Chakra is the power formed by the combination of one's mental energy and the energy of the body's cells. Its potency is huge, but compared with Natural Energy, it's a level below.
Natural Energy is a force that drifts through heaven and earth — an energy that has existed since the beginning of the world. The Ōtsutsuki clan planted Divine Trees on planets, letting those trees absorb planetary energy and bear fruit. The planetary energy absorbed by those trees is, in essence, Natural Energy. In a sense, the Divine Tree's fruit is a highly concentrated, compressed form of Natural Energy.
If one could convert the chakra in one's body completely into Natural Energy, one would effectively raise their energy to a higher tier — a comprehensive upgrade of their strength. Because of Natural Energy's properties, ancient shinobi developed Sage Mode, creating sage chakra that mixed natural energy with cell and mental energy.
For example, the three great sage locations — Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and the Shikkotsu Forest — teach ways to enter Sage Mode. Once in Sage Mode, a shinobi's sage jutsu far surpasses normal ninjutsu in power, and can even directly strike at the Ten-Tails' Divine Tree. In short, a shinobi who masters Sage Mode stands far above ordinary shinobi.
However, training Sage Mode requires a prerequisite: an enormous reserve of chakra. Mastering sage chakra demands blending Natural Energy with cell energy and mental energy — a delicate, three-way balance. If too little Natural Energy is drawn in, you can't form sage chakra or enter Sage Mode. If too much Natural Energy is absorbed, you can't maintain the balance and risk being assimilated by nature itself.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Naruto recalled everything he'd learned about sage arts, Sage Mode, and Natural Energy.
You deeply recall all about Natural Energy; combined with your supreme insight into the surrounding heaven and earth! You see the Natural Energy flowing through the world! You have comprehended Sage Mode!
In an instant, Naruto felt massive Natural Energy pouring into his body as he willed it. At the same time, an orange-red shadow framed his eyes and his irises brightened to a sky-blue hue. Unlike the original story's frog-like pupils, because Naruto had cultivated Sage Mode himself, his pupils didn't turn frog-like.
As huge amounts of sage chakra fused within him, Naruto felt his body grow noticeably stronger. His ninjutsu, taijutsu, and even his sensory abilities surged dramatically.
Naruto then flung open his Kagura Heart-Eye Observation Haki. To his surprise, his sensory range had already expanded to cover the whole of Konoha Village. Konoha wasn't a small town — its size was impressive — and even Naruto himself was shocked by the breadth of his perception.
But when it came to testing ninjutsu's power, Naruto stepped out of Sage Mode for a moment. He closed his eyes and entered the sealed inner space of the Nine-Tails. He could use his sensing outside the seal, but if he performed large-scale ninjutsu openly, Konoha wouldn't be blind; they'd detect huge chakra fluctuations.
Inside the seal, the Nine-Tails was used to Naruto wandering in and out and paid him little mind — it continued reading its guilty-pleasure novel while munching from a bag of chips. Naruto ignored Kurama's antics, found a spot, sat down, and focused.
He manifested the effects of Sage Mode within the sealing space.
The next moment, Naruto fully entered Sage Mode. Feeling the new sage chakra coursing through him, he immediately formed a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken and began infusing it with sage chakra.
The spiraling shuriken raised a roaring wind as the Rasenshuriken emitted sharp, thunderous howls that drew the Nine-Tails' attention. Kurama glanced over and instantly noticed the change in Naruto — he had entered Sage Mode.
Kurama briefly registered surprise that this brat had somehow learned Sage Mode, then shrugged; after all, Naruto always did the unexpected. Still, the Nine-Tails watched curiously.
Naruto poured sage chakra into the Wind Release Rasenshuriken. The Rasenshuriken that had previously glowed sky-blue blanched toward an almost white sheen as sage chakra saturated it, and it emitted an aura that even made Kurama feel threatened.
Sage Art! The brat actually mixed Natural Energy into his jutsu! Kurama's thought betrayed astonishment.
Naruto looked at his sage Rasenshuriken and immediately sensed that its power had multiplied compared to its normal form. Without hesitation he threw the Rasenshuriken into the darkness of the sealing space.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The Sage Wind Release Rasenshuriken flew, trailing thundering booms and scattering explosive winds that swept through the entire sealed area. The gusts rattled the space itself, and Naruto felt the weapon's power with delight — he was very satisfied.
But ordinary Sage Mode alone didn't satisfy him. Naruto felt Sage Mode could be evolved further.
From then on, besides daily lessons and his planned training, most of Naruto's time was spent researching how to further refine his Sage Mode. Two months later, he succeeded in turning his few-minute Sage Mode into a persisting Sage Mode.
This "persistent Sage Mode" meant Naruto could maintain Sage Mode indefinitely — it would only end if his chakra ran completely out. Thanks to his Uzumaki constitution and enormous chakra reserves, plus his terrifying mental energy and the body-strength granted by the Six-Cell Thief—er, the Six-Treasure technique—Naruto's chakra level had long approached tailed-beast scale: practically inexhaustible. To force Naruto out of Sage Mode, only he himself could decide to stop.
Still, even at this stage, Naruto found flaws. Persistent Sage Mode was powerful, but it still required him to absorb Natural Energy and convert it into sage chakra mixed with cell and mental energy — a conversion step he felt might be avoidable.
Naruto began to wonder whether he could eliminate that conversion entirely. As a reader of cultivation novels, he had a simple idea: if absorbing the world's energy equaled cultivation, could he create his own cultivation method based on drawing Natural Energy directly? Could he replace the chakra system entirely and ascend to directly harnessing the forces of heaven and earth?
If he could absorb the power of heaven and earth, he would possess an endless energy source.
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