"It actually... it actually worked!"
"In just half an hour, you've already succeeded. This is unbelievable!"
The White Snake Sage turned her enormous body around, staring at Keigo Uchiha in disbelief.
"Your body had already started to petrify, and there were even signs of it turning into a snake. How did you recover from the petrification in the end? Petrification is irreversible!"
"How did you manage it?"
The White Snake Sage's eyes were filled with shock and... delight!
He had learned far too quickly. Even she, an ancient being, had gradually come into contact with Natural Energy and mastered it bit by bit. It was only because of the nature of her body that she didn't petrify.
But the speed Keigo Uchiha had just shown was downright astonishing!
Even the fastest person needed at least a year!
The immense amount of Natural Energy circulating naturally inside Keigo Uchiha's body left her stunned!
Had he just mastered Sage Mode?
Keigo Uchiha's eyes turned golden. Unlike Uzumaki Naruto's orange eyes, his were a vivid crimson, like bright red ink.
At the same time, Keigo Uchiha's skin grew even fairer and more flawless!
"So this is Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode? It's different from Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode. Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode changes the face, and only the face. But Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode changes more than that."
"The body's skin color changes, too."
Keigo Uchiha studied the changes in his body, thoughtful.
His brow furrowed slightly. "Perhaps it's because snakes and toads have different physical traits. A snake's body is already capable of interacting with the outside world, so the body itself undergoes certain changes."
"But the less the body transforms into a snake externally, the more successful the Sage Mode!"
That meant Yakushi Kabuto had learned Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode in the original story and mastered it to a high degree, but it still wasn't perfect.
True perfection—
That was the state Keigo Uchiha had mastered!
"That's right. This is Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode. A pattern appears on the face, and the body is bound to change as well. The smaller the pattern and the less the body changes, the more successful the Sage Mode!"
The White Snake Sage looked at Keigo Uchiha excitedly.
As if she were looking at a priceless treasure.
"Perhaps... you really can accomplish that."
Her amber snake eyes held a hint of longing!
"You still haven't told me how you reversed the petrification. Without my help, once the body starts to petrify, ordinary people have no way to reverse it."
Her snake eyes were full of curiosity.
It wasn't important to her, and she wouldn't teach it to her other summoners, but she was curious.
Reversing petrification through one's own power—
That should have been impossible.
How had Keigo Uchiha managed it?!
"It wasn't difficult."
Keigo Uchiha chuckled. Grinning, he recalled what had just happened and looked up at the White Snake Sage before him. "When you poured Natural Energy into my body,"
"My body had never come into contact with that kind of power, so naturally I couldn't control it."
"So I started to petrify. But during that time, I quickly mastered Sage Mode. Then I could reverse the petrification. It wasn't that difficult."
He looked completely calm.
As if he were describing the simplest thing in the world.
But the White Snake Sage was instantly dumbfounded!
"What did you say?! You learned Sage Mode while you were petrifying?!"
The White Snake Sage's huge body gradually shrank, returning to the form of a short old woman. She gaped in disbelief. "How is that possible? The petrification process only lasts a few seconds."
"You learned Sage Mode in those few seconds?"
"This... is unbelievable!"
The petrification happened too quickly, leaving no time to react. And as it happened, anyone would feel despair. Under that kind of fear, how could anyone remain calm enough to learn Sage Mode—
to master Natural Energy!
Suddenly, as the White Snake Sage gazed into Keigo Uchiha's calm eyes, she realized something.
The boy before her... had an absolutely calm mind and an extraordinarily strong heart.
No matter the circumstances, he could remain calm and accomplish whatever he set out to do!
"Sage Mode really is powerful. Natural Energy is several times stronger than chakra. The power used in this state is much stronger, and it possesses the properties of Senjutsu!"
Keigo Uchiha felt the power inside him.
"And most importantly, although Sage Mode is difficult to learn, it's extremely versatile. It can be combined with other powers, like Uzumaki Naruto's Kurama Mode in the original story, which he used together with Sage Mode."
"That makes the power even stronger."
His eyes were utterly calm.
He analyzed the power he had now mastered.
At the same time, while in Sage Mode, he instantly sensed every movement within a five-thousand-meter radius.
"White Snake Sage, I need somewhere to test out my current strength."
Keigo Uchiha spoke softly.
"Of course. You now have the strength to leave this place."
The White Snake Sage smiled, her eyes full of anticipation.
She wanted to see what this exceptionally talented boy could do, too.
He closed his eyes and moved swiftly!
Yet he had everything around him under control. Not a single outcropping or strange rock in the cave could hurt him. He moved as easily as if he were walking on level ground!
