Chapter 314: Further Ideas for Sage Jutsu; Is Tsunade Pregnant? [HN]

Konoha, Training Ground Three.

Chiya stood alone with his eyes slightly closed.

The blue-white Sage Jutsu markings on both sides of his face flickered faintly, resonating subtly with the sparse natural energy around him.

‘The clone at Shikkotsu Forest should have accumulated enough experience by now…’

With a thought, the Shadow Clone that had spent more than ten days in the secret realm of Shikkotsu Forest, constantly attempting to combine Sage Jutsu with various Kekkei Genkai, dispersed into a cloud of white smoke with a bang.

The memories, insights, and deeper understanding of natural energy flooded into Chiya’s mind like a tide.

They included countless failed attempts.

He had tried combining the Lightning and Water natures of Storm Release with Sage Chakra, only for the combination to collapse because of the conflicting properties of the energies.

He had also tried covering the scorching magma of Lava Release with the corrosive properties of natural energy, but had nearly caused his chakra pathways to fall into chaos.

‘As expected, it isn’t that simple.’

Chiya slowly opened his eyes, a trace of understanding flashing through them, accompanied by a barely perceptible solemnity.

Natural energy was like the most unruly wild horse.

Although it could merge with ordinary chakra to form Sage Chakra, when that fusion attempted to interfere with more advanced and complex Kekkei Genkai, especially Kekkei Tōta like Dust Release, which represented the ultimate fusion of shape transformation and nature transformation, maintaining the balance became exponentially more difficult.

It was not merely a matter of maintaining a 1:1:1 ratio.

It involved rejection and reconstruction at the very level of the energies’ fundamental nature.

‘Kekkei Genkai are powerful, but they seem to lack a certain fundamental compatibility…’

‘Or perhaps, they lack the bloodline foundation of being naturally compatible with natural energy?’

Chiya pondered silently.

Suddenly, someone came to mind.

Someone who had conducted extensive research into natural energy, or rather, the uncontrolled manifestations of natural energy, and whose thinking was not bound by conventional limitations.

‘Orochimaru…’

Chiya’s eyes shifted slightly.

‘He’s been researching Jūgo for quite some time now. I wonder how far he’s gotten.’

On the path of exploring the source of power, Orochimaru was undoubtedly an excellent, perhaps even the only, “fellow traveler.”

With that thought, Chiya no longer hesitated.

His figure blurred and disappeared from the training ground.

…

On the outskirts of Konoha, hidden beneath an ordinary-looking residence, was a small underground laboratory where Orochimaru had been permitted to conduct his research.

The place had been temporarily established to make his research more convenient.

It was nowhere near as gloomy and terrifying as his old bases, but it could hardly be called warm either.

Cold instruments blinked with various indicator lights, while strange biological tissue samples floated inside cultivation tanks.

The air carried the faint smell of disinfectant mixed with a peculiar medicinal herb.

Chiya’s arrival did not trigger any alarms.

When he appeared in the core area of the laboratory, Orochimaru was standing before a huge observation window, his golden snake-like eyes staring at what was inside with great interest.

Inside the observation window was Jūgo, whose skin was grayish-white and occasionally swelled or hardened into a horn-like texture in certain areas without warning.

He seemed to be in a semi-conscious but stable state.

“Hehehe… What a rare guest, Chiya-kun.”

Orochimaru did not turn around, his hoarse yet strangely magnetic voice already filling the room.

“Have you come because you’ve sensed that I’ve made some interesting progress?”

Chiya walked over beside him, his eyes also falling upon Jūgo.

“His condition is much more stable than when he first arrived.”

“I’ve merely managed to suppress his unconscious berserk transformations to some extent.”

Orochimaru turned around and licked his lips, his eyes shining with the excitement of a scientist discovering a new continent.

“Jūgo’s ability is truly astonishing.

He can naturally absorb natural energy, but he cannot control it, causing his body to undergo ‘Sage Transformation’ according to his emotional fluctuations.

Rather than calling this Sage Jutsu, I would describe it as… a passive, incomplete Sage Body.”

“Passive, incomplete Sage Body?”

Chiya immediately caught onto the key term.

“Exactly.”

Orochimaru walked over to the control panel and brought up a series of complicated data sets and energy diagrams.

“Natural energy does not exist in his body in a stable form.

Instead, it acts upon his flesh in a more primitive and violent manner, triggering mutations.

