The Sage's Prophecy

The one responsible for teaching Obito Uchiha Sage Art was the mature beauty known as Tagorihime.

Tagorihime parted her red lips and said slowly, "When you humans normally use Ninjutsu, you rely on mobilizing the Chakra hidden within your bodies."

"Ordinary Chakra is actually produced through the fusion of one's physical energy and spiritual energy."

"However, Sage Chakra is entirely different. On that foundation, you must further absorb energy from nature and perfectly integrate that natural energy into your original Chakra."

As she spoke, Tagorihime extended her long, fair fingers and lightly gestured through the air.

"But to maintain the balance among the three types of energy, each must account for one-third before it can be activated."

"If there is too much natural energy, you will be consumed by nature's power. At Mount Myoboku, that means turning into a frog; in more severe cases, becoming a lifeless stone statue."

"At Ryūchi Cave, you will turn completely into a snake. In severe cases, you will also become a stone statue."

"Of course, if there is too little natural energy, you will be unable to gather Sage Power and activate Sage Mode."

Tagorihime explained attentively.

Obito Uchiha nodded seriously, took off his shirt, and began earnestly attempting to gather Sage Art energy.

Tagorihime slowly formed a snake-shaped whip.

Crack!

"Go ahead and train. I'll assist you from the side. The moment your natural energy falls out of balance, I'll whip you awake!"

Tagorihime said with a faint smile.

Obito Uchiha silently stared at the whip in Tagorihime's hand and swallowed.

Training began.

The natural energy around the area slowly began entering Obito Uchiha's body.

As natural energy continuously poured in, Obito felt his body gradually growing heavier.

Obito Uchiha struggled to control the balance of the three energies, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans gradually appeared on his forehead.

Suddenly, Obito felt too much natural energy flooding in. His body began showing signs of Snake Transformation, and his skin slowly became slick.

Seeing this, Tagorihime flicked her wrist. The long whip shot out with a howl and struck Obito with precision.

A burst of intense pain hit him, instantly snapping Obito awake. He hurriedly adjusted the energy ratio again.

After nearly losing balance several times, Obito gradually grasped the trick. He shut his eyes tightly and focused completely, finally succeeding in keeping all three energies at one-third each.

A surging, incomparably powerful Sage Chakra surged through his body like a raging tide.

At that moment, Obito's eyes had turned into chilling snake pupils, gleaming with a soul-stirring light!

The dark snake scales covering his body had also come fully under his control!

Even more astonishingly, the top of Obito Uchiha's head began to bulge slightly, as though a pair of mysterious dragon horns were about to break through his skin.

Seeing this, even Tagorihime at the side could not help revealing a satisfied smile.

Tagorihime nodded lightly, then slowly put away the whip clenched in her hand. "Not bad. To initially master this power in such a short time—you truly deserve to be called an unparalleled genius of the Uchiha Clan."

"Next, all you need to do is continue practicing diligently. Given enough time, you will certainly be able to control this power as easily as your own limbs."

Hearing Tagorihime's praise, Obito Uchiha merely gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

"For the time being, stay at Ryūchi Cave and train. A war has broken out outside. Remaining here to conserve your strength is ultimately the wiser choice."

Obito Uchiha nodded slightly. He understood clearly that the war was only growing fiercer, and ending it in the short term was nearly impossible.

Rather than rashly throwing himself into that cruel and bloody battlefield, he might as well seize this rare opportunity to remain at Ryūchi Cave and train in seclusion for a while.

Once his strength had soared, he could choose the right moment to return to the battlefield. Then, he would surely shine brilliantly and reverse the course of the war in one stroke!

"Remember, don't provoke the red snake in the back mountain..."

Tagorihime warned him.

Obito Uchiha focused slightly and nodded.

That should be Garaga, Boruto's summoned beast.

After Tagorihime left, Obito Uchiha looked around.

Unlike Mount Myoboku, where natural energy was especially dense, Ryūchi Cave was filled with dark, damp air. There was no sun, only gloomy black clouds.

"I'll train here for a while..."

Thus, Obito Uchiha began his path of training at Ryūchi Cave.

Mount Myoboku.

Inside the great hall.

A gigantic old toad, bright orange all over and covered in deep and shallow wrinkles, slowly opened its enormous eyes like a giant beast that had slept for ages.

Gamamaru! Also known as the Great Toad Sage!

The passage of time had left unmistakable marks upon him.

A string of ancient-looking Buddhist beads hung around his thick neck, while atop his head rested a uniquely shaped hat resembling a doctoral cap from the human world, lending him the refined air of an elderly scholar.

"This is truly unbelievable... The future that had already been destined has changed without warning..."

His voice was filled with shock and confusion.

"Even the scenes I saw in my dreams are becoming more and more blurry..."

As Gamamaru spoke, he frowned slightly, as though trying hard to determine the reason behind it.

Yet faced with such bizarre and unpredictable changes, even with the experience and wisdom he had accumulated over a thousand years, he could not find a definite answer for the moment.

Gamamaru could not understand it. By all reason, the facts of the future were destined and could not be changed. Yet now they had changed, and everything before had to be discarded.

"Old Master, did you dream of something again?"

Sage Fukasaku, standing nearby, had naturally noticed that something was wrong with the Great Toad Sage.

"Fukasaku, hurry and tell little Jiraiya that he must be careful of snakes. Snakes will bring disaster to this world!"

Gamamaru suddenly said for no apparent reason.

Upon hearing this, Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima both frowned.

"You must tell Jiraiya. Snakes will bring disaster to this world!"

"I saw a snake. This snake will bring unprecedented destruction to the Shinobi World! But there is still time to stop it!"

Gamamaru's eyes were no longer clouded as he spoke again, his tone far more resolute and certain this time!

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima were left completely stunned.

"Dear, could the Old Master be planning to start a war with Ryūchi Cave?"

Sage Shima quipped.

"The snakes here may not necessarily be snakes from Ryūchi Cave. It could be some kind of metaphor. For some reason, the Old Master simply cannot say it outright..."

Sage Fukasaku said slowly.