59 Chapter 59: Fooled
Puchi-puchi...
The spreading of the Sea of Trees has stopped, the danger within the woods hasn't diminished in the slightest.
I witnessed the branches in the forest, as if they came to life, tightly entangling Karin, Naruto, Shizune, as well as the Hemophobia Tsunade and the weakened Jiraiya. Orochimaru and Kabuto, however, managed to avoid being caught.
Confronting these aimlessly entangling branches, whose sole purpose was to bind all life forms within the forest, Orochimaru severed them with his Kusanagi sword, while skillfully avoiding the branches he couldn't cut in time. Instantly, he reunited with Kabuto.
"Ensure you don't get caught by these branches, or they'll drain your chakra and stamina," Orochimaru warned with a gloomy expression, glancing towards the direction of Sato in the forest. Swallowing the Kusanagi sword, he continued, "I never expected that even mighty Konoha couldn't find an awakened Wood Style user from the Senju clan. When the Senju clan became extinct and Konoha was at its weakest, a second Wood Style ninja emerged."
"This world truly grows more fascinating," he added with a smile, extending his long tongue.
"...Master Orochimaru, what should we do next?" Kabuto asked, his mood differing from Orochimaru's due to his continuous struggle against the entangled branches.
Meanwhile, Kabuto's heart was filled with shock. He had initially believed Sato to be an ordinary village student with exceptional Yin Release talent. Yet, to his surprise, Sato turned out to be a descendant of the Senju clan who awakened the legendary Wood Release in a critical moment.
Such a formidable forest, undoubtedly the genuine Wood Release!
Coupled with Sato's silver hair and red eyes, no one present would doubt that Sato wasn't a descendant of the Senju clan, even if he claimed otherwise.
"...Let's retreat," Orochimaru contemplated for a moment before reaching a decision. "These branches are still in an uncontrollable state. Considering that fool's strength, he will surely find a way to break free. If he recovers, we'll be in trouble."
"Yes," Kabuto promptly agreed, supporting Orochimaru. They skillfully evaded the entangling branches and escaped the forest, formed by the toppling of the tree world.
Sensing their departure, Sato swiftly maneuvered through the forest like Black White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique, suddenly piercing through the body of a towering tree.
"I bet you didn't know that I was the mysterious person from the other day. It seems my acting skills weren't in vain," Sato thought to himself with a secretive smile.
Together with the Kabuto, and the seasoned veteran, Orochimaru, being deceived by Sato, Jiraiya and Tsunade shouldn't be exceptions.
Thus, Sato composed himself, leaping through the forest as if searching for someone.
Soon enough, Sato located Karin, who was initially close but pushed away by the sea of trees.
At this moment, Karin was bound by branches, resembling a rice dumpling hanging from a treetop, akin to a massive fruit.
Sato had full control over the branches now and could effortlessly drain Karin's chakra.
One of the most repulsive aspects of Yamato's Wood Style was its ability to absorb chakra and physical strength to enhance oneself.
Why was Uchiha Madara, with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, defeated by Senju Hashirama, who solely wielded the Great Buddha(Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands), before the establishment of Konoha? The reason lies in the chakra absorption!
Since Susanoo is born from Yin Release chakra, even if one loses their Mangekyō Sharingan, they can still employ Yin Release chakra to materialize Susanoo.
When Susanoo, formed by chakra, encounters Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique capable of chakra absorption, the balance tips, rendering one weaker and vulnerable to defeat.
With a single-handed seal, Sato silently drained the vitality from the branches, cut open the trees with a kunai, and freed Karin from its grasp.
"Sato, are you alright?" Karin immediately stepped forward, her hands gently caressing Sato's body, checking for any injuries.
Suddenly recalling something, Karin anxiously rolled up her sleeves and exclaimed, "Sato, your arm was injured earlier. Bite me so you can heal."
Observing the girl, who cared not for her own well-being but nearly weeping over his injury, Sato couldn't help but raise the arm where Kabuto had severed his Chakra Pathway. Placing it atop her head, he reassured her, "Don't worry, the injury on my arm healed automatically when I awakened my wood release."
"Really?" Karin gazed at Sato with teary eyes.
"Indeed. Look, it's the arm I injured earlier, isn't it?" Sato nodded and vigorously waved his arm.
*Thud* "Let me confirm."
Still worried, Karin used the basic medical ninjutsu taught by Sato to examine his arm ten times over. Upon realizing that Sato's arm was indeed fine, Karin let out a sigh of relief.
"Let's go. Our priority is to rescue the others," Sato gently patted Karin's head, then turned and leaped towards Tsunade and the rest.
Karin closely followed, her head lowered, occasionally stealing glances at Sato's back, a look of utmost bliss on her face.
Having regained composure after the initial panic, the girl's mind was now filled with images of Sato's heroic acts.
To Sato, does he hold such a significant place in her heart?
"Hey, hey..." Karin suddenly chuckled.
At this moment, she felt like the happiest woman in the world.
Sato's favorability had transcended its maximum value of 100% and soared to an extraordinary 120%.
Presently, Karin was undeniably the girl who adored Sato the most and harbored the deepest affection for him among all the women who admired him.
Unaware of his remarkable performance and how it had not only convincingly exposed Wood Style but also caused Karin's affection to breach its limits, Sato would undoubtedly be dumbfounded if he knew.
*Boom*
Similar to Karin, Tsunade and the others, who were now some distance away from Sato, were pushed back by the sea of trees.
Just as Sato and Karin rushed forward, a colossal cocoon made of wood hanging from the treetop suddenly shattered, disintegrating from the inside out.
A tremendous and peculiar force was responsible for its destruction.
And the wielder of this extraordinary power was Tsunade.
As Tsunade emerged, she immediately extended her senses, searching for Sato's location. Breathing a sigh of relief upon realizing he was unharmed and that Orochimaru and Kabutohad departed, Tsunade directed her gaze at her palm and the blood on her body, her expression slightly stunned.
The reason for her astonishment was the complete absence of fear when confronted with the blood.
"My... hemophobia has vanished?" Tsunade touching the blood on her clothes, questioning her own eyes. Once she realized that the fear was indeed absent, a smile graced her face. "I never expected to be cured like this. Grandpa, are you and Grand uncle helping me?"
As she spoke, the figures of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama appeared in Tsunade's mind, merging into a white-haired boy who resembled them both in height but retained his youthful appearance.
This boy was none other than Sato himself.
In that instant, Tsunade made a resolute decision.
She would fulfill Jiraiya's wish and return to Konoha as the Fifth Hokage!
She would protect the village that her grandfather built, and she would safeguard Sato, the hope of the Senju clan!
