"This speed is just unbelievable," Fukasaku remarked, his voice filled with shock.
Just moments ago, he had speculated that even with Jiraiya's talents, it would take at least a month for him to sense the natural energy around him. Yet, in the blink of an eye, not only had Jiraiya managed to sense it, but he had also begun drawing it in. The rapid progress was almost unnatural.
"As expected of someone with a Sage Body—his talent is monstrous," Fukasaku muttered under his breath, still in awe.
"At this rate, little Jiraiya might achieve the basics of Sage Mode in no time," Shima added, her wide eyes betraying her astonishment.
"If he can seamlessly merge natural energy with his chakra, he might even reach that milestone today," Fukasaku mused, nodding. Just earlier, he had been warning Jiraiya about the challenges of Sage Mode, urging him to stay patient and keep a steady mindset.
Now, it seemed his concerns had been completely unnecessary. Jiraiya's aptitude had surpassed all expectations.
Natural energy began to gather around Jiraiya, slowly merging into his body. As it entered, he felt a tingling sensation—like a faint electric current running through him. He carefully channeled his chakra to envelop the natural energy, following the method described in the scroll. Step by step, he began the intricate process of fusing the two energies.
As the fusion progressed, his skin started to show frog-like traits, and a sharp, stinging pain spread through his body. Perfectly merging these energies, as the scroll had warned, was no easy feat.
The two energies resisted one another, making it extremely difficult to achieve balance. A stable fusion required identifying the precise equilibrium point. One energy had to dominate and suppress the other before they could properly merge. During this process, Jiraiya's body endured tremendous strain, his physical energy depleting rapidly. The weight on his body was immense—proof that mastering Sage Mode was far from easy.
"Little Jiraiya, if your body can't take it, don't push yourself too hard. We can take it slow," Fukasaku reminded him when he noticed Jiraiya's skin beginning to transform. His voice carried a note of worry. He feared Jiraiya might overexert himself in an attempt to master Sage Mode in one go.
Forcing the two energies together was dangerous. If the balance tipped too far, the conflicting forces would clash violently inside the body, potentially damaging internal organs. Worse yet, if the imbalance grew severe, the practitioner could be consumed by nature itself, turning into stone. Sage Mode wasn't just difficult to master—it was perilous.
"Don't nag him so much. You're distracting him. Little Jiraiya's not as dumb as you were when you started—if he can't handle it, he'll stop on his own," Shima retorted in a hushed tone.
"What do you mean, 'dumb'?" Fukasaku immediately shot back, indignant.
"Calm down. Don't want to end up with a black eye again, do you?" Gamabunta chimed in from the side.
"I'm talking to your mother! No one asked for your opinion!" Fukasaku snapped before smacking Bunta with a flick of his hand. The massive toad flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, landing with a loud crash.
Despite his small size, Fukasaku possessed immense Sage Chakra. Sending Bunta flying with a single blow was child's play for him. Still, he knew he'd pay for it soon—his wife's wrath was inevitable. Smacking his son first was merely a small consolation.
Meanwhile, on the high platform, Jiraiya sat cross-legged, gritting his teeth as he endured the pain of the fusion process. His body trembled violently, yet he refused to stop. With the Sage Body's regenerative capabilities, even damage to his internal organs could be quickly repaired with sufficient chakra.
Stopping now would mean starting over, requiring even more time and effort. Though he had gained some experience, finding the balance point again would be no small feat.
"That kid's willpower is unbelievable," Shima remarked, watching Jiraiya's struggle with a mix of awe and concern. His frog-like skin had intensified, and his entire body was shaking under the strain.
"It's truly impressive. Even with the Sage Body's regeneration, the pain from every injury remains just as intense," Fukasaku added with a nod.
"Do you think little Jiraiya will succeed today?" Shima asked, glancing down at her husband.
"Mastering Sage Mode in a single day? It's an incredibly tall order. But with his talent, it's not impossible," Fukasaku replied, his tone carrying both doubt and hope.
As night fell, the sky over Mount Myoboku shimmered with countless stars. The full moon cast its silver light over the land. On the stone platform, Jiraiya remained seated, eyes tightly shut. The frog-like transformations on his skin began to fade.
From dawn to dusk, he had endured unrelenting pain, finally stabilizing the balance point between the two energies. Slowly but steadily, he had begun merging them.
"Little Jiraiya is almost there," Shima observed, her voice tinged with excitement.
"Such terrifying talent," Fukasaku murmured, marveling at Jiraiya's progress.
As descendants of the Great Toad Sage, Fukasaku and Shima had the innate ability to absorb natural energy and convert it into Sage Chakra effortlessly. For them, Sage Mode came naturally, a gift of their bloodline. But for those without such advantages, learning to harness natural energy required years of arduous training.
"The scrolls say only the Sage of Six Paths and his brother mastered Sage Mode this quickly," Fukasaku remarked, his tone reverent.
'Just a little more… I can't stop now,' Jiraiya thought, gritting his teeth as he fought to maintain the delicate balance. Though he had found the balance point, it was still unstable, and complete mastery remained elusive.
Even with his Sage Body, the process of merging the two energies pushed his limits. While he could now create Sage Chakra, the fusion was slow, fragile, and exhausting. If interrupted, he'd have to start over. Moreover, entering Sage Mode this way would take significant preparation time, and the form itself would be short-lived due to the immense strain it placed on his body.
"I have to keep pushing… just a little further."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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