Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode

Yusuke followed the sound, his breath hitching in his throat.

Before him stood not a jagged rock, but a colossal blue-and-white slug, its size comparable to a mountain.

Its body nearly filled the entire underwater space, radiating a vast and profound life force.

Yusuke's heart sank. "Not anchored by fate"—this statement practically laid bare his identity as a transmigrator.

He clenched his fists instinctively, his body tensing slightly.

Tsunade clearly didn't understand; she looked at Sage Slug, then at Yusuke, and asked, "What does that mean?"

Sage Slug seemed to perceive Yusuke's emotional fluctuations, its voice carrying a soothing tone: "Do not be nervous, child."

"I merely observe the anomalies in the river of fate through my prophetic abilities."

"Tsunade's trajectory of fate has shifted significantly of late; the haze that once entangled her has dissipated greatly."

"Yet, I could not find the specific 'anchor' that caused this change."

"It was not until I saw you today that I confirmed it was you who altered her fate."

"Your existence is like a stone cast into a river, disturbing the established flow."

"But you have already merged with the stones at the riverbed, making you difficult to 'see' directly."

Yusuke breathed a slight sigh of relief; it seemed Sage Slug's ability leaned toward prediction rather than visual surveillance.

He did not want to dwell on this issue and immediately took the lead: "Sage Slug, we have come this time to ask for instruction in the senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest."

Although Tsunade still had questions, seeing Yusuke change the subject, she nodded in cooperation: "That's right, Lady Slug, please trouble yourself to teach him the senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest."

Sage Slug slowly wiggled its antennae, its voice remaining calm.

"The senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest is different from the other holy lands; it focuses more on equilibrium."

"Therefore, during cultivation, one will repeatedly transition between balance and imbalance."

"First, you must clear your mind and perceive the natural energy permeating the world."

"Then, guide this energy into your meridians and fuse it with your physical and spiritual energy in a precise one-to-one-to-one ratio to form senjutsu chakra."

"But if the ratio is off, even by the slightest margin, the violent natural energy will take control."

"It will not turn you into a stone frog slowly like the senjutsu of Mount Myoboku, a process that can still be interrupted."

"It is similar to the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave; if you fail, this power will erode your flesh and meridians from within, eventually dissolving your body into a pile of withered bones."

"Your consciousness will also be assimilated by the natural energy, becoming a wandering skeleton soul in this place."

Its tone was grave, and its words were bone-chilling.

But then, it changed the subject: "However, there are benefits. Once you can master it for the first time and your body can withstand it, you will have learned the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest."

Yusuke felt a chill in his heart: "The cost of failure for this Shikkotsu Forest senjutsu is truly terrifying."

"Back then, Tsunade felt fear in her heart, which is why she eventually gave up on this path." Sage Slug looked at Tsunade, its tone carrying a hint of regret.

A flicker of unnaturalness crossed Tsunade's face, but she did not refute it.

She turned to Yusuke, her eyes flashing with confidence: "I already have a method to help you practice the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest."

"While you practice, I will use a medical barrier to protect your meridians throughout the process. If you lose control and the senjutsu chakra runs wild,"

"I will immediately use the medical barrier to repair your meridians in every aspect, and at that moment, you can release the out-of-control chakra through your chakra points."

Tsunade raised her hand and pressed it against the chakra point on Yusuke's palm.

"By using the chakra points here, you will at most suffer some internal injuries."

"I have already tested this method; there are no problems."

Yusuke looked at Tsunade's earnest expression, and a warm current flowed through his heart.

"I understand."

"Then let's begin. I'm counting on you, Tsunade."

Yusuke took a deep breath, suppressing his fear of failure.

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and attempted to empty his mind.

Tsunade drew a circular healing barrier around him; Yusuke sat in the center, while Tsunade sat at one of the formation's nodes.

Sage Slug raised its massive antennae, guiding him with a gentle voice: "Relax, child."

"Do not try to 'find' it intentionally; instead, 'feel' it."

"Feel the flow of the seawater, feel the breath of life, feel the natural energy that is everywhere in this world..."

After the guidance, it split off a small slug and let it coil around Yusuke's head to resonate with him.

Yusuke's perception was already extraordinary; with his eyes closed and distractions cast aside, his spirit extended outward.

At first, everything was silent and dark, but gradually, he "saw" something different.

Countless tiny specks of light, like Fire Fly, floated in the air, in the seawater, and even within the body of Sage Slug.

They were lively and manic in varying degrees, yet each contained unimaginable power.

"Is this natural energy?"

Yusuke attempted to guide a wisp of natural energy through his skin and into his body's meridian system.

"Hiss--!"

The moment the energy entered his body, Yusuke shuddered, drawing in a sharp breath.

It felt as if red-hot needles were being driven into his blood vessels, accompanied by an intense, aching distension and sharp, piercing pain radiating from his meridians!

"Steady!" Tsunade barked, her pure Yang Release chakra surging into the formation's core before being channeled through the medical barrier into Yusuke.

This force was like a spring breeze, rapidly nourishing the meridians being eroded by the natural energy.

Yusuke gritted his teeth, focusing all his mental energy as he attempted to control this wisp of natural energy, trying to fuse it with his own physical and spiritual energy.

The natural energy was unruly, constantly battering the other two energies in an attempt to seize dominance.

Fine beads of sweat instantly covered Yusuke's forehead, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Tsunade was fully focused, using her keen insight as a top-tier medical ninja to perceive every minute change within Yusuke's body.

She then adjusted the output of her Yang Release chakra, precisely maintaining the balance of Yusuke's meridians.

The first attempt failed. The natural energy dissipated before it could fuse.

The second time, the ratio was off; there was slightly too much natural energy, and a sharp tearing sensation came from a tiny meridian in Yusuke's arm, which Tsunade quickly repaired.

The third time, another failure...

Time crawled by in agonizing torment. Yusuke's clothes were soaked through with sweat and his face was pale, but his eyes grew increasingly bright.

He was becoming more familiar with the characteristics of natural energy, and he was gradually finding a feel for controlling the fusion process.

Sage Slug watched quietly, its gentle voice occasionally sounding to offer crucial guidance.

"Do not resist; try to guide it. Think of it like diverting a flood rather than building a dam to block it."

"You must imagine that you are all one, in perfect balance, with no distinction between you."

I do not know how much time passed, but a faint energy, distinct from ordinary chakra, finally took shape within Yusuke.

Strangely, it was formless and shapeless, yet this power was filled with two diametrically opposed forces: vitality and destruction.

Although it was only a tiny wisp, it made Yusuke feel that his recovery ability had greatly increased, and his physical constitution had been significantly enhanced.

Yusuke opened his eyes, and the things before him looked different.

He could clearly see that the body of Sage Slug before him was like a collection of natural energy, and the space around it was permeated with countless specks of natural energy light.

Yusuke's appearance had also undergone a transformation; his hair had turned from pitch black to silver.

A layer of blue fluorescent markings appeared on his face, softening his already rugged and handsome features.

"Finally... succeeded..." Tsunade's somewhat weak voice drifted over.