Today marked the hundredth day since Uchiha Yoru began absorbing natural energy.
He could feel it—
Something was changing.
The speed of his absorption was increasing.
But it wasn't something he was consciously controlling.
Centered on his courtyard, the fire-aspected natural energy throughout Konoha began to stir, then surge toward him on its own.
It pushed away all other attributes, forming a crimson vortex. Like a raging flood, it poured into his body, flowing through his pathways without the slightest resistance.
Too fast… this is way too fast.
This is a bit terrifying…
But my body doesn't feel uncomfortable. It should be fine… right?
No… it's too comfortable. I… can't stop…
Natural energy across Konoha was in turmoil.
If there had been a master of sage arts in the village, they would have sensed the disturbance and followed the flow straight to him.
Fortunately—
There was no such person in Konoha at this time.
Not even anyone capable of faintly perceiving natural energy.
The Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was a master of ninjutsu—but his path had never touched this domain.
Danzo Shimura, buried in schemes and ambition, possessed a heart too clouded to perceive such a force.
Among the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade had the potential. As the granddaughter of the First Hokage, she had inherited a natural sensitivity.
But her mind was far from steady. Her trauma had closed that path entirely.
And she was no longer in the village.
Jiraiya, who had mastered the sage arts of Mount Myoboku, could certainly have sensed this disturbance—
But he was in the Land of Rain.
As for Orochimaru—
He would not truly understand natural energy until much later.
So at this moment—
No one knew.
And because no one knew, Yoru was safe.
With no disturbances, he gradually entered a state where self and surroundings faded away, his consciousness drifting into stillness.
Within his body, the fire-aspected natural energy grew stronger and stronger, until at last—
The final trace of chakra was forced out.
It was pushed back into his cells.
Now, only pure natural energy flowed through his pathways.
The crimson current surged faster, drawing in even more energy. It grew denser, thicker—
Until it began to take on a mist-like form.
The condensed energy flowed rapidly through his body, guided by instinct rather than intent, gathering toward the center of his being.
From deep within his lower body, it surged upward along his core, driving his blood and vitality upward in a powerful flow. When it reached his head, the energies collided and merged, producing a subtle transformation.
So this is… what it feels like…
Incredible…
Then it reversed direction.
Flowing downward again, passing through the body's internal pathways before returning to its origin.
The two streams collided once more.
Ripples spread outward.
At a point just above that convergence—
Something began to form.
A vague outline.
Something that didn't exist physically, yet felt undeniably real.
So this is it…
What I've been searching for…
It wasn't something to be found… it had to be formed.
The energy reversed again.
Another cycle.
And another.
Twelve times in total.
Then—
Like being struck by lightning, Yoru's awareness of the outside world vanished.
A powerful sensation of falling seized him.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a formless, chaotic space.
Crimson mist filled everything around him, thick and oppressive, like storm clouds pressing down before a downpour.
The pressure weighed on him, shaking his calm state of mind.
Danger.
If his mind collapsed here—
Something terrible would happen.
At the same time, something was forming within the red mist.
His instincts told him—
That was his chance.
Hurry…
Whatever it is—hurry…
Faster!
At the same time, he steadied himself.
Hold on.
I'm not dying over something like this.
Time lost all meaning.
Then—
Thunder roared.
The crimson mist condensed into droplets, falling like rain.
At first, it was gentle.
Then—
Relief.
A wave of overwhelming clarity and joy surged through him.
Everything became sharp.
His perception expanded.
It felt as if his entire being had been lifted into the air.
An indescribable exhilaration.
If this was the result of this path—
Then it was no wonder people would become obsessed with it.
As he sank into that sensation, the rain grew heavier, turning into a torrential downpour.
The crimson mist rapidly thinned, nearly vanishing—
Only for more mist to surge in from all directions, instantly transforming into another wave of heavy rain.
Below him—
Water began to gather.
There was no ground.
Yet the rain accumulated, forming a small pool out of nothing.
As the rainfall continued, the pool expanded, growing larger and larger.
Gradually, his mind cleared, breaking free from that intoxicating state.
Watching the expanding water, his heart filled with quiet contentment.
A deep sense of peace.
When the gathered water became large enough to resemble a pond, the crimson mist stopped flowing in.
The rain slowly came to an end.
Then—
He began to rise.
Higher and higher.
Faster and faster.
Until he could see the entire space.
It was an oval world, like an egg.
There was an upper and lower division, but no true sky or ground.
Above—
A thin layer of red mist.
Below—
A shimmering pool of liquid.
So this is…
The place where natural energy gathers within me.
A space between reality and illusion.
A vessel capable of holding power.
And just now—
He had compressed that energy, increasing its density and purity.
This—
Was the beginning of true transformation.
From the moment I absorbed that first red particle… it's been exactly one hundred days.
Hundred days of tempering.
He didn't bother thinking about what would have happened if he had failed.
There was no point.
He had already succeeded.
As the rising sensation intensified, he suddenly snapped back to awareness.
He found himself lying on the bamboo chair in a relaxed, reclining posture.
It was a strange position—
Yet under the flow of natural energy moving through his body like a river, it felt incredibly comfortable.
Like stretching the body to its limit—
Where pain and relief existed together.
Except now—
There was no pain at all.
Only comfort.
Wherever the energy flowed, it was like spring rain nourishing dry earth, awakening life.
He could feel every cell in his body responding.
The dense natural energy became nourishment, strengthening him, pushing his body to evolve.
This—
Was only the beginning.
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