Chapter 243: How to Learn Sage Mode
"I have already made a plan."
He took a small step forward, as if articulating his well-thought-out blueprint to the ancient sage and to his own heart.
"The first step is to lay a unified material and territorial Foundation."
His thoughts were clear and well-organized.
"The Land of Snow has already developed trains.
Railways and trains can greatly solve the problems of inconvenient transportation and communication barriers.
Ōnoki's Dust Release from the Land of Earth, combined with the Light-Weight Rock Technique, is an excellent way to split mountains, crack rocks, and level land.
Coupled with the massive Chakra support I can provide, and by concentrating the manpower and resources of the entire Ninja World, I am confident that within ten years, the main transportation network between major cities and countries will be initially established.
Convenient transportation is the first step to breaking down geographical isolation, promoting economic and cultural integration, and strengthening central control."
He paused for a moment, then continued, his tone more composed:
"The second step, and the most crucial one you emphasized, is the sowing and transformation of ideology."
Naruto's gaze was profound.
"Once formal unification is complete, I will not merely be satisfied with establishing a powerful ruling machine.
I will immediately begin to systematically organize an education System.
We will compile new textbooks, select and train teachers, and establish schools that cover as wide a population as possible – starting from towns and gradually extending to villages.
The content of education will not only be Ninjutsu or cultural knowledge, but more importantly, it will spread the seeds of new ideas."
His voice carried a firm conviction: "Unity is beneficial, peace is precious, cooperation is better than internal strife, understanding can resolve hatred... these concepts must become fundamental knowledge that the new generation accepts from a young age, just like literacy and arithmetic.
We must change the 'inherent ideology' of the Ninja World, which has viewed division and conflict as the norm for thousands of years."
"The third step is to Cultivate and dispatch'sowers'."
Naruto's plan was interconnected.
"Through the education System, we will screen and Cultivate people who truly identify with these ideals and are full of passion.
Then, we will let them, with their convictions, go to every corner of the Ninja World, especially remote and conservative areas, like monks or missionaries of the past, to preach, to practice, to alleviate poverty, and to deeply implant the belief in unity and the idea of peace into people's hearts through actions and words.
This will ensure that this ideology is no longer a top-down command from a powerful authority, but gradually becomes a bottom-up consensus in society."
He concluded, his tone calm but containing immense determination:
"I know this path is long and difficult, and may encounter countless obstacles, setbacks, and even betrayals.
I also know that I may not see the day it is fully realized, and as you predicted, everything may revert to chaos after my death."
"But!"
He slightly raised his head, his eyes sharp as blades.
"As long as the spark of an idea is truly ignited and continuously spread, it has the potential to start a prairie fire.
Even if new forces rise in the future and want to 'overthrow' the System I left behind, they will have to face a world that has been partially transformed by new ideas, and a populace that has been exposed to different possibilities.
The cyclical nature of history may not be completely broken, but we can try... to lengthen the cycle of peace, deepen the ideological Foundation of unity, make the cost of each 'division' higher, and make the desire for 'union' stronger."
"This is my answer, Great Toad Sage."
Naruto finished his explanation and bowed slightly again.
"Nothing can be eternal. I do not seek to be the eternal sun, but merely a spark that can ignite more torches and illuminate a sufficiently long path.
Even if the flame eventually dies out, the path it once illuminated may offer some guidance to those who come after."
Inside the great hall, there was silence. The faint glow of natural energy still flowed, as if silently evaluating the young man's vast and detailed, idealistic yet carefully planned 'Heaven-Defying Legacy' strategy.
The Great Toad Sage gazed at Naruto for a long time.
He had seen the entire future... that time, he himself had been swayed, even shocked.
Because it was so thought-provoking, it remained fresh in his memory.
What was known through prophecy and what was heard firsthand felt different.
This young man's talent was comparable to the Six Paths Sage, but he was different from the young Six Paths Sage he had met.
He was more spirited, yet not reckless.
He possessed both the youthful vigor of a young man and the maturity of a middle-aged one, like the morning sun, vibrant yet dignified.
"Good, I will teach you Sage Mode."
He no longer judged or warned as a prophet, but directly entered the role of 'instructor'.
"Listen carefully."
The Great Toad Sage's voice became steady and clear, as if imparting the most ancient secret scripture:
"The essence of Sage Mode is to draw in natural energy and achieve a perfect balance with one's own spiritual energy and physical energy, fusing them to create a higher-level 'senjutsu chakra'."
"The prerequisite for a practitioner is to possess an extremely vast Chakra Foundation, serving as a 'container' and 'cornerstone' for accommodating and harmonizing natural energy.
On this point, you seem to have... no problem."
The Great Toad Sage gave Naruto a meaningful look, clearly sensing the vast, ocean-like Chakra reserves within him, and perhaps even detecting the presence of the Nine-Tailed, and more.
"The most crucial step is proportion control. Natural energy, spiritual energy, and physical energy must be strictly maintained in a perfect 1:1:1 balance.
Too much or too little of any one will lead to imbalance; minor cases will result in failed senjutsu, while severe cases... will cause serious mutations."
He began to elaborate on the characteristics and risks of the Legacy of the three Holy Lands:
"If you choose to Cultivate Sage Mode in Mount Myōboku,"
The Great Toad Sage slowly said: "Following our traditional methods, during cultivation, the body will gradually absorb and adapt to the natural energy characteristics of this place. Over time, it will inevitably become tainted with the 'toad' aura.
This is a natural result of energy assimilation.
If there is an error in the absorption or proportion control of natural energy during cultivation, exceeding the body's tolerance and transformation limit, it will lead to 'Frogification'.
The skin will develop toad-like patterns or bumps, the body structure will resemble a toad, and in severe cases, one may even lose human form and become a true 'toad'."
"The same applies to Ryūchi Cave. The natural energy characteristics there are cold and unpredictable, and the cultivation methods are suitable for snakes.
Humans cultivating there will undergo 'Snakeification'.
Their skin will grow scales, pupils will become vertical, and their bodies will become soft and dangerous.
Unlike us, the more dragon-like they become, the more perfect they are, whereas for us, retaining the original form is the measure of success and perfection."
"Shikkotsu Forest, on the other hand, will lead to 'Slugification'. The body may become soft, segmented, or possess super regenerative and Fusion characteristics, but it may also lose human form and independent consciousness, becoming part of Katsuyu the Sage."
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