Chapter 19: The Calm of Sage Mode

During the weekend, Natsuro prepared everything and set off for the training ground. Today, he didn't create Shadow Clones for training.

Over the past few days, his body had fully recovered. He hadn't anticipated that it would take over a month for full recovery; clearly, pushing his physical limits at his age was still quite challenging.

However, for his plan, he needed to push his limits and prepare thoroughly, ensuring no chakra was wasted.

Soon, he arrived at the training ground and, as expected, found Lee there. It was almost guaranteed that Lee would be present at the training ground during weekends.

But he noticed that Lee seemed unusually low-spirited today. Lee merely greeted him without any intention of sparring.

Although Natsuro had no intention of sparring today either, Lee, who had developed a passion for combat training, would usually seek a fight whenever Natsuro was around.

In terms of winning odds, it was roughly fifty-fifty. his chances improved significantly when he had enough chakra to use multiple techniques, but when his chakra was depleted, Lee's chances of winning soared.

Seeing Lee's lack of enthusiasm, he pondered. It seemed like something might have happened, but he didn't want to intrude or offer unsolicited comfort. Instead, he decided to focus on his own training.

So he began his rigorous training session, pushing himself beyond the usual limits. Sweat and salt poured from him as he continued.

Eventually, he managed to break through the barrier once more. After achieving this, he didn't immediately stop but finished with his usual stretching exercises before heading to his resting spot, where he sat cross-legged.

This breakthrough felt more challenging than previous ones, but he didn't have the time to analyze why. He was incredibly fatigued and fought the urge to fall asleep, slowly calming his mind.

Since ordinary training couldn't push him to the stillness state, he hoped this attempt after breaking the barrier might succeed. If it didn't, he would have to wait another month.

He continued to maintain a positive mindset, believing he would eventually succeed in mastering Sage Mode. Even if it didn't work this time, he would try again, and if that failed, he would keep trying!

Sage Mode was a goal he was determined to achieve.

With this mindset, Natsuro's body gradually became still. The fatigue he felt covered the sensation of ants crawling over his body, and soon, the fatigue faded. For the first time, his body became completely still.

Then, his unusually active spirit began to calm down as well. Slowly, his mental and physical states began to align.

He felt as if he caught a brief glimpse of the view from the mountaintop but quickly emerged from that state.

As Natsuro opened his eyes, he felt a surge of excitement. Despite the short-lived success, having achieved it even briefly gave him hope for future attempts.

Having succeeded once meant he could succeed again. Conditions for entering Sage Mode would gradually become easier, and he set a small goal: to reach a state where he could enter Sage Mode without special training before acquiring the scrolls of the three great sage lands!

However, he furrowed his brow, realizing that although he entered the state, he didn't sense anything special or natural energy. It was a void, though his sensory perception was exceptionally enhanced.

Sage Mode was not documented in the library, which troubled him. He suspected future training would require toad oil or similar substances.

If he could sense natural energy without using toad oil, it would be a significant step forward.

He sighed, then smiled with excitement. Today's progress was indeed encouraging.

Rising slowly to his feet, he frowned as he realized Lee was gone. Something wasn't right, and Natsuro felt uneasy—Lee never skipped training altogether.

He felt a pang of worry for the diligent young Lee, with whom he had grown fond.

But he had to address another matter first. Looking at a large tree and he asked, "Do you still need to keep hiding?"

"Ahahaha, to think you discovered me, you really are impressive!" A young man wearing a green Konoha shinobi vest emerged from behind the tree.

Seeing the person step out, he relaxed, having guessed who it was but wary of potential enemies. The person was Might Guy, the pinnacle of ordinary human strength.

"Hello, is there something you need?" Natsuro asked.

Guy was impressed by Natsuro. He had been contemplating whether to reveal himself, having observed him for several days. His admiration for Lee was evident, but he had noticed Natsuro's effort as well. Natsuro seemed well-balanced in his training, though today's intensity worried him.

"Young man, you need to understand that training also requires moderation. While youth is boundless, you're still young, and excessive training can harm your body." Guy said, having been revealed and not hesitating to express his concern.

Natsuro understood now and nodded. "I know. You must have been observing, so you should be aware that my training is usually within safe limits. Today was an exception, but I'll return to my regular routine tomorrow."

"That's good to hear. It's okay for a one-time effort, but continuous overexertion is problematic." Guy said, relieved. "Since you're aware, I'll be on my way. Keep up the good work, young man. I have high hopes for you!"

Guy gave Natsuro a supportive pat on the shoulder.

He forced a smile. Despite recovering some, he was still quite exhausted, and the pat nearly made him collapse. He managed to nod in appreciation.

"I will keep working hard."

Might Guy gave a thumbs up, flashed a broad smile, and departed, heading off to check on other matters.

He watched Guy's retreating figure and smiled. He found Guy's visit valuable. As the leading taijutsu expert in Konoha, Guy had high standards for physical training.

With his body growing, each increase in training intensity required careful adjustment. Guidance from Guy would be highly beneficial.

But what had happened to Lee?