Sending Naruto to Learn Sage Arts

Konoha, Hokage Office.

Tsunade smashed her fist into the desk, shattering the solid wood surface on impact.

"Absurd! Shameless!" Fury burned in her green eyes. "Akatsuki attacked other people—what does that have to do with Konoha?! Do those bastards think we have nothing better to do than deal with the trouble they're dumping on us?!"

Holding Tonton, Shizune carefully tried to calm her down. "Lady Tsunade, please calm down. The rumors are spreading like wildfire. Cloud Village, Rock Village, and Mist Village have all sent letters demanding that Konoha explain why we alone were not attacked. Sand Village's attitude is gentler, but they've also expressed their concerns."

"Explain? How am I supposed to explain it?!" Tsunade irritably raked her fingers through her hair. "Should I say, 'Because we were lucky'? Or 'Akatsuki doesn't think Konoha is worth attacking'?"

The office door was pushed open, and Jiraiya walked in with a grave expression.

"Tsunade, the situation is worse than you think," he said heavily. "I just got back from outside. The entire Shinobi World is saying that Akatsuki's leader, Pain—Nagato—is my former student. Someone dug up the fact that I took Nagato as a disciple back then."

Tsunade's pupils contracted. "Nagato? That child from the Land of Rain?"

"Yes. When I traveled through the Land of Rain, I took in three war orphans as disciples: Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. Nagato possessed the legendary Rinnegan. I once hoped he could use that power to bring peace to the Shinobi World..." Jiraiya's voice was full of concern. "But I've been searching for those three children recently and haven't found a single lead."

Shizune sucked in a breath. "So... the rumors aren't entirely baseless? Akatsuki's leader might really be Lord Jiraiya's student?"

"But that doesn't mean Konoha is controlling Akatsuki!" Tsunade snapped. "Jiraiya left the village long ago to travel the world. What do his disciples have to do with Konoha?!"

"To outsiders, I'm one of Konoha's Three Sannin. If Nagato really is Pain, then my disciple has ties to Konoha." Jiraiya gave a bitter smile. "Especially at a sensitive time like this, even the slightest connection will be magnified without limit."

The office fell into a brief silence.

After a long while, Tsunade forced herself to calm down and sat back in her chair—the new one, since the ANBU had already cleared away the one she had smashed earlier. "What do we do now? The Five Kage Summit must be held, but Konoha will clearly become the target of everyone's hostility."

"We need to prepare for the worst." Jiraiya's expression turned serious. "I suggest we have Naruto leave the village immediately."

"Leave the village?" Tsunade frowned. "With things so chaotic outside, where would he go?"

"Mount Myoboku." Determination flashed through Jiraiya's eyes. "To learn Sage Arts."

Tsunade froze. "Sage Arts? But Naruto..."

"Naruto has the Nine-Tails inside him, an enormous amount of Chakra, and a resilient personality. He has the potential to learn Sage Arts," Jiraiya analyzed. In truth, Jiraiya knew that as a Jinchuriki with a tailed beast inside him, learning Sage Arts would be as difficult as ascending to heaven for Naruto. Mount Myoboku's Sage Arts required a still body and an even stiller mind. Jiraiya himself was unsuited to them, so how could Naruto be suited to them? But this was the only option they had. "More importantly, if Akatsuki really attacks, protecting Naruto with his current strength would consume a large portion of Konoha's combat power. He would become a burden instead. It would be better to let him improve his strength. Once he returns after mastering it, not only will he be able to protect himself, but he can also become a vital force against Akatsuki."

Tsunade sank into thought. She knew Jiraiya was right. Based on the intelligence Neji had sent back, the Six Paths of Pain were terrifyingly powerful, capable of suppressing both the Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki at once. Konoha's current defenses likely could not stop them. Rather than defend passively, it was better to make Naruto, the "target," disappear for the time being while strengthening him.

"And there's Fū, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki," Shizune reminded them. "Takigakure sent her to Konoha, so she is now our responsibility. But leaving her in the village is just as dangerous."

"Fū will be relocated as well." Tsunade made her decision. "Send her to Shikkotsu Forest. In any case, get her out of Konoha. Tell the outside world that Konoha no longer has any Jinchuriki, then see whether Akatsuki still comes."

