"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Flames erupted outward like a raging sea, crushing and spreading in all directions, instantly igniting every object within sight and releasing a scorching wave of heat.
The temperature continued to rise dramatically, burning the air itself and causing visible distortions in the atmosphere.
The entire wasteland became shrouded in brilliant orange-red flames, creating a scene of both terrifying and spectacular beauty.
"It doesn't consume much chakra or physical energy, but its destructive power is more than double what it was before!"
"The amplification that Sage Mode provides to ninjutsu is truly terrifying. Combined with the taijutsu improvements I just tested, mastering Sage Mode has definitely been worth the effort."
Shihouin Naraku stood in the deepest wasteland area of Shikkotsu Forest, where all the flowers, plants, and trees had withered and died due to the frequent acid rain exposure.
However, due to the constant presence of natural energy in this environment, these plants would periodically come back to life in an endless cycle.
The vegetation in this wasteland was essentially trapped in a strange, perpetual cycle of living and dying, then dying and living again.
Of course, this time Naraku had transformed the entire wasteland into a sea of flames in one devastating attack, completely burning everything to the ground. Even with the presence of natural energy, it would be extremely difficult to restore the area to its original state.
"I've tested my physical abilities, and I'm very satisfied with the ninjutsu enhancement I just demonstrated." Naraku raised his eyes toward the sky. "Next, let's see if my perception abilities have been enhanced!"
"BUZZ—"
His Observation Haki was released instantly, and the powerful perception ability spread outward as if there were no limits, transmitting every detail of the surrounding environment back to Naraku's mind.
"Hmm? It seems like there's no significant change in range. The detection distance remains the same. If there is an improvement, it appears that my perception of chakra-based creatures has become much more acute. Is that all?"
Naraku felt somewhat confused. Wasn't Sage Mode supposed to greatly increase perception abilities?
After Uzumaki Naruto had learned Sage Mode, his perception abilities had been significantly enhanced and expanded.
Could this difference be due to the fundamental distinctions between Mount Myoboku and Shikkotsu Forest training methods?
His Observation Haki swept across the vast expanse of Shikkotsu Forest, and even the Great Slug Sage sleeping peacefully in the distant temple became clearly visible to his enhanced senses.
"Hmm?"
"Is that little Naraku's aura I'm sensing?"
The sleeping Great Slug Sage suddenly awakened, as if she had become aware of the Observation Haki scanning over her, and had even recognized that this ability belonged to Shihouin Naraku.
"As expected of the Great Slug Sage, the immortal sages from the three sacred places are truly not to be underestimated."
Wait...
Naraku suddenly felt stunned, and the Observation Haki that he had been restraining expanded once again, sweeping over the Great Slug Sage in the temple.
"Hmm?"
"Is that little Naraku's aura I'm sensing?"
Exactly the same reaction!
Exactly the same words!
There wasn't even the slightest change in tone or inflection!
Could it be that just moments ago—
I saw the future?!
Naraku's eyes filled with genuine excitement as he realized that Observation Haki, when developed to a certain advanced level, could indeed provide glimpses of the future.
He hadn't expected that Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode would prove so powerful. It could actually amplify Observation Haki to the point where it could perceive brief moments of the future. This ability was incredibly valuable.
"Wait, so I can only see the future with the help of Observation Haki when I'm actively in Sage Mode?"
"Or will Observation Haki be able to see the future even after Sage Mode deactivates?"
Thinking about these crucial questions, Naraku immediately began conducting systematic experiments.
After extensive testing, he discovered that under normal circumstances, his Observation Haki could not provide any glimpses into the future.
Only by entering Sage Mode first and then activating Observation Haki could he achieve this remarkable level of foresight.
"The restrictions aren't too severe—this is definitely acceptable!"
Naraku felt no disappointment whatsoever. Although Observation Haki still required the Sage Mode enhancement to see the future, he believed that eventually, even under normal circumstances, his Observation Haki would develop the ability to perceive short glimpses of what was to come.
The benefits of Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode extended far beyond enhanced perception. Naraku could clearly feel that his life energy was now in an extremely active and vibrant state.
This enhanced state not only meant that his physical constitution was becoming stronger, but his recovery abilities had also reached an entirely new level. These were the core benefits of Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode.
Considering the healing abilities that the Great Slug Sage specialized in, these enhancements weren't particularly surprising.
The Sage Mode of Mount Myoboku seemed to be more oriented toward direct combat applications. As for the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave, Naraku suspected it was better suited for environmental adaptation and stealth. The Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest was more focused on survival and endurance. Each of the three sacred places offered distinctly different advantages.
"Now my survivability has been maximized to an extreme degree. I should be virtually immortal at this point. Of course, I still need to fully master Sage Mode first."
Naraku paused thoughtfully and suddenly understood how Senju Hashirama had developed his legendary regenerative abilities.
It was certainly possible that Senju Hashirama's natural sage body had played a significant role, but Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode had definitely enhanced his recovery capabilities tremendously.
"Lord Naraku, we're going to enter the Sage Arts Cave next. Are you prepared?"
A split-body Katsuyu appeared behind Naraku, gently interrupting his contemplation.
"Yes, absolutely no problem."
Naraku nodded with determination, then followed Katsuyu to the cave entrance and stared into the dark, seemingly bottomless opening.
"Speaking of which, I have a question: why is this cave specifically named the Sage Arts Cave?"
"Because the advanced techniques of Shikkotsu Forest can only be learned within the cave itself!"
"It's actually structured like that!"
Naraku watched with intense curiosity, then followed Katsuyu into the mysterious Sage Arts Cave.
Although the cave had appeared quite dark from the outside, after walking deeper inside, Naraku discovered that there were numerous fluorescent organisms providing illumination throughout the underground passages.
"This is the place."
Katsuyu stopped beside a large pool of water, and Naraku approached, immediately feeling the overwhelming natural energy attempting to penetrate his skin and corrode his body.
"Incredible!"
"An entire pool filled with water that contains concentrated natural energy?"
Naraku looked upward and observed a large number of protruding stalactites growing and spreading across the cave ceiling, each one with a droplet of crystal-clear water condensing and swaying at its tip.
"Drip—"
A water drop containing pure natural energy fell into the pool below!
"So that's how this system works!"
"What should I do next?"
Katsuyu's gentle voice provided guidance: "First, sit cross-legged beside the pool to absorb the natural energy, then successfully condense Senjutsu Chakra!"
"Just like the previous training stages, once this step is completed, Lord Naraku will then enter the pool itself and repeat the entire process from within the water!"
"As long as you can successfully complete both of these steps, you will have mastered the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest."
"The specific sage arts techniques can be learned quickly once you achieve success in the fundamental practice!"
Ever since Naraku had positioned himself next to the pool, he could feel the natural energy from the surrounding environment rushing into his body at an overwhelming rate, and it seemed impossible to stop or control.
"I see—other practitioners get stuck at these two crucial steps, don't they?"
Naraku looked forward to the challenge with anticipation.
Katsuyu nodded with obvious seriousness. "What Lord Naraku must accomplish now is to find a way to avoid absorbing too much of the abundant natural energy in this extremely concentrated environment, while simultaneously maintaining his physical integrity so that his body isn't completely corroded by the exposure."
"The Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest is extraordinarily powerful. It's absolutely impossible to master without achieving perfect control over natural energy."
"Understood. Let's attempt it."
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