The tail end of Year 61 slipped quietly away as the shinobi world officially entered Year 62.
The mission to rescue Naruto had worsened Itachi's condition. Securing the sage medicine from Ryūchi Cave was now urgent. Kabuto, too, yearned to master Sage Mode as he had in his previous life.
Orochimaru, acting as their guide, accompanied Sasuke, Kabuto, and Itachi on their journey to the cave.
Itachi's frail health prevented long stretches of travel. The group stopped to rest every half-day.
During a night's camp, Kabuto went to forage for food while Itachi rested inside the tent.
Sasuke fed the campfire. Orochimaru reclined gracefully on his side, propped on one elbow, savoring the quiet moment.
"Since your battle with the Six Paths of Pain and absorbing the Third State," Orochimaru began, his voice a silken thread in the dark, "you, Sasuke-kun, have already obtained half of Hashirama Senju's power. The coming Fourth State will be the final form of the White Cursed Seal. Its power is equivalent to the sum of the first three states combined. Therefore, both its activation and absorption will be several times more difficult."
Having finished with the firewood, Sasuke sat opposite Orochimaru, his fingers absently tracing the nape of his neck.
"Yes… After absorbing the First and Second States, I soon felt the next form stirring. But after the Third, this White Cursed Seal just went dormant. There's been no sign of the next release. It's definitely not ordinary."
Orochimaru smiled. "So, treat the Seventh Bout as your transitional fight. If it enables you to successfully unleash the Fourth State for the Eighth Bout, the goal is achieved. Then, use the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth bouts to adapt to and absorb the Fourth State. By then… you will possess power equal to Hashirama Senju's. In his 'base state,' of course."
Sasuke understood. Hashirama's true strength wasn't just his immense vitality and chakra. It was powered by his peerless Sage Art.
But as for the origin of that Sage Art, Sasuke still had no clue.
He lowered his hand, lost in thought. "I experienced the Sage Arts of Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave in my past life. In this life, I've seen Itachi's Sage Art from Shikkotsu Forest. But none seem connected to Hashirama's…"
Orochimaru's smile widened, ready to unveil the secret.
"The Sage Arts of Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave all belong to the category of acquired Sage Arts."
"Acquired?"
"Correct. The sages of the Three Great Sanctuaries, through their own brilliance, achieved a state of perfect unity with nature and created their methods. In other words, these arts are not innate. They can be mastered through cultivation."
"Hashirama's Sage Art, however, is innate. He was born with it. Cultivation merely facilitates its 'awakening'!"
"No wonder…" Sasuke murmured, pieces clicking into place.
Orochimaru continued, "The Senju's Wood Release is the most straightforward manifestation of the God Tree's power. Hashirama's Sage Art can also be traced back to the 'God Tree.'"
Sasuke leaned forward. "How?"
"To simplify, let me use a somewhat crude analogy," Orochimaru said, a gleam in his serpentine eyes. "The trees and plants of the natural world absorb sunlight, perform 'photosynthesis,' and produce the oxygen upon which humans and animals depend. For the God Tree, its 'photosynthesis' is absorbing the energy of nature to produce 'chakra'!"
"Natural energy, the God Tree, chakra… the sequence of these three was once a subject of my research. But now, the answer is clear."
"This land had natural energy long before the Ōtsutsuki planted the God Tree. And the source of that natural energy… was the 'sun,' which shines upon all things. Then, the primordial natural energy, transformed by the God Tree that the Ōtsutsuki brought to this land, became 'chakra'!"
"Kaguya consumed the first Chakra Fruit and passed chakra to her two sons, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Hamura. Hagoromo then founded Ninshū, spreading the power of chakra far and wide. That is how it became commonplace."
"I see…"
"Therefore, Hashirama's Sage Art, which functions on the same principle as the God Tree, is the purest, most unadorned form of Sage Art. Although its intensity is far inferior to the 'Six Paths Sage Art,' the Six Paths Sage Art relies on the Ten-Tails as its vessel. Strictly speaking, it's the Sage of Six Paths taking a side path and perfecting it to a degree that temporarily overshadowed the orthodox path. Why a side path? Because while the Six Paths Sage Art benefits from the Ten-Tails, it is also irrevocably bound and limited by it!"
"After all, among the Ōtsutsuki clan, there is no method of sealing the Ten-Tails within oneself for utilization. In their eyes, the Ten-Tails has only one purpose: to be cultivated as the seedling of the God Tree to produce a Chakra Fruit!"
Sasuke felt a chill of realization. He recalled his and Naruto's previous life. They truly rose by the power of the Six Paths, and were ultimately constrained by it.
"Does Hashirama's Sage Art have a name?"
"Sun-Reflecting Sage Art. Like the God Tree, it draws upon the natural energy originating from the sun, converting it into one's own sage chakra!"
Sun-Reflecting…
Sasuke's mind conjured the image of Hashirama's Sage Mode markings. The pattern on his forehead truly did resemble a 'sun.'
"So… it wasn't a coincidence?"
"That Sage Mode face pattern is the 'Sun-Reflecting Totem.' Totems hold symbolic meaning. It was no coincidence at all."
Now understanding the foundation of Hashirama's power, Sasuke's most pressing question surfaced. "What are the conditions for awakening the Sun-Reflecting Sage Art?"
Orochimaru held up a slender finger. "First, the complete liberation of Hashirama's power. That can only happen after you fully absorb the Fourth State. And second… it requires guided training."
"Lord Hashirama awakened his Sun-Reflecting Sage Art in the final years of the Warring States period, after over a decade of relentless battle. It wasn't because he was weak. In that era, Sage Art was still an unknown frontier. He was effectively blind, feeling his way forward one step at a time, which led to many detours."
"With conscious, guided cultivation, the awakening doesn't require nearly as much time."
"Sasuke-kun, although you haven't absorbed the Fourth State yet, you can begin that guided training from this moment."
"The method…" Orochimaru's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Close your eyes. Imagine yourself as a tree. Imagine the natural energy of the outside world as light emanating from the sun. Then, as that tree, perform photosynthesis, producing the 'oxygen' that is sage chakra…"
Sasuke closed his eyes and tried.
"Sounds simple. But doing it… feels impossibly difficult."
"Naturally. After all, it took Lord Hashirama years. When you can close your eyes and truly feel the 'light,' you will have found the threshold. Use this journey to Ryūchi Cave to ponder it thoroughly…"
A subtle, knowing smile touched Orochimaru's lips. "However… for you, Sasuke-kun, Lord Hashirama's limit is not your limit."
Sasuke's eyes snapped open. "What do you mean?"
Orochimaru's smile deepened. "If we compare Lord Hashirama to the 'God Tree,' what do you possess that he did not?"
Sasuke answered without hesitation. "Eyes."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "And in terms of the God Tree's structure?"
Sasuke thought for a moment, then his eyes widened in sudden, dazzling comprehension. "Ah…! The flower of the God Tree!"
Orochimaru pushed himself up, leaning forward. He reached out and gently tapped Sasuke's forehead with two fingers, his voice brimming with dark hope.
"—Correct, Sasuke-kun. In the future… you can achieve this: On a hundred-foot tree, another flower blooms."
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