Early when taking over village affairs, Tsunade discovered village finances contained some accounts with vague destinations.
Some were funds Orochimaru applied for in the name of conducting experiments while still in the village, ultimately going to unknown destinations. Others were allocated to Root under names like "intelligence activity expenses" or "special materials procurement."
Of course, ultimately some results were submitted. However, processes remained unclear.
These remnants from the Third Hokage's era held no interest for Tsunade to investigate deeply. However, now proved different. She wanted finding Danzo some work.
Thus, the day after conversing with Kakashi, several ANBU shinobi escorted several large sealed scroll boxes to Danzo's current residence.
"Advisor Shimura," the lead ANBU spoke respectfully. "Hokage-sama believes your experience proves rich, familiar with village past matters."
"These are village financial account records from the past twenty years. Because areas requiring clarification exist within, please conduct verification and validation. After organizing completion, report directly to the Hokage's office."
Danzo looked at scrolls nearly filling the office room, expression dark. These tedious yet meaningless things, account problems—how could he not understand?
Truly destination-unknown accounts, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already handed to Root for handling. What could the remainder be?
That ANBU captain added, "Given these materials involve village secrets, please complete this independently."
"During your work period, we will stand guard here until mission completion."
After isolating the most troublesome and unstable factor during Root reorganization processes again, Tsunade formally signed appointment documents, delegating Hatake Kakashi full authority over Root's reception and reorganization work.
Predictably, for a considerably long period, Kakashi's energy would be consumed in Root affairs.
As for Shuji, after spending two months in a fulfilling life working days and tutoring nights, he finally truly entered the rhythm he initially wished entering when applying for leave.
During this intensive learning and contemplation process, he gained deeper understanding regarding chakra's essence.
Chakra was not merely energy. It was also a special information carrier intimately connected to life and spirit, an information backup.
This backup proved quite persistent, even to some degree transcending physical mortality. After powerful shinobi died, their chakra could still remain long-term, even influencing descendants in certain forms.
Those shinobi pioneering bloodline limits, through personal cultivation or development, encoded certain specific, stable chakra nature transformations into their own life information.
Their descendants could then possibly inherit this "compressed package" through bloodlines. During growth processes, "decompressing" and "reading," even without systematic learning, they could instinctively master corresponding power application methods.
Thus bloodline limit families formed.
The Senju clan was Ashura's descendant group. Ashura was the Six Paths Sage's second son, inheriting Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo's Sage Body and Yang Release life force.
Then Wood Release developed by Senju Hashirama possibly related to this—what related to Wood Release might be Sage Body or Yang Release life force.
Continuing deduction along this logic: Ashura's power originated from his father the Six Paths Sage. The Six Paths Sage was once Ten-Tails jinchūriki. What was Ten-Tails? It was chakra's origin, the Divine Tree's juvenile form descending to the mortal world.
Therefore, what related to Wood Release might be the Divine Tree.
Specifically which Divine Tree part related? The Divine Tree could be divided into "body" and "chakra" portions. The body was the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Then chakra? Chakra was divided by the Six Paths Sage into nine portions, transforming into nine Tailed Beasts.
Possessing absolute suppression power over Tailed Beasts while absorbing their chakra was precisely the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Therefore, Wood Release power system's ultimate reference, or its power manifestation form's deep logic, actually simulated Demonic Statue of the Outer Path characteristics?
When this deduction gradually clarified in his mind, Shuji himself felt somewhat surprised.
In other words, as a Wood Release user, if wishing to push this power further upward, exploring forms closer to origin and more powerful, the reference direction should be the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path sealing nine Tailed Beasts, re-gathering chakra, transforming into complete Ten-Tails process?
When Shuji recorded this speculation in notes, another absurd thought involuntarily emerged: Senju Hashirama once captured all Tailed Beasts except One-Tail. If at that time One-Tail was also not sealed by Sunagakure but captured by him instead.
Then ultimately, gathering Wood Release, nine Tailed Beast chakras, plus Ashura chakra—all three within himself—could Senju Hashirama surpass Ashura, approaching closer to that Six Paths Sage who founded Ninshū?
Shuji shook his head, temporarily shelving overly distant and ethereal speculation.
He stood, producing two scrolls. As early as last year, during engagement with Iwagakure, he utilized Wood Release to briefly absorb and seal partial chakra samples from Four-Tails and Five-Tails.
Originally merely wishing to borrow rare opportunities to subsequently research Tailed Beast chakra natures.
However, if his speculation regarding Wood Release power inclining toward simulating Demonic Statue of the Outer Path characteristics held some merit, then perhaps attempting an interesting experiment proved viable.
Catalyze one Wood Release tree imbued with life force, making it continuously grow. During this process, cautiously introduce Tailed Beast chakra while striving to control Wood Release's inherent digestion characteristics, not letting it immediately assimilate and absorb these foreign chakras.
Then what kind of effect would ultimately produce?
Shuji did not know. However, he felt that with personal Wood Release power development temporarily stuck at bottlenecks while Sage Mode training required painstaking effort, conducting such small-scale attempts proved acceptable.
If unexpected gains occurred, naturally good. If none, proving his Wood Release speculation was erroneous also caused no loss.
This itself was part of intelligence acquisition.
Thus, during remaining days of Konoha Year 55, besides occasionally being dragged by Tsunade to the Hokage's office for work, plus occasionally seeking activity when restless, bringing Anko while temporarily pulling one or two teammates outside the village executing not-too-complex missions...
Most of Shuji's time and energy was spent in forests behind the western suburbs old estate conducting tree-planting experiments.
The shinobi world's second half year also proved extraordinarily quiet. Ōnoki completely ceased western movements. Sunagakure, receiving Konoha's support materials, after obtaining breathing room, seized rare leisure for rest and recuperation.
After signing treaties with Konoha, Kirigakure completely quieted.
Only Cloud Village enthusiastically and vigorously prepared the Chūnin Exam scheduled for next March, actively lobbying and inviting more shinobi villages participating in this grand event, intending to expand its own influence.
Time thus quietly passed. When Shuji one day raised his head from immersed research, noticing tender buds newly sprouted from trees beside the old estate, he suddenly realized—
Konoha Year 56 had already quietly arrived unknowingly.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild