Sage Mode

"Sensei, I heard you're already an S-Rank Rogue Ninja." Kenichi Amamiya spoke to Orochimaru with a smile.

On the third day after they defected from the village, news that Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin, had fled Konoha began spreading widely throughout the ninja world. Konoha could only acknowledge it and release some information on Orochimaru, classifying him as an S-Rank Rogue Ninja.

Kenichi Amamiya had also heard about his own classification. It seemed Konoha had listed him as an A-Rank Rogue Ninja.

It looked like it had something to do with that Root ninja.

"Mm." Orochimaru had little interest in such matters. He was conducting research, and his subject was the curse mark.

Kenichi Amamiya glanced at the curse mark. His teacher had taken this thing out some time ago, and Kenichi had pretended to be deeply surprised.

But he knew that this curse mark was actually the result of research conducted on Jugo. What his teacher was studying now should be the Heaven's Curse Mark, right?

At the mention of the Heaven's Curse Mark, Kenichi Amamiya thought of his junior sister.

Anko Mitarashi bore such a curse mark as well, and his teacher had likely already sealed Anko Mitarashi's memories. That was probably a good thing for her.

"Kenichi, why do you think that when this Heaven's Curse Mark is implanted in a target, there is such a high chance of death?" Orochimaru set down what he was holding and looked at his disciple.

"Sensei, I think it may be because not everyone can absorb Natural Energy." Kenichi Amamiya shrugged.

Under his teacher's instruction, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Heaven's Curse Mark. To put it plainly, it was a simple method of Sage Transformation.

However, because it had been extracted from Jugo, using this power caused the absorbed Natural Energy to become violent, producing all sorts of changes in the body.

In a sense, it was more like a compound that could greatly enhance the recipient's abilities. The problem was that it was selective about its users, and its Mortality Rate was extremely high.

It was very similar to Sage Mode.

But Sage Mode was not something one could cultivate casually. It required talent.

"Come to think of it, weren't you planning to learn Sage Mode?" Orochimaru looked at Kenichi Amamiya. His disciple had already had such thoughts back when they were in Konoha.

He had previously considered placing the Heaven's Curse Mark on this disciple of his, but after considering that this disciple suited his tastes fairly well and was convenient to use, he had abandoned the idea.

"Yes, Sensei. I do have that intention." Kenichi Amamiya admitted it readily. He had expressed such intentions before.

Orochimaru pondered for a while. If he knew Sage Mode, he could teach his disciple, but the only problem was that he did not know Sage Mode himself.

When he had gone to Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru had once tried to cultivate Sage Mode, but he had not succeeded.

Still, this disciple of his could give it a try.

"Since you want to cultivate Sage Mode, let me explain it to you first." Orochimaru's expression turned serious.

He truly did not know Sage Mode, but who was he? He was Orochimaru, a ninja of exceptional talent. When he had studied Sage Mode back then, he had memorized some of its principles.

Using them to teach his disciple in advance was not a bad idea.

Kenichi Amamiya listened attentively, but as he listened, his expression gradually became strange.

According to his teacher, the most important step in cultivating Sage Mode was first sensing the Natural Energy present in the air. Each of the Three Great Sage Regions had its own method for this step.

For example, Mount Myōboku used Toad Oil to help practitioners initially sense and master Natural Energy.

Yet after attempting to sense it according to his teacher's method, Kenichi Amamiya was astonished to discover that Natural Energy was everywhere around him. Moreover, at his command, it could almost instantly be absorbed into his body.

"Is it because of the First Hokage's Sage Body?" Kenichi Amamiya pondered.

Among all the ninja who cultivated Sage Mode, the First was an exceptionally outstanding figure. Unlike Jiraiya, who needed to absorb Natural Energy before entering Sage Mode, the First could enter it instantly.

His talent was undeniably extraordinary.

And Kenichi Amamiya had inherited the First's physique, so it was only natural that he could sense this Natural Energy.

However, Kenichi Amamiya had inherited only the physique, not the knowledge, so he had previously been unable to find the right path. Now, with his teacher's explanation, he had pierced through that final layer and successfully stepped into a new field.

Kenichi Amamiya kept his expression calm. The moment he sensed the Natural Energy, it was like a desperate girl in an erotic manga, impatiently trying to throw itself into his body.

He quickly cut off that sensation, avoiding the possibility of Natural Energy surging into his body.

After all, Orochimaru possessed Living Corpse Reincarnation. If he displayed such astonishing talent now, whether his teacher would become covetous was another question.

So Kenichi Amamiya still planned to practice in private first.

"After you can absorb Natural Energy, you must mix it with physical energy and spiritual energy to achieve a balance..." His teacher continued explaining, and Kenichi Amamiya listened carefully. This knowledge could not be heard elsewhere in the ninja world.

Kenichi Amamiya now had an entirely new understanding of Senjutsu.

It made him somewhat impatient to try researching Senjutsu. Although he had not absorbed any just now, he could feel that he had an extraordinary affinity with this Natural Energy.

That was probably related to the First Hokage's Sage Body as well.

"Sensei, could I apply for a little research funding~?" Once his teacher finished speaking, Kenichi Amamiya expressed his admiration, then hurriedly asked.

Back in Konoha, he had Root's financial support. Now that it was gone, he had to find ways to handle everything himself, and even buying things required money.

But Kenichi Amamiya had other uses for that money. He had not forgotten that he still had a Side Mission to build a laboratory of his own.

"You're an A-Rank Rogue Ninja now, Kenichi. It's time you learned how to make money yourself." Orochimaru smiled faintly and patted Kenichi Amamiya on the shoulder.

Kenichi Amamiya's mouth twitched. But seeing his teacher's smile, he knew that Orochimaru definitely would not provide him with research funding.

"All right, Sensei. Then I'll apply to go out and take on some commissions." Kenichi Amamiya sighed. It seemed he had to find a way to join the ninja world's number-one dream team as soon as possible.