Smoke still lingered in the room, curling around the edges of the crib where Raven's infant body lay. Across from her, the Shadow Clone she had conjured remained—a vision of her twenty-year-old self with long white hair cascading down her back, the Rinnegan glowing in rippling violet rings. Her battle garb clung to her form with sharp elegance, the Uzumaki crest marked proudly at her side. The clone lowered its head, gazing upon the child it reflected, offering the faintest nod of acknowledgment. For Raven, it was like meeting her destiny face to face.
Yumi shifted where she lay, her golden eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. The fox's voice resonated into Raven's mind, threaded with amusement and gravity. "Now that you command a Shadow Clone that can meditate and harness chakra, it is time you learn of a greater path. Tell me, Raven… do you remember Sage Mode?"
The words struck her like an echo from the future. Her infant chest rose and fell, and her mind drifted to what she remembered of the road ahead. Her thoughts were solemn, heavy. "Yes… Naruto, my son. In the days ahead, he will achieve Sage Mode—the art of balancing natural energy with one's own chakra, uniting heaven and earth within the body."
Yumi's nine tails flicked in the dim light, their movement slow, deliberate, each gesture carrying a tone of mystery. Her voice lowered, heavy as thunder rolling through the void. "Ordinary shinobi risk death in drawing from nature's flow. But you, Raven… your Rinnegan shields you from imbalance. What others call Sage Mode, for you becomes something purer—a constant wellspring. Your eyes allow you to drink directly from the currents of heaven and earth, weaving natural chakra into your very being. For mortals, it is a borrowed state. For you, it can be your essence."
Raven's infant hands curled weakly, her tiny body trembling as the glow of the Rinnegan shimmered faintly through her eyes. Her thoughts pressed forward, heavy with disbelief and possibility. "You're telling me… my Rinnegan allows me to harness nature chakra safely—as my primary source of chakra?"
Yumi inclined her head, her voice steady, both approving and warning. "That is correct. But power without discipline corrodes the soul. If you walk this path, you will be more than shinobi… but also something beyond them."
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