Tsunade unceremoniously shut down Hagoromo's attempt at a physics lecture. She had no interest in having concepts forced into her brain by a pre-teen. Her intuition told her he was probably right, but it was practically useless to her.
In short, she understood one thing: the kid couldn't use Magnet Release.
Hagoromo fell silent, looking a bit dejected. Everyone has a teacher's soul deep down, and having his lecture ruthlessly cut short hurt—even more than his actual injuries.
"Regardless," Tsunade continued, "your performance on the battlefield that night was exceptional. Tactically, you did me a massive favor, which allowed Konoha's strategic position to remain stable. You did far more than what is expected of a Genin. As the commander of this front, I owe you one."
Owing me a favor is a bit vague, isn't it? Can we get something more... tangible? Hagoromo thought. But he wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud.
Fortunately, Tsunade didn't play games.
"Kushina told me you're obsessed with learning high-level Ninjutsu. Is there anything specific you want to learn? If it's in my repertoire, I'll teach you. If it isn't—as long as it's a Konoha Jutsu, even a high-level Forbidden Technique—I can get it for you. Consider the debt settled."
Hagoromo froze. A high-level Ninjutsu? For free? But what should he choose?
"Just so we're clear: you only get one shot at this."
Hagoromo nodded. He couldn't be too greedy. He'd already "acquired" plenty of techniques lately, but since he had a Sannin right in front of him, it made the most sense to learn something unique to her.
What was Tsunade's specialty? Medical Ninjutsu. Hagoromo was genuinely interested. It wasn't about being a saint; it was about survival. If he'd had Tsunade's self-healing abilities, he wouldn't have been unconscious for three days after the battle.
However, Tsunade read the "unsatisfied" look on his face instantly.
"Don't even bother. You aren't suited for Medical Ninjutsu. Even if you're a fast learner, some things require innate talent, and you simply don't have it for this field."
"It's not that you couldn't learn the signs," she explained, "but you'd never master it. With your specific chakra, even if you performed an A-rank healing jutsu, the actual effect would barely be D-rank. If you really want to try, don't waste my time. Find a textbook and teach yourself."
Hagoromo was confused. He hadn't even started, so how did she know?
"Generally speaking," Tsunade clarified, "the best talent for Medical Ninjutsu comes from those with a Water nature. Then Earth, then Wind, then Fire. Lightning is at the absolute bottom of the list."
Lightning chakra is too stimulative and corrosive; it's the literal antithesis of the gentle, restorative nature required for healing. The better a ninja is at Lightning Release, the worse they are at Medical Ninjutsu.
And Hagoromo's Lightning was as top-tier as it gets.
He understood immediately. According to her logic, he was destined to be a half-baked medic at best. Tsunade didn't see the point in wasting her effort on a student doomed to mediocrity, so she told him to go read a book.
Though disappointed, he gave up on the idea. Saving lives just wasn't in the cards for him.
However, with that option gone, his choice became clear. There was one more thing he wanted from her.
Super Strength (Heavenly Foot of Pain)? No. While powerful, it didn't fit his style. He was a Lightning user who pierced enemies; he didn't need brute force to put a hole in someone.
What he wanted was...
"The Summoning Jutsu."
More specifically, the contract for the slugs of Shikkotsu Forest.
Tsunade blinked, genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected him to choose that.
"Are you sure? I can teach you, but I heard from Kushina that you nearly died capturing a few 'wild' summons over the last few days. Why would you want another one?"
Actually, it was because he had captured those beasts that he wanted her Summoning Jutsu. But he didn't explain the details. "I'm sure," he said firmly.
If Tsunade was willing to share her contract, he was getting a massive bargain. Where else was he going to find a legendary summoning realm like Shikkotsu Forest on his own?
Tsunade didn't hesitate. She called for Shizune, who brought out the massive summoning scroll. Shizune was currently managing all of Tsunade's important personal items, from sealing scrolls to secret techniques.
Hagoromo took the scroll. It was surprisingly heavy.
He unfurled it and, before signing, scanned the names. He saw Tsunade's name at the end of a very short list. He looked for the First Hokage's name, but to his surprise, Hashirama Senju wasn't on the list.
Confirmed. He bit his finger and signed his name in blood, followed by five red fingerprints.
The deal was done. He didn't try to summon anything immediately. Once he finished, Tsunade shooed him away, acting as if his presence was a major distraction to her work.
Hagoromo's primary goal wasn't actually to summon Katsuyu—at least, not yet.
When someone acquires something rare and precious, their first instinct is often fear that someone will take it away. You have to hide your treasures.
Three days ago, he had contracted four powerful beasts, but he'd left them in that strange ruin in the Land of Rain. He felt uneasy about leaving them in "enemy" territory. The Whirlpool Seal was strong, but what if someone found a way to hijack the contract?
He was being a bit stingy, but he wanted a safe place to "store" his new pets.
Since he now had access to Shikkotsu Forest, he had a plan. Shikkotsu Forest only had one inhabitant: Katsuyu. And unlike the aggressive Manda or the stubborn Gamabunta, Katsuyu was incredibly polite and easy to talk to.
He figured he could just ask her for a small corner of the forest to use as a "kennel."
I wonder if the hounds will have trouble adjusting to the local climate? he wondered briefly. Eh, doesn't matter. Safety first.