Meanwhile, another force invaded from outside, making Yusuke furrow his brow.
He no longer had the energy to deal with any other forces.
But after sensing the presence above him, his tense heart relaxed.
It was the power transmitted by Sage Slug.
Sage Slug's Senjutsu energy trapped the dark clouds overhead, forming a gigantic cage.
The mass of dark consciousness repeatedly slammed into the cage, trying to break out, but every attempt was mercilessly repelled.
Yusuke breathed a sigh of relief. He no longer had to worry about the restraints being shattered by Tyrant's consciousness.
He quietly sensed the differences between the two energies and began to imitate their entirely different methods of energy conversion.
His first attempt failed. The balance was instantly disrupted by Tyrant's consciousness.
On his second attempt, an imbalance in the proportions caused a localized energy explosion, leaving Yusuke's mind in disarray.
On his thirty-seventh attempt, he cast aside all distractions. As if struck by inspiration, he found that crucial "point."
As he drew on the Natural Energy of Tyrant's consciousness, which sought to destroy everything, he transformed it into a balanced, peaceful Natural Energy and reinforced the restraints themselves.
Inside his "enemy," Yusuke forcibly created balance.
Again and again, the cycle continued without end.
Yusuke felt as if he had glimpsed the truth of the yin-yang fish of the Taiji symbol from Taoism in his previous life.
"So it's true what they say: all roads lead to Rome." Yusuke couldn't help but marvel.
Tyrant's consciousness let out a pained howl and an unwilling roar, but it accomplished nothing.
One thread, then two, then three... More and more threads lit up within the dark clouds.
They responded to one another, faintly forming an invisible network that began to bind and compress the vast clouds.
After an unknown amount of time, the dark clouds inside Yusuke—the ones that had once blotted out the sky—were firmly bound by the web of light.
They were compressed into a dark sphere the size of a fist. It still emanated an ominous aura, but for now, it had been stabilized.
Tyrant's consciousness stopped struggling. Its crimson, cross-shaped pupils fixed on Yusuke. "Be grateful for your good fortune."
"Next time, I'll show you who's king—and who's the mount."
Yusuke furrowed his brow. "Is this Death Note or Naruto? Or did he read my memories?"
Now that he was safe for the moment, his thoughts began to run wild. Can I call myself Tyrant's Jinchūriki now?
Yeah, a dragon's Jinchūriki.
The external suction gradually faded, and the abnormal fluctuations in Yusuke's body settled down. The little Katsuyu attached to him began to glow steadily.
Outside.
Tsunade grew worried when Yusuke still didn't wake up.
"All right. The most dangerous moment has passed." Sage Slug's gentle voice came through, no longer carrying its earlier gravity.
A moment later, Sage Slug's voice came again, full of wonder. "Incredible. Even amid that upheaval inside him, he managed to find balance again."
After living for a thousand years, Sage Slug had weathered countless storms. But it had rarely seen anyone like Yusuke, who had just survived a crisis and still dared to take a risk, searching for an advantage in the midst of danger.
Although Tsunade knew Yusuke was engaged in some kind of perilous internal struggle, she couldn't interfere.
All she could do was help strengthen the Katsuyu slugs' stabilizing effect, continuously channeling Yang Release Chakra into the medical barrier beneath her feet to buy Yusuke time.
Yusuke's senses returned, and he slowly opened his eyes.
His appearance had changed again. His hair was still silver from Sage Mode, but a few blood-red markings had appeared along the edges of the blue, glowing patterns on his face.
His eyes had become cross-shaped stars, lending him a more sinister look.
Tsunade and Yusuke gazed into each other's eyes, their affection plain to see.
Just as the two were about to ask how the other was doing and get all lovey-dovey, Sage Slug's gentle voice interrupted them.
"You should know that all you've done is temporarily bind the evil will inside you to your Senjutsu Chakra."
"This is only a fragile state of balance. When that balance breaks, this power will become even more dangerous."
Yusuke understood. Sage Slug meant that when he used Incursio again, Tyrant's consciousness would be nourished once more.
Once it broke through the cage and launched another counterattack, it wouldn't be so easy to control.
Sage Slug naturally didn't know that Tyrant could evolve without limit, but Yusuke knew that all too well.
Perhaps I need to find a way to completely eliminate this power, Yusuke mused.
"Lady Katsuyu, do you have any suggestions?" Yusuke asked respectfully.
Sage Slug raised one of its enormous tentacles as if pondering the question.
A moment later, it spoke again. "Nature and life have never been enemies."
"Only by merging with one another, so that each contains the other, can true balance be achieved."
"Merge?" Yusuke murmured. He still didn't have the ability to merge with Tyrant's consciousness without losing himself.
It looks like I'll have to put off merging for now.
To merge with Tyrant's will without being corrupted, I need to gain a deeper understanding of Natural Energy.
The Sage Modes of Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myoboku should offer good examples, Yusuke thought.
"Looks like you already have a way to solve the problem. You're a young man with boundless potential," Sage Slug praised him again.
"Stay here and continue strengthening your Sage Mode. As for little Tsunade, I'll send her back."
"Shikkotsu Forest is different from the other two sacred lands. If you stay here too long, the Natural Energy here will assimilate you," Sage Slug said gently.
Seeing Tsunade's worried expression, Yusuke stepped forward and kissed her forehead.
"I'm fine. I was just saying hello to the 'neighbor' living inside me."
"Go back to Konoha first. I'll be back soon."
Tsunade bit her lip, looking conflicted, but finally sighed. "All right. I'll wait for you to come back in Konoha."
"Boom~"
A cloud of white smoke drifted away, and Tsunade vanished from Shikkotsu Forest.
Yusuke sat down cross-legged and continued contemplating the mysteries of Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode.
A little Katsuyu perched on his head, helping him sharpen his senses as it gave off a faint glow.
Konoha.
Tsunade walked out of Yusuke's home, looking dispirited, a cloud of worry hanging over her.
"Hey, Tsunade."
A voice called out, breaking into her reverie.
A white-haired man in a red short-sleeved jacket, wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector and wooden sandals, came over.
He waved cheerfully in greeting. Behind him followed a long-haired man with a stern face and purple eyeshadow on his eyelids.
"Oh, it's Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Are you back from a mission?" Tsunade replied listlessly.
Jiraiya was the first to notice something was wrong with her. "You're rarely this low on energy. Is it your Chakra?"
Tsunade waved a hand. "I just overused my Chakra."
"To celebrate our team's long-awaited reunion, let's go get some barbecue," Jiraiya suggested with a hearty laugh.
"Forget it. I don't have an appetite right now," Tsunade sighed.
Orochimaru, who had yet to be tempered by war or become obsessed with technology, let out a hoarse chuckle.
He hadn't yet grown indifferent to life, and still had a touch of warmth in him.
Orochimaru's distinctively low voice rang out. "Tsunade, what you need right now is to replenish your energy and get some rest."
Tsunade thought it over. Aside from worrying about Yusuke, there was nothing she could do. She might as well replenish her energy in case anything unexpected happened.
"All right."
The three turned and headed toward the Akimichi BBQ Restaurant.
Tsunade remained listless the whole way. Orochimaru was as taciturn as ever, leaving Jiraiya to chatter on about their adventures along the way.
Before you continue