The Legacy of Sage Mode

The sound of needles dropping could be heard in the treatment room; only the monotonous, rhythmic ticking of the monitoring instruments could be heard, like a stopwatch counting down the days to life.

Having discovered the cause of this inexplicable illness, the heavy, gloomy atmosphere hanging over the treatment room seemed to have been torn open.

Tsunade's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and the challenging glint unique to a medical master rekindled in her eyes.

She habitually stroked her chin, quickly thinking of a solution.

"If that's the case—the treatment approach actually becomes clearer."

Tsunade's voice regained its usual confidence and decisiveness, "Since the problem lies in the liver's allergy to specific insect nest Chakra, and we cannot eliminate the insect nest, then the only direction for treatment is—"

She looked at Taiichi, their eyes met, and they instantly reached a consensus.

"Change the liver!" Taiichi replied decisively, his eyes gleaming with confidence in solving the problem. "Make Shisei's liver undergo a targeted adaptive mutation," so that, without affecting its normal function, it would no longer have that fatal "hypersensitive reaction" to the Chakra emitted by the Kikaichū in its body!

"Exactly!" Tsunade's face broke into a long-lost, energetic smile. "This would have been unthinkable before! Forcibly modifying organs? I wouldn't even dare to imagine it! But things are different now—"

Her smile held a rare hint of approval. "Orochimaru, that guy, he's been tinkering with his research all day, and this time he's finally achieved something. That Targeted Cell Induction Repair Technology will come in very handy!"

"That's right." Taiichi also showed a smile of affirmation, his heart filled with emotion.

Konoha's investment in cutting-edge medical technology finally saw a glimmer of hope for returns at its most critical moment.

"This will be a Great Breakthrough in the history of Medical Ninjutsu— artificial intervention in the organs of a living organism to induce holistic, targeted mutations" to adapt to extreme environments! Shisei will be the first beneficiary of this successful application of technology.

The two quickly exchanged glances; without a word, an unspoken understanding had been formed.

Tsunade was responsible for leading the formulation and core operation of the entire treatment plan, while Taiichi, with his powerful Chakra control and Senjutsu perception, was responsible for guiding the direction and process of the mutation at the microscopic level to ensure accuracy.

"I'll go explain the situation to Chief Shibi."

Taiichi knew that his parents, who were waiting outside the door, were suffering every second.

He needed to make Shibi Aburame understand that his son not only had a chance to be saved, but also had the opportunity to preserve the path of power he cherished.

When Taiichi pushed open the heavy door of the treatment room, the eyes of all the Aburame tribesmen in the corridor outside instantly focused on him. Shibi Aburame rushed forward immediately, her eyes behind her sunglasses filled with bloodshot veins and the deepest expectations and fears.

"Lord Taiichi! Shisei, he----?" His voice was dry and hoarse.

Taiichi didn't keep anyone in suspense and succinctly explained Shisei's extremely unusual illness and the proposed treatment plan.

He emphasized the rarity of the cause of the disease and the pioneering nature of the technology, stating that this technology was the result of Lord Orochimaru's research after the reforms in Konoha during this period.

After hearing Shibi Aburame was completely stunned.

First came overwhelming joy. Their son was alive, and not only that, his future path as a ninja would also be preserved. This was the best news for their family.

But soon, his composure as the clan leader prevailed, and he immediately understood the subtext in Taiichi's words.

He stepped forward abruptly, gripping Taiichi's wrists tightly with astonishing force, his voice choked with emotion. "Taiichi! Lady Tsunade! I can't thank you enough! If the village ever has similar plans again, the Aburame Clan will stand firmly behind the Hokage-sama."

After calming the extremely agitated Shibi and his wife, Taiichi quickly returned.

Inside the operating room, the preliminary preparations for the treatment were complete. The massive sealing array was adjusted to its most precise suppression mode, minimizing the activity of the Kikaichū to ensure they wouldn't go berserk due to the treatment.

Several experienced Medical Ninja were on high alert, responsible for monitoring vital signs and maintaining the operation of the sealing array.

Tsunade had already put on sterile gloves, holding the vial of medicine that had been urgently obtained from the Scientific Research Department, her eyes sharp as an eagle's. "Let's begin, Taiichi."

The surgery lasted from the afternoon of the first day until the morning of the second day, nearly 18 hours. Only Taiichi and Tsunade, with their immense strength, were able to complete such a continuous induced mutation surgery.

It's done.

Taiichi's voice was hoarse, but filled with the joy of achieving his goal, "Directed induction complete, liver mutation stabilized, rejection reaction—disappeared."

