Just as Shiraishi was approaching the ideal state for the White Snake Sage's plans, he slowly opened his eyes and began putting his shirt back on.
"Eh? You're not continuing?"
The White Snake Sage was caught off guard. It hadn't expected Shiraishi to abruptly give up right at the threshold of success, dressing himself as if preparing to leave.
"I've been in Ryuchi Cave for twelve hours. If I don't head back, the internal affairs of the Sand will fall into chaos."
Although Shiraishi had arranged for a Human Puppet clone in the Kazekage's office to temporarily handle administrative duties, it couldn't maintain the ruse for long. As much as he coveted the power of the Dragon Ball, he had to return.
Seeing the White Snake Sage's expression—which looked as though it were suffering from severe constipation—Shiraishi handed the Dragon Ball back.
"My Senjutsu training cannot progress without the assistance of this orb. I will return to Ryuchi Cave at the same time tomorrow."
By now, Shiraishi had signed the contract with the Ryuchi Cave summoning beasts. He could summon the snakes of the cave, and the cave, in turn, could use Reverse Summoning to bring him back.
The White Snake Sage wanted to protest, but considering this man was indeed the leader of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages and was buried under a mountain of state affairs, the Sage was forced to concede for now.
Since Shiraishi needed the Dragon Ball to practice, he was tethered to Ryuchi Cave. The Sage had enough patience to wait.
Of course, the White Snake Sage considered using force, but Shiraishi was currently one of the strongest existences in the shinobi world.
Suppressing him through pure violence was unrealistic; moreover, with his repertoire of secret techniques, a "Crystal-and-stone-burning" suicide move would ruin all the Sage's plans.
"Those matters are mere trivialities. Entrust them to your subordinates sooner," the Sage grumbled.
"That will still take some time."
After a few brief pleasantries, Shiraishi vanished with a poof from before the White Snake Sage.
Senjutsu Training could not be rushed. While the Dragon Ball allowed him to do more with less, a shaky foundation was dangerous. Shiraishi had no intention of breaking through to Sage Mode too quickly.
However, when Shiraishi returned home, he found his resident cat, baring its teeth and hissing at him.
Clearly, the lingering scent of Ryuchi Cave on Shiraishi's body had triggered the fat ginger cat's hostility. Its fur stood on end, looking ready to pounce.
Shiraishi wasn't afraid of the cat's "explosion mode." He scooped up the heavy feline and adjusted his chakra, causing the natural energy of Ryuchi Cave to dissipate into nothingness. "Eh, you seem to really hate Ryuchi Cave."
Of course, I hate it! That poisonous snake bit this meow's butt a thousand years ago!
A millennium ago, the ginger cat wasn't this gluttonous, lazy creature waiting to die of overeating. Back then, it was among the first batch of natural beings to awaken on this planet—a peer of the White Snake Sage.
But then... it just peaked and plateaued. While other lineages became the Three Great Sacred Lands, it remained a seemingly ordinary house cat, having forgotten most of its primal instincts. It was, for all intents and purposes, a "useless cat."
"So, how much do you actually know about Senjutsu and natural energy?" Shiraishi asked, seeing the cat's indignant face. The cat simply scratched its head, looking utterly dazed.
Senjutsu? Isn't that just stuff you eat?
Fine. A cat that had survived to this day by consuming natural energy—and was seemingly getting younger—was arguably more impressive than the snake in the cave.
Shiraishi was well aware of the hidden dangers of his training. As a Sage of the Great Lands, the White Snake Sage possessed terrifying power.
Shiraishi wasn't entirely confident he could defeat it yet. He had guessed the snake's goal, but since the training was genuinely beneficial, the two were currently in a state of mutual exploitation.
If the old snake wanted him to master Sage Mode so badly, Shiraishi intended to milk the opportunity for all it was worth, extracting as much ancient knowledge and secret techniques as possible.
The Second Session
The birth of Tomoe's child was still some time away. Shiraishi had to accelerate his mastery of the mysteries of Senjutsu. The next day at noon, he summoned himself back to Ryuchi Cave and stood before the White Snake Sage once more.
Seeing the expectant look in the Sage's eyes, Shiraishi smiled. "Sage, were you waiting for me?"
"Indeed. You are the most talented human I have seen in a thousand years. Naturally, I have high expectations."
"Are the two legends—Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha—that lacking in talent?"
At the mention of those two, the Sage paused. "I wasn't close with them. However, according to that slug in the Shikkotsu Forest, Hashirama's initial speed in learning Senjutsu was almost as fast as yours. As for the Uchiha, their bloodline is quite repellent to these things."
Shiraishi caught a sensitive detail. "Sage, are you saying Hashirama Senju practiced his Senjutsu in the Shikkotsu Forest?"
As a reincarnation of Asura and a direct descendant of the Sage of the Six Paths, Shiraishi had assumed Hashirama might have trained at Mount Myoboku. But considering Tsunade's summon came from the Shikkotsu Forest, it made sense.
"This kid is stalling again," the Sage thought, its eyes widening in irritation. "Stop thinking about such random things and practice! Do you think I have nothing better to do than play with you all day?"
Shiraishi removed his shirt and sat cross-legged. "I wonder, what was the 'God of Shinobi' Hashirama Senju like at his peak?"
"His chakra reserves exceeded those of the Tailed Beasts," the Sage said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "The man could enter Sage Mode instantly, and in that state, his regenerative powers were staggering."
The First Hokage didn't just have more chakra than a Tailed Beast; his ability to heal any wound without hand seals was legendary. His body was so teeming with vitality that anyone possessing "Hashirama Cells" would see their own healing and longevity boosted.
"Are we done talking? Can we practice now?"
The White Snake Sage spat out the Dragon Ball once more. Under the shroud of massive natural energy, Shiraishi closed his eyes.
Several hours passed. Just as the Sage was waiting in anxious anticipation, Shiraishi's body finally changed.
The dragon sigils appeared in his eyes, and a unique purple dragon-aura manifested behind him.
This form was strikingly different from the traditional Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode. The Sage's consciousness began to expand rapidly, preparing to strike...
Suddenly, the dragon-aura dissipated. The sigils vanished. Shiraishi slowly opened his eyes.
"You..."
Ignoring the Sage's livid expression, Shiraishi put his clothes back on. "The envoy from the Fire Daimyo is visiting today, so I only had four hours for training."
Heaven and Earth be my witness—Shiraishi wasn't teasing the Sage on purpose. Being the Kazekage really was that busy.
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