Sage mode

As the sun set and night descended, in an advanced ward of Konoha Hospital, Kirito, also known as Konoha's most talentued Young Leaf, slowly opened his eyes.

"Kirito, how are you feeling?"

A voice suddenly broke the silence.

Kirito recognized it as Tsunade's voice, which brought him a sense of reassurance. He turned his head towards the voice and saw Tsunade's worried face and the unfathomable depth of her neckline.

However, he couldn't appreciate the view now. His mind was still foggy, accompanied by a throbbing pain, and his body felt weak, lacking the strength to sit up.

It was evident that exerting control over the Tailed Beast Chakra for an extended period and using the Adamantine Chains to suppress the Nine Tails' effects had taken a toll. Even for a ninja with a robust soul and body like Kirito, full recovery would take time.

"I feel a bit dizzy, my body is weak, and I'm very hungry and thirsty right now," Kirito replied, closing his eyes wearily after glancing at Tsunade's chest.

"Drink some water first."

Tsunade promptly fetched a kettle from the ward and poured a cup of hot water for Kirito, gently helping him sip. She then placed her hand on his forehead, channeling chakra to assess his condition swiftly. Finding no major issues, she smiled, "Your mental state seems to be recovering well, Kirito. You're quite adept at mastering spiritual arts. Just wait here, I'll get some nourishing food for you."

With that, she rose to leave and fetch supplements for Kirito.

"Wait, Tsunade-sama, how is Sensei?" Kirito interjected anxiously as Tsunade prepared to depart.

His brain, regaining some clarity after the drink, recalled the system's message before he passed out. He urgently wanted to know Mito's current condition.

The system had indicated he successfully altered Mito's fate. Did that mean she survived?

"Don't worry, Grandma is still alive, and her condition has improved. Thank you, Kirito. You saved her. If you hadn't released the Yin seal in time and employed the modified Adamantine Chains to make the Nine Tails relinquish part of its Chakra, she might have been beyond help."

Tsunade's words halted as she expressed her gratitude, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

Truthfully, she had feared the worst for Mito this time. With the Nine Tails escaping her body, it seemed hopeless. However, after examining Mito's condition, she discovered signs of improvement, attributed to the Uzumaki clan's potent vitality.

Upon awakening, Mito explained that a small portion of Nine Tails Chakra remained in her body, sustaining her as a Jinchuriki. It was Kirito's use of the Adamantine Chains that compelled the Nine Tails to sever its tail, preserving Mito's life.

Tsunade was genuinely grateful to Kirito, sparing her the agony of losing a loved one.

"I see, but there's no need for thanks. I merely did what I had to do. I'm just relieved Sensei is safe," Kirito replied, his face lighting up with a happy smile.

He was genuinely pleased to have inadvertently saved Mito this time. Her survival not only granted him valuable enhancement points but also ensured he could continue benefiting from her protection. He could focus on his development without fear of being drafted into battle after her demise.

He could spend more time with Mito, a luxury denied by Kyuubi's intervention.

It was indeed the best news Kirito had heard thus far.

"Your kindness won't be forgotten, Kirito. The Senju clan  will be forever grateful. Grandma doesn't lavish praise for nothing," Tsunade remarked, playfully flicking Kirito's forehead and offering him a warm hug.

Kirito found himself overwhelmed by Tsunade's affection, almost breathless, as he slipped into unconsciousness once more.

As Tsunade hurriedly left the ward, Kirito closed his eyes, activating his soul perception and natural energy detection. He detected several jounin-level chakras around the ward, with one exceeding the upper-class ninja level, reaching shadow status.

The possessor of this shadow-level chakra was none other than Sakumo Hatake, recognized by Kirito's soul perception as the formidable ninja capable of dispatching Kami Ninja with ease.

Evidently, this shadow-level powerhouse was covertly guarding him.

"Sakumo Hatake, I didn't expect him to protect me still. It must be at Sandaime's behest. My standing in Sandaime's eyes seems to have improved considerably," Kirito mused.

Being protected by a formidable shadow-level expert was a rare privilege in Konoha. However, every advantage came with its drawbacks. With such potent protection, it might be inconvenient for him to use enhancement points.

He had recently acquired 2 enhancement points, and Kirito was eager to utilize them. He had already decided where to allocate

 them.

Sage Mode, the skill Kirito intended to enhance next. It had appeared on his attribute panel as a skill open for reinforcement.

"Let's proceed. I won't activate Sage Mode; I'll simply attempt to gather Sage Chakra."

Kirito examined the Sage Mode displayed on the attribute panel and contemplated his next move.

Adding the mode seemed like a logical choice, yet he knew it would cost him 1 enhancement point to increase its level from 2 to 2.

In this regard, Kirito mentally prepared himself for the investment.

After all, Immortal Mode delved into the realm of Immortal Jutsu, a qualitative transformation that elevated individuals to immortality. Its value far surpassed most S-level ninjutsu and even eclipsed all others in its category.

Consequently, its difficulty level far exceeded that of ordinary S-level ninjutsu.

Using 2 precious enhancement points to elevate it was a worthy investment.

Following a brief internal struggle, Kirito decisively allocated 2 enhancement points to the Sage Mode.

In an instant, Sage Mode transitioned from level 1 to level 2.

Kirito immediately sensed a mystical transformation in his body. His perception of natural energy sharpened, allowing him to discern it from up to a kilometer away, even without entering Sage Mode.

Furthermore, the once hazardous natural energy now felt welcoming to him.

Experimenting with quiet absorption, Kirito noted that the process was nearly twice as fast as before. Natural energy flowed effortlessly into his body, markedly more than before, and with remarkable docility. It no longer clashed aggressively with his chakra but coexisted harmoniously, flowing along separate trajectories within his body.

