"Trying to probe the bottom, huh?"
"So decisive… This old toad really pushes people to the brink the moment words fail."
The instant the toad oil came crashing down, Kai's scalp went numb.
If he reacted even a fraction too slowly—if he failed to keep pace with the incoming natural energy—he really would turn into a stone statue on the spot.
So he didn't hesitate at all.
His left eye snapped open.
Kamui—transfer!
Pop.
In an instant, the vast majority of the toad oil vanished into a spatial vortex.
Only a small portion splashed onto his body.
Like a sudden downpour, it scattered across his skin.
Buzz!
Even though it was less than a quarter of the original amount, the moment the toad oil touched him, it was as if every pore on his body had been pried open.
The natural energy that had already been flooding in like a tide—
Under the catalytic effect of the oil—
Instantly transformed into a raging tsunami!
The natural energy of the entire Mount Myōboku seemed to respond to a summons, surging wildly toward him!
"Ghh—!"
Sensing the danger, Kai clenched his teeth and forced every last cell in his body to squeeze out its vitality.
He matched it with his mental strength and existing chakra, forcibly aligning the balance.
[Ding! Detected host's Wood Release cells operating under extreme overload.
High-purity Wood Release cell mutation progress +10%!]
BOOM!!!
Under the crushing pressure of the natural energy, Kai's small body nearly tore itself apart!
Gurgle…
Soon, visible bumps began rising across his skin.
This was—
Toadification.
Both the hallmark of initial Mount Myōboku senjutsu cultivation
and a clear sign of insufficient mastery.
Hiss—!
Dense white steam began billowing from his body!
The bumps caused by the toad oil rose and fell erratically across his face.
It was as if his entire body were being pulled back and forth between flesh and stone.
A brutal tug-of-war.
Across from him—
"Hmm? He found the balance point this fast?!"
Fukasaku sucked in a sharp breath.
His toad eyes flashed with intense light!
This kid had actually endured the first impact of toad oil combined with high-density natural energy?!
This was the hardest step of senjutsu cultivation.
Also the step where people most often turned to stone.
In hundreds of years, he had never seen anyone succeed at this without guidance.
Yet it was obvious—
Kai had already cleared the first hurdle.
If things continued steadily, he might completely master Sage Mode in a single month.
The realization left Fukasaku with an absurd feeling—
as if all the years he'd spent training himself had somehow been for nothing.
"Since that's the case…"
A strange curve formed at the corner of Fukasaku's mouth as he raised his small claw again.
"Let's raise the difficulty!"
BOOM—!!!
In the distance, a massive waterfall—over ten meters wide—suddenly changed course!
Like a reversed Milky Way, it came crashing down toward Kai, carrying with it even denser natural energy!
Toad oil was just the appetizer.
This waterfall was the true concentration of Mount Myōboku's natural energy!
"Calm your mind! Feel nature! Seek balance within destruction!"
Fukasaku didn't completely abandon him—his voice rang out like a great bell, cutting through the roar of the water.
It shook Kai's mind.
But the waterfall was already upon him!
The water pressure and the natural energy within it were enough to flatten an elite jōnin into pulp in an instant.
Even the Raikage, famed for his physical body, would be crushed flat.
"Looks like I still need to raise my chakra ratio…"
Either reduce natural energy,
or raise body and spirit.
But just as Kai was about to activate Kamui again—
A system prompt rang out.
[Conversation with Jiraiya has reached ten minutes. Attempting trait replication.]
[Analyzing replicable traits…]
[Many Children, Many Blessings (Black)]
[Second-Generation Sage (Black)]
[Toad Sage Mode (Gold)]
[Genjutsu · Unbreakable (Gold)]
[Senjutsu · Two-Life Technique (Purple)]
[Senjutsu · Five Right Guards (Purple)]
[Demonic Illusion · Toad Confrontation Chant (Purple)]
"…Damn. Fukasaku's traits are insane."
Black, gold, purple—
Kai felt like his eyes were about to be blinded by all the colors.
This wasn't a toad.
This was a walking golden legend.
"…Though these two black traits…"
He glanced at Fukasaku with an amused expression.
As expected of a being who singlehandedly populated an entire mountain.
"Many Children, Many Blessings" fit him perfectly.
[Replication successful. Congratulations, host has obtained legendary trait: Toad Sage Mode (Gold).]
[Effect: Access to an energy tier higher than chakra.
Greatly enhances ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and damage output.
Damage dealt is significantly harder to recover from.]
Kai's eyes widened.
He actually pulled a Sage trait from Fukasaku?!
Ever since the end of the massacre arc, his luck had been absurdly good.
Just chatting—and he got gold.
Without hesitation, he activated Toad Sage Mode.
Buzz—buzz—buzz.
The moment the trait activated, the violent torrent of natural energy tearing at his body suddenly became clear.
Still fierce—
but no longer petrifying.
Instead, it began to stabilize, condensing within his body like a refined power source.
Sage Mode: Phase One—fully stabilized.
RUMBLE—!
Beneath the waterfall, the petrification marks on Kai's body finally receded like a tide.
Beneath his skin, glowing green vein-like patterns flared brilliantly, intertwining with golden energy to form a resilient energy membrane!
The water pressure and natural energy still hammered him mercilessly.
His body trembled violently.
But—
His spine slowly straightened.
Those crimson eyes pierced through the curtain of water, locking onto Fukasaku.
"Finding balance, huh…"
Through the deafening roar of the waterfall, Kai's lips curved upward.
"But I—
intend to seize control by force."
As the words fell, he wiped the corner of his eyes.
Orange eye-shadow quietly appeared.
His pupils shifted—
into horizontal golden slits.
Fukasaku froze.
"T-this… th-this is—?!"
His white beard exploded outward as he spun around and shouted toward the mountain:
"Old lady—this is insane!!!"
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