Takuno stared expressionlessly at the scene filled with warmth before him, his cold gaze seemingly freezing the air.
He hadn't fully subdued the other party yet, which was why he resorted to such means.
If Yakushi Nono dared to defy his will again, he would not give her another chance.
Of course, he wouldn't target Yakushi Nono's children, but her own life.
He would never use someone who had betrayed him a second time.
As for those children, Takuno had no interest in their lives; they were merely tools used to threaten Yakushi Nono at this moment.
Regardless of whether Yakushi Nono betrayed him later, this would be the last time they met.
However, if Yakushi Kabuto were there at that time, it would be different.
Takuno's thoughts surged like undercurrents: once Yakushi Nono was executed, that shrewd and cunning Yakushi Kabuto could no longer be kept alive.
After all, the bond between mother and son would make him want to kill him at any cost; even if he could hide the cause of Yakushi Nono's death, deceiving him wouldn't be easy.
Thinking of this, a trace of cold mockery rose in Takuno's heart; he also hoped Yakushi Nono would be smart enough to avoid this dead end and not step onto the path of self-destruction again.
Now that he had subdued Yakushi Nono, Takuno felt the time had come to track down Yakushi Kabuto.
After a long period of silence, his subordinates, who only did some business when they had no missions, finally had a task to perform.
Calculating the passage of time, Takuno spoke, breaking the silence, his voice low and certain: "Time's up, it's time to leave."
"Yes, Master," Yakushi Nono replied with a slight bow, her tone carrying an impeccable respect.
Soon, after leaving Konoha's barrier, Takuno watched Yakushi Nono's figure walk into the distance.
As she turned to leave, her silhouette gradually blended into the twilight, while a pitch-black crow silently spread its wings to follow, acting as an extension of his will, monitoring her every move.
In Yakushi Nono's arms was a secret letter addressed to the Hidden Snow Village.
The instructions in the letter were clear: an orphanage was to be opened in that snow-misted land, with Yakushi Nono serving as the director.
Takuno's true intention was to let her create firm bonds in new soil; only then could he completely lower his guard and truly control this pawn.
Another move was the search for Yakushi Kabuto.
Takuno had already asked Yakushi Nono for clues about the target's appearance, as there were slight differences between the anime and reality.
Unfortunately, Yakushi Nono only remembered Yakushi Kabuto's blurred appearance from childhood, such as his small stature and dull hair color, and could not provide more precise information.
Tracking Yakushi Kabuto with just these clues was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
After all, this person had spent years undercover with ease in the four major hidden villages outside of Konoha, his movements as elusive as a ghost.
Now that Danzo's secret manipulation was gone, the last village, Iwagakure, might be excluded from the search, but the remaining Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure were still regions shrouded in mystery.
Takuno's eyes flashed as a plan came to mind.
Instead of wasting manpower searching for Yakushi Kabuto in the vast crowd, it was better to have his subordinates cleverly spread news about Yakushi Nono.
Such as her whereabouts or plight; given Yakushi Kabuto's view of her as a mother, he would surely appear of his own accord.
In this way, the efficiency would far exceed searching like a headless fly.
Having made his decision, Takuno did not return to Konoha; his figure shot out like an arrow from a bow, heading straight toward the Land of Rivers.
The plan he had been brewing for a long time, using Jugo's body to explore Sage Mode, had reached the stage where it had to be practically verified.
This wasn't an impulsive whim, but a critical proposition that needed an answer as soon as possible.
Because he also needed to determine the research direction of the Cursed Seal through Jugo's Sage Mode!
He walked as fast as the wind, but his thoughts flew even faster.
Another equally important consideration progressed simultaneously: the relocation of Jugo and Haku.
Instead of letting the two stay at the base in the Land of Rivers, it was better to send them to the orphanage in the Hidden Snow Village far in the north.
This way, he could avoid traveling back and forth between the Land of Rivers and the Hidden Snow Village.
After all, Jugo's unstable power, derived from nature, would likely become a key "tool" he would frequently call upon in the future. If he remained at the old base in the Land of Rivers for a long time, not only would the laboratory's confidentiality be hard to guarantee, but he would also be exhausted from traveling the long distance between the two countries.
