Chapter 518: Sasuke Learns Sage Mode
The next day.
Ino returned from "down below" and first found Kakashi, agreeing to teach Sasuke Sage Mode, though she couldn't guarantee he would succeed.
She successfully obtained Kakashi's notes on Lightning Release, and when Sasuke came to her, she symbolically collected a tuition fee of fifty million ryo before beginning the lesson.
"Sage Mode is the process of adding natural energy to the existing process of harmonizing physical and spiritual energy to create chakra. By mixing all three, you can create a much more powerful senjutsu chakra."
She started with an introduction before getting to the main point. "My Sage Mode does not come from Shikkotsu Forest, but was taught to me by Master Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. Once you learn it, you are not permitted to teach it to others without my permission. This is being taught to you personally, not as a skill for the Uchiha clan."
Sasuke nodded slightly. This was standard for secret techniques; there was nothing to argue about.
But this so-called Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki had him stumped. Who was he? Was he even alive?
Ino didn't explain further. You'll know when you need to know.
"The Sage Mode Master Hagoromo taught me is far stronger than the aberrant Sage Modes of Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave. Humans and animals are, after all, different. I have to say, you have a good eye. Practicing those animal Sage Modes is completely substandard. In that respect, Orochimaru was very clever; he found his own way. Now, I will teach you the first step: sensing natural energy. Activate your Sharingan and watch my hand."
Ten minutes later, Ino was starting to get a headache. This was genuinely difficult to teach.
When the Sage had taught her, he had assumed that the "ninja of the future" would possess sensory abilities, immense chakra, all seven chakra natures, some knowledge of Yin and Yang Release, and a bloodline on par with a Kekkei Tōta.
At the time, Ino's Wood Release could be considered a type of Kekkei Tōta, and she met all the other conditions. This had unintentionally raised the Sage's expectations for the "ninja of the future."
Now, her attempt to copy that teaching method was failing, because Sasuke met none of the conditions.
Sasuke had no sensory abilities. In fact, one could say that the Uchiha clan as a whole lacked them. Their minds were afflicted! They were constantly influenced by their restless emotions and love, unable to calm their hearts, which naturally meant they couldn't sense the world around them.
Madara Uchiha could absorb senjutsu chakra from the reincarnated Hashirama, but he couldn't use Sage Mode himself, a fact that had much to do with this mental state.
Ino thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique?"
Sasuke pursed his lips and said nothing. That idiot Naruto uses it in front of me every day. If I couldn't even see that, I'd be blind.
Ino read his expression. "You do? Alright then, let's use the body memory method. Make... make four shadow clones first. I'll teach them one by one."
After half a day of learning, Sasuke hadn't sensed a single thing. Even with his Mangekyo Sharingan activated, he could only see the natural energy with his eyes; he couldn't grasp it with his spiritual energy, let alone harmonize and use it.
"Calm your heart. Do you understand what I'm saying? Clear your mind of distracting thoughts. Activating the Mangekyo Sharingan requires extreme emotion, but Sage Mode is the exact opposite. It requires you to be still."
Sasuke stubbornly replied, "I am still."
Ino scoffed. "Fine, I'll take your word for it. Now, the first step is to maintain your Mangekyo Sharingan while simultaneously sensing the presence of natural energy. It's like looking to your left and right at the same time. Practice well."
The Ōtsutsuki's Sage Mode was much harder than Sasuke had anticipated.
He had no choice but to devote twelve-tenths of his energy to learning it.
When Sakura heard that Sasuke was learning from Ino, she panicked and rushed over to supervise, terrified that someone might steal her dear husband-to-be.
Ino waved her over and handed her a note. "You're just in time. Sasuke's chakra reserves are insufficient; we need to use some special methods to strengthen them. Go to the pharmacy and buy all these herbs, and then buy a set of pill-making equipment. Quickly, time is tight, run!"
Sakura dazedly went to the pharmacy. It was only when she was paying that she realized a problem: that pig Ino hadn't given her any money! She had to pay for everything herself!
Fuming, she carried the herbs back to Ino, but Ino didn't even give her a chance to speak.
"Your Sasuke's chakra is running low. Quick, make the special military rations pills."
"Huh?" Sakura was a bit dazed. She had come to supervise, why did she have to work?
"What 'huh'? Get to work!"
Ino ordered Sakura around, making her run in circles.
The recipe for the special military rations pills was based on the drugs Mizuki had taken when he betrayed the village. Those drugs, combined with Orochimaru's incomplete Cursed Seal, could, to some extent, allow a ninja to enter the first stage of the Cursed Seal. Now, there was no Cursed Seal, but Ino's understanding of senjutsu chakra was no less than Orochimaru's. By adjusting the proportions of a few herbs, she could not only temporarily boost chakra but also enhance Sasuke's ability to sense natural energy.
While Sakura was rolling the pills, Ino, unsure of the new pill's effects, secretly took a bite when Sakura wasn't looking.
"Ptooey!" She spat it out after a single bite. It was absolutely disgusting.
She didn't know if it was the recipe or Sakura's craftsmanship.
Ino licked the residue from her lips. The taste was terrible, but it was effective.
She pointed at the panting Sasuke. "Go, feed your young master his rations pills!"
Having often worked at the Konoha Hospital, Sakura was something of a medical-nin herself. She knew that Sasuke's training with shadow clones was extremely chakra-intensive, and eating rations pills now was the right thing to do. She happily presented her "love-filled" pills.
Sasuke hesitated. Sakura's rations pills were each the size of a fist, dark and unappetizing. They didn't look the least bit edible.
He wanted to refuse, but after half a day of intense training with four shadow clones, his own chakra was indeed severely depleted. Sasuke wasn't one to shy away from hardship. So what if the pills looked ugly? As long as they worked.
Eat!
Picking up a fist-sized pill, he took a bite.
Before he could even swallow, his face turned black!
Sakura's "love-filled" rations pills were unbearably awful. After one bite, Sasuke wanted to spit it out.
Ino stared at him, as if to say, If you can't even endure this little bit of hardship, what great things can you possibly achieve?
Eat! Sasuke changed his mind. Grabbing a bitter and astringent pill in each hand, he ignored the taste and forced them into his mouth.
Sakura knelt like a young bride feeding Sasuke, watching her beloved man take a bite of a pill and a sip of water. Her heart felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey.
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