Sacred Land, Shikkotsu Forest. Beneath the Holy Spirit Waterfall.
"What?!"
Naruto and Sasuke were stunned by Katsuyu's shocking revelation.
"You… don't know Uchiha Akira at all?"
If it were anyone else—even the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave—Naruto would have doubted it.
But this was Sage Katsuyu.
Among the Three Great Sage Lands, she was the most selfless and least self-serving.
She had willingly signed summoning contracts with Tsunade and Sakura, serving ninja for decades like a public servant.
The number of lives she had saved probably didn't fall short of Naruto's or Sasuke's.
If she said she didn't know Uchiha Akira…
Then she truly didn't know him.
"That's weird… really weird…" Naruto muttered gravely.
"This just keeps getting more unsettling!"
Katsuyu asked lightly, "Naruto~? What do you mean?"
Naruto replied, "That Uchiha Akira clearly doesn't know you… but he's mastered your Sage Art!"
"Huh?" Katsuyu blinked in surprise.
"T-That can't be right, can it?"
Now that it was clear this was a misunderstanding, Sasuke's tone softened.
"Lady Katsuyu, is it possible to obtain Shikkotsu Sage Mode through other means? Back then, Madara gained Hashirama's Sage Power through absorption."
"Hm…" Katsuyu rested her slender fingers on her chin and thought carefully.
"That's different."
"I've heard of the First Hokage's Sage Mode. It awakened naturally thanks to his innate Asura body."
"His Sage Chakra was deeply fused with his cells."
"When Madara was revived through Rinne Rebirth, he had Lord Hashirama's cells, and as Indra's reincarnation, he already possessed immense chakra and compatibility."
"That's why he could directly control Hashirama's Sage Chakra after absorbing it."
"But unfortunately, that method doesn't work with Shikkotsu Sage Art."
"Doesn't work?"
"Mhm~ Not because mine is stronger."
"It's because the principles are different."
"Shikkotsu Sage Chakra requires deeper meditation than even Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode."
"And instead of binding to cells, it binds to spiritual will—something intangible."
"Even if someone absorbs it, if their mindset doesn't match, the Sage Chakra will dissipate instantly."
"So in theory, without my personal guidance, no one can use my Sage Art through external means."
She patiently explained the principles.
Sasuke asked, "Then why can Uchiha Akira use it?"
Katsuyu hesitated. "Are you certain he used my Sage Art?"
"I'm pretty sure," Naruto said, recalling it with lingering fear.
"When he entered Sage Mode, he hit me from far away."
"Slugs popped out of me and started melting me with acid!"
"If Kurama hadn't told me to strip off my chakra cloak, I'd have died on the spot!"
"That move was disgusting! Even worse than Yagura's coral jutsu back then!"
"…That does sound like my Sage Palm," Katsuyu admitted.
Then she suddenly stood up and bowed ninety degrees to Naruto.
"Eh?! Lady Katsuyu?! What are you doing?!"
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"
"My technique made you feel uncomfortable!"
"But I didn't mean to!"
"Slugs are soft-bodied creatures. When threatened by fangs and claws, releasing acid is one of our few ways to protect ourselves!"
"I never meant to kill anyone! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for troubling you!"
"Please don't!" Naruto hurriedly stood up, flustered.
"It's my fault for talking carelessly!"
"It's not disgusting at all!"
"Your Sage Palm is super strong! Way stronger than Frog Kumite!"
Sasuke didn't let the interruption derail him.
He added calmly, "Also, in Sage Mode, his ocular techniques were activated at an absurd frequency."
Katsuyu sat back down.
"Yes. Shikkotsu Sage Art greatly enhances spiritual energy."
"For dōjutsu users like you, that makes such feats possible."
"Then… he really is using my Sage Art."
"That's very strange…"
Sasuke pressed on. "Is there no other explanation?"
Katsuyu shook her head gently.
"My belief that only personal disciples can use it is based on my current knowledge."
"But the world is vast. It's possible someone possesses power beyond my understanding."
"However… if Akira didn't learn it from me, there must be a source."
"Unless… he obtained it from 'Xiao Yu' through some unknown means…"
Naruto caught that murmur.
"Xiao Yu? Who's that?"
Katsuyu replied,
"Her name is Yu. No known surname. Unknown origin."
"She is the only person since the Warring States Era to pass all my trials, receive my personal instruction, and truly master Shikkotsu Sage Art."
Naruto frowned.
"So… Akira's Sage Art might come from her?"
Katsuyu lowered her eyes sadly.
"I don't want to think so."
"But if that's true… then Xiao Yu may have met with misfortune."
Sasuke spoke sharply, "Couldn't it be that Akira and Yu are working together?"
"Or…"
"Could they be the same person?"
Katsuyu immediately denied it.
"Impossible."
"Xiao Yu is definitely a girl."
"And Akira is a man, isn't he?"
Sasuke persisted. "What if he's using a Transformation Jutsu, like Naruto does?"
"Transforming into a woman?"
"Sasuke!" Naruto cut in seriously.
"Lady Katsuyu wouldn't be fooled by Transformation Jutsu."
"No matter how advanced it is, it can't deceive a sage!"
Sasuke sighed inwardly.
He stood and bowed slightly.
"Sorry. I was too impatient."
Katsuyu waved her hand with a smile.
"It's fine~."
Naruto asked carefully, "Um… could you tell us more about Xiao Yu?"
"We'd like to use it as reference."
Katsuyu lowered her gaze.
Ripples spread across the water.
In her eyes appeared Yu's breathtaking face.
Those were some of the few moments in her thousand years of cultivation—
Aside from enlightenment—
When she had truly felt joy in companionship.
Xiao Yu…
Katsuyu suppressed the rare emotional waves in her heart.
Judging by Naruto and Sasuke's persistence, they wouldn't stop without answers.
And there was nothing to hide.
She raised her head, her expression growing serious.
"I can only tell you this."
"Xiao Yu is absolutely not a bad person."
"If she ever did something wrong, it must have been under irresistible coercion."
"What do you mean?"
"Sasuke, you said earlier that sages don't examine motives."
"That may be true elsewhere."
"But not here."
"To become my disciple, one must pass not only strength tests…"
"But also willingly accept 'good-and-evil judgment.'"
"Good-and-evil judgment?"
"Yes. A scan of the heart."
"Out of respect, I never read specific thoughts or emotions."
"I only check for malicious intent."
"It's meant to deter ill-intentioned seekers."
"Once accepted, the consequences must be borne."
"If I detect deeply rooted malice that could endanger the world…"
"I will release acid and kill them."
"Xiao Yu passed."
"Not only that—her inner goodness carried the potential to bring peace and hope to the ninja world…"
As Naruto and Sasuke listened intently, Katsuyu suddenly stopped.
She clenched her small fists, teeth gritted.
"Lady Katsuyu? What's wrong?"
"Sorry… I'm too worried."
"I can't stop thinking about Xiao Yu."
She stood up.
"I need to confirm her condition."
"How?"
Katsuyu formed elegant hand seals.
Her silver hair, flowing like a waterfall to her waist, rose without wind.
Her aura transformed.
"I have a summoning contract with Xiao Yu."
"I'm going to reverse-summon her here."
—Summoning Jutsu!
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