A Yamanaka's Trait System

Tsunade's eyes flickered for a moment when she saw Nawaki. The loved one she had lost long ago suddenly appeared before her once more—so vivid, so full of life. As if he had merely gone on a long journey. And all those painful memories… perhaps they were nothing more than a terrifying and absurd nightmare that haunted her in the dead of night.

"Neesan!"

Nawaki pushed off with his arms, leaping down from the tower, his face beaming with a bright smile as he ran toward Tsunade. The young boy was full of life and energy, just like before… Before he died!

BAM!

Tsunade's face darkened, and without hesitation, she punched Nawaki square on the forehead, slamming him to the ground with brute force.

Nawaki, who had expected a warm and emotional embrace, was utterly dumbfounded. The next moment, pain surged through his entire body!

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Tsunade clutched her aching chest with one hand while ruthlessly kicking him with the other.

"You idiot! I sent you to the battlefield with Orochimaru to gain experience, and you charged in even harder than he did?! Are you trying to show off?! A proud heir of the Senju clan, and you got blown up by an explosive tag trap?! How embarrassing! You made me suffer for so many years! I'm gonna kick you to death, you disobedient brat!"

"Neesan! Neesan! It hurts! It hurts so bad! Aaaah—my bones are breaking! Ow! Ahhh—Grandpa, help! She is gonna kill me! Save me, save me—!" Nawaki clutched his head, rolling all over the ground in agony, howling for help. He desperately signaled Hashirama for rescue.

Hashirama had initially planned to step in and say a few words, but when he met his granddaughter's rage-filled gaze, he promptly shut the window instead—right in front of Nawaki's stunned, confused, and despairing eyes.

Getting old… my hearing and vision aren't what they used to be. Totally normal, right?

"You know what pain and death feel like now, huh?! I told you not to charge in, and you still did!" Under Tsunade's precise control of her strength, Nawaki's entire body swelled up at a visible rate.

The injuries only affected his skin and flesh, not his bones or muscles, but the pain was doubled.

In less than two minutes, Nawaki was completely numb.

"That should be enough. He's just a kid. Once he suffers a loss, he'll learn his lesson," Kei spoke up, seeing that Tsunade's anger had mostly subsided and that Nawaki looked thoroughly regretful.

"Hmph! Once isn't enough! Give him that genjutsu you used on me before! The seven-year version! Let him properly learn what to do in dangerous situations!"

Tsunade took a deep breath, then stomped down on Nawaki's chest. This little brat had died so easily! She had grieved for years, and Mito had grieved for even longer!

From now on, she'd educate him every single day—otherwise, she'd be too angry to sleep at night.

"…Fine." Kei cast a sympathetic glance at Nawaki.

Forming a one-handed seal, he unleashed a seven-year-enhanced version of Swallow My Sweet Release.

As for the illusion's setting, the tragic Akame ga Kill-inspired scenario he had previously used for Tsunade worked just fine. He'd just apply it to Nawaki now.

"Whew…" Tsunade let out a long sigh.

She signaled the ANBU under her command to carry the now-trapped-in-genjutsu Nawaki off to the strategy unit to sleep it off.

At a time when war was once again on the horizon… She was genuinely afraid that this hot-blooded fool, who only had battle on his mind, would charge in and die all over again!

It was better to let him sleep inside a genjutsu for seven days.

Seven days… By then, everything should be over.

Inside the corridor leading to the control room, Kushina, who had just finished touring the ship, jogged up to Kei's side as she noticed Tsunade's anger gradually fading.

Meanwhile, the floating fortress expedition ship had steadily ascended to the appropriate altitude. A faint blue barrier shield was raised, keeping the fierce high-altitude winds at bay.

As the ship accelerated past Genbu, it headed straight toward Kiri.

"You're just in time."

Kei pointed at the Amber Purifying Pot.

Kushina, already aware of the entire plan, knew exactly what to do. She immediately entered Perfect Jinchūriki Mode and began channeling Nine-Tails chakra into the opened pot.

At the same time, the door of the tower where Hashirama and the others were waiting opened.