This bypasses the ‘balanced fusion’ process that requires an extremely high level of mental discipline and control, but it also creates the risk of losing control.”

He pointed toward several violently fluctuating points on the diagram.

“Look here. When his emotions become agitated, especially when his killing intent reaches its peak, the rate at which he absorbs natural energy and the efficiency with which he converts it rise sharply.

His strength, speed, and recovery ability all increase dramatically, but his rationality is also rapidly devoured by his beastly instincts.”

Orochimaru looked at Chiya, a meaningful glint appearing in his snake-like eyes.

“Chiya-kun, didn’t you go to Shikkotsu Forest to practice orthodox, controllable Sage Jutsu?

I believe Jūgo-kun represents another possibility.

A method of using natural energy that could perhaps be guided through external means, or even ‘granted’ to others.”

Chiya’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Hehehe…”

Orochimaru chuckled and picked up a small sealed container from the nearby laboratory table.

Inside was a small mass of dark-purple substance that continuously writhed as though it possessed a life of its own.

“I call this… the prototype of a ‘Curse Mark.'”

“A Curse Mark?”

Chiya looked at the object and could indeed sense natural energy within it that originated from the same source as Jūgo’s.

“Yes.”

Orochimaru explained, “I’ve extracted the factors within Jūgo’s cells that allow them to actively absorb natural energy, then modified and stabilized them through my own methods.

In theory, a special sealing formula could be used to implant them into the bodies of other shinobi.”

He paused, his tone carrying the fervor of a creator.

“The recipient would gain an ability similar to Jūgo’s, allowing them to passively absorb natural energy to strengthen themselves and enter what could be called a ‘Curse Mark State.’

They would gain a significant increase in power.

Of course, this also comes with the risk of losing control and absolute obedience to me, the ‘source of the power.’

After all, the stabilizer and control mechanism are both in my hands.”

Chiya nodded as he looked at Orochimaru.

Even without the chain of events from the original story, Orochimaru had ultimately still embarked upon the path of developing the “Curse Mark.”

There was no denying that it had indeed touched the edge of “artificial Sage Jutsu.”

The original anime had also shown many successful cases.

“Not a bad idea, Orochimaru.”

Chiya’s tone remained calm, revealing neither approval nor displeasure.

“Can you guarantee that this thing won’t backfire or spread, resulting in consequences you can’t control?”

“Risk and reward always coexist, don’t they, Chiya-kun?”

Orochimaru laughed without concern.

“This is only a preliminary concept.

If I want to make it safer and more controllable, perhaps even develop an ‘improved version’ that can preserve a clear mind like orthodox Sage Jutsu, I’ll need more experimental data and… more powerful samples to analyze.”

His gaze swept meaningfully over Chiya.

The implication was obvious.

Orochimaru had coveted Chiya’s cells and Sage Jutsu data for quite some time.

“Make a backup of your research data and send it to my encrypted scroll archive.”

Chiya did not agree directly, but instead issued an order.

“The development of the ‘Curse Mark’ and any experiments involving living subjects must receive my explicit approval.

Until you have permission, I don’t want to see this thing used on anyone who isn’t an experimental subject.”

His tone carried an unquestionable authority.

The invisible pressure caused Orochimaru’s golden snake-like eyes to contract slightly.

“As you wish, Hokage-sama.”

Orochimaru bowed compliantly, though the inscrutable smile remained on his face.

He knew that Chiya was tempted.

When it came to exploring the essence of power, Chiya would never easily abandon any possible path.

Orochimaru was the same.

“Orochimaru, tell me, do you think Kekkei Genkai can fully integrate with the power of Sage Jutsu and give birth to an entirely new system?”

Orochimaru’s gaze sharpened when he heard this.

“Now that’s an excellent direction!~”

Orochimaru then smiled.

“But that will require further experimentation!~”

“Mm, there’s no rush. Take your time~~!”

After saying that, Chiya took one last look at Jūgo inside the cultivation tank and the prototype of the “Curse Mark” in Orochimaru’s hand before his figure slowly merged into the shadows and disappeared.

After leaving Orochimaru’s underground laboratory, which was filled with an unsettling atmosphere, and returning to the sunlight outside, Chiya took a deep breath of fresh air and dispelled the oppressive feeling in his chest.

