CH - 260 Jugo's Sage mode?

Hearing the voice, Danzo snapped back to reality and turned to see Orochimaru, the long-haired man with a pale, eerie expression. "Orochimaru!"

Surveying the desolate, almost empty laboratory, Danzo's frown deepened. "What's happened here? I've only been gone a few days. Have you been slacking off and neglecting the experiments?"

Orochimaru's smile faltered at Danzo's accusation. Did Danzo truly not understand the reason behind the state of the lab? Three times! It had happened three times now.

The recent setbacks had dealt a serious blow to the village, particularly this latest incident. While the visible damage might not have been as catastrophic as the Nine-Tails' attack, the hidden losses were severe. Even the village's treasury had been plundered.

Therefore, To ransom Danzo, Hiruzen had been forced to tap into Root's reserves once again, further depleting its already strained resources. The Root organization had become increasingly desolate and run-down as a result. The lab was barely functional anymore, and if Danzo were to be captured a few more times, the Root might face dissolution.

Orochimaru sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of the situation. He had hoped that collaborating with Danzo, Konoha's second-in-command, would alleviate his concerns about funding for his experiments. However, that hope had been shattered.

Danzo's repeated 'tours' had drained the Root's resources completely. It was becoming evident that Orochimaru would have to rely on himself to sustain his research endeavors.

Observing Orochimaru's expression, Danzo grasped the gravity of the situation. The Root had already been grappling with financial constraints. This predicament had led him to seek leverage with the Uchiha clan, but their rebellion over a trivial matter like a newspaper had only exacerbated the situation.

The bitterness of this realization lingered with Danzo. Must it always come to this? Both his experiments and economic pursuits were draining precious funds.

Nevertheless, amidst the turmoil, Konoha still relied on him for protection. With a resigned sigh, Danzo turned his attention back to Orochimaru and delivered a cold, determined statement. "I will find a solution to procure the necessary funds. Resume the experiments promptly."

"Very well," Orochimaru responded nonchalantly. "However, I may need to travel to the Land of Wind soon."

"The Land of Wind? What brings you there?" Danzo inquired, a tinge of curiosity creeping into his voice.

"Just trying to find an opportunity to earn some money," Orochimaru replied with a smile, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

…

A few days later, in another location, the Grass Village.

"As the Leader mentioned, it's truly an extraordinary ability," Uzumaki Yoshinori nodded in admiration before adopting a more serious tone. "However, such power often leads to uncontrollable mental and physical alterations. This may be attributed to a lack of mastery. According to the Leader's information, even the Sage Modes of the three great sage regions caused bodily changes before being fully mastered. Instances of toad stoneification and snake transformation were not uncommon. Only with perfect control can these transformations be minimized. Therefore, it's possible that once this power is fully mastered, these changes can be mitigated."

Listening to Yoshinori's analysis, Akihiko remained silent. After all, he was already familiar with this information since he had been the one to share it.

It's just… with some free time on his hands, he decided to visit the laboratory and check on the ongoing experiments. Ever since Jugo's arrival, research on extracting and ingesting natural energy has progressed, yielding significant findings.

Speaking of abilities, Akihiko realized it had been a while since he received a task. He glanced at his unreliable system — the task system. Only one significant task remained incomplete: Black Zetsu's request to reunite with his mother. This task had been lingering for a considerable time, highlighting the system's unreliability; there were no missions or prompts. Akihiko had almost forgotten about its existence, given its lack of activity. In the early stages, the system had proven helpful, but now, it seemed useless.

Speaking of which, What could he possibly even gain from Black Zetsu once the task was completed? Akihiko pondered this question, realizing that Black Zetsu didn't possess anything particularly valuable.

"By the way, what about the Hundred Healings Mark Technique?" Akihiko interjected, pulling himself back from his thoughts as he recalled the mark on Tsunade's forehead.

"Ah, the Hundred Healings Technique," Uzumaki Yoshinori exclaimed with admiration. "It's truly remarkable. When the seal is activated, it significantly enhances physical abilities and accelerates recovery, much like Jugo's ability. The Hundred Healings stores chakra, while Jugo stores natural energy. So, your hypothesis, Leader, might indeed be feasible."

Akihiko had contemplated the idea of sensing natural energy and modifying the Hundred Healings mark to store both natural energy and chakra, thus creating a unique Sage Chakra specific to the Grass Village. It was a concept he had proposed earlier, one that had initially seemed implausible.

When Akihiko first presented this idea, Uzumaki Yoshinori had deemed it impossible. It appeared too far-fetched, especially considering that only the peculiar Jugo clan and the three great Sage regions were known to utilize natural energy.

Furthermore, mastering the Sage Modes of the three great sage regions was notoriously arduous. Only a select few could establish contracts with these sage regions and gain the opportunity to learn Sage Mode, with even fewer achieving success.

