Naruto: My version is ahead of the ninja world

"Yugen, can you sense an energy from the outside world surrounding you? When you use this energy, do you feel much stronger than usual?" Jiraiya asked Yugen.

It's strange. The way Ryuchi Cave uses natural energy is indeed different from that of Mount Myōboku. He carries so much natural energy, yet there's not a single sign that he's about to turn to stone.

"It seems...yes, but I don't quite understand what's going on."

Although Yugen knows almost as much as Jiraiya does at this stage in terms of theoretical knowledge about natural energy, he still has to put on an act.

"That's right. You should make good use of this power... I mean, someone will probably teach you how to use this power in the future."

Jiraiya secretly lamented that a ninja with such a strong innate perception and application of natural energy, and such a high affinity for it, was actually not destined for Mount Myōboku.

Since Yugen has already been snatched up by Ryuchi Cave, Jiraiya, as the successor of Mount Myōboku, cannot interfere at this time... He didn't really have any basis for judgment, he just felt that this should be considered a tacit understanding between the holy lands.

"Is anyone there?"

Yu Xian nodded thoughtfully.

"Jiraiya, explain to me in detail about natural energy and Sage Mode later." Orochimaru stared at Jiraiya and uttered the longest sentence he had uttered since the start of the mission.

He never expected that Jiraiya would be hiding such a secret. Since Jiraiya could say these things, it meant that this loser had already started practicing Sage Mode... So Ryuchi Cave wasn't just a snake den after all.

Teaching immortal arts? Are there immortals? Besides ordinary snakes, Ryuchi Cave also has special snakes.

Okay, Orochimaru is still too green.

"Alright, let's put aside your connection with Ryuchi Cave for now and get back to the fundamental question... Why would an ordinary ninja suddenly be able to control natural energy?" For some reason, Tsunade suddenly started to get to the bottom of things.

Yu Xian didn't understand the deeper meaning behind Tsunade's words for the time being. He just wondered if it was really necessary to discuss such a probing topic in this kind of environment.

Anyway, the discussion won't lead to any results. Yu Xian will only pretend not to know anything and at most insist that he has suddenly "mutated".

However, after Jiraiya's brainstorming session ended, it was finally Tsunade's turn to unleash hers.

"You must know that the power of immortals is very special. Those who can use this power are by no means ordinary... In fact, he was self-taught."

"Uh, Tsunade, he's just using natural energy; he's far from having the power of a true Sage," Jiraiya corrected.

"But you can't deny that even with this level of basic skill, most ninjas probably wouldn't have the chance to reach it even if they spent their entire lives."

"..."

Well, Jiraiya had nothing to say.

Based on Yu Xian's own description of his growth, it was not the result of training. Therefore, all reasons can only be attributed to his talent, or perhaps a more direct explanation... his bloodline.

At least compared to some kind of "dungeon," this is a more reasonable explanation for the ninjas.

Tsunade turned her gaze to Yugen. "Yugen, we've looked at your basic information. If I remember correctly, you should be from an orphanage... While some ninjas from similar backgrounds like to use surnames like Yakushi or Yakushiji, you are actually surnameless, aren't you?"

Although Tsunade was stating the facts, her words were somewhat impolite. Nevertheless, Hagen nodded; that was indeed the original owner's background. And because he was someone who had usurped someone else's place, he didn't actually feel anything about such a assessment.

"Excuse me, but I may ask a blunt question... Do you have any memories of your parents?"

"Tsunade..." Jiraiya felt that this was more than just a minor rudeness.

Yu Xian paused for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "No, I have absolutely no recollection of it."

At this moment, Tsunade's expression finally changed. Her eyes lit up at first, but then she showed a slightly lonely expression.

"Is that so? It seems we're all the same..."

A person without a surname.

Yu Xian thought to herself, "How can that be the same? You may only be called Tsunade, but everyone knows that you are actually 'Senju Tsunade'. What about me?"

Wait a minute...

Yu Gen finally understood the meaning behind Tsunade's words. Did she mistake him for someone from the Senju clan? That didn't make sense.

Because of the Second Hokage's policies, over the past twenty years, the vast majority of the Senju clan have abandoned their surnames and become the cornerstone of Konoha. They either changed their surnames or simply adopted the given name without using their surname, like Tsunade.

However, only those within the family know their own situation. Yu Xuan didn't have much talent as a ninja to begin with. The way he increased his strength was completely unconventional and had nothing to do with his so-called bloodline... If the original owner was really from the Senju clan, how could he still be a genin at the age of sixteen?

A sixteen-year-old genin is either pure cannon fodder or a prophetic child and savior; Yugen can only be the former.

However, being misunderstood like this doesn't seem like a bad thing. Yu Xian thought about it carefully and felt that this matter might be something that could be used.

For ninjas, power equals status, but power must have a justifiable explanation, and in this regard, no one is more suitable to provide such justification than the Senju clan.

Jiraiya's wild imagination combined with Tsunade's wild imagination seems to have accomplished something big.

"Tsunade, you mean to say..."

Tsunade's last words were so suggestive that they were practically an explicit statement, and Jiraiya and Orochimaru certainly understood them.

"I just think it's possible. It's too difficult to investigate relevant information from nearly fifteen or sixteen years ago now... But we shouldn't be too demanding about this kind of thing. You have to know that Senju is Konoha, and Konoha is Senju."

These words reinforced some of Yu Xuan's preconceived notions. Sure enough, the Second Hokage was a rather cunning person... Yu Xuan had no intention of researching the history of the Senju clan for the time being, but it seemed that he could draw a simple conclusion from Tsunade's few words: as long as Konoha Village existed, the Senju clan would exist.

Leaving the name but retaining the essence is very much in the style of the Second Hokage.

It was supposed to be just a rendezvous mission, but the conversations along the way seemed to have been quite fruitful for all four of them.

…………

Several hours later, the team returned safely to the Konoha camp, and Hagen met Mitokado Homura and Shimura Danzo again.

Based on what he had witnessed that night, he described the battle situation to the two men without exaggeration or fabrication.

"So it seems that Hanzo was indeed the one who made the move... Hagen, you did a good job."

"It was just a coincidence. Any Konoha ninja who saw something like this would do their best to bring back the information."

"No need for further explanation, those who perform meritorious service will be rewarded."

Well, it's true that merit should be rewarded, but the problem is that Danzo said it.