Orochimaru’s research had indeed provided him with another line of thought, but the “Curse Mark” ultimately went against the path of perfect self-control over power that he pursued.

It could be used as a reference, but never relied upon.

He looked up at the sky.

Kekkei Genkai…

Kekkei Tōta…

Or perhaps even combining Kekkei Mōra with Sage Jutsu…

What would that look like?

…

Konoha Hospital.

The lights of the innermost operating room on the third floor had just gone out.

Tsunade removed her surgical gloves, which were stained with a trace of blood, while explaining the postoperative precautions to Shizune beside her.

Her expression was as usual, with a trace of fatigue and relief between her brows after a successful operation.

“Send the patient back to the observation ward and monitor the recovery of his chakra pathways carefully.

I’ve already used medical chakra to nourish that hidden injury, so it should accelerate his recovery.”

Tsunade’s voice was clear and steady.

“Yes, Tsunade-sama.”

Shizune recorded everything carefully, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Tsunade.

The two walked out of the operating area and into the corridor.

Bright sunlight streamed through the windows, and the air carried the clean, distinctive smell of disinfectant.

Just as Tsunade was about to go wash her hands, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea rise from her stomach and surge toward her throat without warning.

“Ugh…”

She instinctively covered her mouth, her brows knitting tightly as her body swayed slightly.

“Tsunade-sama! What’s wrong?”

Shizune was startled and hurried forward to support her, her face filled with concern.

Tsunade had an exceptionally strong constitution and almost never fell ill, let alone experienced such an obvious physical reaction.

Tsunade waved her hand, indicating that she was fine, but the sudden nausea had left her face somewhat pale.

She suppressed the discomfort and took several deep breaths until the sensation gradually subsided.

“It’s nothing. I was probably too focused during the operation and got a little tired.”

Tsunade rubbed her temples, trying to give herself a reasonable explanation.

But she herself felt a strange uneasiness.

This nausea was not the weakness caused by excessive chakra consumption, nor was it the sharp pain that came after an injury.

It was something… unfamiliar, yet faintly carrying the sense of some kind of omen.

Shizune was still worried.

As a medical ninja herself, she had keenly noticed something.

“Tsunade-sama, your period… hasn’t it been delayed by a few days this month?”

The question exploded in Tsunade’s mind like a thunderclap.

She froze and carefully thought about it.

It seemed… it really had been delayed.

Recently, she had been busy with Sage Jutsu training and hospital affairs, so she had completely failed to notice.

Combined with the sudden nausea just now…

An unbelievable possibility that made her heart suddenly race surfaced in her mind.

Could it be…

She instinctively reached out and gently placed a hand over her still-flat and firm lower abdomen.

Shizune watched Tsunade’s reaction.

As her disciple and assistant who had followed her for many years, she had already guessed most of it.

She lowered her voice, unable to suppress her excitement and careful anticipation.

“Tsunade-sama, could you possibly be…”

Tsunade did not answer immediately.

She stood there by the window, sunlight outlining her dazed profile.

Her usually domineering, gentle, or playful amber eyes were now filled with complicated emotions.

Shock, confusion, a trace of barely perceptible fear, and…

A tremendous joy that had been buried deep within her and was now gradually breaking through the surface.

‘Of course… I was so proactive last time!’

‘Although I knew this day would eventually come, I just didn’t expect it to come so suddenly.’

“…Shizune.”

Tsunade’s voice carried a tremor she herself had not noticed.

“Go… go get me a pregnancy test.”

“Yes! I’ll get one right away!”

Shizune immediately nodded, her face overflowing with excitement and joy as she turned and hurried toward the pharmacy.

Tsunade stood alone by the corridor window.

She looked down at the lush trees in the courtyard and the patients and medical staff coming and going below, her emotions unable to settle for a long time.

She instinctively circulated her medical chakra, sensing the changes within her body with extreme care.

At the very core of her life force, there seemed to be a trace of extremely faint yet persistent and unique vitality…

‘Is it really a child?’

The realization made her entire body tremble.

An indescribable warmth instantly swept through her, washing away much of her initial panic and confusion.

She stroked her lower abdomen, her eyes gradually becoming firm yet gentle.

“Chiya…”

She whispered to herself, the corners of her lips unconsciously curving upward.

Just then, a familiar presence appeared at the end of the corridor.

Tsunade’s expression brightened.

“Chiya, you’re here?”