Philosophy from another world

However, the story of the first Ninja War  was bound to end soon, as not all of the Five Kage had arrived, so the talks had yet to begin. To prevent any attempts to harm the Five Kage and avoid other troubles, the samurai of the Land of Iron maintained extremely strict security. None of the Kage could leave unless it was for something important.

"It's like being under house arrest," Sarutobi Hiruzen muttered.

"Everyone else is in the same situation, so don't worry about it. You might encounter this again in the future, so it's better to get used to it now," Tobirama said.

When Sarutobi Hiruzen and Fumori Masaki heard this, they exchanged glances. Both of them knew about the unspoken law that circulated within the village, and they shared a deep respect for Tobirama's abilities.

Hiruzen felt that either he or Masaki would make a suitable Hokage. If he were chosen, that would be ideal, but even if not, he wouldn't find it unacceptable. On the other hand, Masaki was more anxious about the matter. Some of his ideas could only be effectively implemented if he became Hokage.

If Hiruzen were to become Hokage, Masaki could accept it, though it would not be entirely reassuring for him. The title of Hokage carried a certain legitimacy. Even if Danzō's root organization was a private army, it would at least appear to be disbanded under the Hokage's orders.

Hiruzen, with his ambitions and ideals, could still carry them out even as the head of the Sarutobi clan, but Masaki felt differently.

"Sensei, is it really impossible for someone to sneak into the city?" Hiruzen asked, his boredom evident as his attention drifted toward the Iron Nation's guard. His encounters with the samurai had piqued his curiosity about their strength.

"I don't think so, at least not as far as I know. Even if I were to leave the Flying Thunder God mark in the meeting room beforehand, I couldn't sneak in unnoticed. I'd still have to fight the samurai stationed outside," Tobirama explained. "Besides, even though we're Kage, it's impossible for us to leave now. Well, except for me, I could escape using Flying Thunder God."

"So, there's no need to worry about anyone breaking in. Relax, Hiruzen; there's nothing to do here," Masaki said with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess there's no way around it," Hiruzen sighed, placing his hands in front of him in resignation.

Still, Hiruzen seemed eager to keep himself occupied, even if it was just standing guard. However, with the samurai constantly patrolling, there was no need for him to do anything. Even if he didn't fully trust their abilities, there was no reason to be on high alert all the time. Practicing ninjutsu wasn't an option either, given the confined space. With nothing else to do in this era of limited entertainment, Hiruzen could only turn to reading ninjutsu scrolls.

Tobirama did the same. According to Masaki, his dedication to training was second only to Might Guy and Rock Lee. He diligently studied his scrolls, occasionally discussing training techniques with Hiruzen and Masaki.

While Tobirama could help Hiruzen with his training questions, Masaki could only offer his insights into wind release techniques. However, when it came to his primary power—Sage Mode—he couldn't provide much advice. Sage Mode was a mysterious art, far more elusive than even chakra secrets.

Before Hashirama, no one had ever seen anyone who mastered Sage Mode. Even ancient texts only provided few details. When Hashirama learned the technique, it seemed almost by accident. His body could naturally incorporate nature energy without losing control, something rare for others.

Hashirama had largely figured out Sage Mode on his own, and even though he had shared his knowledge with Masaki, without firsthand experience, it was hard to offer much guidance.

Still, Masaki had made some personal breakthroughs recently. In the days when he allowed himself to relax, he realized he had gained some unique insights into Sage Mode, a realm he had previously felt stuck in.

Before, when Masaki used Sage Mode, he focused primarily on enhancing his physical strength and chakra control. He could manipulate nature energy for minor attacks, but they weren't enough to cause significant harm. During his fight with Ginkaku, he had used nature energy to boost his body, but that was as far as he could go.

However, while writing training manuals recently, Masaki discovered that by relaxing both his body and mind, he could actively guide nature energy. It was as though nature energy was becoming part of him.

This realization gave Masaki a new idea. Typically, practicing Sage Mode involves sensing nature energy, and people often rely on external substances like toad oil to feel it. However, once they experience nature energy firsthand, they can more easily grasp it.

Masaki realized that every Sage Mode practitioner followed this method. Even official teaching required injecting a bit of the sage's chakra into the student, and only those who could withstand the energy's erosion could continue their training.

Masaki speculated that most people trained Sage Mode by evolving their bodies to adapt to nature energy, which was then followed by spiritual training. This theory seemed to be supported by Jūgo's case. His natural affinity with nature energy, possibly due to his ancestors' exposure to Ryuchi Cave, had led to his unique physique.

In contrast, Masaki's path was different. His ability to harness nature energy hadn't come from physical evolution but from his spirit—his soul from another world, which had altered his mental state. In essence, he had progressed from spirit to body, not the other way around.

Masaki concluded that to improve his mastery of Sage Mode, he needed to focus on training his spirit and deeply understanding nature energy's essence. His recent insights seemed to validate this. He had become so accustomed to sensing nature energy that he had overlooked this critical aspect.

Masaki found the current period of inactivity to be the perfect opportunity to test his theory by focusing on spiritual practice to elevate his Sage Mode. Whether it would work remained to be seen.

As a starting point, Masaki reflected on the concepts he remember from modern world of "sitting forgotten" and "Shinsai" from Zhuangzi. The states described in these teachings closely resembled the selflessness required for Sage Mode. Zhuangzi was a Philosopher in another world, which often mentioned Naturalism. Perhaps this was a hint as well.

Time passed quickly, and soon the remaining Kage arrived in the Land of Iron. Saito came to inform them, and they prepared to head to the meeting room for the Five Kage Summit.

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Naturalism – referring to the emphasis on living in harmony with the natural world.

Sitting Forgotten – This idea emphasizes a state of deep meditation or contemplation where one lets go of ego, desires, and distinctions and entering a state of pure awareness, experiences a profound connection with nature

Note: kinda like similar way training in Sage Arts