One of the Three Great Sacred Lands, Shikkotsu Forest.
It was a world completely different from the outside.
The air was filled with natural energy so dense that it was almost tangible. It was warm and humid, carrying the fresh scent of plants and moss while also containing an indescribable sense of ancientness and majesty.
Looking around, enormous white stone formations resembling the bones of prehistoric creatures towered into the sky.
Blue green moss that gave off a faint glow covered them, while the ground was soft and springy. Translucent slugs of various sizes could be seen slowly crawling everywhere.
The entire space was immersed in a peaceful yet magnificent atmosphere of life.
It was almost like another world.
Chiya stood on a relatively flat platform formed from enormous "bone fragments."
The Katsuyu split body that had guided him here was softly lying nearby.
"Lord Chiya, this is Shikkotsu Forest."
Katsuyu's voice sounded in his mind.
"The concentration of natural energy here is far higher than in the outside world, making it an excellent place for training. However, that also means the risks are much greater. Please remember the principle of balance."
Chiya nodded.
He could clearly sense the natural energy that existed everywhere around him, gentle yet hiding an underlying ferocity.
It was like a warm tide constantly trying to surge into his body.
'Natural energy...'
'What exactly is it?'
After absorbing it, one could gain tremendous power.
The body would also undergo some unusual changes.
Chiya took a deep breath.
He brought his hands together.
Bang!
After the white smoke dispersed, ten Shadow Clones appeared.
"Prepare for training!"
The Shadow Clones nodded together.
Chiya withdrew his gaze and sat down cross legged.
He then closed his eyes and adjusted his mental state until he reached a state of absolute calm.
Thanks to his powerful soul from living two lives and the state of mind he had developed through years of holding a position of authority, his Shadow Clones quickly entered a state where they forgot both themselves and the outside world.
Their minds became as still as ancient wells, without the slightest ripple.
Then they began trying to sense their surroundings.
This was not something they could see with their eyes or hear with their ears.
They had to use their entire body and mind to "touch" the invisible energy around them.
Their perception extended outward like countless feelers.
At first, everything was extremely vague. They could only sense a warm field of energy.
But as their minds became completely still, that vague sensation gradually became clearer.
They could "see" countless tiny streams of energy flickering with points of different colors.
They jumped and flowed happily, filled with endless vitality and life.
'So this is natural energy?'
Chiya thought about the taboos involved in Sage Jutsu training.
'The next step is the most crucial and dangerous one.'
'Absorption and balance.'
Chiya's Shadow Clones proceeded with extreme caution, as if walking along the edge of a cliff.
They guided an extremely tiny strand of natural energy through their skin and slowly absorbed it into their bodies.
The moment this foreign energy entered, it immediately reacted with the chakra surging through their bodies.
Their physical and spiritual energies instinctively tried to reject this "foreign object."
Chiya forcibly suppressed the turbulence within his own energy and adjusted the proportions of the three energies like the most precise instrument.
Physical energy formed the foundation.
Spiritual energy served as the guide.
Natural energy acted as the bridge.
He searched for that extremely subtle and fragile point of balance.
One fraction too much, and the natural energy would lose control and begin eroding his body.
One fraction too little, and it would be impossible to fuse the three energies into Sage Chakra.
Sweat slid down his temples.
Even faint gray patches resembling stone began appearing on the surface of his skin.
This was a sign that the energy was becoming unbalanced and that he was on the verge of becoming part of nature.
The Katsuyu split body nearby watched nervously and was ready to intervene at any moment.
Although there were ten Shadow Clones, it still did not want to discourage Chiya's enthusiasm and allow his first attempt to end in failure.
Chiya's chakra control was already extremely powerful.
He was also gradually becoming familiar with controlling natural energy.
At the instant the delicate balance was about to collapse, he suddenly adjusted the flow frequency of his chakra.
Then, using a vortex like circulation, he forcibly fused the three energies together.
Buzz!
A completely new power formed a vortex within his body and fused together.
This power carried a faint blue green color, resembling the moss of Shikkotsu Forest.
It was denser and heavier than ordinary chakra, containing vigorous vitality and an indescribable natural pressure.
Sage Chakra!
Success!
The strange marks on Chiya's body quickly disappeared.
They were replaced by a sense of harmony, as though he had become one with the surrounding environment.
Chiya slowly opened his eyes.
Deep within his pupils, a faint blue green light flashed and disappeared, making his gaze appear even more profound and mysterious.
"You succeeded... Lord Chiya, you condensed Sage Chakra on your very first attempt?!"
Katsuyu's voice was filled with disbelief.
"This... this is simply a miracle! Even the First Hokage spent several days merely taking his first steps when he trained in Shikkotsu Forest!"
Chiya felt the new and powerful energy within his body and slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
It truly had not been easy.
The sensation of constantly hovering on the edge of imbalance had felt like dancing on the tip of a blade.
But that was precisely what made this challenge so exciting.
For the first time in a long while, he felt the thrill of breaking through his own limits.
Chiya looked at the face of his Shadow Clone.
Only a blue white marking had appeared on each cheek.
'Not too ugly.'
After waiting for the natural energy within the Shadow Clones to stabilize, Chiya finally dispelled them.
He absorbed the memories from the Shadow Clones and slowly closed his eyes while standing there for a moment.
When he opened them again, blue white markings had appeared on both of his cheeks.
Chiya once again sensed the Sage Chakra within him.
"This is only the initial condensation. I still have a long way to go before I can master it proficiently and apply it in battle."
