Sage Chakra

More than a month passed quickly. Because Shuichi had a lot of work to do every day, and because training alone would consume a lot of chakra, he couldn't push himself to the limit every day like Naruto.

He hasn't accurately sensed the Natural Energy yet; this process can only be done gradually. Once the power of the Cursed Seal diminishes, its effect will definitely be less than that of Toad Oil.

Moreover, it would be difficult to find a better training location in the Shinobi World than the Three Great Sage Lands. If he were a free person, he could go to the vicinity of Ryūchi Cave, but unfortunately he could not leave the village for long.

However, he had a very stable mindset. His basic abilities were far superior to Naruto's at the same time. Apart from not having the Nine-Tails' Cheat/System, which would make things much more difficult, it was only a matter of time before he successfully entered the sect.

Just as he expected, after quite some time, one day, that special change suddenly occurred unexpectedly.

"I saw it!" Shuichi said, his eyes still closed.

At this moment, the skin on his face and part of his upper body was pale, with faint traces of fine scales visible, and his eye sockets seemed to be covered with heavy, colorful shadows. "There was an omnipresent Natural Energy around him!"

The Shadow Clone was very familiar with his condition. Seeing that the pale area was still expanding, it immediately stepped forward and pressed against the main body, preparing to inject chakra to help him squeeze out the Natural Energy.

This is the consequence of excessive intrusion of Natural Energy. If it is not stopped in time, the person may go completely insane soon.

Shuichi currently experiencing the most dangerous moment of Sage Mode, the instant when he becomes one with nature.

Because Natural Energy is everywhere, it can be compared to Seawater with a very high salt content, while its essence is equivalent to pure fresh water.

Originally, there was a protective membrane between the two, but now that the "Heaven and Earth Gate" has been opened, this membrane has ruptured, and Natural Energy has begun to surge wildly into his body due to the "density difference." Those who fail in cultivation are all doomed because they cannot control this.

"I can hold on; I don't need to inject any more chakra!"

The moment the Shadow Clone made contact with the main body, it sensed this thought and, confident in itself, immediately stopped the first aid.

Shuichi did not slack off in the slightest during his long training. When he successfully entered the first level, his powerful personal abilities and incredibly solid basic skills quickly helped him to fight back.

He remained completely calm in the face of a large amount of Natural Energy. While controlling some of the Natural Energy in his body to flow outward, he also activated the Chakra Refining Technique at full power. Once the first strand of the three-in-one Senjutsu Chakra was created, the process was repeated continuously.

"Success!" The Shadow Clone grinned, not worried that speaking would interfere with the main body; that's the confidence of a master. "The white has faded considerably, but some residue remains. If you look closely, you'll see faint traces of scales..."

After the main body opened its eyes, he added, "The pupils are showing a tendency to become vertical, possibly because it's using Cursed Seal for perception, somewhat like the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode."

"That's normal, it was expected!" Shuichi stood up, feeling an explosive power coursing through his body. The strength of that small portion of Senjutsu Chakra within him was far greater than before. "As expected, the orthodox Sage Mode is more powerful than the Cursed Seal. Let's test its effectiveness!"

This forest had done him a lot of work, and clearing it out completely seemed too heartless. He was known for his love of the environment, so he decided to use some low-impact techniques first. "Zi-Mao-Xu, Wind Release: Vacuum Orb!"

Shuichi suddenly inhaled, his chest expanding, and then countless bullet-like small air balloons shot out from his mouth, instantly streaking across the forest with numerous thin, transparent beams of light, accompanied by a series of popping sounds almost simultaneously.

The Shadow Clone scanned the scene before it. Trees and rocks were all pierced by the Vacuum Orb, creating a scene resembling a hornet's nest, which was chilling to behold. "Impressive, the power has at least doubled. It's been a while since I've used this technique. Do they have any Senjutsu Chakra left?"

"There aren't many left. Just to be on the safe side, I didn't make many," Shuichi calmly replied. "The most important first step of Sage Mode has been completed, so there's no need to come here again..."

His training process doesn't rely much on external aids; unlike Naruto who poured Toad Oil all over himself, his progress will be correspondingly faster.

Once back in Konoha, the Cursed Seal can be removed again, and then one can continue to advance towards their own unique Sage Mode.

Time may seem uneventful, but if you're always busy, it feels like the days go by incredibly fast.

As everyone busied themselves, Konoha entered the bleak season of autumn, with slightly withered leaves falling in the streets and alleys. The Shuichi's home family was no exception, and even the beautiful scenery in their garden lost much of its luster.

However, compared to the environment, the "popularity" here is unusually lively.

"Quack quack quack..."

"Coo coo..." Kotaro excitedly flapped his wings, his colorful figure flying back and forth in the sky. Several Crow were being led around by him, and black feathers would fall down from time to time. He was invincible wherever he went.

"Haha, little ones, come and play with me!"

"..."

Shuichi and Itachi stared speechlessly at the scene before them. "Where did you find these Crow? Although they seem to be quite intelligent and even have chakra, it looks like they've just met their match."

"I found them a few years ago near a training ground on the hill behind the village. Shisui asked me to look after a few more," Itachi said, somewhat Shisui. "Their chakra can interfere with Mental Energy; paired with the Sharingan, they should be great allies in battle, but..."

These Crow have decent Genjutsu, but Kotaro's abilities are more comprehensive, and his physical strength completely surpasses theirs. This has led to the birth of a tyrant among birds, who is now bullying his new underlings.

"Alright, let them play by themselves! Let's start training." Shuichi, no longer wanting to interfere, led Itachi and Haku to the training ground in the yard. "Today we'll practice Shurikenjutsu. Based on your abilities, the specific requirements are as follows..."

"Itachi, could you help guide Haku's throwing technique? I also have my own training program."

After saying that, Shuichi walked to the space between two trees nearby, where many targets were still hanging, but he didn't care at all.

He pulled a rope from his pocket, quickly looped it around the trunks of two trees, and tightened it, thus creating a special "bed".

Then, Shuichi swayed slightly, jumped to the side, and landed steadily on the rope, remaining motionless. "You can start practicing now. If you accidentally shoot me, then you're dead!"

Although they didn't know what their teacher was doing with this kind of training, Itachi and Haku seemed to have gotten used to his unconventional ways, and soon the sound of darts hitting the target could be heard one after another on the field.

"Hmm?" After an unknown amount of time, Itachi suddenly felt a strange sensation. The source of this feeling was Shuichi; it was like... energy was gathering?

Something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was; only his ninja instincts were telling him.

"Gurgle, gurgle..." Kotaro, who had been playing until he was tired, was resting on the roof when a "meaty aroma" suddenly wafted from not far away. The smell was so enticing, it was like a drug. "What is that? Is it chakra?"

Almost instantly, it found the source: Shuichi, who was lying on the rope.