"Lady Tsunade, Lady Tsunade..."
A soft, ethereal voice echoed in her ears, accompanied by drops of nectar-like liquid falling onto her lips. The refreshing coolness spread throughout her chest and lungs.
"Mmm..."
Tsunade's tightly shut eyelids slowly opened. Through her blurred vision, she saw a petite, delicate silver-haired girl sitting nearby, holding a bottle almost as large as herself.
Noticing Tsunade had awoken, the girl smiled gently. "You're awake."
As Tsunade's vision cleared, she exclaimed in surprise, "Katsuyu?!"
"Hehe..." The girl giggled sweetly, setting the bottle aside. Her silver hair swayed gently as she spoke, "It's been a long time since I took human form. Since there's no one else here, it's more convenient for me to take care of you this way~"
Sitting up, Tsunade's expression turned somber. "If I'm here, that means Madara succeeded, doesn't it? I was too reckless..."
The girl, who was indeed Katsuyu, responded calmly, "It's alright, it's not such a big deal~"
"Has Madara already left?" Tsunade asked.
Katsuyu nodded. "Yes, he's gone. As long as you're safe, that's what matters."
Tsunade stood up. "I need to return immediately! Madara has been resurrected and has learned Sage Mode. I must inform the Five Kage about this!"
Katsuyu replied unhurriedly, "No need to worry about that. I've already sent word to Shikaku, and I've also informed him that you're safe here. So, there's no rush for you to leave. Learn Sage Mode first, and then you can go."
"Sage Mode?" Tsunade looked at the Sage PoolKatsuyu had prepared for her and said, "But I've tried so many times before and failed every time..."
Katsuyu explained, "That's because you can't calm your heart and focus. As the granddaughter of Mito Uzumaki, your body is more than capable of handling Sage Chakra."
"..." Tsunade remained silent.
Katsuyu spoke earnestly, "This incident is both a lesson and an opportunity. I want to use this chance to temper your character. Until you master Sage Mode, I won't let you leave."
Tsunade hesitated. "But I'm the Hokage. If I'm not there to oversee things, the village will descend into chaos!"
Katsuyu frowned slightly. "That's a consequence of your own negligence. Regardless, if you don't master Sage Mode, you'll just have to stay here!"
Tsunade sighed in resignation but knew Katsuyu had her best interests at heart.
"Fine, I'll learn. This time, I'll calm myself and master the Silent Sage Mode..."
Katsuyu smiled. "That's the spirit~ Now, go soak in the pool."
Tsunade approached the Sage Pool and looked down at her tattered clothes. "Am I supposed to go in like this?"
Katsuyu stepped closer, her small hands clasped behind her back. "There's no one else here. Take off your armor before entering. Just treat it like a bath~"
By "armor," Katsuyu meant her clothing.
Thus, Tsunade removed her garments entirely, her curvaceous figure fully revealed to the open air.
Katsuyu smiled. "Go on..."
Splash!
Tsunade leapt into the Sage Pool, the dense Sage liquid enveloping her body, seeping into every pore.
She couldn't help but ask, "How long did it take Madara to master it?"
Katsuyu answered truthfully, "One day and one night."
Tsunade was astonished. "That short?! So he's only slightly slower than Naruto?! How could someone so impatient achieve the calmness of a still lake?"
Sitting on the edge of the Sage Pool, Katsuyu dangled her small feet in the air and mused, "At least when facing these Sage energies, Madara's heart was undisturbed. As they say, 'Once you've seen the vast ocean, no other waters can compare.' In this regard, he and Naruto are surprisingly similar..." Katsuyu muttered softly, "Both of them are manipulators of life, death, and time-space..."
Tsunade didn't catch the last part. "Naruto manipulated what?"
"Nothing," Katsuyu replied, shaking her head gently. "In any case, among all the seekers of Sage wisdom in the Shikkotsu Forest, only your grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, surpassed the 'Still Lake' state and reached the 'Nirvana Serenity' state. That, perhaps, is a rarer quality than Sage Mode itself..."
Tsunade couldn't help but doubt herself. "Can I achieve what my grandmother did?"
Katsuyu replied calmly, "Tranquility leads to far-reaching outcomes. Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Forget the trivialities of the outside world and immerse yourself fully..."
"Immerse myself fully..."
And so, Tsunade, closed her eyes.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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