[Outside Ryūchi Cave · Mountain foot · Dusk]
The setting sun dyed the horizon a brilliant orange-red, and the mountains traced rolling silhouettes against the dusk. Jiraiya and Naruto slowly descended the mountain path, their shadows stretching long across it.
Naruto walked ahead, his steps light and steady. He could clearly feel the power flowing through his body-a new strength formed from the fusion of Ryūchi Cave's natural energy with his chakra, purer and richer than before. His senses had also improved tremendously. He could hear leaves falling a hundred meters away, smell the different plants in the air, and even sense underground currents surging deep beneath the earth.
"How do you feel?" Jiraiya's voice came from behind him.
"It feels... like the world has changed." Naruto stopped and turned to look at Jiraiya. "Before, I could only vaguely sense natural energy. But now, I can clearly 'see' it. It's like countless tiny glowing particles floating in the air. It's beautiful."
Jiraiya smiled. "That's natural energy taking visible form. Your perception has now reached the advanced stages of Sage Mode. Even without entering Sage Mode, you can sense the flow of natural energy."
"Does that mean I'm really strong now?" Naruto asked excitedly.
"Strong?" Jiraiya walked up beside him and patted his shoulder. "You've still got a long way to go. You've only just started. True masters can freely draw on natural energy in battle. They can even make it their own and create senjutsu unique to them."
"How long will it take me to reach that level?"
"It depends on the person," Jiraiya said. "Some never get there in their entire lives. Others manage it in a few years. You've got talent, but you still need plenty of experience in real combat."
Naruto clenched his fists, determination shining in