The little slug's voice was very cold.
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 400 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 30+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you!