The White Snake Immortal injected a large amount of natural energy into Sora's body.
Snake scales had already appeared on parts of Sora's skin. He concentrated his Chakra to fight against the natural energy flowing through him.
To learn Sage Mode, one must first possess a large amount of Chakra. Without it, you would be swallowed up by natural energy in an instant.
The second step is learning how to absorb natural energy. Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myōboku taught completely different methods for this process.
Mount Myōboku's method begins with toad oil to master the secret of absorbing natural energy. Once you get used to it, you no longer need any aids and can start practicing to control natural energy. The key is absorbing natural energy by remaining perfectly still.
The method of Ryūchi Cave is much simpler and more direct. Just as Sora was experiencing now, a large amount of natural energy is directly injected into the body, forcing it to tolerate and adapt to the wild energy.
This is why the Sage Modes of Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave differ greatly.
Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode requires complete stillness to gather natural energy, but Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode doesn't have this limitation.
Now the Chakra in Sora's body was fighting fiercely against the natural energy.
Immortal Chakra requires the perfect balance of spiritual energy, physical energy, and natural energy. But Sora's current task wasn't to balance these forces, but to suppress the violent natural energy in his body before he could even attempt to harmonize all three.
Sora seemed to have lost track of time in Ryūchi Cave, devoting himself completely to fighting against the natural energy raging within his body.
...
Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.
These were difficult days for Kakashi in the Konoha Defense Force.
After Sora left, though the Root ninjas still obeyed his orders, the ordinary ninjas recruited by Sora gradually began to disregard Kakashi's commands. This wasn't because of any problem with Kakashi himself, but because of Uchiha Shisui.
Uchiha Shisui knew he couldn't command the Root ninjas, so he bypassed Kakashi entirely and began directing those ordinary ninjas, merging the regular ninjas recruited by Yahiko with those he had recruited himself.
Though command authority nominally belonged to Kakashi, his orders no longer carried weight.
Moreover, the Uchiha ninjas that Genbu captured were immediately released by Uchiha Shisui. Some were clearly second or even third-time offenders, yet Uchiha Shisui still allowed them to pay only the minimum bail of 10,000 ryō before letting them go.
In the office at this moment, Uchiha Shisui approached Kakashi. He wanted to redefine the regulations for apprehending ninjas who had attempted crimes versus those who had actually committed them.
For example, he suggested that if an incident was just a verbal argument, then no arrest should be made—only verbal warnings given.
Uchiha Shisui also wanted to stipulate which prison facility captured ninjas should be sent to based on their crimes.
Kakashi listened to Uchiha Shisui's eloquent speech with a subtle look in his eyes.
After Uchiha Shisui finished speaking, Kakashi fixed his right eye on him and said, "Vice Captain, do you think that because my teacher isn't here, you can manipulate me however you want?"
Uchiha Shisui's expression froze. After a pause, he replied, "How could that be? Aren't I asking for your opinion?"
Kakashi glanced at the busy ninjas outside the office and said, "You want my opinion? You integrated those ninjas without asking for my input.
There are also ninjas who should be paying bail of more than 100,000 ryō, but you let them pay just 10,000 and walk free.
Are you really asking for my opinion?
I remember my teacher saying that although I'm only the acting captain, I have all the authority of the captain. You're overstepping your boundaries quite seriously."
Uchiha Shisui defended himself: "I just thought this would be better for the Konoha Defense Force."
Kakashi smiled and replied, "Better? I doubt that. We both know what's happening here. You see the teacher's absence as an opportunity, but don't forget—the teacher will return. If I were you, I would maintain the status quo.
I'm not trying to be clever about this. It doesn't matter to me what changes you make to integrate the ninjas, because I know everything you do will fall apart the day my teacher returns.
You have no way to oppose my teacher. No matter what changes you make now, they won't help in the long run.
My teacher has major conflicts with your Uchiha clan, but I don't, which is why I can tell you this calmly. I'm also advising you that it's better to maintain things as they are."
Uchiha Shisui's expression became uncertain.
Kakashi was right—no matter what he did now, everything would turn to bubbles when Sora returned.
Uchiha Shisui had known this all along, but he was unwilling to do nothing.
Sora had finally left, and Uchiha Shisui thought about making at least some changes.
He had hoped that when Sora came back, even if Sora kept one or two of his changes, it would be considered a success.
But Kakashi's reminder meant that he would tell Sora everything Uchiha Shisui had done.
Kakashi had shattered Uchiha Shisui's last bit of hope.
Kakashi could have just let him continue without saying anything. As for the rules, as long as Kakashi didn't approve them, Uchiha Shisui couldn't make or change regulations alone. On the day Sora returned, everything would naturally revert to its original state.
Kakashi's warning suggested he might genuinely be trying to help.
Uchiha Shisui had heard that Kakashi and Uchiha Obito, who died in the war, had been good friends. Perhaps Kakashi didn't harbor the same ill feelings toward the Uchiha clan as Sora did.
"Thanks for the reminder, Kakashi."
Uchiha Shisui thanked Kakashi and left the office.
Kakashi watched Uchiha Shisui's departing figure with confusion.
He had expected Uchiha Shisui to threaten or insult him, but never thought he would express gratitude.
Kakashi had spoken those words simply to make Uchiha Shisui calm down and stop doing pointless work. When his teacher Yahiko returned, the more changes made, the worse things would be for Shisui.
Now that Uchiha Shisui had stopped his interference, Kakashi could relax.
Although Sora had said the Konoha Defense Force didn't matter much to him, he had trusted Kakashi to do a good job. Kakashi wanted to work hard and fulfill this trust.
At the very least, he couldn't let Uchiha Shisui do whatever he wanted.
Kakashi muttered to himself: "That guy doesn't think I'm sincerely trying to help him.
He's exactly what Teacher Sora described.
Too naive.
Well, as long as it works, it's fine.
Now I still need to buy saury and eggplant after work. My wife will make salt-roasted saury and eggplant with miso sauce tonight."
After finishing work, Kakashi bought saury and eggplant and headed to Sora's home.
When Kakashi arrived, he found Uzumaki Kushina lying by the pool, retching.
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