This was Sage Mode.
He could sense everything around him. The Natural Energy, plants, and animals all around him could become his allies!
In less than three minutes,
Keigo Uchiha reached the mouth of the cave. Before him lay a forest deep in the mountains. The dense ancient trees soared to absurd heights, as if he had arrived on another planet. The oxygen concentration here was astonishingly high, too.
This was a primeval forest!
There wasn't a trace of human presence!
"Mangekyō Sharingan!"
At Keigo Uchiha's quiet command, both his eyes instantly turned crimson, their five-pointed stars glimmering with an eerie light, as if everything would be drawn into their depths.
The White Snake Sage appeared beside him. "Mangekyō Sharingan. It's been a long time."
"Even after all these years, seeing those eyes again is still astonishing."
Her eyes held a trace of shock.
She had been shocked more times than she could count today.
Keigo Uchiha had learned Sage Mode in just half an hour, and at thirteen, he had mastered the Mangekyō Sharingan. It all seemed like a miracle!
"You've seen someone with the Mangekyō Sharingan before?"
Keigo Uchiha asked, puzzled.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
It seemed... he'd just learned something extraordinary!
"Of course. A young man from the Uchiha Clan once came here, several decades ago. One of his eyes was already blind, but the other radiated a terrifying ocular power."
Nostalgia filled the White Snake Sage's eyes.
Even now, the memory left her stunned.
"The power that fellow wielded had already surpassed the limits of humanity and reached a terrifying pinnacle. If you were to ask what level someone would reach after breaking through their limits, beneath the gods, I'd say it was probably the level of power he had."
Beneath the Six Paths!
The ceiling of the shinobi world!
Several decades ago!
Keigo Uchiha immediately understood. "That was... Uchiha Madara. He had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and his ocular power was even stronger than mine. He truly was the ceiling of the shinobi world!"
To this day, among the shinobi, only Senju Hashirama could suppress that wild man, Uchiha Madara!
If Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke hadn't received a power-up from the old Sage of Six Paths,
they wouldn't have been a match for Uchiha Madara, either.
Madara's abilities were terrifying. His character, strength, and cunning were all peerless!
"I didn't expect Uchiha Madara to have visited the world of Summoning Animals, too. I suppose he was looking for a way to awaken the Rinnegan."
The fact that one of his eyes was blind meant Uchiha Madara had used Izanami.
He had fooled everyone.
Then he had come to the world of Summoning Animals, hoping to find a way to awaken the Rinnegan. Although he possessed the powers of Asura and Indra, Uchiha Madara had already lost the ocular power of one eye by then.
That made awakening the Rinnegan extremely slow.
And even after the Rinnegan awakened, it would take time. It couldn't happen all at once.
Unfortunately, he hadn't found any useful information in the end.
"Eyes of the Sage?!"
"The Rinnegan?!"
The White Snake Sage was stunned. What was this? It seemed she had just learned something incredible, and her eyes gleamed with intense curiosity!
"What does that mean? Why would someone from the Uchiha Clan look for a way to awaken the Rinnegan?"
As an ancient being,
she had few amusements left in life. Her only two were gathering new information and... looking for a way to become a dragon!
She was far too curious about this.
It was eating her up inside!
She could hardly stand it!
Keigo Uchiha chuckled, his eyes lifting slightly. "Uchiha Madara was looking for a way to awaken the Rinnegan because he wanted to become even stronger. I can tell you the conditions for awakening it, and the secret behind the connection between the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan."
"But you'll have to agree to one condition."
He smiled faintly, his expression calm.
The White Snake Sage was instantly at a loss. "You little rascal. I just helped you master Sage Mode, and this is how you treat me?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of coldness shining in them!
As the White Snake Sage, she had never been threatened like this before. It was a challenge to her authority!
"I'm sorry, White Snake Sage, but learning Sage Mode was just a transaction. Now we're finally beginning to work together."
Keigo Uchiha remained composed. His crimson eyes were perfectly calm, and a faint smile touched his lips.
A gentle breeze brushed past, making his handsome profile look even more striking.
Yet he showed no sign of backing down.
With an ancient and cruel being like the White Snake Sage, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He also had to stand his ground and protect his own interests. Otherwise, sooner or later, she would swallow him whole!
The air turned cold.
It was as if spring had suddenly become subzero winter!
"Fine."
The White Snake Sage shook her head helplessly, once again looking like a kindly old woman. Yet her eyes were full of exasperation and frustration. "You really are impossible to sway."
