Fukasaku and Shima endured the most agonizing half-hour watching Veigar maintain his Death God Mode, standing silently.
The moment Veigar opened his eyes, Fukasaku eagerly asked:
"Veigar, are you alright?"
Veigar showed a genuinely joyful smile, looking at Fukasaku and Shima, and replied:
"I'm fine, I'm great!"
Shima also chimed in:
"Then what is this state of yours?"
The two Toad Sages could sense a vast amount of Senjutsu Chakra swirling around Veigar, seemingly drawn into his body by an invisible force.
"This is my unique Sage Mode; there's no need to worry."
Noticing the concern in Fukasaku and Shima's eyes, Veigar calmly smiled and explained.
"Oh, and Sage Fukasaku."
"Those two wills of mine aren't needed anymore. Please return them to me!"
Saying this, Veigar extended his hand towards Fukasaku.
In a flash, three days passed.
During these three days, Veigar never deactivated his Death God Mode; it seemed to have become his default state.
Of course, Fukasaku and Shima were utterly astonished. They could only imagine how powerful Veigar had become.
Perhaps, or rather, even if they teamed up, they might not be Veigar's match.
They had never seen anyone maintain Sage Mode for such a prolonged period.
Veigar was unaware of Fukasaku and Shima's thoughts. His ability to maintain Sage Mode for days was also related to his current residence in Mount Myōboku.
Veigar's Death God Mode was a combination of Sage Mode and the Reaper Death Seal.
As for absorbing natural energy to generate the necessary Senjutsu Chakra for Death God Mode, Veigar didn't need to produce it himself.
He only needed to hold the Shinigami Blade in his hand; it would naturally provide Veigar with Senjutsu Chakra.
Because the Shinigami Blade in Veigar's hand was no longer what it used to be. Its primary components were Veigar's chakra and Samehada's sealed soul.
Thus, the Shinigami Blade in Veigar's hand had perfectly inherited Samehada's abilities. Not only could it effortlessly absorb Senjutsu Chakra, but it also gained the ability to directly strike souls.
Furthermore, Veigar's current location was Mount Myōboku, one of the three great sacred lands of the summoning world. The natural energy here was simply incomparable to that of the ninja world.
If Veigar were in the ninja world, even if the Shinigami Blade could supply him with Senjutsu Chakra, there wouldn't be enough Senjutsu Chakra to sustain him.
In the ninja world, Veigar naturally couldn't maintain Death God Mode indefinitely.
Much less maintain it for extended periods in combat.
The other reason Veigar had maintained Death God Mode for these three days, aside from adapting to it as quickly as possible, was that his body was undergoing a metamorphosis.
With Phenomenal Evil Power as its core, and fusing with his Ryūmyaku bloodline under the influence of the Body Enhancement Technique, absorbing Senjutsu Chakra as energy, his body was transforming into a Phenomenal Evil Body.
Phenomenal Evil Body.
This was the name Veigar had given his bloodline.
The three-year period had ended. After bidding farewell to Fukasaku and Shima, Veigar stepped out of Mount Myōboku.
Silently, Veigar appeared at the entrance of Konohagakure.
"Who goes there?"
Veigar, having dispelled his Death God Mode, with the Shinigami Blade casually sheathed at his waist, had barely approached the village gates when two ninja appeared before him. One of them, a middle-aged ninja with a scar across his face, sharply challenged him.
When they recognized the ninja headband on Veigar's forehead and vaguely familiar face, their tone instantly softened.
"You, you are...?"
Though stopped, Veigar wasn't annoyed; instead, he smiled and said:
"I am Veigar Koshima, a Jonin of Konoha."
"Go inform the Hokage!"
"Tell him I've returned."
Immediately, the two diligent Konoha ninja recalled who Veigar was.
"You're Veigar, Veigar Jonin."
At the Hokage Residence, Hiruzen had been waiting in his office since he learned of Veigar's timely return to the village.
However, upon returning, Veigar didn't immediately go to see him. Instead, he first enjoyed a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, which tasted just as he remembered, then went home to shower before finally being led by an Anbu ninja to the Hokage Residence.
Pushing open the door, Veigar stepped into the Hokage's office. Upon seeing Hiruzen, Veigar smiled faintly and said:
"Third Hokage, Konoha Jonin Veigar Koshima reporting for duty."
Hiruzen looked up, seriously scrutinizing Veigar, whom he hadn't seen in three years.
He suddenly realized he couldn't see through the current Veigar. Not only that, he could sense a faint, dangerous aura emanating from Veigar.
His head began to ache!
Just three years apart, and Veigar had changed so dramatically, this was something Hiruzen had not anticipated.
Although Konoha desperately needed high-level combat power right now, Hiruzen truly didn't know how to utilize Veigar.
He didn't even want to use him anymore!
"Veigar, welcome back."
Despite his thoughts, Hiruzen didn't show them on his face. Instead, he smiled kindly and said.
As the saying goes, the older, the craftier.
This saying was truly spot on. Hiruzen's smile at this moment made Veigar feel...
...like a spring breeze.
Yes, that was exactly the feeling.
Despite disliking Hiruzen intensely and holding no affection for him, under Hiruzen's smile, Veigar simply couldn't bring himself to be angry.
This was a unique charm and powerful infectiousness.
"How have these three years been?"
A bit of a headache, Hiruzen, not having figured out how to assign Veigar, decided to make small talk with him, and incidentally, understand what Veigar had experienced during these three years.
How could such a big change have occurred?
"Mm, they've been good!"
"Every day was particularly fulfilling."
While Hiruzen had the leisure for pleasantries, Veigar had no intention of chatting idly with him.
Veigar pulled out a scroll and directly unsealed it before Hiruzen.
"Release!"
Thump.
Samehada, now a mere husk with its soul gone, was released by Veigar and held in his hand.
"Three years ago, I made a deal with you with this."
"Now, it's time for me to fulfill my promise."
With that, Veigar placed Samehada on the table before Hiruzen.
However, to Veigar's surprise, Hiruzen, who had shown immense interest in Samehada three years ago, seemed to have changed his mind today.
"Veigar, keep this blade for yourself."
Hiruzen's words stunned Veigar, who then shook his head and said:
"No need, I've already obtained the blade I want."
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]