Ice Release perfected

Yamanaka Tohru used Chakra to draw out the Nature Energy inside him. To his surprise, it didn't need any deliberate guidance to merge with the Chakra in his body.

As the merged Chakra passed through each part of his body, that part became Ice Release, and the Nature Energy mixed into the Chakra diminished a little.

Once Yamanaka Tohru's entire body had undergone Elementalization, the Nature Energy had completely merged with his Ice Release body, and he could call upon it at any time.

Afterward, Yamanaka Tohru used Ice Sealed Water Release while Elementalized. Just as Sage Fukasaku had said, it worked.

The Nature Energy inside Yamanaka Tohru first fluctuated. Then, when the Water Release was complete, a small portion of the Nature Energy entered it.

The Nature Energy in the air was drawn to the Nature Energy inside Yamanaka Tohru and surged into the Water Release Ninjutsu, producing the effect of Ice Sealed Water Release.

The Nature Energy inside his body was consumed, with no energy from outside to replenish it. Thanks to his body's self-regulating functions, his Chakra replenished the depleted Nature Energy.

After a series of experiments, Yamanaka Tohru confirmed that this Nature Energy was the key to his Ice Release, and that as soon as he guided it, it merged with his Chakra. It had a special attraction to ordinary Nature Energy, but lacked the vitality that ordinary Nature Energy possessed.

Afterward, Yamanaka Tohru called Sage Fukasaku over and told him what he'd learned from his training, though he kept quiet about the Nature Energy inside his body.

"Tohru, now that you've identified Nature Energy, the next step is to sense it. You just felt Nature Energy entering your body through the Toad Oil. You need to remember how it felt, so you can sense Nature Energy even when you aren't using Toad Oil."

Since there was no need to worry about Nature Energy consuming Yamanaka Tohru, Sage Fukasaku only came by to offer guidance when he had questions about his training. The rest of the time, Sage Fukasaku taught Jiraiya elsewhere.

The original story never specified when Jiraiya learned Sage Mode, so Yamanaka Tohru didn't know when Jiraiya had begun studying it.

Now, with both of them at Mount Myōboku, the two had become "classmates."

Jiraiya had already succeeded at the first stage of Senjutsu training. He could enter Sage Mode using Toad Oil, and he could sense Nature Energy without it. He just couldn't find the right method to merge with Nature Energy.

Yamanaka Tohru understood the essence of Nature Energy and was especially familiar with the energy he'd been using for more than three years. It took him only a few days to sense the Nature Energy around him without Toad Oil.

During these few days of training, Yamanaka Tohru had been considering something—especially after discovering the Nature Energy inside his body. Could he enter Sage Mode by combining his physical energy, mental energy, and the Nature Energy inside him?

His only concern was that using Sage Mode might consume this Nature Energy. If the Nature Energy in his body ran out while he was in Sage Mode, how would he replenish it?

Until he found an answer, Yamanaka Tohru didn't plan to experiment. He called Sage Fukasaku over once more, and Sage Fukasaku was very pleased with his progress.

Sage Fukasaku didn't offer a specific method for Yamanaka Tohru's next stage of training. He only suggested that Yamanaka Tohru use Elementalization, then sit quietly and meditate while in that state.

Yamanaka Tohru didn't plan to try that method, because of the Nature Energy inside his body.

He had already noticed that the Nature Energy inside him had a special attraction to the Nature Energy around him.

While Elementalized, Yamanaka Tohru simply exposed some of this Nature Energy to the outside world. Sure enough, the surrounding Nature Energy surged into his body like moths to a flame.

In this state, when Yamanaka Tohru used Ice Sealed Water Release, his Chakra wasn't consumed at all beyond what he needed to perform the Water Release.

At last, the problem that had plagued Yamanaka Tohru for years—the enormous Chakra cost of using Ice Release—was solved. He felt greatly relieved.

But then Yamanaka Tohru noticed that after using the Nature Energy inside him as a medium to draw in the Nature Energy around him, his Elementalization was affected.

Because he had drawn out some of the Nature Energy, an area of his body about the size of a palm couldn't undergo Ice Release.

An area that size unable to undergo Elementalization might become a fatal weakness for Yamanaka Tohru.

Yamanaka Tohru drew the Nature Energy back into his body, and the Nature Energy gathered around him slowly dispersed.

"Ah! If only I could gather up all this Nature Energy!" Yamanaka Tohru muttered to himself.

"Kid, you could try the Yin Seal." Jiraiya's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Damn it, Uncle Jiraiya! You're going to scare me to death sneaking up on me like that!" Yamanaka Tohru glared at Jiraiya.

"That's because you made such a commotion with your training, kid. So much Nature Energy suddenly gathered here just now, and the old man had gone home to eat. I was worried about you, so I came to check."

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Yamanaka Tohru felt grateful. They'd only known each other for a few days, yet Jiraiya cared about him so much.

"Kid, since you're fine, let's leave that aside. You said you wanted to store Nature Energy?"

Yamanaka Tohru nodded. "That's right. I have a way to gather a large amount of Nature Energy at once, but I can't store it."

"So you could try the Yin Seal Kushina gave you. Minato told me Kushina inscribed the Yin Seal formula on you. You can guide Nature Energy into the Yin Seal formula," Jiraiya said.

"But Uncle Jiraiya, if the Yin Seal stores Nature Energy, I can't use it whenever I want."

"You can try it first. If the Yin Seal can store Nature Energy, I'll help you modify how it releases the energy. I've seen Tsunade's Hundred Healings Mark, after all."

"Really, Uncle Jiraiya?" Yamanaka Tohru hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise.

"Of course! This great sage always keeps his word. Try using the Yin Seal to store Nature Energy first." Jiraiya waved him on, signaling for him to begin.

Yamanaka Tohru repeated what he'd done before. After Elementalizing, he gathered some of the Nature Energy inside him at the Yin Seal, opened the Sealing Jutsu formula, and sealed the Nature Energy in his body into the Yin Seal. The Nature Energy outside was drawn to it and rushed into the Yin Seal.

Yamanaka Tohru had used only enough of the special Nature Energy to guide Ice Sealed Water Wave, yet it filled one percent of the Yin Seal's capacity.

At Yamanaka Tohru's current Chakra level, restoring his reserves normally and separating out a hundred batches of the special Nature Energy would take about a week.

In other words, it would take only a week to fill the Yin Seal with Nature Energy!

Jiraiya, standing nearby, felt the Nature Energy disappear into the Yin Seal and knew it could store Nature Energy.

As promised, Jiraiya helped Yamanaka Tohru modify the Yin Seal's release.

The modified Yin Seal still lacked all the miraculous effects of the one Tsunade used in the original story. But once filled with Chakra, it could be released and used at any time, and sealed again when not in use. However, Chakra could only be added again once all the Chakra inside the Yin Seal had been used up.