The summoning scroll in Arima's possession originally came from the sacred land of Sage Techniques, Shikkotsu Forest.
It had been passed down from the First Hokage. Arima himself had only signed the contract on it after passing the Jonin examination years ago.
Arima wanted Tsunade to form a summoning contract so early for two reasons.
First, to give her another means of protecting herself, and second, to let her receive guidance in medical ninjutsu from Katsuyu.
When Arima and Tsunade returned home, they arrived just as Naomi finished preparing lunch.
The two of them quickly sat down and enjoyed the meal.
Throughout lunch, Tsunade kept offering sweet compliments, praising Aunt Naomi's incredible cooking skills.
This made Naomi beam with joy, and she kept adding delicious food to Tsunade's bowl.
Arima thought to himself, 'This brat really knows how to win Mom's heart... clever girl.'
After the meal, a full and content Tsunade sat by the hallway, enjoying the cool summer breeze that blew through the house as she sipped on a refreshing tea Naomi had specially prepared for her.
The scorching summer day, the dappled shade under the trees, the gentle breeze, and the distant chorus of cicadas from the forest, all of it made Tsunade fall in love with this peaceful moment.
Seeing the girl so relaxed, Arima couldn't help but think, If only there were no wars... everyone would have the chance to enjoy a carefree life like this.
But when he thought about the current tension sweeping across the shinobi world, he began to worry that Tsunade might eventually be sent to the battlefield.
If that time came, perhaps he should apply to be her squad captain.
As Arima was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Tsunade's crisp voice beside him.
Snapping back to reality, he saw her looking at him with bright eyes full of anticipation.
Arima asked, "What did you just say, Tsunade?"
Tsunade repeated, "Arima-nii, can I sign the summoning scroll now?"
Arima smiled, "Of course. We'll go to Shikkotsu Forest shortly to meet the Great Slug Sage.
You'll be able to ask her for guidance in medical ninjutsu. She's incredibly wise and very gentle too."
Tsunade nodded eagerly. She had always admired how her big brother had a summoning beast, especially one from Shikkotsu Forest, known for its medical prowess.
After finishing her tea, Tsunade and Arima got up and tidied themselves.
After saying goodbye to Naomi, they vanished from the spot and headed straight to the sacred land of Shikkotsu Forest.
Following her big brother, Tsunade arrived in a completely unfamiliar place.
At first, she felt a little nervous, but when she felt the warm touch of Arima's hand, she instantly calmed down. Only then did she start to take in her surroundings.
Looking up, she saw a dim ceiling, no sun, moon, or stars. It seemed the entire sacred land was underground. The space was vast and cool, a perfect refuge from the summer heat.
The ground was covered with glowing fungi of all kinds, and some giant mushrooms towered tens of meters high. Their pulsing bioluminescence gave the place a mysterious charm.
Hand in hand with Arima, Tsunade curiously observed everything around her. It was a brand-new world in her eyes.
She poked at a nearby giant mushroom with her finger. Its texture was soft and cool, like a chilled rice dumpling, slick and squishy.
She plucked a smaller one and sniffed it. A faint, sweet aroma reached her nose. It smells delicious...
Seeing her curiosity, Arima chuckled and said, "When I came here with grandfather, I was just as curious. I even secretly tasted one of these mushrooms."
Tsunade's eyes lit up. "What did it taste like?"
Arima shrugged. "Not great. It was bitter. I was unlucky and picked one of the bad ones.
But there are some sweet and tasty fruits around here too, just not many. You can look for them when you come next time."
Tsunade giggled. She hadn't expected her usually serious big brother to have been such a mischievous kid.
They weaved their way through the massive forest, turning this way and that, until Tsunade almost felt dizzy.
But after about an hour of walking, they finally reached their destination.
As they drew closer, Tsunade noticed the mushrooms becoming larger and more vibrant, bursting with life.
By the time she saw the Great Slug Sage, she realized she'd been craning her neck upward the entire time. Her neck had started to ache.
She pouted, "Arima-nii, my neck hurts..."
Arima immediately used chakra to massage and stimulate blood flow around her neck. After a while, the soreness eased.
The Great Slug Sage watched the scene with interest.
She recalled how Hashirama had looked similarly clueless when he first arrived.
Sensing the girl's bloodline, she confirmed she was indeed his descendant, and their personalities weren't all that different either.
Once Arima finished helping Tsunade, he greeted the Slug Sage and said, "Great Slug Sage, I've brought Tsunade. She's the granddaughter of Hashirama."
The Great Slug Sage leaned forward to get a better look at the little girl. But her massive size caused the surrounding forest to sway as if on the verge of collapse.
Arima quickly scooped Tsunade into his arms, leapt up, and landed on a large mushroom cap near the Slug Sage's face.
Seeing her up close, the Slug Sage could indeed spot traces of Hashirama in Tsunade's features.
She asked gently, "Tsunade, would you like to form a summoning contract with Shikkotsu Forest?"
Tsunade nodded without hesitation. "I'd be honored to, Great Slug Sage."
