Chapter 330: Sage Emperor Mode!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The art of explosions begins!

As the Iwa-nin who had unwittingly ingested the micro-explosive clay retreated into their ranks, explosions erupted one after another. Each Iwa-nin became a living bomb, taking out swathes of comrades in their wake.

Seeing Ōnoki's grim expression, the Fourth Kazekage quipped, "Congratulations, Tsuchikage, you've found yourself a worthy successor."

Ōnoki's eye twitched.

Shūichi smiled faintly. "Indeed, a very... creative technique."

"This kind of move isn't something that can simply be countered with Lightning Release. Without prior knowledge or the insight of a Sharingan, it's all too easy to fall victim and become a living bomb."

"But, Deidara seems to have taken things to an extreme."

"If you can't guide him properly, Tsuchikage-sama, he'll eventually meet his end through his own 'art.'"

Ōnoki's expression turned serious at those words.

General Mifune interjected, "Lord Shūichi, among this new generation, how many do you think have the potential to surpass Kage-level strength, or even reach the heights of Hashirama-sama, nearing the Six Paths level?"

Shūichi chuckled. "If they rely solely on themselves, I'm afraid no one can achieve that."

"However, with some assistance, the odds improve."

"Those with unique abilities like Haku, who wields Ice Release; Kimimaro, with his Shikotsumyaku; Kurotsuchi, with her Lava Release; and even Deidara—all have potential."

"The others, however, face a steeper climb."

"Still, with enough Chakra Fruits from the Divine Tree or perhaps the right pills, it wouldn't be an impossible task."

Minato Namikaze smiled wryly. "Shūichi, that's clearly not feasible."

Shūichi spread his hands.

The Shinobi World lacks a systematic method for cultivating transcendence or achieving extraordinary strength.

Sage Mode, while formidable, is something only a few can master, let alone reaching the level of sages like the Three Great Sages of the Summoning Lands, who have lived for millennia.

The odds are slim.

This is precisely why Shūichi has been promoting Sage techniques.

The more people who train, the more likely prodigies will emerge.

Perhaps one day, a superior cultivation system might even be developed.

As for Shūichi himself,

For now, condensing Chakra Fruits from the Divine Tree remains the simpler and faster path.

---

The Chūnin Tournament continued, and the standout performers began to reveal themselves.

To Shūichi, though, there were no real surprises—no unexpected talents emerged.

That said, Haku didn't disappoint. His mastery of Ice Release grew increasingly refined.

Without activating the Cursed Seal, Haku had already achieved Jōnin-level combat ability.

---

As days passed in the illusionary time-space created by Shūichi, real-world time continued to flow at a slower pace.

After setting the illusion in motion, Shūichi didn't remain at the Alliance Fortress. Instead, he opened a portal and departed, heading to the sanctuary he had constructed.

In the wooden hut atop the massive sacred tree known as the Divine Tree, Tsunade sat cross-legged, a tiny Katsuyu perched on her shoulder.

As Shūichi appeared, Tsunade opened her eyes and asked curiously, "Has the tournament ended already?"

Shūichi sat down across from her, smiling. "Not yet, but I don't need to stay there the entire time."

"How's the training going?"

Tsunade nodded. "Your transformation technique is far too profound. Even with Katsuyu's help and learning within the mental realm, it's not something I can grasp in a short time."

Shūichi nodded, unsurprised.

After all, it was a cheat-level technique.

As for Tsunade and Katsuyu's current state, with Katsuyu Sage having accepted his Star Cursed Seal, achieving this synergy wasn't difficult.

Tsunade's complete Star Cursed Seal, combined with her Summoning Contract with Katsuyu, made the process far simpler than what Jiraiya had to endure training with the two Toad Sages of Mount Myōboku.

The goal wasn't to enhance Tsunade's combat or healing abilities but to give her a vast reservoir of Sage Chakra to support her journey toward Sage transformation.

Sage transformation, as named by Shūichi himself, refers to a gradual process where the cells are nourished by natural energy, akin to the levels of Katsuyu Sage, Gamamaru, and the White Snake Sage.

Shūichi himself has already achieved this.

Only by reaching this stage can one gain a lifespan of hundreds or even thousands of years.

Without Chakra Fruits, even with the Star Cursed Seal, Strength of a Hundred Seal, and Yin Seal, Tsunade would require an incredibly long time to achieve Sage transformation on her own.

Training alongside Katsuyu Sage, however, significantly accelerated the process.

This partnership also benefited Katsuyu Sage, who had reached her own limits and found no further path forward.

Shūichi offered hope—through the Star Seal, the Divine Tree's fruits, and a bold vision: achieving a human form!

