The next day.
Shinju and Naruto's Sage Mode training officially began.
Although Naruto still wasn't very skilled at controlling his basic chakra with precision, the elder toads of Mount Myōboku didn't want to repeat their lessons twice. So, the two of them were arranged to train together.
The only difference was that Naruto still had to put in extra training every night.
At this moment—
Beneath a toad oil waterfall on Mount Myōboku, Shinju, Naruto, Jiraiya, and Fukasaku stood together.
Originally, Jiraiya teaching Sage Mode to two kids was already enough of a handful.
But since the Great Toad Sage had personally instructed that this training was of utmost importance—and Jiraiya always acted unreliable—Fukasaku had come himself to oversee the teaching.
Fukasaku began:
"Learning Sage Mode is actually simple. To put it briefly, you need to—"
"Die."
Jiraiya added flatly from the side.
Shinju: --003d͟͟͞͞--003d͟͟͞͞(●⁰ꈊ⁰● |||)
Naruto: --003d͟͟͞͞--003d͟͟͞͞(●⁰ꈊ⁰● |||)
Wait, that serious?
Maybe Sage Mode isn't worth learning after all!
"What kind of nonsense comparison is that?!"
With a jump, Fukasaku smacked Jiraiya on the head with a crisp slap.
Then he continued:
"Training in Sage Mode is about sensing natural energy—absorbing it and making it your own. And the key to this training is… stillness."
"You'll only sense natural energy for the first time once you stop the movements of the body, and your own flow merges with the flow of nature."
Naruto scratched his head.
"Sounds super hard already. (||๐_๐)"
"Well then, let me show you a demonstration of what Sage Mode can do."
With a hop, Fukasaku approached a gigantic stone toad.
Standing barely up to Shinju's calf, Fukasaku formed a simple hand sign.
Then he slowly placed his two small front palms beneath the massive stone toad's foot.
Rumble!
The ground shook lightly—
And then, that stone toad, more than ten meters tall and weighing hundreds of tons, was lifted into the air by Fukasaku!
Naruto shouted in awe.
Unlike him, Shinju was silent.
He was fully focused, trying to observe the flow of chakra within Fukasaku's body.
But since he still couldn't sense senjutsu chakra yet, what he saw was mostly unclear.
Still, witnessing such a small body wielding Sage Chakra to casually lift a mountain of stone made Shinju even more determined to master Sage Mode!
After setting the stone toad down, Fukasaku proudly hopped in front of the two awestruck boys.
He then pointed toward the stone toads behind him.
"Sensing natural energy is an extremely difficult process. Don't think you can master it all at once. Otherwise, you'll end up like these seniors back here."
"If you absorb too much natural energy, you'll start turning into a toad. Worse still, you'll merge completely with nature and turn into stone."
Following the direction of his webbed finger, Shinju saw row after row of massive stone toads.
A rough estimate—over a hundred of them, each standing ten or twenty meters tall!
Shinju swallowed hard, startled.
"All of these were seniors who failed while training Sage Mode?"
"That's right."
Fukasaku nodded.
Shinju, Naruto: (,,#ﾟДﾟ)
"Alright, enough talking. You two can begin training."
Fukasaku hopped to the waterfall.
"This is toad oil, something you can only find here in Mount Myōboku. When applied to the body, it helps you sense natural energy more easily and accelerates Sage training."
He dipped his hand into the oil and carefully smeared some across Shinju and Naruto's forearms.
Then, seeing the two kids hesitating, Fukasaku smiled reassuringly.
"Relax and begin. With me and little Jiraiya here, there's no way you'll turn into toads."
...
The Land of Fire, Konohagakure.
Inside a hidden chamber.
Sunagakure and Otogakure shinobi who had come for the Chunin Exams were holding a secret meeting.
"The plan proceeds as scheduled," one of the Oto-nin said.
"Everything is under Orochimaru-sama's control."
"Let's just hope Gaara doesn't screw it up."
The Sand team leader, Baki, nodded.
"Don't worry. We won't fail. This battle concerns Sunagakure's very future…"
As they spoke, one of the Oto-nin's ears twitched, sensing a faint disturbance of chakra nearby.
He suddenly spun around and hurled two kunai!
"Someone's listening! No matter what, today's conversation cannot leave the two of our villages!!"
...
Mount Myōboku.
Beneath the toad oil waterfall.
Shinju and Naruto had formed hand signs, sitting cross-legged in meditation.
Their first step—learning to sense natural energy.
But Naruto had already absorbed too much. His skin began to bubble like a toad's, his body swelling—signs of toad transformation.
At once, Jiraiya struck him on the head with a black staff without hesitation.
Bam!!
The blow forced Naruto back to normal!
Meanwhile, Shinju's face began to change too—but instead of swelling, orange markings appeared around his eyes, with a red mark between his brows.
Both Jiraiya and Fukasaku were surprised.
Those markings—proof of entering Sage Mode!
But soon, Shinju's face also started to swell, the transformation of a toad setting in.
Fukasaku immediately smacked him on the head with his staff.
Thud!
Shinju returned to normal.
Fukasaku said, "Don't rush. Even little Jiraiya here never perfected Sage Mode. Every time he uses it, a bit of toad traits still show."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered meaningfully on Shinju.
Barely two hours since training began, and this kid was already able to sense natural energy!
His speed surpassed even the Fourth Hokage and Jiraiya himself back in the day.
Another two hours later, Shinju could clearly sense natural energy through the toad oil.
Though slight toad features appeared on his skin, the orange eye shadow and red mark at his brow grew even more distinct!
Jiraiya's pupils shook in shock. He opened his mouth but couldn't find words.
Fukasaku hopped forward and patted Shinju, who was meditating with closed eyes.
"Try lifting that stone toad over there."
Shinju opened his eyes, nodded at Fukasaku, and walked toward the massive stone toad.
He placed his hands beneath its foot and pushed lightly.
Natural energy flowed through his body!
Rumble—
The hundred-ton stone toad trembled in his grip!
...
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