Tobirama walked in first, heading straight toward the Amber Purifying Pot. Hashirama followed behind him, muttering helplessly. "Tobirama, Tobirama, you weren't exactly lacking in chakra. Why did you go and seal the Three-Tails inside yourself?"

"Niisan, we were the ones who originally caught the tailed beasts."

"Didn't we give them away?"

"We took them back. Kiri is our enemy now."

Tobirama coldly shot back at Hashirama's resentful complaints.

Lately, he had been working with Orochimaru to study Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique and had uncovered the origins of the God Tree, as well as the connection between the Ten-Tails and the nine tailed beasts. Along the way, they had also stumbled upon something rather interesting.

For instance, tailed beasts had an extremely high affinity for natural energy.

Based on their experiments, human cells affected by tailed beast chakra underwent significant changes, greatly enhancing their ability to sense, absorb, and harmonize with natural energy. Following that logic, it could be deduced that tailed beasts likely possessed an innate talent for molding and using senjutsu chakra!

The only question was whether they knew how, wanted to, or were willing to do so. In other words, if a jinchūriki's body fully adapted to and accepted tailed beast chakra, tey would naturally gain the talent to train in Sage Mode.

Moreover, if the tailed beast inside them mastered the method of senjutsu chakra, it could assist them in battle, continuously providing senjutsu chakra and significantly extending the duration of Sage Mode.

If Tobirama had still been in his Edo Tensei state, it wouldn't have mattered much. But now that he had been revived properly, he couldn't just sit idly by while Izuna, with Madara's help, kept growing stronger in his ocular powers.

How could he tolerate that?

Ignoring his brother's nagging, he pressed a hand against the Four Symbols Seal on his abdomen.

The Three-Tails, already beaten into submission, obediently contributed its chakra.

The Third Raikage and Ōnoki exchanged glances. They took deep breaths and forcibly suppressed the urge to vent their frustrations.

If they hadn't seen Hashirama's power with their own eyes, who would believe that this seemingly ridiculous man—completely lacking the demeanor of a strong leader—was once the God of Shinobi who single-handedly suppressed the entire ninja world?

"That should be enough." Kei gauged the amount of chakra gathered inside the pot.

Since the Seven-Tails had been fully captured, the chakra contributions from the other tailed beasts could be relatively minimal.

After all, they were only trying to activate the God Tree—not create a fully revived Ten-Tails.

Upon hearing this, Kushina and Tobirama stopped releasing tailed beast chakra. Now, the only missing chakra belonged to the Six-Tails, which was still in Kiri.

Once their vanguard forces and main attack unit launched their assault, drawing the attention of the Kiri ninja and the White Zetsu army, they could launch a surprise aerial attack on the location of the Six-Tails!

With this, they could activate the God Tree as quickly as possible and cut it down—using its destruction to wipe out the 100,000 White Zetsu soldiers.

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Inside the Mizukage Building, Hikari narrowed her eyes at the figure who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

The man had a Mohawk hairstyle with a long braid down his back. He wore a white robe, fastened at the waist with a red sash.

A faint sense of danger crept into her heart.

His chakra was unlike that of an ordinary ninja. He had appeared without a single warning… Red earrings, a diamond-shaped mark labeled Kāma on his chin, an unusual pattern in his left eye, and black-painted nails… Could this guy be the Ōtsutsuki clan member Kei had told her about—the one who was deceived and abandoned by Kaguya?

Isshiki!

And judging by his current appearance… This must be the vessel he was barely surviving in—Jigen!

But why had he shown up now? Hadn't Kei said that Isshiki was extremely cautious? That unless he was absolutely certain of victory or his vessel could no longer sustain him, he would never reveal himself?

Jigen wore a refined, composed smile as he gave a slight bow. Despite his seemingly polite demeanor, his arrogance was impossible to conceal.

"Who would've thought… that the Mizukage is none other than the ancient weapon of the Uchiha."

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"I'm merely here to offer a deal, Mizukage. I wonder… if you'd be interested?"

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Story completed at Chapter 298!