Chiya was not blinded by his initial success.
He knew that maintaining this balance, especially during an intense battle, was the real difficulty.
"Katsuyu, could you summon Tsunade here?"
"Of course, Lord Chiya."
A moment later, Tsunade's figure appeared on the platform amid a cloud of white smoke.
She was clearly caught completely off guard.
She was still wearing the silk nightgown from earlier, her golden hair slightly messy, and her face carrying a mixture of shock and the lazy sleepiness of someone who had just woken up.
"Chiya? Katsuyu? Is this... Shikkotsu Forest?"
She looked around and immediately recognized the place.
Then her gaze fell on Chiya, and she keenly sensed the change in his aura.
"You... you succeeded?!"
Her voice was filled with shock and delight.
How long had it even been? He had actually taken that step!
"Yeah, I succeeded at the initial stage."
Chiya walked over to her and took her hand.
He carefully guided a strand of gentle Sage Chakra into her palm.
Tsunade was immediately drawn to it.
She could clearly feel that this power, which was different from ordinary chakra and contained tremendous vitality and natural pressure, flowing through her chakra pathways.
It made her spirit surge with energy, and even some of the fatigue that had accumulated over the years seemed to disappear completely.
Chiya had actually succeeded!
"So this is Sage Chakra..."
She murmured, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Tsunade."
Chiya looked at her seriously.
"I have an idea regarding your Yin Seal and Hundred Healings Technique."
"Oh?"
Tsunade withdrew her attention from the Sage Chakra and looked at him curiously.
"The essence of the Yin Seal is to store excess chakra accumulated during normal periods, right?"
Chiya guided her toward the idea.
"That's right."
"Then!"
Chiya's eyes burned with anticipation.
"If you eventually master Sage Jutsu as well, could you use the Yin Seal to store Sage Chakra?"
Tsunade froze.
Her pupils contracted slightly.
She had never considered such an idea.
Sage Chakra had to maintain balance at all times and was extremely difficult to store. Normally, it had to be condensed immediately before use.
But if... if Sage Chakra could be stored in advance while maintaining its balanced state...
Chiya continued imagining the possibilities.
"Imagine this. When you're not fighting, you spend time carefully condensing and storing enormous amounts of Sage Chakra within the Yin Seal."
"When a battle begins, you release the Yin Seal, and what erupts is no longer an ordinary flood of chakra, but a more violent and life filled form of Sage Chakra with greatly increased power."
"Once it is enhanced by Sage Jutsu, how powerful would you become?"
Tsunade's breathing quickened.
Her heart began pounding.
Chiya's description had opened an entirely new door for her.
A Sage Jutsu version of the Hundred Healings Technique?
It was an utterly revolutionary idea!
"Of course, the difficulty and risks involved will definitely be much greater than they are now."
Chiya calmly analyzed the situation.
"How do you ensure that the stored Sage Chakra remains stable for a long period of time? How do you maintain your own balance when releasing it in an instant?"
"These are all technical problems that need to be solved."
"But Tsunade, in theory, this path is possible!"
He held Tsunade by the shoulders and looked directly into her eyes, his voice filled with encouragement.
"You possess the strongest foundation in medical ninjutsu, and your chakra control is also among the best."
"You were previously unwilling to attempt Sage Jutsu because you were worried about the risks and because no one could guide you."
"But now, I have already taken the first step. I can provide you with my experience and protect you during the process."
"The characteristics of Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Jutsu are perfectly suited to your path in medical ninjutsu. So why not give it a try?"
Tsunade looked into Chiya's trusting and expectant eyes and felt the sincerity behind his words.
The wall she had built in her heart from past failures and fear of unknown risks began to loosen.
'That's right.'
'Why shouldn't I try?'
In the past, she had been alone.
She had been afraid of losing things and afraid that no one would be able to bear the consequences if she failed.
But now, she had Chiya.
This powerful and confident man was willing to explore the unknown together with her.
She looked at Chiya's familiar face.
For a moment, she seemed to see the young man who had amazed her when they first met.
Back then, during that meeting, Uchiha Chiya had stood against everyone's opinions and openly supported her.
Now, he had grown into a towering tree capable of guiding her forward.
A long forgotten feeling surged within her heart.
She took a deep breath.
Then she tightly grasped Chiya's hand in return, a confident and radiant smile appearing on her face.
"Fine! Since you're putting it that way... then this old lady will go crazy with you! It's only Sage Jutsu. What's so great about it?"
She turned toward Katsuyu.
"Katsuyu, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to guide me from here on."
Katsuyu replied softly.
"It is my honor, Lady Tsunade. Seeing you continually break through your limits and explore the boundaries of power is something Shikkotsu Forest will gladly support."
Chiya looked at the spirited Tsunade and smiled with relief.
He knew that with Tsunade's talent and foundation, her chances of successfully mastering Sage Jutsu were extremely high.
The Senju Clan itself possessed exceptionally strong chakra control, and Tsunade was one of the best among them.
Controlling chakra and controlling natural energy were ultimately similar skills.
When the time came, Tsunade would possess a Sage Jutsu version of the Hundred Healings Technique.
Her combat power and value to Konoha would rise to an unimaginable level.
"Lady Tsunade, please sit here and begin sensing the natural energy!~"
Tsunade followed Katsuyu's instructions and sat down.
She looked at Uchiha Chiya one more time before withdrawing her gaze and calming her mind.
Tsunade secretly encouraged herself.
'I, Tsunade, will definitely succeed in mastering Sage Jutsu!'
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