This wasn't mere transformation but a fundamental change at the physical level.

To Shūichi, it wasn't impossible. If Orochimaru could become an Eight-Headed Snake, then Katsuyu Sage could become human.

The first step was mastering his transformation technique, and though difficult, the Star Seal and synergy with Tsunade would greatly lower the challenge.

Truthfully, Shūichi was eager to see Katsuyu Sage achieve human form, imagining the dramatic increase in her capabilities.

Still, it was no small feat.

"Let's enter the mental realm first," Shūichi instructed, linking his Chakra to Tsunade and Katsuyu.

In the mental realm, Shūichi placed Katsuyu on his shoulder and said, "Let's activate Sage Mode. I'll guide the Chakra, and Katsuyu, you focus on materializing your form."

Of course, given Shūichi's current state, Sage Mode was no longer a necessity for him.

It required the two of them to share their strength in a state resembling Sage Mode.

With the Star Curse Mark and their mental link, this step was surprisingly simple.

Afterward, Shūichi guided the chakra, while Katsuyu focused on perceiving its flow and visualized a human figure.

The next moment, with a puff of smoke, a petite little girl appeared on Shūichi's shoulder.

Tsunade was stunned.

The small girl Katsuyu had transformed into was a miniature version of her!

Katsuyu, now perched on Shūichi's shoulder, looked down at herself, wiggled her small hands, and finally spoke, "Lady Tsunade, you're the person I'm most familiar with."

Tsunade, feeling slightly awkward, asked, "Katsuyu, how much chakra is required to maintain this transformation?"

Katsuyu replied, "Lady Tsunade, it doesn't take much chakra at all. With the Curse Mark, there's no need for additional consumption—it can theoretically be maintained indefinitely."

"Moreover, as Lord Shūichi mentioned earlier, I retain all basic human instincts in this form."

As she spoke, Katsuyu leaped down from Shūichi's shoulder and performed hand seals.

Poof, poof, poof!

Seven or eight miniature versions of Tsunade suddenly appeared in a row.

Katsuyu had used a clone technique to produce multiple copies of her transformed self.

Of course, Katsuyu didn't actually need hand seals to create clones—she could naturally split herself without any external technique.

However, performing the seals symbolized that this transformation was not just superficial.

Tsunade, observing Katsuyu's human-like familiarity, turned to Shūichi and asked, "Shūichi, does Katsuyu always need a reference model to transform?"

Shūichi nodded. "Theoretically, yes."

Transformations require a reference.

Even if Katsuyu eventually mastered the Transformation Technique, the form she created might not necessarily be Tsunade or anyone in the ninja world, but it would still be based on some reference.

Of course, such details were trivial.

In any case, Shūichi wasn't going to mistake her for someone else.

After training with Tsunade and Katsuyu for a while, Shūichi made his way to another wooden house.

This was where Kaguya Ōtsutsuki trained.

Naturally, after their intimate connection, Kaguya had relocated here to continue her practice.

Her personality also suited this place much better.

Tsunade only came here when she needed to train, while Shizune and Asuka spent a lot of time in this area since Kaguya was pregnant.

They didn't particularly like Kaguya, nor could they treat her the same way they did Mei Terumi or Konan.

Additionally, Kaguya's aloof nature made it hard for her to connect with Shizune and the others.

When Shūichi arrived, Kaguya was sitting by the window, staring out at the dense forest.

He stepped forward, sat down beside her, and embraced her.

Although Kaguya remained as cold as ever, her body instinctively leaned against him, soft and pliant.

She seemed accustomed to relying on others yet harbored a strong aversion to dependency.

Thus, Shūichi had ensured that their relationship did not become one of dependence.

"Kaguya, if we one day annihilate the Ōtsutsuki clan, would you still return here?"

Shūichi followed her gaze out the window, where a few small birds were playing on the treetops.

He had deliberately brought these birds from the ninja world to infuse life into the area.

Kaguya did not avert her gaze. "That would be something far in the future, perhaps even uncertain."

"If it happens... maybe."

"Although the ninja world isn't perfect, it's still better than the Ōtsutsuki clan."

Shūichi smiled. "I thought you'd mention the children."

Kaguya finally looked away and glanced down at her abdomen. "They will have their own lives. They wouldn't want us meddling."

"Just like Hamura and Hagoromo."

Gently stroking Kaguya's abdomen, Shūichi knew that the betrayal by her two sons was a deep scar in her heart.

The messy family drama made it impossible to clearly determine who was right or wrong.

Or rather, right and wrong depended entirely on perspective.

Now that Shūichi was sitting here with Kaguya, he naturally viewed Hagoromo and Hamura as ungrateful sons.

Hmm.

