The Idea: Studying Under Shirohada

"Well... that didn't go as expected"

"Please be more careful next time. We can't have you dying, since you are the only one who knows how to seal it currently"

"*nervous laughter* I might've... overdone it a bit. But I now know that we can't breake through that by our own means. Not right now, at least"

Yamato and Anko both caught on to the meaning of my words. It literally meant that in some time -how much time was not something we knew- we would be able to.

"What's the idea?"

I looked at both of them seriously, and they seemed to have caught on to the seriousness of what I was about to say. It's not that I was trying to keep it secrect, since the Wolf Sage had already given me permission to talk about them with anyone I wanted, as long as they were good people. I knew that Yamato was loyal to Konoha and Anko wasn't one to betray others, knowing betrayal herself. Besides that, they had a rough past and good personalities. I could trust them.

"Do you know of Sage Regions?"

"The places were summon creatures, like the Toads that Jiraiya the Toad Sage summons, live?"

"Yeah... well I kind of accidentally discovered one and am friends with everyone there"

What followed was a long talk about how I met the Great Wolves of Senkiba Forest and how Guremaru was the grandson of the First Wolf Sage. My idea was quite simple. If I can't break through it with my current strength, I just have to get stronger. And the best way to mess with a natural element being controlled by a Bijuu, was to use the Sage Mode or a Sage Transformation. I had only one way to learn them: Shirohada.

"I know the way to reverse summon myself to their territory, so I can just go there and try to learn from the Sage there"

I knew it would take quite a while to even learn how to enter Sage Mode or how to use a Sage Transformation, but I might be able to without too many difficulties. It was a weird feeling that I had, as if my connection to nature and the wolves told me that I just had to try and I would.

"Do you have enough trust in yourself?"

"I do. It might not be the fastest way, but I can't see any other way besides it"

"... *sigh* We'll try for two more days, if there is no result in any methods, you'll go"

*

The end of the second day was getting closer. The only thing we had managed to do, was reaffirming the validity of my idea. Each time we went back to the cave, the current seemed to have gotten stronger. I was surprised at one thing though. Isobu hadn't attacked us even once. Even with how sharp the current got at times, it was never enough to kill or severely injure someone. I could only guess that he either didn't feel like it or he somehow knew that we weren't bad per se.

After another hour of trying, Yamato signaled me to go back to the surface.

"Ok, two days are up. You can do as you please now, Ryota"

"Hey kiddo, please don't take a year, ok? I don't want to be stuck here defending a damn Bijuu for that long"

"You would be surprised if I told you how a person can be way worse than a "damn Bijuu", Anko"

She looked at me with a bit of surprise and confusion, clearly not understanding what I meant. I decided to enlighten her from her ignorance, since most people wouldn't even bother to hear about it.

"You see... Bijuu aren't mindless beasts that feel hatred and only know how to kill. The Sanbi we are currently trying to capture and seal, taking away it's freedom from it, feels far more sad that angry. They don't kill indiscriminately... they don't wage war. We came into their world and began sealing and selling them like tools. In their eyes, and perhaps a bit in mine, we are the actual beasts here"

Once my part was said, I left them to think about my words. I went to Guremaru and told him we were going back for a while, since I wanted to talk to Shirohada. He was a bit reluctant about it, but when I told him that I would allow him to eat as much BBQ as he wanted once we were back his mood took a turn for the better.

"Ok everyone, I'm leaving"

After that, I performed the seals for the Kuchiyose in reverse and did the Jutsu. Both Guremaru and I disappeared in a puff of smoke.

*

We appeared in the clearing where the Great Wolves lived in. Close by I found Hakiba who seemed to have felt us coming and came to greet us. It hadn't been a second since we arrived that I was tackled by a bunch of pups that began licking my face all over. If I didn't know they were wolves, I might've seriously confused them with dogs.

"What brings you here so soon, Ryota?"

"I came to talk to Shirohada... I need his help with something"

"It's sooner than we expected, but we think you are ready. Go to him. He dreamed of this last night, so he is already expecting you"

That explained why Hakiba was already there, waiting for us. Of course he would've dreamed of it the previous night, he was a true sage! Without minding the details much, I left Guremaru with the pups and his mother. Reaching the highest point of the clearing, I saw Shirohada resting with his head held high.

"You come much sooner than I expected, Ryota"

"I know, but I must learn from you, Sage"

"There is no need for fomalities, boy. I trust you as one of the pack, remember"

"Ok then, Jiji. I want to learn the Wolf Sage Arts from you"

For the first time in the times I saw Shirohada, he stood up in all his might. I felt awe and even a bit of intimidation when I saw his body, still strong and filled with battle scars, standing strong and looking down at me. But what I felt the most was respect. That was a being who could stand against a Bijuu for sure while in his prime. That was a Sage.

"Then you shall be provided, Ryota. Follow me"