"I'll agree to one condition. This information is simply too tempting. After living for so many years, there isn't much left that I want to know. But... that old toad at Mount Myoboku knows about this!"
"And he never told me!"
A trace of indignation crossed the White Snake Sage's aged face.
Well, well.
Keigo Uchiha grinned. So there was a story behind it.
That made sense. The Toad Sage had watched the Sage of Six Paths grow up and helped him many times. They could be considered close friends, so of course he knew the secret of the Rinnegan.
"What's your condition?"
The White Snake Sage's aged face was still full of indignation; she hadn't calmed down yet. "Once I find out, I'm going to give that old toad at Mount Myoboku a piece of my mind!"
"You're too old to keep squabbling like that."
Keigo Uchiha said seriously, "My condition is that you help a friend of mine learn Sage Mode."
"Not the way I learned it. Don't put her through any tests, and don't treat her as roughly as you treated me. Don't just pour a torrent of Natural Energy straight into her body. You also have to guarantee her safety!"
He spoke calmly.
That was right.
When he'd been learning Sage Mode just now, that old woman had dumped Natural Energy into him like she was watering a field!
If he hadn't had Absolute Control, he would've been done for.
"No wonder Orochimaru is wary of Ryūchi Cave. His caution isn't unfounded."
Damn it.
It was a miracle that Yakushi Kabuto had learned Sage Mode in the original story.
At least three people had learned Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku.
But Ryūchi Cave had only one, which was just ridiculous.
Ryūchi Cave had plenty of summoners. Uchiha Sasuke, Orochimaru, Mitaraishi Anko, and Yakushi Kabuto—but only Yakushi Kabuto had learned Sage Mode, and only after repeatedly modifying his body.
That showed just how dangerous Ryūchi Cave was.
"Heh heh heh, don't take it so seriously. You're doing just fine, aren't you? I'll agree."
The White Snake Sage looked a little awkward.
"Then what's the secret of the Rinnegan? How is it connected to the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
The White Snake Sage was full of curiosity and excitement, her eyes wide.
"To talk about the Rinnegan, we have to talk about the Sage of Six Paths."
"I know about him!" the White Snake Sage cut in.
Keigo Uchiha glanced at the White Snake Sage. She immediately fell silent, realizing she had been talking too much, and quickly said, "Go on. I won't interrupt again."
"The Sage of Six Paths had two sons: Asura and Indra."
"Indra inherited the Eyes of the Sage, while Asura inherited the Body of the Sage. Indra awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, while Asura awakened the Sage Body. Their ideals differed, and they fought endlessly."
"Even after they died, their chakra continued to reincarnate, carrying on their struggle. They were determined to settle who was stronger."
"To awaken the Rinnegan, one needs the ultimate Body of the Sage from Asura's reincarnation, and the ultimate Eyes of the Sage from Indra's reincarnation!"
"When their powers combine, they give birth to All Things in Nature—and awaken the Rinnegan!"
The White Snake Sage stood frozen in shock!
She had never imagined it could be like this. The Rinnegan... evolved from the Mangekyō Sharingan? It completely overturned what she knew, yet when she thought about it carefully, it made perfect sense.
"So the ultimate powers of Asura's and Indra's reincarnations combine to give birth to All Things in Nature? Then... that's the secret to awakening the Rinnegan!"
The White Snake Sage's eyes gleamed with excitement.
This was the secret she had puzzled over for thousands of years without ever discovering.
"So... that's how it is!"
Keigo Uchiha couldn't be bothered to entertain the White Snake Sage any longer. He was going to test his current power. After mastering Sage Mode, both his physical abilities and chakra had improved!
He had truly reached Kage Level!
His current combat power still couldn't match Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara, but he was beyond what an ordinary Kage-level fighter could contend with. Still... he needed time to consolidate his strength!
"Storm Armor Technique!"
Keigo Uchiha called out softly.
In an instant, blue flames burst across his body, and thunder flashed around him, making him look like a god descending from the heavens!
"And now... Sage Mode!"
In an instant,
dark red markings appeared around his eyes. At the same time, Keigo Uchiha was intensely curious to see how his Mangekyō Sharingan and the snake pupils of Sage Mode would combine!
Natural Energy surged into Keigo Uchiha's eyes.
The scarlet five-pointed star turned slowly as a golden power flowed into it. The two forces merged, and within the scarlet star... golden snake pupils appeared!
This was the fusion of Sage Mode and the Mangekyō Sharingan!
Gold and scarlet intertwined.
A touch of... nobility now mingled with that sinister power. Keigo Uchiha's entire bearing changed. Before, when he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, he had seemed eerie and sinister.