He definitely had the right to curse the Sage of Six Paths now.

A stepfather is still a father, after all!

Speaking of which, should he summon the Sage of Six Paths for a beating?

…

Shūichi didn't stay in the sanctuary for long. Calculating the time, he returned to the tournament grounds just as the Chūnin competition was concluding.

Everyone gradually woke from the genjutsu, looking at the countless heads around them, feeling as though they had experienced another world.

"What a miraculous power!"

"Truly divine!"

"Lord Shūichi is undoubtedly the greatest ninja!"

The crowd was filled with admiration, including commoners, nobles, and ministers alike.

This genjutsu experience was undoubtedly novel and unforgettable, even for the daimyo of the Five Great Nations.

Beneath the giant tree, Minato Namikaze and the other Kage stood.

"Everyone, the top ten rankings of the tournament have been decided," Minato announced, his voice carrying to everyone. "In addition to the established rewards of being promoted directly to Alliance Jōnin, there are additional prizes."

"Additional prizes?"

"What kind of prizes?"

"Ninjutsu? Ninja tools?"

The crowd erupted in curiosity.

Minato smiled. "These additional prizes are provided by the God of Shinobi himself, Lord Shūichi."

"Now, may the top ten ninja step forward."

At these words, the murmurs grew louder.

Shūichi's reputation was overwhelming.

Even though he had mostly refrained from directly managing the Ninja Alliance in recent years, his influence permeated every aspect of their world:

The transformation of the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind.

The Alliance Fortresses.

The Elite Jōnin Training Program.

Sage Mode.

For many shinobi, the God of Ninja, Shūichi Hoshita, seemed omnipotent.

"Haku Hoshita, Anko Mitarashi, Kurotsuchi, Deidara, Kimimaro, Akatsuchi, C, Omoi, Suigetsu Hozuki, Temari," Minato Namikaze announced the names of the top ten Chūnin competitors.

One by one, the chosen stood up, but before they could move, they suddenly vanished from where they were and reappeared in front of Minato and the others.

It was Shūichi who had teleported them directly.

"Lord Shūichi!"

The group bowed respectfully to him, anticipation gleaming in their eyes.

Minato stepped aside, giving the center stage to Shūichi.

Shūichi's gaze swept over the ten individuals.

He was well-acquainted with all of them.

C, a Cloud shinobi, had been one of the Fourth Raikage's key subordinates in the original story, though he was quickly subdued by Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan genjutsu.

But anyone who could reach the rank of Jōnin was no ordinary person.

And for prodigies like Haku, Kurotsuchi, and Kimimaro, with their top-tier talents and Kekkei Genkai, there was even less to question.

Anko Mitarashi, without Shūichi's guidance, might not have made it to the top ten. But now, having mastered the Fire Release Chakra Mode, she was second only to Haku.

"This time, the special reward is a Chakra Pill."

Shūichi raised his right hand, revealing a golden pill resting in his palm.

"Yes, you may call it a Sage Pill," he added, giving it a grandiose name for effect.

For a moment, everyone—from the ten chosen to the other shinobi, even Minato and the other Kage—stared intently at the pill in Shūichi's hand.

Minato and the others were particularly curious about what the pill's effects might be.

The golden pill floated from Shūichi's palm and landed in Haku's hands.

Haku quickly caught it and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Shūichi!"

"Go ahead, take it," Shūichi said with a smile.

Haku nodded lightly, then swallowed the pill under the watchful eyes of everyone present.

The next moment, a dazzling golden light erupted from Haku's body, and an overwhelming surge of chakra radiated outward.

Crack! Crack!

Minato and the others glanced at the ground.

Frost was spreading outward from Haku's feet, inch by inch.

"The power is too strong to control…" Minato murmured in surprise.

However, the spreading frost quickly halted, and the golden light began to recede.

When they looked at Haku again, he was now clad in an ice-blue chakra cloak.

The cloak was adorned with golden magatama and lotus patterns, exuding an otherworldly aura.

"So powerful!"

Haku clenched his fist. "It's ten times stronger than activating the Curse Mark Mode…"

"And this power… it's transforming my Ice Release."

The people nearby were even more astonished.

The Fourth Kazekage marveled silently: "This has reached an unimaginable level. Just one pill, and this child now wields power that surpasses a Kage!"

Indeed, in his perception, Haku's current strength had already exceeded his own.

This realization led the Fourth Kazekage to glance at his daughter, Temari.

Shūichi, observing Haku's transformation, nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "This mode… let's call it the Sage Emperor Mode."

Sage Emperor Mode…

The words echoed softly among the crowd, leaving them awestruck, even if they didn't fully grasp its depth.

(End of Chapter)

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