Slug Sage mode

"You're back, where did you go?"

Ryuu started sweating.

"I had to talk to someone, you know." Ryuu Replied, shyly scratching the back of his head.

Ichika smiled.

'Did I do something wrong? What happened, he just suddenly left…' Ichika worried about what could've gone wrong.

They awkwardly looked around, avoiding each other's eyes.

'Aw great, now everything is all weird and awkward, Ichika probably thinks I'm such a loser.'

"Hey umm, we should go now, I'm sure you're very busy," Ichika suggested.

"R-r-right, and you probably need some rest too, it's really late, you know."

Ichika smiled and nodded.

"So, umm, see you later?" Ryuu nodded.

"See you tomorrow." Ichika nodded.

Ryuu controlled the giant flowers and slowly dropped him and Ichika to the ground.

Sigh

Ryuu walked back to his house.

"Are you not pleased with my actions?"

He heard a deep voice in his head.

"Not really." Nobu frowned.

"What did I do wrong? I thought when a human's heart is beating faster it means they're afraid or are in a fight, sometimes it even means they're in some sort of genjutsu."

Ryuu shook his head.

"Sometimes that is true, but not always.

Sometimes when your heart is beating faster, it means you're with someone you like."

"Someone… you like?" Ryuu nodded.

"You know, someone you like spending time with and someone you like being around."

"I do not understand, I enjoy spending time with you, yet my heart beats normally, does that mean I don't like you enough?"

Ryuu shook his head.

"This is a different type of liking, you know, but anyway, that doesn't matter now."

They walked in silence.

"On future occasions, would you like for me to ignore that when you're around her?"

Ryuu nodded.

"Well, I'd appreciate that very much. However, if Ichika's in trouble, then you should say or do something."

"In that case, I think you should go back to her right now."

"And why is that?"

"Because she is dying." Ryuu stopped walking.

"What did you say?"

Nobu took Ryuu to his dimension.

Before, white flames surrounded the place, but this time, only red and black flames were there.

"Ryuu, your friend Ichika is dying."

"But how?"

"Wood release, do you want to know why wood release can only be used properly by the first Hokage?"

Ryuu nodded.

"But how would you know? You couldn't tell when I liked someone or not, so how would you know about the first Hokage?"

"As a Phoenix, I know a lot about these things, even so, I lack knowledge of the human's vast amount of feelings.

Anyway, the first Hokage could use wood release because of his unnatural amount of yang release.

In the Senju clan, there must have been some like her who could use wood release. I'm sure there must've been many others who wanted their children to use wood release.

Sadly, I believe those who attempted to use it died because of a lack of enough yang release and a lack of massive chakra reserves, which is what lead to the clan's downfall.

However, some would still attempt using wood release secretly and that's why Ichika's parents had scrolls, especially when you remember they were direct descendants of the first Hokage."

Ryuu nodded.

"How can I help her?"

"I can't tell you a way to increase yang release, but I can tell you a way to help her survive when using wood style by using another source to boost yang release.

One way is through my power, which I cannot use currently, I apologize for this."

"No need to apologize, although you said that's one way, what's the other one?"

Nobu looked away as if he was hiding something from Ryuu.

"I'm not sure it'll work, but senjutsu, maybe that'll work.

It'll be dangerous because the senjutsu I'm talking about isn't taught by any of the known regions."

Ryuu's eyes widened.

"A sage mode, just like the first Hokage's?" Nobu nodded.

"That's right, his sage mode was self-taught and stronger than other sage modes, but the fact that it was self-taught is what makes me worry, she already has a strong connection to nature energy, even so, I believe there are risks to her learning this."

"That's alright, if it's what I must do for her to live, then I'll do it.

This could also be a good time to go to shikkotsu forest and learn slug senjutsu."

Nobu nodded.

"How did you know it was killing her?"

"You've never known this, but your sensory ability is only so great because of you being a host to a Phoenix, of course, it can be stronger when we do a complete transformation, but that's not my point.

The day you met her, you sensed her not by chakra, but by her vitality.

The descendant of Hashirama Senju, she's born with a significant amount of yang release and chakra, just like Hinote-sama."

"You said we could do a complete transformation, so what is that?"

"When you enter Phoenix Flame mode, it only means that I am lending you my power but with a complete transformation everything is different, you enter a state where not only will you be able to move so fast that it'll look like you were teleporting but you will be stronger in all kinds of ways, smarter, and your flames will burn hotter and faster than ever before.

Unfortunately, this can only be accomplished by combining both hellfire and heaven fire, if we do that without them you will suffer, but anyway, it's time to save your friend, right?"