Now, Keigo Uchiha carried an air of nobility.
The contrast in his presence
made people want to fall to their knees in worship.
It was as if Keigo Uchiha were the king of this world!
"Not bad. In this state... even the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan is enhanced!"
Keigo Uchiha's lips lifted slightly. The fact that it could amplify the Mangekyō Sharingan was terrifying in itself. After all, the Mangekyō Sharingan was already powerful enough.
Yet Sage Mode made the Mangekyō Sharingan even stronger!
"Sage Art: Storm Release... Light Severing!"
Keigo Uchiha called out softly!
A Laser Sword appeared in his hand in an instant!
In the next moment, terrifying blue-white lightning gathered along the Laser Sword. Natural Energy fused with the lightning, making it... even more terrifying!
Its light was blinding, as if it would outshine the sun!
Keigo Uchiha swung the Sage Art: Storm Release: Light Severing with all his might!
Natural Energy, the Mangekyō Sharingan's targeting power, and Storm Release all reached their peak in that instant.
The slender beam of light tore across the sky!
It looked as though the sky itself had been cleaved open, but in the next moment, the beam gradually faded.
"An attack that powerful... why didn't it cause any damage?"
The White Snake Sage's voice trembled. It was terrifying!
The power he had just gathered had made her tremble with fear. She was certain she wouldn't have been able to withstand that terrifying attack!
Keigo Uchiha remained calm, a slight smile on his lips, as if he were waiting for something. His eyes stayed fixed on the distance.
"No! It did cause damage!"
The White Snake Sage suddenly realized what had happened. "It's just... the attack was too powerful. The force of the slash was compressed to the extreme, so... the mountain hasn't even changed yet!"
The next moment,
a sharp crack rang out across the land!
Then the hundred-meter mountain in the distance began... slowly shifting. Only then did the White Snake Sage notice the impossibly smooth line across its peak!
"Your attack just... cut the entire mountain in two!"
The mountain tilted!
A third of its peak crashed down. The earth shook like it was the end of the world. Countless enormous trees toppled, triggering a terrible chain reaction as the surrounding forest collapsed!
The beasts in the woods fled in terror.
It was a scene straight out of the apocalypse!
"With an attack like that... you're already at the peak of Kage Level. There may be no one in the entire Shinobi World who can stand against you!"
The White Snake Sage was so shocked her mouth went dry.
Was this guy... really human?
He was only thirteen! How could he wield such terrifying power? Could a fighter of truly unimaginable strength really be about to emerge in this world?
"Not bad."
Keigo Uchiha smiled and nodded with satisfaction. "But I still can't call myself a true peak Kage-level fighter."
His power had reached that level, but Keigo Uchiha had a clear understanding of his own strength.
His chakra and physical abilities had only just reached Kage Level.
His attacks were simply too terrifying, and the multiple amplifications had brought them to this level.
"White Snake Sage, don't forget our agreement."
Keigo Uchiha finished speaking and vanished from the spot in an instant.
He had used the Reverse Summoning Technique to return to the Shinobi World.
He was now inside Orochimaru's laboratory.
A small white snake had just disappeared from there.
Before leaving, Keigo Uchiha had prepared for every eventuality. If he couldn't get back on his own, he could use the Reverse Summoning Technique to summon the white snake in Orochimaru's laboratory.
"I've already reached the peak of what I can do for now. Getting stronger will be incredibly difficult."
Keigo Uchiha sighed softly.
He looked at his hands. "My body is holding me back. I'm not even thirteen yet, so what I need to do now is let my body mature. The best years for physical growth are still ahead of me."
"Many ninja in Naruto grew rapidly during this stage."
"So as I keep training, my strength will continue to grow, and my chakra reserves will increase as well."
He considered the pace of his training. "Even with ordinary growth, the various boosts will let my chakra and physical abilities reach the peak of Kage Level!"
"If I can awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan by then, I'll become a Super Kage-level fighter!"
His voice was full of certainty as he said, word by word, "That's the level Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara reached. I'll become the new God of Shinobi!"
At that level,
with no Otsutsuki appearing
and Uchiha Madara still dead,
there would be no one in the entire Shinobi World who could hold him back. He could change the whole world with a single word!
Have you ever seen a Sage-clad Susanoo wipe out four countries by itself?!
That was the level he was aiming for!
"Hm? Keigo, you're back?"
Just then, the laboratory door opened. Orochimaru looked startled, then fixed his gaze on Keigo Uchiha and said gravely, "You need to return to the Uchiha Clan. It seems something has happened there!"
Before you continue