54 Sage Mode

Somewhere on Turtle Island.

Shiori and Karin were training, though from an outsider's perspective it looked more like a game.

Kuro watched them from a distance sitting on a branch, with White Zetsu half out of the tree. This continued until Kuro looked at his new subordinate. "There's something I want to ask you."

"Oh? What is it, Kuro-sama?" White Zetsu asked in a slightly playful and respectful tone. 

"Akatsuki is planning to start a war in case they can't have all the Bijuu?" White Zetsu was inwardly surprised by the extent of his knowledge, but didn't question it. "It's something Obito thought of recently because of Jiraiya. He's traveling around the different nations that have a Jinchuriki and is telling them about Akatsuki. Are you thinking of benefiting from the war, Kuro-sama?"

He shrugged. "Maybe? Though by the time the war starts, knowledge about the Bijuu would be pretty widespread and the nations aren't going to let someone have them all up." White Zetsu nodded before speaking. "But, at that point, no one would be your match." 

Kuro nodded. "True, but it's best to avoid drawing attention to ourselves and if it's unavoidable, to do so when everything is in our favor." He paused before asking another question. "How many clones do you have out there?"

"I don't have many as people might notice something is wrong if they know the person well. I make sure to keep an eye on them with the spores first and then make clones of them." Kuro nodded. "So, that's a lot of spores?"

White Zetsu smiled. "Yes, they are in all the nations." A vial with an eye inside appeared in Kuro's hand and he passed it to him. "There are some things I want you to do."

…

Kuro opened his eyes and exhaled. Black lines surrounded his eyes and there was a circle with a dot in the center of his forehead.

He wasted no time and teleported to the Cat Sanctuary, straight to the place he had agreed with Miko earlier.

It was a simple dimly lit room, with a Yin-Yang pattern on the floor.

"Amazing indeed. I must admit, I had my doubts when you said you were about to learn Sage Mode." Miko commented as Kuro appeared in the center of the pattern.

"Let's get this over already. I have things to do!" The cat with the sun on his forehead spoke with a growl as he walked inside the pattern, sitting down to Kuro's right.

"You must learn to control yourself, Taiko."  Tsuko commented languidly and sat to Kuro's left. "I recommend you try meditation."

Taiko just grunted and looked at Miko. She was lying outside the pattern, looking at the three of them. "The sooner you start the better." Kuro nodded and placed his palms on the cats foreheads before activating the Chakra Absorption technique.

A small blue mist appeared where the palm and forehead made contact, but it was only for a moment until the color changed. On the right palm the color was White and on the left Black.

The lines on Kuro's face began to move as the chakra changed color. The circle on his forehead slowly disappeared and at the same time, a magatama began to appear on his back.

The lines around his eyes moved down and began to run down his arms until they reached the back of his hands.

...

The absorption lasted for a while and when it was over, the lines on Kuro's body had become darker, on his back were nine magatamas and two small black spheres above each shoulder.

Two cats came in and carried away the unconscious Tsuko and Taiko. Kuro looked at his palms, finding a crescent moon on the left and a circle on the right.

Some screens appeared, but he ignored them and looked at Miko, who was approaching. "I'd recommend going back to normal for now."  She commented when she was next to him.

"Is the Sage Mode of the Six Paths permanent? " Kuro asked and returned to normal. Miko gently shook her head.

"Normally, it would only be temporary until the chakra is depleted, however, there is something in your body that is absorbing Hagoromo's Chakra. It doesn't mean it's a bad thing though. We can only wait and see what happens."

.

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(A/N: I uploaded the prologue of my other novel, so check it out if you have time. Thanks.)