Moreover, there was the orphanage run by Yakushi Nono.
A tentative idea took shape in Takuno's mind: what would happen if Jugo and Haku entered that orphanage system known for its warmth and lived with Yakushi Nono?
He calmly assessed the possibilities. With Haku's gentle and submissive nature and Jugo's simplicity when calm, it wasn't a fantasy for them to be accepted by the orphanage's atmosphere or even establish some kind of "bond" with the director, Yakushi Nono.
If it came true, the value inherent in it would be immeasurable, especially Haku's presence; his deep-rooted loyalty to him could very likely become a subtle weight to restrain Yakushi Nono.
Through Haku, those thorny issues circling his mind regarding this former "the Wandering Miko" of Root could seemingly be completely resolved.
Of course, another scenario also required a backup plan.
What if the pure-hearted Haku was instead influenced and assimilated by Yakushi Nono's charisma and the warmth of the orphanage? This was a potential risk of subversion that needed to be guarded against.
However, Takuno did not feel anxious about this concern.
The orphanage in the Hidden Snow Village didn't just have Yakushi Nono as director; there would surely be helpers. Its organizational structure was itself a point of entry; planting spies and setting pieces were just the most basic methods in an intelligence war.
The environment of the orphanage objectively provided considerable room for such infiltration.
At this thought, Takuno no longer had any hesitation.
His already incredibly fast speed suddenly increased once more, and his whole being turned into a blurred shadow, piercing through the heavy night and heading at full speed toward the heart of the Land of Rivers!
In the base in the Land of Rivers, Takuno soon met Jugo and Haku.
"My Lord!" the two said in unison, their clear eyes instantly rippling with surprise and the intensity of a long-awaited reunion.
Time had not washed away the gratitude rooted in their hearts; instead, it became even more mellow under the joy of reunion.
The corners of Takuno's lips curled slightly, and after a brief exchange of greetings, he went straight to the point: "Pack up, I'm taking you to the Hidden Snow Village."
This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. A rare trace of astonishment flashed across Jugo's dull face, while Haku's eyes, gentle as water, were clouded with a mist of confusion.
Leave? This place that had given them infinite warmth and protection? Here, the care of every servant was meticulous, as if they were threads mending their once-broken lives.
The thoughts of the two raced. They were no longer the ignorant and helpless youths they were when they first arrived. The growth in age and experience had given them the insight to perceive the ways of the world.
They understood that the root of this kind treatment ultimately lay in the will of the "Master" before them; it was Takuno's orders that made the people here not dare to be slightest bit negligent.
However, even knowing this, the heartfelt concern shown in the servants' expressions was quite different from simply following orders.
This sincerity was the true source of the heavy reluctance in their hearts at this moment.
But this shred of reluctance was by no means enough to become a reason to resist Takuno's decision.
Jugo's steady gaze and Haku's firm eyes met silently in the air, and they instantly understood each other's choice, it was the instinct to follow and the conviction to repay kindness.
"We will follow you to the Hidden Snow Village," the two said, their voices not loud but exceptionally clear and firm.
Takuno nodded with satisfaction. He hadn't completely dismissed the idea of moving the entire base to the Hidden Snow Village, but the thought had only flashed through his mind before being rejected.
The climates of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Snow were worlds apart; moving people accustomed to the warm and humid environment here to a freezing and bitter land would not only be useless but would instead add trouble.
Besides, staying here, these people could better contribute to the trade route connecting the Land of Fire; one can never have too much accumulated wealth.
After a brief arrangement, Takuno turned his gaze to the burly Jugo and made a more private request: "Jugo, in the coming days, I will need to use your body frequently."
Jugo was only stunned for a moment, then immediately returned to his calm expression and replied peacefully, "I am at your disposal, My Lord, whenever you need."
This calmness stemmed from a trust that was fully given.
Beside him, Haku felt a surge of disappointment and longing.
He also desperately wanted to contribute to Lord Takuno, but felt his own strength was meager and didn't know how to give, so he could only cast an envious look at Jugo.
"Then... let's begin now."
"Okay." Jugo sat down as requested, straightening his back and waiting as quietly as a rock, completely handing over control of his body.
