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The White Snake Sage had long been aware of the conversation between Midorima and Tagitsuhime.
When Midorima was brought before the White Snake Sage, the ancient serpent got straight to the point. "You wish to master the ability to use senjutsu while in Tailed Beast Mode?"
Midorima nodded.
"In your current state, you cannot do it." The White Snake Sage's directness immediately cut off anything Midorima was about to say.
Midorima's brows lifted slightly. "You haven't even heard what I was going to say yet."
"Within Ryuchi Cave, nothing can be hidden from me." The White Snake Sage reclined on its bed, its eyelids barely lifting as it gazed at Asachi Midorima. "Unless, of course, you have been concealing your true strength."
Midorima let out an awkward laugh.
There was no denying it—the White Snake Sage possessed absolute control within Ryuchi Cave.
"If I want to achieve this, what must I do?" Midorima asked.
"Tailed Beast Mode, at its core, is fundamentally a tangible 'exchange' between your own chakra and the chakra of the tailed beast. The longer you maintain it, the more disadvantageous it becomes for you. Am I correct?"
Midorima nodded.
"Sage Mode, on the other hand, requires the fusion of natural energy, physical energy, and spiritual energy in precise proportions. But when you activate Tailed Beast Mode, whose chakra are you actually using? And with what energy is the natural energy supposed to merge? Have you ever truly contemplated this question?" the White Snake Sage inquired.
Midorima's brow furrowed deeply. He had genuinely never considered this problem before.
It was only now, with the White Snake Sage bringing it to his attention, that he began to seriously ponder the issue.
"You mean to say..."
The White Snake Sage shook its head. "This is a matter between you and the tailed beast. It is something you must resolve together. However, solving this is far from simple. Over the past several decades, there have been many jinchuriki, and the number who could harness the power of their tailed beasts is not small. Yet, how many have been able to achieve the mode you speak of?"
It paused, letting the weight of the words settle before continuing. "But, while this mode is by no means easy to master, once you do grasp the method, it will greatly benefit your use of Sage Mode. Very likely, you will no longer need to summon a sage partner to assist you."
Midorima's eyes lit up instantly.
Not needing to summon Tagitsuhime meant his freedom of movement would be far greater. It also meant he wouldn't face unexpected complications if Tagitsuhime were injured in battle.
"The Six-Tails..." Midorima murmured to himself.
He had long suspected that becoming a perfect jinchuriki was not something that could be accomplished so easily.
The Eight-Tails and Killer B had achieved a perfect fusion, and the Eight-Tails had even personally taught him the path to becoming a perfect jinchuriki. But it was painfully obvious that the level of understanding and synchronization between him and the Six-Tails fell far short of what B shared with the Eight-Tails.
Before the final decisive battle against the Akatsuki, he absolutely had to master this mode.
Midorima swore this vow deep within his heart.
Orochimaru, standing nearby, appeared noticeably restrained in the presence of the White Snake Sage. When the ancient serpent's gaze shifted toward him, he inclined his head respectfully.
"I heard you died," the White Snake Sage stated flatly.
"I utilized alternative methods to resurrect myself," Orochimaru explained.
"And what is your purpose in coming here this time?" the White Snake Sage asked.
"Sage techniques." A trace of a smile finally emerged on Orochimaru's face. "Previously, my body was truly unsuited for training in senjutsu, so I never found the right opportunity. Now, perhaps I might be permitted to attempt it?"
"Come closer." The White Snake Sage extended a hand.
Orochimaru immediately stepped forward, approaching the bedside.
The White Snake Sage placed its hand upon Orochimaru's neck, and Orochimaru's entire body jolted as if struck by lightning. The ice-cold fingers glided over his skin, and a bone-deep chill spread relentlessly from the point of contact, traveling along his nerves and radiating to every corner of his body.
In that brief instant, an overwhelming pressure crashed into him like a tidal wave. Orochimaru felt a momentary suffocation, his breath catching in his throat. Before he could even regain his composure, he felt the White Snake Sage's fangs sink into his flesh, injecting a foreign liquid directly into his body.
