With Ao by my side I quickly went to work with Isobu, sitting atop the lake among Turtle Island’s statues and the serene rush of its spring waters I began channelling Tailed-Beast chakra.

Its usual corrosiveness had become tame but I was only channelling enough to activate my [Stage 0 Chakra Cloak], should I channel enough to produce a tail then my skin and muscles would begin to burn and heal at a rapid pace. This is enough, isn’t it Isobu?

“Can you still sense the Yin and Yang chakra?”

I can. It’s there, around everything. Should I try using it?

“No, not yet. Just mould it as you would your own chakra.” Isobu calmly instructed.

The purpose of the exercise wasn’t to seek Senjutsu chakra, I’d already lost the sense for it in the atmosphere and would need to return to Kaizoku for another infusion. However, the first infusion of Senjutsu chakra had opened my senses to Yin and Yang chakra natures, the ones required to perform some of Isobu’s most powerful abilities. And I had to foster those senses quickly before they also faded.

Yin chakra was like a light, glowing feather that cuddled everything in the world. Its combination with Yang was what made Senjutsu chakra but for now I wasn’t attempting anything as advanced as syphoning pure Nature chakra into my body, not without a true Sage supervising me at least. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I were to try. Would I still transform into an Unagi or water serpent like Kaizoku and his kin?

“Focus, Yagura.” Isobu scolded.

I inhaled deep and focused on my friend's powerful chakra hugging me all the way from within the seal. Keying in on that light glow of Yin chakra I pulled on it as gently as I could and began moulding the sliver I caught. It wasn’t warm, hot or cold. It was serene in a way I couldn’t accurately describe. It felt like I was holding onto light itself and yet it passed through me all the same. It quickly made for a difficult lesson as the Yin chakra slipped away.

I tried to grab a hold of it but Isobu instructed, “Hold onto Yang this time.”

I did as he asked and let Yin go while I searched for Yang. Like Isobu had said, once I found one of the pairs the other quickly revealed itself. While Yin hugged everything in nature Yang could be found within all. I found it within his corrosive chakra and even within mine. As I reached for it, my understanding of its nature grew; it was energetic, a boisterous source of power.

Unlike Yin chakra which was light, flexible and not easy to grab ahold of, Yang was quite the opposite. It was heavy. Less in the sense of weight and more in the sense of responsibility. The smidge I grasped a hold of pulled more along with it, flowing into the centre of my pathways where I moulded my chakra with Isobu’s for balance. I could feel it changing, evolving things within and without. Its power was frightening but it gave itself onto me freely than Yin had, almost too freely.

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“Find balance with Yin.” Isobu said, his voice was calm and so I remained calm, there was nothing to be nervous of.

While I spun Yang, I tried my best to reach out for Yin but the slippery thing passed through me despite being a part of me. I could already see where things would become difficult in this training. I kept up my attempts but I couldn’t match the amount of Yang that had thrown itself onto me to Yin that seemed to want to exist in all places and not just in my grasp.

“Do not despair. You have done well, perfect in fact. Do you not feel their natures more strongly now?”

I nodded. I think I’ll be able to sense them without even visiting Kaizoku again.

Isobu smiled and said, “Then open your eyes.”

I did and gasped as the lake had become populus with plants, lily pads and all sorts of coral growing around me. I had birthed a water garden and sat at its centre. Beautiful flowers blossomed from the water and I’d even spotted tadpoles come to exist where there weren’t any before.

“I did this?”

“Yang chakra gives life and Yin imagines forms for those lives. In time you will master this ability and create corals that grow, feed and exist even without your presence.” Isobu said with no small measure of pride and hope in his voice.

I stood and walked through the mini ecosystem my manipulation of Yin, Yang and Isobu’s chakra had spawned. Seaweed, algae of both red and green and even some long grasses that poked out of the water and grew all the way to my knee. Ao stood at the edge of the lake, his mask was set to the side of his face and a stricken expression marred his features.

I smiled at him, “I told you you wouldn’t understand.”

“Mizukage-sama…you are…”

I shushed him with a finger to my lips, I too was marvelled by what I’d accidentally created. My heart pounded with excitement as I thought of all the possibilities, what I could consciously create not just for battle but for my village.

It’s no wonder Hashirama was so powerful. A mastered Sage with the power of creation at his fingertips. That power now brushed mine. It would certainly take some time to master the combination of Yin, Yang and Isobu’s chakra but with Kaizoku’s help, accessing [Sage Mode] would help me cut corners where I need to.

“Where is Harusame? Has he not arrived yet?” As I asked, the man in question came up from within the underground temple with a large scroll in hand. I raised a brow at him and before I could ask, he answered.

“I arrived moments ago, Yagura-sama. What you’ve done…you spoke of Yin and Yang Release last time and…I didn’t understand what your intentions were and assumed you were merely interested in creating stronger Seal Arts but now, I see.” His eyes lingered on the little island of life that sprouted where I sat in the pool.

He unfurled the scroll and laid it on the ground. It was a complex arrangement of Binding seals, I’d read ahead in the Fuuinjutsu textbooks he gave me so I could read some parts while others were indiscernible.

“This is the Three Pillar Seal key, isn’t it?” I grinned widely, “You’ve anticipated my needs, well done, Harusame.”

He didn’t look proud or happy at my praise but cautious, “I have. I am trusting you, Yagura-sama, your word and your abilities.”

His concerns were valid considering the history of Tailed Beasts, so I approached him and sat in front of the seal, examining it before nodding, “Then you will learn to trust the one named Isobu as well. Let’s begin.”