"Congratulations, my dear nephew. You have achieved your first major physique enhancement."
"Although you don't have true Senju bloodline, your physique, vitality, chakra control, and innate chakra capacity all either match or exceed even the clansmen with the purest bloodline."
"You have finished the first phase of physique enhancement with much more ease than most clansmen."
"Although I haven't tested the exact degree of enhancement in detail, the intensity of your chakra flow and the vitality radiated by your muscle fibers are telling me that your physical parameters have increased by at least 50%."
"Well, I'm not Tobirama and am not great with numbers like him either."
"But I can still help you test it by beating…cough cough…I mean by sparring with you."
Hashirama's words snapped Seimei, who was feeling refreshed and lost in his thoughts, back to reality.
By the time he digested Hashirama's comments, his forehead couldn't help but fill with imaginary black lines.
Hey, hey, uncle. How can you be so insidious?
You were about to say that you would test the extent of my physique enhancement by beating me to the ground, weren't you?
Are you so bored right now?
Is that why you were so eager to help me enhance my physique?
You did all this just so you could have a better punching bag?
Hisssss…so vicious.
On second thought, most Senju, with their innate regenerative capabilities and resilient physiques, are indeed great punching bag materials.
Even if you beat them to half dead, they will show up completely healed with a chrysanthemum-like smile the very next day.
Seimei's expression couldn't help but turn a little strange as his thoughts kept running wild.
Then, he turned his head toward Hashirama. His face still had an incomprehensibly strange expression as he thought…
Let's put everything aside for a moment.
But my dear uncle Hashirama, what do you mean by I don't possess a true Senju bloodline?
In terms of bloodline, I'm literally your ancestor.
Technically, it's you and everyone else in the Senju clan who have an extremely diluted ancestral bloodline.
Plus, I have a cheat system that is helping me purify my Otsutsuki bloodline as my base bloodline power, Sharingan and Tenseigan, advance.
So…
Cough cough…I'm getting too full of myself again.
Calm your mind, Seimei.
Let's set a small goal.
Let's surpass Uncle Hashirama first. Only then will you have the qualification to boast about your bloodline.
In front of him, I'm still as weak as an ant, after all.
Meanwhile, Hashirama saw Seimei looking at him with a strange expression. He couldn't help but feel that he was cursing him behind his back.
But he soon shook his head.
Why would Seimei curse him behind his back? He was just overthinking.
Then, he said, "Hmm?"
"Seimei, what's with that look?"
At his words, Seimei's expression changed to his usual sunny smile.
He shook his head, smiled, and responded, "Nothing, uncle."
"I was just wondering about my physique and was trying to feel the changes."
Hashirama nodded in understanding and added, "I see. Your body should feel extremely light now. As if some kind of invisible shackle has been broken."
"But this is just the first of the three steps to set up a solid foundation. These major enhancements will make your physique more resilient, making it easier for you to increase your strength exponentially when you enter the true explosive growth phase."
"During the age of 8-12, we Senju focus on setting up a solid foundation, which you are experiencing right now."
"Technique refinement, chakra refinement, chakra infusion-based major physique enhancements, Shinobi basics, exercises to improve your willpower—you're learning all these things now, and it will continue until you're twelve."
"Once you enter the age of 13, that's when the true explosive growth phase of a Shinobi begins."
"And this stage continues until you turn 24 or 25."
"All the foundation you build before turning thirteen will assist you in growing your strength faster than most people during this explosive growth phase without harming your body or spirit."
"After that, most ninjas enter a stable growth phase. As for how long this phase lasts, that depends on the talent, bloodline, potential, and the initial foundation you lay during the early stages in your life."
"But let's not talk about this. You're far from that point now."
Seimei nodded silently as he digested the information shared by Hashirama.
Seeing this, Hashirama smiled and patted his head.
He added, "Don't worry. Your uncle is here. I will help you build the strongest any Shinobi can ever achieve."