"And what about the villagers' safety?" Jiraiya asked.

"Konoha will enter its highest alert level." Tsunade rose to her feet, her eyes shining with the decisiveness of the Hokage. "All shinobi will have their leave canceled. The defensive barrier will operate at full power, and the sensory unit will monitor everything twenty-four hours a day. At the same time, contact Sand Village and jointly propose a Five Kage Summit—not to passively answer their questions, but to take the initiative in convening the meeting, make our position clear, and unite against Akatsuki."

She looked at Jiraiya. "Take Naruto to Mount Myoboku and have him learn Sage Arts as quickly as possible. I'll arrange for elite ANBU to escort Fū to Shikkotsu Forest. I'll handle the Slug Sage myself."

"What about you?" Jiraiya looked at her worriedly. "At the Five Kage Summit, the other four Kage will likely join forces to pressure you."

Tsunade revealed a weary yet resolute smile. "I am Tsunade of the Senju Clan, granddaughter of the First Hokage and the Fifth Hokage. If I can't handle even a situation like this, then what kind of Hokage am I?"

A few days later, Mount Myoboku.

"Pervy Sage, this is the training ground you told me about?" Naruto stood before a gigantic toad statue, looking around curiously. Enormous plants beyond imagination surrounded them. Mushrooms were as large as houses, lotus leaves as broad as plazas, and the air was filled with dense Natural Energy.

Jiraiya nodded. "That's right. This is Mount Myoboku, one of the three great sacred lands of Sage Arts. Here, you will learn to absorb Natural Energy and merge it with your own Chakra to form Sage Art Chakra."

"Sage Arts? That sounds awesome!" Naruto's eyes lit up. "If I learn it, will I be able to defeat Akatsuki?"

"Sage Arts is power beyond ordinary ninjutsu." Jiraiya's expression was serious. "But the learning process is extremely dangerous. You must balance the absorbed Natural Energy precisely. Too much, and you'll turn into a stone frog. Too little, and you won't be able to enter Sage Mode. And..." He paused. "You need to calm your mind. That may be your greatest challenge."

Naruto patted his chest. "Don't worry, Pervy Sage! To bring Sasuke back and protect Konoha, I'll definitely learn it!"

"Let's hope so." Jiraiya sighed. He knew Naruto's personality. Making him meditate quietly was harder than reaching the heavens. But they had no other choice—Akatsuki's threat was imminent, and Naruto had to grow stronger as soon as possible.

The two ventured deeper into Mount Myoboku and arrived before a waterfall. Beneath it sat two old toads—Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima. They were elders of Mount Myoboku, over eight hundred years old, and their mastery of Sage Arts had reached the pinnacle.

"Little Jiraiya, is this the child of prophecy?" Sage Fukasaku examined Naruto.

"Yes, Lord Fukasaku. The situation is urgent. Please teach Naruto Sage Arts as soon as possible."

Sage Shima frowned. "Sage Arts cannot be learned overnight. Little Jiraiya, you know that. How long did it take you back then?"

"I know, but there's no time." Jiraiya's voice was grave. "Akatsuki has already captured six tailed beasts and may strike Konoha at any moment. Naruto is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He is their target, but also our hope of fighting them."

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a glance, then finally nodded. "If that is the case, then let's begin. Little Naruto, sit beneath the waterfall."

Naruto did as instructed. Sage Fukasaku began explaining the principles of Sage Arts. "Sage Arts is the absorption of Natural Energy and its fusion with physical energy and spiritual energy in a ratio of 1:1:1, forming Sage Art Chakra. Natural Energy is everywhere, but it is difficult to sense and control..."

The explanation lasted an hour. Naruto only understood half of it, but he remembered one thing: calm his mind and feel nature.

Then the practical training began.

"Close your eyes, relax your body and mind, and feel the Natural Energy around you..." Sage Fukasaku instructed.

Naruto tried his best to comply, but after ten minutes, he began fidgeting. "Um... I can't feel anything at all..."

"Calm your mind! Don't be impatient!" Sage Shima scolded.

Another ten minutes passed, and sweat appeared on Naruto's forehead. "Still nothing... Pervy Sage, isn't there a faster way?"

Jiraiya covered his face. "I knew it..."

Sage Fukasaku thought for a moment. "Perhaps... that method?"

