A dense surge of natural energy enveloped Kai's entire body.
"This is... natural energy. How could this little one sense it so quickly?" Even the Slug Sage, a creature that had lived for countless years, was slightly taken aback by this development.
"The aura of the Ōtsutsuki Clan... Could this little one be a descendant of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?" The Slug Sage sensed a distant and familiar energy radiating from Kai.
A thousand years ago, the chaos wrought by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki across the Shinobi world was still vividly etched in the Slug Sage's memory.
Chakra is a fusion of mental energy and physical energy. If it can be detected using the Kagura Mind's Eye, then perhaps natural energy can also be sensed in the same way.
Sitting cross-legged atop a stone pillar, Kai suddenly thought of this possibility. He immediately activated his Kagura Mind's Eye to perceive everything around him.
Before long, Kai discovered an energy he had previously overlooked within the range of his Kagura Mind's Eye. It was faint and scarce, so much so that if he hadn't been deliberately searching for it, he would never have noticed it.
Under the capture of his mental senses, a large amount of natural energy began to gather around Kai. It was a vibrant and dynamic energy, brimming with vitality, yet distinct from pure life force.
"So this is natural energy. Lord Slug, what should I do next?" Kai raised his head and asked the Slug Sage.
Despite its initial surprise, the ancient Slug Sage quickly regained its composure. "The next step is to incorporate this natural energy into your chakra. However, you must maintain a balance—each type of energy should ideally remain at one-third. If the balance tips too far in either direction, the consequences range from partial and permanent slug-like transformations to outright dissolving into a puddle of slime."
Kai's expression turned serious. He cleared his mind of distractions, focusing entirely on his body. With the aid of his Byakugan's internal vision, he carefully combined one portion of physical energy, one portion of mental energy, and one portion of natural energy. Slowly, they fused into a completely new form of energy.
Unlike the pale blue hue of chakra, this new energy radiated a vibrant green glow.
"So this is Sage Chakra, Lord Slug?" Kai asked, looking toward the Slug Sage.
The massive Slug Sage lowered its body and replied, "Yes, this is Sage Chakra. From here on, it's a matter of practice and accumulation."
Kai nodded in agreement. Mastery of Sage Mode is a gradual process. When Naruto first learned Sage Mode, he needed shadow clones at Mount Myōboku to slowly refine Sage Chakra. In contrast, Hashirama Senju could activate Sage Mode instantaneously.
Calming his mind, Kai understood that he still had a long journey ahead in mastering Sage Mode.
In the Shikkotsu Forest, Kai stood atop a bone-white stone pillar. Suddenly, his aura surged.
Sage Mode!
Kai's entire presence erupted as he entered Sage Mode. His appearance changed only slightly—his eyelids turned a deep crimson, but there were no other visible transformations.
"After more than a year, I've finally reached the point where I can activate Sage Mode instantaneously," Kai remarked with a sense of accomplishment.
Feeling the transformation of all his chakra into Sage Chakra, he noted, "With Sage Mode, not only can I use various Sage Techniques, but even ordinary ninjutsu becomes at least three times more powerful when infused with Sage Chakra. Truly deserving of the title 'Sage.'"
Observing Kai in Sage Mode, the Slug Sage raised its head slightly and said, "Not bad, little one. Back in the day, even young Hashirama needed five or six years to reach your current level."
Kai chuckled and said, "Lord Slug, now that I've completed my training in Sage Mode, I won't trouble you any further."
The Slug Sage nodded and replied, "Although I am not adept at combat, I can provide significant assistance in areas like healing and communication. If you ever need me, feel free to summon me."
"Thank you, Lord Slug." With that, Kai formed a hand seal for the Summoning Technique and disappeared from the Shikkotsu Forest.
Back in Tanzaku Town.
"Tsunade-sister, what's wrong? Did you lose all your money again?" Kai cautiously asked, noticing Tsunade on the verge of an outburst. He was careful not to provoke her further.
Bang! The wooden table shattered into pieces as Tsunade slammed her fist down. Her face was filled with anger as she exclaimed, "Unbelievable! Those bastards from the Kiume Clan dared to play dirty against me!"
"What happened, Tsunade-sister?" Kai asked, puzzled. Ever since he taught Tsunade how to cheat using ninjutsu, her winning streak had been almost flawless, earning her freedom from the nickname "Legendary Sucker."
"Those Kiume Clan scoundrels discovered that I was using ninjutsu to gamble. Not only did they refuse to give me my winnings, but they also demanded I return all the money I had won before!" Tsunade fumed with indignation.
"Uh..." Kai's forehead was covered in cold sweat. It seemed like Tsunade was entirely in the wrong here.
"And then what happened, Tsunade-sister?" Kai asked.
"Then I beat them up, took the money, and left!" Tsunade declared righteously, leaving Kai utterly speechless.
"Tsunade-sister, that's not exactly—"
Before Kai could finish, he felt a wave of killing intent emanating from Tsunade's eyes. His body froze as he quickly changed his tone. "I mean, the Kiume Clan was totally out of line! How dare they not let you cheat!"
Hearing his words, Tsunade blushed slightly and quickly changed the subject. "Kai, how's your training in Sage Mode coming along?"
"It's fully mastered," Kai replied.
Tsunade froze for a moment, then fell silent. After a long pause, she finally spoke, "When are you planning to leave? Are you going back to Konoha?" Although she had known this day would come, facing the reality of their impending separation still filled her with reluctance.
"In a couple of days. I'll head back to Konoha first," Kai answered. Based on his calculations, the Nine-Tails' attack on the village would occur within the next six months. He needed to return to the village and make preparations. While dealing with someone like Obito Uchiha was manageable, the involvement of Black Zetsu added an unpredictable element, and Kai couldn't risk any unforeseen complications.
Seeing Tsunade's silence, Kai smiled and said, "But before that, how about we teach the Kiume Clan a lesson together, Tsunade-sister?"
"Hahaha! At least you've got some sense!" Tsunade laughed heartily, though the sadness in her eyes was hard to conceal.
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