On Tsunade's utterly exhausted face, a bright, relieved smile slowly bloomed—a pure radiance that transcended all hardship, belonging to the creator and savior.

"Yeah, he succeeded. That kid's got a tough life."

The heavy door to the treatment room was slowly pushed open. In the corridor outside, Shibi Aburame stood like a stone statue all night, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the crack in the door.

When he saw Taiichi and Tsunade emerge, looking tired yet clearly relaxed, his tense body trembled violently.

"Lady Tsunade! Taiichi! Shisei— " His voice was as dry as sandpaper.

"I have fulfilled my mission." Taiichi smiled, stepping aside to avoid eye contact. "The root cause of the rejection reaction has been eliminated, Kikaichū are unharmed. Shisei is currently recovering from a deep slumber and will wake up soon. His future path as Bug User will not be interrupted."

These words were like a golden edict of pardon. Behind Shibi Aburame, his wife, who had been holding on with a deathly pale face, suddenly had all her defenses broken down by the overwhelming fear, despair, and ecstasy that had been building up all day.

She suddenly threw herself into her husband's arms, her suppressed sobs finally turning into a heart-wrenching wail, her scalding tears instantly soaking the dark collar of Shibi's clothes.

This cry contained the immense catharsis of surviving a catastrophe, and the overwhelming joy of a mother who had lost something and found it again.

Shibi Aburame tightly embraced his wife, who was crying uncontrollably. This Bug Controller, who struck fear into the hearts of the enemy on the battlefield, also had tears welling up in his eyes behind his sunglasses.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the turbulent emotions churning in his chest. Then, under the watchful eyes of all the Aburame tribe members in the corridor and the hospital staff who had rushed over upon hearing the news, he made a certain gesture, such as "nodding slightly" or "speaking." The details here need to be filled in according to the context.

The head of the Aburame Clan, with utmost solemnity and deep respect, bowed deeply to the exhausted yet pleased Taiichi and Tsunade, bending his straight back and bowing so low that his forehead almost touched his knees.

"I, Shibi Aburame, will never forget your kindness in saving me!" His voice choked with emotion, yet every word carried immense weight, like a vow etched into the morning air of Konoha Hospital.

Taiichi and Tsunade exchanged a smile, their weariness washed away by a profound sense of satisfaction. This was the greatest comfort of being Medical Ninja.

The matter of Shisei Aburame was not only common knowledge within the Aburame Clan, but also caused quite a stir among the upper echelons of Konoha and the high-ranking members of various clans.

After all, this was the eldest son of Shibi Aburame, the patriarch of the Aburame Clan, and the cause of his illness was directly due to the backlash from the family's secret technique, which had brought him to the brink of death.

Such an event undoubtedly touched a nerve with all families that rely on the inheritance of secret techniques, and even families that possess Kekkei Genkai.

Who hasn't experienced a similar crisis? Ninjutsu training is inherently risky, and secret techniques are even more dangerous. The shadow of Kekkei Genkai users suffering from bloodline diseases has never dissipated.

In the past, very few people have survived such accidents unscathed.

However, Konoha Hospital successfully saved a patient that even the Aburame Clan themselves were helpless against, and more importantly, it did not jeopardize the patient's future path as a ninja - which undoubtedly had an irresistible attraction for the various secret technique clans and Bloodline Limit Family.

In a short time, all sorts of investigations, both overt and covert, came one after another, with all the major families trying their best to find out the details of the matter.

Ultimately, it was the clan chief Shibi Aburame, who personally stepped forward and clearly revealed that it was Lady Tsunade and Taiichi who, with the help of the latest research findings from the Scientific Research Department, saved Shisei's life and future.

Only after this statement from the main figure did the wave of probing that swept across various ethnic groups gradually subside.

Orochimaru has been living a very comfortable life lately.

No, to be more precise, his life has been very comfortable since the establishment of the Scientific Research Department, but in recent days that comfort has become even more comfortable.

He knew the reason perfectly well: when Taichi Matsushita was treating the brat from the Aburame Clan, he also managed to promote the role of the Scientific Research Department.

In the past two days, visits from those Bloodline Limit Family have suddenly become more frequent, with many of them even directly expressing a strong intention to fund the Scientific Research Department's work.

If it were during the time of the Third Kazekage Hokage, with that cunning Danzo by his side, Orochimaru would probably have had to Danzo his brains to figure out how to avoid suspicion.

But right now— Orochimaru thought to himself: Let these donations come even more fiercely!

"Lord Orochimaru, what makes you so happy?"

Taiichi's voice suddenly came from behind him, and Orochimaru snapped back to reality, cursing himself for being too careless and letting his guard down even for the most basic precautions.