"Heaven fire? Hellfire?" Ryuu shook his head.

"I'm losing my focus, we need to save Ichika."

Ryuu left and went to the Senju compound.

Ryuu knocked and was let in, Ichika went to make some tea as Ryuu sat down.

"Ichika, I have to tell you something."

Ichika came back with the tea.

"What's so important you came to my house so late?"

Ryuu frowned.

"Ichika, it's about your wood release."

Ryuu told her about her wood release and what would happen if she used it one more time.

"But there's a way to save you, sage mode.

Learning senjutsu in shikkotsu forest while I'll be learning slug sage mode should be able to help when you're using wood release, but it'll be risky."

Ichika nodded.

"So if I use wood release one more time, I might die?"

"Well, I'm not sure how many times you can use it, but basically, it's that bad."

"I see…

But if I go with you to shikkotsu forest and learn sage mode, not only will I be able to use wood release, but it'll also become more powerful?"

Ryuu nodded.

"There's a chance you'll die, but it's a slight chance," Ryuu added.

"I'll do it." Ryuu's eyes widened.

"But Ichika, you could die." Ichika nodded.

"Before tonight, I wanted nothing to do with my Kekkei Genkai.

At least that's what I wanted you to believe, in reality, any Senju would want to use wood release.

I want to use it too, and I'll risk my life for it, I'm sorry if that upsets you, but it's my decision."

Ryuu smiled.

"Ichika, you couldn't upset me even if you try, and this way we would both get to spend more time with each other, right?"

Ryuu said with a shy smile.

Ichika blushed and avoided his gaze.

"So, when do we leave?"

"Tonight, get ready for a journey to shikkotsu Forest. I'll talk to your aunt after getting ready." Ichika nodded.

Ryuu teleported back home and started packing.

"Now, where could you be going this late?" Kakashi asked.

"I have to go with Ichika to shikkotsu forest, I need to train slug senjutsu and she wants to train with me."

Kakashi nodded.

"Ok then, just make sure all you do is train alright?" Ryuu gulped and started sweating.

"It's nothing like that, it's just training, that's all." He said as he waved his hands.

"It's nothing like you and Mina."

Kakashi was taken back by that, but he kept calm.

"Me and Mina? we're just friends."

"You can't fool me, I know all about it," Ryuu stated with an assertive nod.

"But seriously, I barely know her, I'm just looking out for my bro, you know."

"Yeah, whatever, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you later, Ryuu." Kakashi gave him a fist bump and then left his room.

Ryuu finished packing and teleported to Minato's office.

"What can I do to help you?" Minato asked.

"Well, I came here to request permission to leave and go to shikkotsu forest, Ichika and I want to train in senjutsu."

"And how long will you be gone?"

"Well, I'm not sure, I'm hoping I could come back in a month or so, but I can't be sure.

Slug senjutsu differs from toad senjutsu, apparently, it's more difficult to learn, so I have no promises as to when I'll return."

Minato nodded.

"And what about Ichika, why is she going with you? Ichika showed no interest in learning senjutsu, but now she does."

Ryuu nodded.

"Ichika wants to get stronger, and I told her I'll be leaving for shikkotsu forest soon and she thought it'd be a good idea for her to come with me."

'Ryuu's hiding something from me, whatever it is, I'm sure it's important.'

Minato said to himself.

"I approve, but remember to come back, because you were right, there might be an attack soon, I've heard a rumor about a group of rogue ninjas being hired.

They call themselves the Akatsuki and have been going around hiring and recruiting many shinobi."

Ryuu's eyes widened.

'Nagato, is this your doing?' Ryuu frowned, thinking about it.

"But we'll deal with that some other time, just make sure you make it on time."

Ryuu nodded.

"I promise."

Ryuu left the room and teleported to the hospital.

"Well, I finished packing quickly and so I came here to speak with Aunt Tsunade before you, I convinced her to send us to shikkotsu forest." Ryuu smiled and nodded.

"That's great, in that case, we shouldn't waste time, right?" Ichika nodded.

"Oh, one more thing." Ryuu teleported.

After a few minutes, he came back with two bowls of ramen.

"Here I brought you one, this'll be the last time you eat here for a month and it'll be the last time you eat good food.

Who knows what kind of food Katsuyu will give us? I only hope it's nothing close to what the toads fed me."

Ryuu's face cringed, remembering what he ate.

"Are you two ready to go?"

Ryuu and Ichika nodded.

"Well then, let's meet at the forest of death, I'm summoning Katsuyu, after making a contract, you can get reverse summoned."

"Alright."