"You mean Toad Oil?" Sage Shima frowned. "It's too dangerous. If a beginner comes into direct contact with Toad Oil, it's easy for them to take in too much Natural Energy and turn into a stone statue."

"But there's no time to take this slowly." Sage Fukasaku looked at Jiraiya. "Little Jiraiya, what do you think?"

Jiraiya looked at the anxious Naruto and gritted his teeth. "Use it! I believe in Naruto."

Sage Fukasaku nodded and took out a jar of thick golden oil—Toad Oil. It was a secret treasure of Mount Myoboku that could greatly enhance one's sensitivity to Natural Energy, but it was also extremely dangerous.

"Little Naruto, apply this all over your body, then try sensing Natural Energy again. Remember, once you feel the energy rushing in, you must immediately begin balancing and controlling it. Do not get greedy!"

Naruto nodded solemnly and covered himself in Toad Oil. The next moment, he felt the entire world change—the air was no longer empty, but filled with warm, flowing "energy"! That energy surged toward him on its own, passing through his skin and entering his body!

"I can feel it! So much energy!" Naruto shouted excitedly.

"Don't lose focus! Start controlling it immediately!" Sage Fukasaku roared.

Naruto hurriedly composed himself and tried to guide the Natural Energy flooding into him. But then the problem emerged—the Natural Energy was too abundant! The amplification effect of the Toad Oil was too strong. Natural Energy poured in like a flood, quickly surpassing his ability to control it.

"N-No... this is bad... I can't stop it..." Frog-like traits began appearing on Naruto's face. His skin turned green, and his eyes became those of a frog.

"Stop absorbing it!" Sage Shima cried urgently.

"I can't control it!" Naruto felt his body hardening, his fingers beginning to petrify!

Jiraiya's expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to act, Sage Fukasaku stopped him. "Wait, look."

Orange Chakra suddenly surfaced around Naruto's body—the Nine-Tails' Chakra had automatically moved to protect its host! The Nine-Tails Chakra violently clashed with the incoming Natural Energy, creating a tug-of-war inside Naruto's body.

"Aaaahhh—" Naruto screamed in agony. One moment he showed frog-like traits, the next fox-like ones. His Chakra ran wild, sending waterfall spray flying everywhere.

"At this rate, he'll collapse!" Jiraiya panicked.

But at that moment, inspiration suddenly struck Naruto, and he remembered the balancing principle Jiraiya had taught him earlier. Physical energy, spiritual energy, Natural Energy... 1:1:1...

He no longer resisted the Natural Energy, nor did he continue relying on the Nine-Tails Chakra. Instead, he forcibly drew all three into a delicate balance. The Nine-Tails inside him seemed to sense something as well and voluntarily restrained part of its power.

Gradually, the abnormalities around Naruto began to subside. The frog-like traits faded, as did the fox-like ones, replaced by a calm and profound aura. Orange markings appeared around his eyes, and his pupils became the horizontal pupils of a frog.

"This is..." Jiraiya said in delighted surprise.

"Sage Mode... he's entered it, at least initially." Approval showed in Sage Fukasaku's eyes. "It's rough and unstable, but he has indeed entered it. Little Naruto, your talent is far greater than Little Jiraiya's was back then."

Naruto opened his eyes and felt unprecedented power flowing through his body. His vision became incomparably clear, his sensory range expanded tenfold, and the quality of his Chakra underwent a fundamental transformation.

"I... succeeded?" He stared at his hands in disbelief.

"This is only the first step." Sage Shima poured cold water on his excitement. "Right now, you can maintain Sage Mode for one minute at most, and your control is crude. Next, you must practice maintaining it steadily, extending its duration, and using ninjutsu while in Sage Mode."

"One minute is enough!" Naruto sprang up excitedly. "Pervy Sage, let's start training! I'm going to learn this as fast as possible, then return to Konoha and protect everyone!"

Jiraiya looked at the determination in Naruto's eyes and smiled with relief. Perhaps this child who was always causing trouble truly could create a miracle.

The waterfall thundered, and the training at Mount Myoboku officially began. Meanwhile, far away in Konoha, Tsunade was also making her final preparations for the coming Five Kage Summit.

The storm in the Shinobi World was brewing into even greater turmoil.