"Everything ready, shall we go back?"
Tsunade was surprised by the soft voice; the clone advanced towards the distant sound of the roar that had shaken the forest moments before. Before she could take another step, Li Shang appeared in front of her, silent as a shadow.
"Are you... alright?" The woman's expression was serious, almost worried.
Li Shang raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question, and replied with a small smile. "Yes. Why do you ask? Was I in danger in the forest?"
The clone hesitated for a moment. She didn't know exactly what to say. The Shikkotsu Forest was one of the most treacherous places in the ninja world, full of ancient and unpredictable creatures, but the boy in front of her — or rather, the young shinobi — seemed to completely ignore the weight of that fact.
'He disappeared so fast I couldn't even track him... and now he reappears as if nothing happened.'
"It's a forest with wild beasts, of course if you're not cautious you'll be at risk." She crossed her arms, trying to regain her composure. "But this technique you use... it's not Shunshin no Jutsu, is it?"
Li Shang looked at her, thoughtfully, and replied without ceremony: "It's just a variant. Don't take it too seriously. But tell me..." He tilted his head slightly, a curious glint passing through his eyes. "What kind of beast exists here that even the legendary sannin Tsunade worries about?"
The clone kept her gaze firm, but took a deep breath before answering. "Few know the true nature of Shikkotsu Forest."
Li Shang remained silent, attentive.
"It is one of the Three Sacred Sanctuaries, along with Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave." She continued, her tone serious. "Each of these places is a convergence point of natural chakra, where the world's energy is so dense that it even alters the very life that exists."
'Convergence points of natural energy... spiritual root.'
Tsunade observed him discreetly as she spoke. "That's why only special summons live here. Giant slugs, creatures that resist the corrosion of natural energy, and even ancient spirits. A common human would die in minutes if they tried to absorb this energy."
Li Shang looked up, where the light barely penetrated through the dense tree canopies. "So that's it..."
The way he pronounced the words made the clone shiver. It wasn't admiration, nor fear — it was familiarity.
'That look... it's the same as a scholar who already understands what he's hearing.'
Tsunade frowned, suspicious. "You know more than you let on, don't you?"
Li Shang looked away and replied calmly: "Perhaps. But that's just theory. After all, no one has lived long enough to study natural chakra in depth... right?"
The clone remained silent. She knew he was right — not even the Sannin completely mastered the flow of this energy, and very few survived attempts to absorb it.
Li Shang then turned and began to walk. "If it's a sacred sanctuary, then this energy must also attract creatures that don't belong to it. It's natural for something to try to feed on this power."
"You speak as if you understand the logic of this place better than I do."
He looked over his shoulder, the smile back on his face. "Perhaps I do."
The clone crossed her arms, annoyed and curious at the same time. "Presumptuous boy..."
"Realistic." He replied nonchalantly. "Now that we're done here, we can go back."
Tsunade took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
— — —
As the reverse jutsu dissipated, Tsunade felt the weight of memories flow into her mind after dispelling the clone. The impact was immediate. The Hokage, who was resting in her chair, looked up, fixing her gaze on the young Hyuuga in front of her.
"Hey, kid, did you get a summon?"
Li Shang, calm as ever, maintained a neutral expression. The memories of his clone in Shikkotsu Forest were vivid, and Tsunade realized that he had evaded the subject before disappearing.
"Yes, I did, thank you very much for your help."
He bowed politely and turned to leave, but Tsunade stopped him. "Wait!"
She stood up with a firm movement and placed her hand on his shoulder. The touch made Li Shang stop, but he showed no discomfort. He just turned slowly, his calm gaze contrasting with the intense curiosity in the woman's eyes.
"Do you need anything else, Hokage-sama?"
"Could you show me?" The question came out naturally, but it hid a hint of suspicion.
Li Shang smiled, without any hurry. "Ah, so that's it. Sorry, I'm exhausted and I don't have enough chakra for a summon right now. Maybe another time."
Tsunade crossed her arms, analyzing him carefully. No tremor, no drop of sweat. His breathing was calm and steady — far from someone exhausted.
'He doesn't seem tired at all. He's hiding something.'
"Hey, brat, you know I can ask Katsuyu, right?"
The light threat came out almost like a joke, but the glint in her eyes showed she was serious.
Li Shang let out a low laugh. "Oh, apparently your summon is like the leader of the place. Interesting."
The comment left Tsunade silent for a moment.
'He knows about Shikkotsu's hierarchy?'
She frowned, but before she could question him, Li Shang looked away for a moment — and the glint in his blue eyes revealed something beyond curiosity.
'According to the information I read, Katsuyu is an ancient slug, one of the greatest existences in the natural world. Not even Tsunade can summon more than five percent of her true body... could Fenrir and Alduin have resisted the pressure of that place? Well, it doesn't matter. Survival of the fittest always prevails.'
"If there's nothing else, I'll withdraw. My clan must be worried about my sudden absence."
His voice was respectful, but there was a different weight to it, making it obvious that he wouldn't say anything.
She watched him walk calmly down the hallway. No impetuous movement, no hesitation.
'This young man is... intriguing.'
She sat back down, resting her chin on her hand. A slight smile curved her lips. "Audacious... and mysterious brat."
Meanwhile, outside the Hokage building, Li Shang walked through the streets of Konoha.
'The energy of the two has already reached the Sixth Order; if it continues like this, they might fully awaken their consciousnesses.'
A slight tremor passed through his pupils, and for an instant, the reflection of the Tenseigan shone like a reverse eclipse.
'Fenrir... Alduin... I hope you survive.'
He took a deep breath and continued his path unhurriedly, while, in the depths of Shikkotsu Forest, the two beasts were already devouring the ancient chiefs of the area they both chose as their territory.