Takuno no longer hesitated, his hands flying through seals as pure Chakra fluctuations instantly rippled around him.
"Spirit Transformation Jutsu!"
Amidst the shifting light and shadow, his original body sat quietly with closed eyes in the chair, while an invisible stream of spirit smoothly flowed into Jugo's shell.
As soon as he took control of the body, Takuno's consciousness was swept away by a torrent of sensory input!
The trace of Natural Energy that previously required deliberate clearing of thoughts to vaguely perceive was now as surging and majestic as a tide; without any meditation, he could clearly "see" and touch them filling every inch of the surrounding space.
The sheer potential of Jugo's "Sage Body," which was naturally close to nature, made Takuno feel heartfelt amazement once again.
Time was pressing, so he immediately cast aside distracting thoughts and tried to guide and absorb these energy particles filling his surroundings, attempting to distinguish whether there were different qualities or attribute differences among them.
However, no matter how he sensed them, the pure and primitive energy itself was a single whole, difficult to distinguish from one another.
This result plunged Takuno into deep thought: Was the essence of Natural Energy in the world unique? Was the difference between the Sage Modes that the three great holy lands—Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest—prided themselves on merely due to subtle differences in the mixing ratio of Chakra and Natural Energy?
The flaws in this reasoning were obvious; if it were truly that simple, with the three holy lands passing down their heritage for countless years and so many in their clans trying Natural Energy, how could no toad have ever figured out a snake or slug Sage Mode? The reverse would also hold true.
Therefore, in Takuno's anticipation, Natural Energy should have different categories, and Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave also had things that could attract their respective Natural Energy.
Namely, the Toad Oil of Mount Myōboku and the Snake Venom of Ryūchi Cave.
Suddenly, Takuno paused, a flash of lightning seemingly crossing his mind—perhaps the problem wasn't the energy itself, but those mediums?
A Sage Mode achieved using Toad Oil or Snake Venom, even if perfect, would still leave toad or snake characteristics on the user—mutations in the eyes, textures on the skin.
And the Cursed Seal Orochimaru implanted into the Sound Shinobi Four, although they could induce a state similar to Sage Mode, caused the hosts to exhibit all sorts of animal characteristics; this was undoubtedly due to Orochimaru mixing special factors into the Cursed Seal.
Extending his thoughts, he recalled that Tailed Beasts could replace toads in helping to condense Natural Energy; the Nine-Tails had once assisted Naruto in absorbing Natural Energy more efficiently!
Could it be that what the Nine-Tails helped absorb was also "Mount Myōboku attribute" Natural Energy? That was naturally impossible!
Based on this, the origin of Natural Energy should be a colorless, formless, and pure state.
The existing Sage Modes with animal characteristics were merely a path endowed with species imprints, a shortcut to Senjutsu!
Then, was there a Sage Mode that didn't rely on any animal medium but relied purely on one's own will to guide the perfect fusion of Natural Energy and Chakra?
This "Perfect Sage Mode" should not leave any traces of other species.
Looking at it this way, the legendary Sage of Six Paths likely walked exactly this path!
But even before Otsutsuki Hagoromo became the Sage of Six Paths, his constitution was beyond what ordinary people could compare to; walking this path wouldn't be difficult for him, but for others, the difficulty would be on a different level.
By contrast, using animal factors, whether Toad Oil, Snake Venom, or the modified substances in Cursed Seals, was indeed a convenient gateway into this path.
But no matter the animal, there were flaws; the enhancement might be average or excel in one area, but it couldn't be all-around outstanding.
Unless it was Six Paths Senjutsu—
Takuno also had reason to believe that following in the footsteps of the Sage of Six Paths—not taking shortcuts and not using animal genes to enter Sage Mode—was the most correct path, and it might also better lay the foundation for Six Paths Senjutsu.
However, that was all for the future.
For now, there was one thing he could be sure of: even without using animal genes, Sage Mode could be achieved. As long as this point was confirmed, the experiments could continue.
With the direction of exploration clear, he immediately set about trying, using his spirit to guide the Chakra within Jugo's body to fuse with the ubiquitous Natural Energy, hoping to condense pure Senjutsu Chakra!