"I don't know why you train so desperately. I don't know what troubles you. But I can see you crave strength."
"I can see that even after going through the mind-shaking event of taking your first human life and many missions after that, you still possess a clear mind and bright, unrestrained, unclouded emotions."
"So, I will help you become a strong Shinobi. And I know Tobirama, with all his unique insights, will do the same, too."
Seimei stayed silent, but his eyes were shining brightly.
Why did he crave strength so much? It was to keep himself and everyone he cared about safe.
When he transmigrated into this world as a weak baby, Tobirama adopted him as his son. The whole Senju household warmly accepted him and showered him with love and care.
Even with the mindset of an adult, after all these years, he couldn't help but feel deeply attached to his new family.
He forged a deep bond with his father, uncle, aunt, and everyone else in the Senju household. He now had a true family.
But this world was filled with madness, carnage, war, and strife. It was a dangerous world. Perhaps even more dangerous than the original Narutoverse.
Unknown SSS-rank chakra beasts and the threat of the distant Otsutsuki clan were hanging over the world and Konoha like a guillotine, ready to strike at any moment.
To resist these threats and protect everything he held dear, he must grow stronger.
Super-kage level strength was simply the bare minimum. He knew he had to reach the true Six Paths level to effectively eliminate or avert the real high-level threats.
And it's not the plug-in type fake Six Paths strength of Naruto and Sasuke that left them weakened after the power was exhausted. That was just a gift from the Sage of Six Paths, Otsutsuki Hagoromo.
Naruto and Sasuke could never fully harness that power because it was never truly theirs to begin with.
To make things worse, those 'generous' gifts actually prevented them from truly reaching the Six Paths level on their own. In a way, it wasn't power; it was poison.
Damn that sneaky Sage of Six Paths bastard.
Seimei didn't need those shits.
Seimei swore that he would reach the genuine Six Paths level on his own.
Everything to protect his beloved family and everything else he cared about.
So, when Seimei heard Hashirama's heartfelt words and his unconditional support, Seimei's chest was filled with an indescribable, fluffy emotion.
Having a loving family who cares about him was truly a blessing.
So, Seimei didn't bother with any superficial words.
He just showed a slight and extremely pure smile and only added, "Thank you."
He might have responded with just two words, but those two words were with his utmost gratitude.
And Hashirama clearly sensed that.
He shook his head and said, "No need for those words, Seimei. After all, we are family."
"Yes," replied Seimei.
The atmosphere was light and harmonious.
But that harmonious atmosphere was suddenly broken by Hashirama's next words.
"Everything is fine and all. But Seimei, I think you should go out and take a bath right away."
"You really stink, and now it's becoming unbearable."
These words left Seimei completely dumbfounded.
He stank? Why the fuck was this uncle of his babbling now?
Why would he stink?
At that moment, an unbearably nauseating stench hit Seimei's nose, causing him to scrunch up his face.
He looked below and saw the medicinal bath water turn black. He didn't know when that happened. Plus, several parts of his body also had a black, gooey substance that was responsible for this horrible stench.
Seimei couldn't help but blurt out, "What the heck is this?"
Hashirama replied nonchalantly, "Oh, it's nothing."
"Just the impurities inside your body that have been forced out during the physique enhancement process."
"It's natural."
"Just go take a bath now, shoo shoo."
Hashirama distanced himself and waved his hand toward the attached bathroom.
Seeing this, Seimei's face turned as dark as a pot.
Just you wait, uncle.
Once I reach your level of strength, I will let you experience my fist of love.
Seimei thought darkly as he got out of the medicinal bath solution.
Then, he slowly walked toward the attached bathroom to get rid of the smelly, uncomfortable substances from his body.
The stench was so horrible that it felt like his soul was being corrupted.
Only by scrubbing them off and taking a bath with some essential oils, with good scents, can he finally purify his soul.
"Time to take a relaxing bath."
Seimei muttered as he entered the bathroom and shut the door.
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