Sakura originally thought that the two auxiliary techniques Tsunade developed after perfecting the Yin Seal were merely to increase Medical-Nins' survival rates on the battlefield.
But looking back, she realized such a thought was too arrogant, underestimating these two S-Rank Medical Ninjutsu created by Tsunade… the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Creation Rebirth.
Reasoning backward from the results: if they were only meant to handle Ninjutsu and weapon damage on the battlefield, techniques like Mystical Palm Technique, Yin Healing Wound Destruction, and Healing Revival would have been sufficient.
Therefore, these two S-Rank Medical Ninjutsu were, from the very beginning, developed by Tsunade herself to challenge Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode.
But this sly, centuries-old monster with its perpetually gentle voice is really sneaky!
Its Sage Mode training seems to have no apparent threshold or trial on the surface, but in reality, among the three great Holy Lands' Sage Modes, yours, Shikkotsu Forest, has the highest threshold and the hardest trial!
Withdrawing her gaze from the Yin Seal scroll, Sakura glanced subtly at the giant slug she was leaning against.
"What's wrong, Sakura-chan~"
Katsuyu swayed its head, its still gentle voice tinged with a bit more cheerfulness.
It seemed happy to have a visitor in this perpetually silent, desolate space.
"Nothing. I was just thinking of ways to speed up the Yin Seal training."
Smoothly changing the subject, Sakura shook the scroll in her hand at Katsuyu.
Training the Yin Seal requires accumulating Chakra at the forehead during ordinary times, forming a diamond-shaped mark.
Advancing further to the Strength of a Hundred Technique also requires long-term, stable, continuous chakra accumulation and extremely precise control to form Chakra Pathways throughout the body… the of a Hundred Technique.
The biggest difficulty now is that both require slow, meticulous effort, and Sakura currently lacks the time for such training.
"How about considering going to that other world to train this technique?"
Katsuyu adjusted its body slightly, the depression forming a more comfortable fit for Sakura's spine.
"That..."
Sakura glanced sideways at the system interface. The glaring [-100] in the achievement points column gave her an instant headache.
[Notice: Every achievement point consumed by this system is traceable. Please do not slander this system!]
Without her having to speak, the system already knew what its host wanted to say, preemptively shutting her up.
Earlier, when fusing the Otsutsuki's Kama, the system burned through all of Sakura's achievement points to eliminate all negative effects the Otsutsuki had on her.
Consequently, Sakura, who had just stepped into a comfortable life, instantly fell back into poverty. It was the kind of poverty where you get married, buy a house, have a kid, then look at your salary… that kind of poverty.
Not to mention the string of zeros after the Otsutsuki's bloodline the system had displayed...
Right now, she couldn't even use the basic travel function.
As for earning achievement points...
The rules for obtaining achievement points on the high seas were already understood… influence the fate of enough people.
But the achievement rules in the Ninja World seemed different. Recently, she tried causing such a huge disturbance in the Land of Fire's capital, yet it still didn't trigger any achievement point rewards.
Thus, Sakura and the system fell into a bizarre vicious cycle.
System, I want to go to the sea.
You need to pay off your debt first.
I need to go to the sea to earn achievement points to pay off the debt!
But before the debt is paid, you can't go to the sea.
So, how should I pay off the debt now?
Go to the sea.
…
Seeing Sakura's expression, Katsuyu knew she likely had difficulties, so it quietly moved past the topic.
"It's alright. I believe in Sakura's talent. Even without acceleration, you can learn Tsunade's techniques!"
Wiggling its cute, large head.
Katsuyu used Senjutsu Chakra to form a small fist on its body, giving Sakura a cheering gesture.
"Sigh, if only I could split like you."
Sakura, troubled, placed the scroll over her face, turning to bury herself in Katsuyu's body.
"Split? That's not impossible~"
Katsuyu's gentle voice rang out, causing a flash of inspiration in Sakura's mind.
The reason the Yin Seal and Strength of a Hundred Technique required such long training times was to allow the practitioner's body to form a certain 'wear and tear' at the tissue and organ level.
After accumulating enough of this 'wear and tear', stable Chakra Pathways could gradually be established, allowing the Chakra stored in the Yin Seal to be transmitted throughout the body at any time, efficiently utilizing the healing effects of the Creation Rebirth technique.
If there existed a technique now that could allow numerous Sakuras to generate a large amount of 'wear and tear', then gather it into one body...
Wouldn't that help her skip the accumulation process?
Understanding this, Sakura opened her eyes. A brilliant idea was born in her mind.
When she looked at Katsuyu again, she met its smiling eyes.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!" x2
Sharing a knowing smile, Katsuyu had already taken Sakura's hand.
Passing through depressions flowing with acidic liquid, they arrived again at the lakeside where she had experienced Sage Mode earlier.
"This is where I created the Senjutsu Technique. Coming here might increase the success rate." Katsuyu winked at Sakura.
'Heh, didn't expect you, a sacred realm sage, to believe in this kind of thing?'
Sakura shook her head with amusement but didn't refuse Katsuyu's kindness. Forming the Ram seal with both hands in front of it.
Chakra linked to the technique. After plumes of smoke erupted, the lakeshore was densely packed with Sakura clones.
"Now, let's start training!"
The original Sakura clenched her fist towards her clones, taking the lead to sit cross-legged.
The other clones followed her lead. Chakra rose from their lower abdomens, converging along the Yin Seal's pathways towards the seal constructed at the center of their foreheads.
Amidst the shower of acidic mist, countless sapphire-blue gusts of wind arose out of thin air. Chakra flames surged and billowed, covering every inch of air.
As the training progressed, the clones, already having their Chakra divided and their bodies gradually reaching their limits, began to disperse.
Bit by bit, the sense of consumption and fatigue returned to Sakura through the Chakra connection. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, simultaneously pushing her to climb the peak of Yin Seal training.
Pain, confusion, numbness... until only an extremely detached calm remained.
Stripped of her powerful body, her overbearing Haki and abilities, lowering her head to face the most fundamental Chakra Control… Sakura, for the first time in a long while, felt the fear and excitement of the weak self she once was, treading the uncertain path in pursuit of power.
Thus, calming her increasingly inflated heart, the Sage Mode practitioner Haruno Sakura took her first step within this sacred realm.
Katsuyu, standing guard beside her, watched as Sakura's presence fluctuated between strong and weak.
A gentle light shone in its eyes, its fine teeth moving as it emitted a soft sound. "Indeed, I, who made a contract with this child, truly have excellent judgment~"
While Sakura and Katsuyu immersed themselves in training, others in the Ninja World were also striving in their own ways.
Within Mount Myoboku, a blond boy was being taught by a small frog wielding an iron staff, allowing it to smear an oily substance from the pond onto his arms.
Within Ryuchi Cave, a black-haired boy with crimson eyes likewise raised his arm, transformed into a dragon's claw, towards the large white snake before him, letting it bite down upon it.
Within Konoha, at the Hokage's desk in the Hokage Building, Tsunade, handling documents, suddenly shivered, feeling a chill.
Suspiciously, she looked up, glancing around:
"Hmm? Why do I have this ominous feeling?"