Even esteemed shinobi like Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First Hokage and one of the legendary Sannin, alongside Orochimaru, another renowned Sannin, had failed to master it. Among the Sannin, only one had succeeded, underscoring the immense challenge involved.

Presently, Jugo's utilization of natural energy remained rudimentary and paled in comparison to the three great sage regions. Sensing natural energy was perilous, leading Yoshinori to initially dismiss Akihiko's idea as absurd.

However, Akihiko responded with words that resonated deeply within him:

"Only by walking our own path can we surpass others. Remember, If the path before you is clear, it is probably someone else's."

"If you don't even attempt, how will you ever learn?"

"If you dread failure from the outset, true success will always elude you."

These profound words reignited his fighting spirit. Indeed, why couldn't Grass Village develop its own Sage Mode? If Grass Village could challenge Konoha, surely it could create its own Sage Mode too.

Now, these three quotes adorned the wall, serving as a constant reminder to all the researchers to persevere in their innovative pursuits.

And Now, Despite the numerous challenges facing their research on 'Grass Village Sage Mode,' Yoshinori remained optimistic. He believed that with persistent effort, they would eventually succeed.

"We're still stuck at the first step — how to sense and refine natural energy. We haven't even resolved the dangers associated with sensing natural energy yet," Uzumaki Yoshinori sighed. "For now, we can only rely on Jugo for safety."

He placed a reassuring hand on the shoulder of the orange-haired boy beside him. "However, This kid has had it really rough. After all, whenever he loses control, he goes berserk."

Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, Jugo, who was a bit older, smiled and reassured, "Don't worry, Grandpa Yoshinori. I'm doing just fine."

Thanks to Mubuki bringing him here, he no longer had to wander aimlessly. If he had continued wandering, he would have had to hide in the deep mountains, fearing he might suddenly go berserk and harm others.

But here, with the sealing techniques in place, his berserk episodes had significantly shortened. So, he was immensely grateful to his dad and the Grass Village.

"What a remarkable young man," Yoshinori smiled warmly, acknowledging Jugo's resilience. "I have no doubt you'll master this power and become an outstanding ninja."

"Indeed, he's quite remarkable," Akihiko chimed in, gently patting Jugo's head. "School is about to start soon too. It's the perfect opportunity for him to send him to school to study."

Hearing the prospect of attending school and mingling with other children, Jugo's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? Can I really go?"

However, amidst his eagerness, a shadow of concern clouded his expression. "But... what if I lose control and hurt someone?"

"Don't worry about that," Akihiko quickly reassured him. "I'll make sure to inform the academy, and precautions will be in place."

"It's high time you began your studies," Yoshinori chimed in, offering a supportive smile. "I'll be nearby, ready to intervene if needed. You have nothing to fear. Just remember to come for regular check-ups during breaks and lend a hand with our research."

"I..." Moved by Akihiko and Yoshinori's comforting words, Jugo took a steadying breath. "Leader, Grandpa Yoshinori, I won't let you down. I'll study diligently and become a proud ninja of the Grass Village!"

"Indeed, a remarkable child," Akihiko nodded in approval, impressed by Jugo's demeanor. It seemed that Grass Village's future held great promise with youths like him.

Turning to Yoshinori, Akihiko asked curiously, "Is it possible for a soul to perceive natural energy through its own capabilities?"

"A soul? You mean utilizing the Spirit Transformation Technique?" Yoshinori's familiarity with the technique was evident. As for how they acquired this technique? Well, naturally, Akihiko had procured the forbidden technique scroll containing it during his last 'travel', alongside the Hundred Healings Mark Technique discussed earlier. Yoshinori paused for a moment, then furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Perhaps... it's worth exploring!"

However, this remained merely a theoretical concept. At their current stage of research, they hadn't yet achieved the capability to store natural energy with the Hundred Healings mark, rendering the ability to sense it impractical for now. Yoshinori sighed, acknowledging the long road ahead. "We still have much progress to make."

Just as Akihiko finished speaking, a hurried voice reverberated through the lab. "Are you here? Honestly, you just show up at the lab without informing anyone. I went to your house, and you weren't there. And what's with all the people in that house now?"

Akihiko turned to see a flustered Hanzō rushing in. He couldn't help but wonder why was he here in Grass Village instead of leading in the Rain Village. Perplexed, he inquired, "Is everything alright in the Rain Village?"

Hanzō appeared equally puzzled. "Rain Village? There's nothing amiss there. Why would there be?"

"...Then why the urgency?" Akihiko raised an eyebrow, pressing for clarity.

"Ah, that's right, I almost forgot because of you." Hanzō exhaled sharply before delivering the startling news. "The Fourth Kazekage... has passed away!"

"Huh?" Akihiko was dumbfounded by this unexpected revelation.