The First Hokage pondered deeply before suddenly exclaiming, "I've got it! Actually, Wood Release is a lot like skipping stones. Kid, have you ever played that?"
Ino: "???"
In her dazed state, she failed to fully evade the Second Hokage's Water Severing Wave. After all, this wasn't her real body. Sensing the danger, she hastily rolled aside, but it was too late—a deep gash split open on her left arm.
The Edo Tensei body automatically regenerated, leaving the First Hokage unharmed. However, Ino's real body, connected through the Mind Body Switch Technique, suffered the same injury. A bloody wound appeared out of nowhere on her arm, looking horrifying.
Shikamaru and Choji gasped in shock. Though Sakura didn't understand the Yamanaka Clan's Secret Technique, she could tell Ino was hurt.
The Slug Sage quickly followed Ino's earlier instructions and began healing her wound.
The reason the Mind Body Switch Technique allowed a smooth return to the body was due to the deep connection between soul and flesh. Now that the Edo Tensei body was damaged, her real body suffered as well.
The Second Hokage let out a puzzled "Hmm?" and said, "You shouldn't have failed to dodge that. Ah, I see—my brother must've spouted some nonsense again, didn't he?"
Ino still wanted to cover for the First Hokage: "Well... actually, how should I put it—"
The Second Hokage, displeased, scolded her like a student: "Quit stammering! You're just as wishy-washy as my brother!"
Inside the mental space, the First Hokage instantly deflated.
I'm sorry for embarrassing you... I'm a disgrace!
But his gloom vanished as quickly as it came.
With great enthusiasm, he explained to Ino the connection between skipping stones and Wood Release.
"There are a few key points to skipping stones. First, you gotta put in strength! Second, posture—you gotta squat halfway. And finally, the bounce—not you bouncing, but your chakra! Got it? In short: strength, half-squat, chakra bounce! Master these three, and you're golden!"
Then he beamed at Ino expectantly, as if asking, So, did you learn Wood Release now?
Ino's face darkened. How the hell am I supposed to learn anything from this?!
This scene was practically a carbon copy of Naruto teaching Konohamaru the Rasengan—Naruto rambling about "roundness" and "pop," and somehow, Konohamaru, being a genius, managed to learn it anyway. That was nothing short of a miracle.
The First Hokage was far from a good teacher—hell, he wasn't even a teacher at all. He had no answers to most of Ino's questions. Did Wood Release really require precise chakra control? Did you need to study chakra pathways? Wasn't it something you could just do naturally?
Ino racked her brain.
Strength? Half-squat? Chakra bounce?
The Second Hokage saw her assume a half-squatting stance and immediately understood.
"I've studied Wood Release too. Don't listen to my brother—focus on sensing the flow of Wood Release chakra. That's the real way." Considering they were in the Hidden Leaf Village, he didn't outright say "My brother's an idiot," but the implication was clear.
Ino pondered carefully.
Right now, she didn't need to generate Wood Release chakra from scratch—this body already had it. That saved her most of the effort. All she had to do was use it.
Strength... does that mean using all my chakra?
Squatting? Does it mean both feet are in contact with the ground? Or is it specifically referring to the chakra pathways in the legs?
Chakra bouncing should be a method of chakra circulation—where to bounce from and where to leap to?
The chakra pathways here are different from the Five Elements and Five Organs correspondence theory in my previous life. Here, water corresponds to the kidneys, earth to the heart, wind to the lungs, fire to the liver, and lightning to the spleen.
Since Wood Release is composed of earth and water chakra natures, does that mean the chakra should bounce back and forth between the heart and kidney pathways?
Ino helped the Third restrain the First and block the Second.
Many of the Third Hokage's trusted aides were not in the village, but the old man had held power for decades, and ninja continued to arrive on the battlefield to reinforce him.
Raido Namiashi, Uzuki Yugao, Anko Mitarashi, and other ninja joined the fight one after another.
On Orochimaru's side, the Sound Four, the Fourth Kazekage, and numerous Sunagakure ninja also joined the battle, making it impossible to tell who would win or lose in the short term.
Facing the Third Hokage's fierce assault, Orochimaru remained calm. His golden serpentine eyes quickly identified the key to breaking the deadlock.
He secretly issued orders to his subordinates.
The Third's Adamantine Staff of Wishes came crashing down toward him. Previously, this would have been blocked by Jirobo, who, despite being only 14 years old, stood 1.8 meters tall and weighed 97 kilograms.
If the Third had been at full strength, a single strike from his staff would have knocked the fat out of this guy. But now, the old man was nearly exhausted, with little strength left. The force and speed of this strike were far below his usual level.
Jirobo, who should have been defending Orochimaru, suddenly charged to the side.
Dark cursed seals spread across his face, eventually merging into one, transforming him from a pale, chubby boy into a blackened, hulking figure. His traditional samurai hairstyle grew into long, dark locks.
Ignoring Anko Mitarashi's Hidden Shadow Snake Hands biting into his back, the massive Jirobo slammed the ground with all his might. He dug out a boulder the size of a small house and hurled it toward Ino's direction.
"Hah? Looking to die?" Ino herself lacked physical strength, but the First Hokage's power could be described as superhuman—capable of shattering Fire Release techniques with sheer force. Controlling this body, Ino used Tsunade's Heaven Kick of Pain to send the boulder flying.
Seeing the blackened Jirobo preparing another Earth Release attack, Ino spoke to the First in the mental world: "Lord First, I still don't quite understand how to use your Wood Release chakra, but I've gained some insight. Could you suppress your chakra as much as possible to give me more room to work? I'd like to try my own method first."
Too much chakra was also a problem—Ino couldn't control it at all. If the total chakra was reduced to a quarter of its current level, she could manage to manipulate the Wood Release chakra somewhat.
The First didn't know what she was planning but decided to cooperate: "Very well."
Ino focused on the principles of exertion, squatting, and chakra bouncing. Clapping her hands together, she channeled Wood Release chakra according to her own understanding.
She locked onto Jirobo.
"Six Blooms!"
Six thick, arm-like vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Jirobo's arms and waist before wrenching him in the opposite direction.
The fat man possessed immense strength, and after entering Cursed Seal Level Two, his power became boundless. However, the might of the First's Wood Release far surpassed the limits of human capability.
Even though Jirobo had entered Cursed Seal Level Two, human joints still had their limits. A series of sickening cracks echoed as the vines' overwhelming force snapped his arms and spine outright. The vines wrenched back and forth three times, while Ino continuously increased the pressure. When she unleashed Twelve Petals Bloom and Twenty Petals Bloom, she finally released the vines—leaving Jirobo as nothing more than a mangled, lifeless mass of flesh.