Impressed by this discovery, Kirito erected a sealing barrier, blocking external perception, and attempted to condense the Sage Chakra.

The process proceeded smoothly, yielding chakra of markedly higher quality and stability.

Without opening the Yin seal, Kirito fused his existing chakra with natural energy. Unlike previous attempts where natural energy swarmed in aggressively, this time, it flowed calmly, resulting in stable Sage Chakra that circulated smoothly within his body.

Senjutsu Chakra, a power surpassing both chakra and natural energy, imbued Kirito's body with strength and vitality. With each cycle, Kirito felt his cells rejuvenated, a sensation of profound comfort enveloping him, physically and mentally.

He sensed that by cultivating Senjutsu Chakra, his lifespan would significantly extend in the future.

"The toad sage of Mount Myoboku, the white sage of Ryūchi Cave, and the slug sage of the Shikkotsu Forest—each an ancient being that has endured for millennia. Their longevity is undoubtedly linked to Sage Chakra. Though rare, individuals have cultivated Immortal Mode in these sacred places throughout history, yet none have lived as long."

Kirito pondered over the matter, contemplating the reasons behind the disparity. Could it be that the Immortal Mode, intended for aliens, lacked the capacity to extend human life?

Such thoughts lingered in his mind, prompting him to recall humans who had cultivated Immortal Mode in the sacred lands. Doubt crept in, fueled by insufficient data for comparison. Perhaps in the future, he could consult Jiraiya, a half-sage, about his experiences with Sage Mode.

If opportunities arose, he also considered visiting the three legendary sages in their respective sanctuaries to glean insights. After all, as the first human to successfully cultivate sage Mode without experiencing adverse effects akin to toads and snakes, Kirito believed he held the key to unlocking the perfect human sage mode.

"Now that I don't need to activate Sage Mode, and the Sage Chakra remains stable, could it imply the potential for storage?" Kirito entertained a notion.

Long ago, he contemplated storing Sage Chakra within the Yin Seal. However, the chakras he created were unstable, prone to collapse or detonation. Fearful of damaging the seal or causing harm to himself, Kirito refrained from pursuing the idea.

With the improved stability of Sage Chakra, the notion seemed more feasible now.

True to his nature, Kirito didn't rush into action. Instead, he cautiously established a secondary reservoir adjacent to the primary Yin Seal pool, adopting a strategy learned from the original Sakura. This approach allowed him to store Sage Chakra without risking contamination of the core pool or compromising the integrity of the Yin Seal.

After successfully opening a small secondary chakra pool around the primary one capable of storing tailed beast-level chakra, Kirito proceeded to deposit the liquefied Sage Chakra into it. With no abnormalities detected after the chakra was stored, it remained quietly in the secondary pool.

"Success! Sage Chakra can be stored with the Yin Seal," Kirito exclaimed, his face lighting up with surprise.

The biggest disadvantage of Sage Mode?

Undoubtedly, its short duration. Once a ninja enters Sage Mode, the sage chakra in their body rapidly depletes. This limitation was evident during Naruto's battle against Pain, where the short duration of Sage Mode led to his defeat.

With the Yin Seal now capable of storing a significant amount of chakra, Kirito theorized that his Sage Mode could last for an extended period. However, recharging the Yin Seal to its full capacity was a time-consuming process.

Previously, Kirito had used the Yin Seal to suppress the Nine Tails, depleting its stored chakra to less than one-third. Fortunately, the Chakra pool formed through gradual accumulation prevented Chakra from entering the Yin Seal prematurely.

In essence, storing Sage Chakra in the Yin Seal for emergencies seemed prudent. Kirito entertained the idea of replacing all stored chakra with Senju Chakra to maintain Sage Mode for extended periods.

"Completing this goal will take time. If only I could capture a tailed beast, it would expedite the process. Unfortunately, tailed beasts are now owned, making it difficult to acquire one without inciting war," Kirito mused.

The notion of using Sage Chakra to replenish the Yin Seal brought tailed beasts to mind, creatures with near-infinite chakra. While Kirito briefly entertained the idea of capturing one, the practicality seemed daunting given the current political climate.

However, the seed of the idea had been planted. If the opportunity arose to acquire a wild tailed beast or one from another Ninja Village, Kirito wouldn't hesitate. With the means and ability to capture a tailed beast, why not seize the opportunity?

Regardless of ownership, if trouble arose, Kirito was prepared to face it head-on. When the time came, he would demonstrate whose fist was stronger.

While Kirito found it challenging to open the Yin Seal and use the sealing technique adamantine chains to suppress the Nine-Tails, he had no trouble suppressing the other Tailed Beasts.

The combined chakra of the other eight Tailed Beasts might not even match a fraction of the Nine-Tails.

As for whether the Tailed Beasts had owners?

Well, if he decided to snatch one, it was his. If anyone dared to contest it, they were welcome to come and challenge him.

When the time came, they would see whose fist was stronger.

Suddenly, Kirito noticed Tsunade's return and swiftly pressed his hand against the wall. With the Mayfly Technique, he released his zetsu avatar from his body. He then lifted the sealing barrier in the room and resumed lying back on the bed, pretending to be a patient.

For now, he needed to maintain the illusion of being unwell to enjoy Tsunade's caring attention.

After enhancing his Sage Mode skills, his dizziness had subsided, and his body felt significantly better. He could now focus on enjoying the game with genuine enthusiasm.

Shortly after, Tsunade entered the room with a tray of food, wearing a gentle expression as she fed Kirito.

it's good to be young..