At the Sage's signal, Arima summoned the giant scroll, handed Tsunade a brush, and guided her through signing her name and placing her blood seal.
Tsunade followed the instructions obediently and completed the contract.
Thus, the Senju clan's summoning scroll had gained a new heir.
Arima and Tsunade bid farewell to the Slug Sage and instantly teleported back home.
The moment they returned, a wave of heat slammed into them. Compared to the cool depths of Shikkotsu Forest, the outside temperature was scorching.
Tsunade immediately asked, "Arima-nii, can we go there to escape the heat?"
Arima replied casually, "You're now a summoner of the sacred land too. You can reverse-summon yourself there anytime."
Tsunade cheered with excitement.
In her heart, she was already thinking, Next time I go, I'll look for those sweet fruits big brother mentioned.
Arima added, "Next time, you won't have to walk so far.
Today we entered through the main gate out of respect, but now that you're a contract holder, you can summon yourself straight into the forest."
Tsunade kept nodding, though her thoughts were already drifting toward exciting adventures in the glowing jungle. She wasn't really listening anymore.
Arima noticed her absent-mindedness and let it slide. At her age, it was natural to be curious and playful. She'd learn to reverse summon properly when she matured.
Then he said, "Tsunade, you can start practicing the summoning technique now. I already explained the key points to you, right?"
That finally snapped Tsunade back to attention. She nodded quickly, her face serious.
Seeing she was ready to focus, Arima said, "I'll demonstrate once. Watch carefully. If you don't understand anything, you can ask my Wood Clone to explain."
Tsunade nodded again, though her eyes widened as he mentioned the Wood Clone.
"Wait, Arima-nii... are you leaving?"
Arima nodded and gently ruffled her hair.
"I need to go discuss something with our granduncle. You can train this afternoon. My clone will stay here to watch over you."
With that, he bit his thumb, then rapidly formed the hand seals.
Slamming his right hand onto the ground, he softly called out, "Summoning Technique."
A puff of smoke later, a miniature version of the Slug Sage appeared before them.
Katsuyu looked up at Arima and asked, "Lord Arima, do you need assistance?"
Arima waved her off. "Nothing major. I'm just demonstrating the summoning for Tsunade."
Tsunade immediately fell in love with the adorable little slug, whose voice was soft and pleasant.
She squealed in delight and hugged Katsuyu tightly. The cool, smooth texture was wonderfully comforting.
Seeing Tsunade so overjoyed, Arima couldn't help but laugh along with her.
As the sun began to sink, Arima formed a hand seal and split off a Wood Clone.
He said, "I need to go now. Be sure to practice properly."
Tsunade, still fascinated by the jutsu, agreed happily. Arima was relieved.
The summoning technique was only a C-rank jutsu, and with his clone watching over her, there wouldn't be any problems.
Arima then left home and made his way toward the Hokage's office.
As he walked, he noticed ninja rushing through the streets and messenger birds flying overhead, signs that the drumbeats of war were growing louder.
He thought to himself, I have to master Sage Mode as soon as possible...maybe I can return before the war breaks out.
He arrived at his granduncle's office and knocked lightly. After hearing a "Come in," he stepped inside.
To his surprise, he saw someone unexpected, Hiruzen, had returned.
Tobirama, seeing Arima, paused his work and looked up.
"Arima, I called Hiruzen back specifically to lead Tsunade's team. You can focus on your training without worry."
He then signaled to Hiruzen, who turned to Arima with a smile.
"Don't worry, Arima. With me here, Tsunade won't come to harm."
Arima smiled warmly. Among all the Jonin in Konoha, there was no one he trusted more with Tsunade's safety than Hiruzen.
The two embraced, reunited after nearly a year apart.
Both had changed, Arima had grown more composed, while Hiruzen now bore traces of worldly hardship on his face.
Tobirama handed Arima a list of Tsunade's teammates.
"I chose two students from your class who should work well with her, Orochimaru and Jiraiya."
Arima glanced at the profiles. He knew them well and was satisfied with the arrangement.
With no worries left, he could now focus on mastering Sage Mode.
He said, "Lord Hokage, I'll depart tomorrow. The sooner I begin, the sooner I can contribute to the village."
Tobirama nodded. "I trust you. I look forward to your return."
Arima nodded, turned, and was about to leave when he paused, seemingly struck by a thought.
He turned back and handed a pair of shuriken to both Hiruzen and Tobirama.
"These shuriken will let me pinpoint your positions once I finish training. If you're on the battlefield, I can instantly rush to assist."
The two accepted the tools, understanding that Arima was a crucial force for the village.
Arima returned home and sat alone in the hallway of their courtyard, enjoying a moment of peace.
He watched Tsunade, who was still excitedly practicing the summoning technique in the yard, and felt a pang of reluctance.
Even with the help of his virtue points, mastering Sage Mode would take at least three months.
He needed to restructure his chakra system to integrate senjutsu chakra.
The more techniques he'd learned before, the longer it would take to unify them now.
He wasn't sure what the future held. The shinobi world felt wrapped in an unseen fog, obscuring what lay ahead.
All he could do now... was give it his all, and leave the rest to fate.
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