He stopped and turned to look at the person who had approached him. "Taiichi, it's quite a rare sight to meet you on the street at this hour."

"Haha, it's you who came out of the Scientific Research Department." Taiichi quickened his pace and walked alongside Orochimaru. "I just finished a follow-up examination for Shisei Aburame and was on my way home from the hospital when I ran into you."

"Speaking of which, I really have to thank you." Orochimaru looked ahead, but his tone was quite sincere. "Thanks to you, the Scientific Research Department has recently received a lot of funding. Now, we can buy a lot of new equipment, and many projects that were put on hold due to funding shortages can be restarted."

"Oh? It actually had this effect? I really didn't expect it." Taiichi paused slightly. "I only intended to help Senior Disciple Brother Minato win over the hearts of the Aburame Clan. I never expected the other clans to react so strongly!"

"Heh!" Orochimaru continued walking, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "For these families, the inheritance of bloodlines and secret techniques is their foundation. If our research can help them resolve the potential dangers in the inheritance of their family's secret techniques, they will naturally flock to it."

"Then they'll have a lot to invest." Taiichi also revealed a slightly sly smile. "The current targeted mutation technology is far from mature. To achieve the same therapeutic effect as treating Shisei Aburame, Teacher Tsunade and I will still have to work together with our full strength."

"It's just a matter of each getting what they want." Orochimaru was rather dismissive of this. "For them, having hope is always better than having no clue at all."

It's much better to just sit and wait to die.

The two walked to a fork in the road, Taiichi stopped and turned his gaze to Orochimaru.

A hint of doubt flashed across Orochimaru's face, but he stopped in his tracks.

"Lord Orochimaru, there's something I must remind you of!" Taiichi said solemnly.

Orochimaru's golden, vertical pupils were fixed on Taiichi. Seeing his serious expression, he nodded. "Go on, I'm listening."

"Scientific research is certainly important, and I fully support your research endeavors. However," Taiichi's tone was soft, yet every word was clear, "You must not neglect the improvement of your own strength. I've noticed that your recent aura—it seems to have made no progress at all. How long has it been since you've had a proper training session?"

Taiichi's words echoed in Orochimaru's ears like a morning bell and an evening drum. He carefully recalled his life during this period, which had been almost entirely occupied by the laboratory, and he had indeed not engaged in any proper training or cultivation. Taiichi put it rather tactfully, saying that cultivation was like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind.

"I—" Orochimaru hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I understand, I'll be careful from now on."

Taiichi: "Well then— Lord Orochimaru, I'll head back now."

The two parted ways. Taiichi walked home, recalling Orochimaru's state during their journey together.

In fact, he had been secretly following Orochimaru for some time, without Orochimaru noticing.

For a ninja of his caliber, this is an oversight that should never occur. It's not just a matter of potential stagnation or even decline in strength; it also reflects a relaxation of mindset and a decrease in vigilance.

The Ninja World is ultimately a world where strength reigns supreme. Everything else is merely secondary. The fundamental and the trivial must never be reversed.

At the intersection, Orochimaru stopped and watched Taiichi's receding figure.

He slowly raised his hand, looked down and stared, then clenched it into a fist.

Feeling the somewhat unfamiliar power emanating from the fist, he silently thought to himself, "I've indeed devoted too much energy to research lately—and now I need a junior to remind me of this most fundamental principle. It's truly..."

Upon returning home, Taiichi was greeted by none other than his three disciples.

There are no classes at the Ninja Academy today. The three kids made a pact with Taiichi to train at Taiichi 'Taiichi today.

In fact, this was also a special experiment conducted by Taiichi.

Since his sparring session with Jiraiya and experiencing Jiraiya's Sage Mode firsthand, Taiichi realized that his Sage Mode was far inferior to Jiraiya's.

In the past, because there was no one to compare with, Taiichi always thought that the Sage Mode were all similar, except that the Sage Mode of the Three Great Sage Regions had more unusual characteristics.

But after truly witnessing it, Taiichi realized how terribly wrong he had been.

It's not just a difference in aura, it's a fundamental difference.

The Toad of Mount Myoboku begin practicing Senjutsu from a very young age, while humans who also practice Mount Myoboku Senjutsu are required to have a sufficiently large amount of Chakra to train.

What's the difference here?

It's simply the difference between humans and Toad.

When Taiichi first developed Senjutsu that suited him, he also discovered the importance of having a large amount of Chakra, as it could slow down the rate at which he was corrupted by Natural Energy.

But ever since he perfected his Sage Mode, he has never had this problem again. At first, he thought it was just a matter of proficiency, but now he realizes that's not the case at all.

Today is the day Taiichi will verify this conjecture.