Sarutobi Toru slowly withdrew his hand. Looking at his reflection in the pool, he saw a ring of shadow appear around his eyes. Other than that, nothing had changed.
"You mastered Sage Mode!" At the sight of the shadow around Sarutobi Toru's eyes, Sage Katsuyu's usually soft, languid voice suddenly rose to a sharp pitch in surprise.
That was far too fast! Could she have seen wrong? Was Sarutobi Toru also a Sage Body?
Of course, Sarutobi Toru was no Sage Body. If he had to describe it, perhaps he could now be called someone with a "sage's state of mind"—unmoved by gain or loss, in a state of complete rationality.
"Perhaps I simply have a talent for it." Sarutobi Toru smiled faintly and spoke as though it were nothing.
"Is that so~? Then your talent is really impressive~!" Unable to think of any other explanation, Sage Katsuyu felt that she had truly seen something unprecedented today.
"Sage Katsuyu, why can sages from places like the Three Great Sage Lands use Natural Energy to live longer, while ordinary shinobi who master Sage Mode cannot extend their lifespans?"
Sarutobi Toru suddenly asked the question he had pondered for a long time.
The old Sarutobi Toru might not have been so direct, but now, free of all distracting thoughts, his intuition was astonishing. He felt that Sage Katsuyu probably would not hide the answer from him.
"Because you only cultivated Sage Mode, not sagehood itself!" Sage Katsuyu answered naturally.
"Sage Mode? A sage?" Sarutobi Toru thought for a moment and immediately understood. "We're merely using Natural Chakra, rather than absorbing Natural Chakra?"
"That's right~."
"Then do you know how to absorb Natural Chakra?" Sarutobi Toru asked again.
"There's no way to absorb it~. Natural Chakra is far too violent nowadays. Only sages