Chapter 181 : Returning to the Shikkotsu Forest!

Kazuhiko briskly returned to Tsunade's modest courtyard, radiating a noticeable air of contentment. It was evident that he was in high spirits.

He was truly ecstatic; not only had his prospective father-in-law successfully proposed marriage that day, but he had also found his first ally. Surprisingly, this ally happened to be the clan head of the Senju clan – an unexpected and significant gain.

As Kazuhiko reached Tsunade's courtyard, the eagerness to share the good news with her was palpable. However, a dilemma arose – how could he break the news gently? 

How could he tell her that her father had joined his cause, and together they were set on a revolutionary path to overthrow her grandfather's old ninja system and establish a unified regime?

The magnitude of this revelation would likely be too overwhelming for Tsunade, so Kazuhiko decided to tread carefully. This joyful news couldn't be shared with her just yet; for her, it might be the most distressing information at the moment.

Thus, he suppressed his eagerness to share the news and, upon arriving at the courtyard, discovered that Tsunade was nowhere to be found. The once lively space was now empty, leaving him uncertain of her whereabouts.

Alone in the courtyard, Kazuhiko entered his hut. With a few free moments on his hands, his immediate thought was to delve into the mysteries of the Shikkotsu Forest's Senjutsu.

"Sage Katsuyu will be astonished by my heightened perception of natural energy," he mused.

With a determined expression, he exclaimed, "Reverse Summoning Technique!" A resounding "peng!" filled the hut as the smoke dissipated, and Kazuhiko vanished.

After a moment of mental preparation, Kazuhiko found himself once again in the familiar Shikkotsu Forest. Everything before him appeared the same – the pale and gloomy surroundings of the gray world, shrouded in thick white fog.

Though the forest seemed identical to his previous visits, Kazuhiko noticed a significant change. Unlike before, where he could only see a few dozen meters ahead, his visual range had expanded remarkably.

Even in his ordinary state, his pupil power exceeded that of regular individuals, but now, he could observe distances of hundreds of meters effortlessly. His improvement had been subtle, unnoticed until now.

Kazuhiko absentmindedly touched his seemingly ordinary eyes, concealing the mysterious and noble Rinnegan within.

"No wonder my eyesight keeps improving. Have I reached such a level already? These eyes continually strengthen me," he contemplated.

Regretfully, he couldn't fully test the capabilities of his newfound eyes here. The revelation would have to wait until he returned to the Land of Whirlpools.

Deciding not to unveil his enhanced vision in Shikkotsu Forest, especially considering he wasn't the sole possessor of the Summoning Contract of Sage Katsuyu, Kazuhiko surveyed the surroundings. 

The landscape hadn't changed – the ground and trees still exuded transparent mucus, occasionally dripping with corrosive traces.

Kazuhiko, aware of Katsuyu Immortal's benevolence, couldn't help but think that an unknowing observer might mistake this place for some kind of hell. Once again feeling the rich natural energy in the mucus, he pondered the extent of his ability to perceive it.

He silently attuned himself to the natural energy in this space, and soon, Kazuhiko realized the depth of his perception.

In this realm, an uncountable number of indescribable natural energies unfolded before his eyes.

"The natural energy here has reached an unprecedented level!

Kazuhiko widened his eyes, astonished by everything in front of him.

He had known beforehand that the natural energy here was extremely abundant, but his previous understanding was quite limited. It was too one-sided.

For instance, in the ninja world, the earlier version of Kazuhiko was oblivious to natural energy.

Upon arriving at the Shikkotsu Forest, he sensed the presence of this unique energy around him. However, it was like a blind person touching an elephant—partial and incomplete. He only knew of the energy's existence but lacked a comprehensive understanding.

Later, with the guidance of Sage Katsuyu, he learned to perceive natural energy, akin to a blind man opening a slit in his eyes and realizing there is light.

He did observe the natural energies present in and around the Shikkotsu Forest.

Upon returning to the ninja world, he felt the gap within himself gradually closing. He could perceive the existence of natural energy, but it appeared thinner and more indistinct.

Since that particular night, when Kazuhiko gained the attention of the ninja world consciousness, his perception of natural energies had surged.

Even in Konoha, he could sense natural energy drifting through the air, with its omnipresence lingering around him.

This time, he resembled a regular person with half-opened eyes, not just a closing gap. Everything around him appeared normal, no longer blurry.

However, upon returning to the Shikkotsu Forest once again, he discovered that everything in the forest seemed different to him. He now perceived it like an ordinary person with fully open eyes.

Everything was crystal clear before him.

So, at this moment, he truly comprehended the immense amount of natural energy contained within the Shikkotsu Forest. It was as if he could sense the existence of water in the sea.

As Kazuhiko sighed, a voice filled with astonishment emerged from the side.

"Lord Kazuhiko, how is your perception of natural energy so powerful?"

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