"And it isn't just Mount Myōboku. Ryūchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest—the so-called Three Great Sacred Lands—all possess their own unique traditions. Yet fundamentally, every one of them revolves around combining their techniques with Chakra."
"Their 'Senjutsu' is most likely the Sage Mode that evolved after the cataclysm a thousand years ago, adapted from the remnants of the original Senjutsu to fit the new era."
"As for true, pure Senjutsu... it may have long since disappeared into the currents of history. Perhaps only ancient beings like Gamamaru still preserve its most original form."
"Indeed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep draw from his pipe before slowly exhaling, his aged face filled with both solemnity and reflection.
"If we follow that line of reasoning, nearly every mystery finds a reasonable explanation."
"Our world... is far deeper than we ever imagined."
"What exactly happened a thousand years ago that caused the entire power system to change, ancient inheritances to be severed, and the truth itself to be buried?"
"As descendants living long after those events, we know almost nothing."
His gaze swept across Tsunade and Jiraiya as his voice grew heavier.
"Even Chakra—the very power we refine every day, the foundation of our lives and battles—how much do we truly understand about its nature... its origin... or the dangers it may conceal?"
"The thought that we've spent our entire lives standing atop a history that was altered, concealed, and forgotten..."
"...is enough to send a chill down anyone's spine."
Silence settled over the Hokage's Office.
The three of them were shaken by the immense darkness that lay beyond the veil of history, revealed piece by piece.
At that moment, however, Jiraiya suddenly curled the corner of his lips into a faint smile, breaking the oppressive atmosphere.
He looked out the window toward the ever-brilliant Heavenly Curtain, and the curiosity of a lifelong seeker rekindled in his eyes.
"But..."
"At least there is one silver lining."
Both Tsunade and Hiruzen looked toward him.
"No matter what Yin An's intentions are as the one controlling the Heavenly Curtain, he's revealing these forgotten and distorted fragments of history to us one piece at a time."
"Some of it may be true. Some of it may be false."
"But hidden within it are undoubtedly clues leading to the truth."
His voice gradually became firm.
"We can simply continue watching."
"Analyze."
"Verify."
"And piece everything together."
"Just as we did when distinguishing between ancient Senjutsu and the Sage Mode practiced today."
"The Heavenly Curtain has certainly brought us fear and upheaval..."
"...but it has also given us an unprecedented opportunity to glimpse the truth of history and uncover the true origins of the world's power."
"...Perhaps that's the only good news we have in this entire situation."
Hearing those words, both Tsunade and Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
After all, surrendering to fear accomplished nothing.
Since the Heavenly Curtain could not be stopped, and fragments of the truth would continue to appear, then calmly analyzing them and drawing useful lessons for the present was exactly what leaders like them should be doing.
The images within the Heavenly Curtain began moving once more.
Time passed swiftly through Hagoromo's training.
When the scene finally became clear again, he had already completed the first stage of his Senjutsu cultivation.
He sat cross-legged before a waterfall.
A soft white radiance resonated steadily around him in harmony with nature, while the orange markings around his eyes stood out clearly.
He had successfully crossed the threshold of becoming a Sage.
Yet there was no joy on his face.
No satisfaction at the newfound strength filling his body.
Instead, his brows remained tightly knitted, as though an invisible cloud weighed heavily upon him.
Even his posture seemed unnaturally tense.
His body leaned slightly downward, as though burdened by an unseen weight.
It almost seemed as if two opposing forces within him were quietly struggling against one another, preventing him from fully relaxing.
Standing nearby, Gamamaru narrowed his ancient eyes as he carefully observed Hagoromo's condition.
After a long moment, he finally spoke.
His voice carried unmistakable surprise and concern.
"How strange..."
"The power and enhancement granted by Senjutsu have diminished countless times over within your body."
"It is nowhere near the level it should have reached."
Hagoromo's heart sank.
At last, the strange feeling that had been bothering him had been put into words.
He quickly looked toward Gamamaru, anxiety and disappointment evident in his voice.
"What happened, Great Toad Sage?"
"Did I make a mistake during my training?"
"Or is my aptitude insufficient?"
"Have I failed to truly grasp the essence of Senjutsu?"
Gamamaru remained silent, carefully sensing the flow of energy within Hagoromo's body.
Only after a long while did he slowly shake his head.
"No."
"Your method was flawless."
"Your perception, guidance, and balance of Natural Energy were all impeccable."
"You made no mistakes whatsoever."
"In fact, your understanding of Senjutsu exceeded even my expectations."
"Then why..."
Hagoromo became even more bewildered.
The enormous gap between expectation and reality filled him with frustration.
"Why is Senjutsu so much weaker in my body than you described?"
"It feels as though something is constantly suppressing it... weakening it."
Gamamaru fell silent once more.
His gaze seemed to pierce through Hagoromo's body itself, looking directly at the source of his power.
After a long silence, the aged sage finally spoke again.
This time, his voice carried both realization and profound regret.
"I understand now."
"The problem lies neither with Senjutsu..."
"...nor with your training."
"It lies with your very nature."
He looked directly at Hagoromo.
"Senjutsu is the power of sensing and guiding the world's most fundamental force—Natural Energy."
"It breathes alongside the world."
"It shares the world's very fate."
"But Hagoromo..."
"What is the source of the Chakra flowing through your body?"
"It comes from your mother, Kaguya."
"It comes from the God Tree."
Gamamaru's voice became cold with certainty.
"And as I have already told you, the God Tree's power is born from plundering and devouring this world's life force and very foundation."
"It is a thief."
"A parasite upon this world."
"The Chakra derived from it therefore carries, at its very source, the world's rejection and hostility."
"You possess both Ōtsutsuki blood and the God Tree's Chakra."
"By their very nature, they are incompatible with the world's foundation."
"They even stand in quiet opposition to it."
"And now you are attempting to draw upon the world's own primordial power."
"When those two forces meet within your body..."
"...how could they possibly coexist peacefully?"
"The world's primordial power born from Senjutsu is simply too powerful."
"It instinctively rejects and weakens the influence of your Chakra, which originates from the world's plunderer."
"At the same time, your Chakra instinctively resists that foreign Natural Energy."
"The two cannot achieve perfect harmony."
"They suppress..."
"They negate..."
"They weaken one another."
"The fact that you successfully drew in Natural Energy and achieved even this initial balance is already remarkable."
"But to unleash the true, world-shaking might of Senjutsu..."
"...that is extraordinarily difficult."
"The fact that this internal conflict hasn't completely backlashed on you—causing your energies to run wild or your body to collapse—is already a stroke of incredible fortune."
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