Pain. Searing, agonizing pain traveled through his veins, spreading throughout his entire form. Beneath his skin, it felt as though countless insects were gnawing and tearing at his very flesh.
Even Orochimaru, a man who had weathered countless storms and witnessed death more times than he could count, found this agony nearly impossible to endure. He collapsed to the ground, writhing and rolling back and forth, his composure utterly shattered.
Watching Orochimaru's unbearable suffering, Midorima's brow furrowed, his expression turning exceedingly grim.
He himself had endured this exact same torment. He understood all too clearly what Orochimaru was experiencing in this moment. To describe it as "a living hell" would be the most fitting phrase imaginable.
Previously, Orochimaru had voiced concerns that his body might not withstand the process, and judging by what was happening now, that warning had not been an exaggeration.
Midorima fixed his gaze on Orochimaru, sinking into a state of internal conflict. But the White Snake Sage, as if having read his thoughts, spoke up. "Asachi Midorima, this matter no longer concerns you. Go find a place and contemplate carefully what I just told you. If you can overcome this hurdle, your strength will undergo a tremendous leap forward. If not, you will only be able to mark time... One might even say that the growth of your power will have reached its absolute limit."
Midorima cast a glance at the utterly exhausted Orochimaru, who now lay motionless on the ground, and a flicker of unease crossed his face.
Although Orochimaru had gone still, his expression was anything but relaxed. A layer of deep red stretched from his forehead down past his collar, a visible testament to the violent reaction consuming his body.
Different people, when faced with the same ordeal, experience sensations that are entirely their own.
Perhaps, even though Orochimaru had switched bodies, compared to him, his constitution was still far too weak.
He hoped Orochimaru could pull through.
Midorima took his leave of the White Snake Sage and subsequently departed the Sage's palace, following Tagitsuhime.
"Where do you intend to go?" Tagitsuhime asked.
"Somewhere quiet. I don't want to be disturbed," Midorima replied.
Ryuchi Cave, true to its name, was a place riddled with caverns. Wherever there was a cave, there were snakes, and those snakes could very well interrupt his training.
"Alright. As it happens, there is indeed a place suited for you," Tagitsuhime said with a smile.
"Where?"
"Follow me." Tagitsuhime beckoned to Midorima and then led him straight to the lair of the giant serpent, Garaga.
When Garaga caught sight of Midorima, it immediately coiled its massive body defensively and demanded, "Why don't you ever summon me?"
"Haha, the timing just hasn't been right," Midorima said with a laugh.
Truth be told, he was genuinely afraid that Garaga might get itself killed by Itachi's Totsuka Blade.
Garaga flicked its tongue dismissively, clearly unconvinced.
Midorima didn't bother elaborating further. Instead, he explained what he needed, instructing the serpent that absolutely no one was to disturb him during the period he would be sitting in meditation. He then found a secluded corner, sat down cross-legged, and settled into stillness.
Within his inner world, the Six-Tails lay sprawled lazily on the ground, utterly listless. It wasn't until a point of light appeared in the distance that it struggled to rise. It watched as that speck of light grew larger and larger, until Midorima's form stood directly before it.
"It's you? It's been a long time," the Six-Tails remarked.
"We just cooperated not too long ago. Surely you haven't forgotten that already?" Midorima asked.
"Perhaps. Though, staying in a place like this, it's very difficult for me to perceive the passage of time... Sometimes it races by, and sometimes it drags on interminably," the Six-Tails mused.
"Well, I want to thank you for your help not long ago. It allowed me to survive a critical crisis," Midorima said earnestly.
"Even without my assistance, relying solely on your senjutsu, you likely would have been able to overcome that danger, wouldn't you?" the Six-Tails questioned.
"No." Midorima's voice was firm. "Right now, you are indispensable to me. From the moment I became a jinchuriki, our fates have been tightly intertwined. If I die, you will most likely never have another jinchuriki again—because you, too, would simply become a part of the Ten-Tails. So please, help me. This is for your sake as much as it is for mine." Midorima rarely spoke with such solemn sincerity.