Chapter 211: Natural Energy
Central Tower, Forest of Death.
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to his subordinates' reports, noting the weakened state of Anko and Mibu.
"What exactly is Orochimaru planning?"
Konoha did not make a public scene; instead, they investigated quietly. With the Daimyos of various nations focusing their attention on Konoha, the village could not afford to let the current situation be leaked.
Inside a tree hollow.
"Sasuke, please be okay!" Sakura looked at the unconscious Sasuke and Naruto, her face filled with worry.
She didn't understand why the enemy had let them go. They had clearly lost all ability to resist.
"Naruto, Sasuke... I will catch up to you. I won't hold you back anymore."
The previous battle had left them feeling powerless. The mere eruption of killing intent had caused them to experience mental hallucinations. Had they not trained within Captain Tonbo's Genjutsu, that killing intent alone would have left them defenseless.
Furthermore, the performances of Naruto and Sasuke made her feel the vast gap between them. Sasuke's immense talent and adaptable combat skills had already put him far ahead. Even Naruto had just released an astonishing aura, exerting strength far beyond an ordinary person.
Only she remained, capable only of providing minor support during their primary attacks. Even after training through countless "deaths," her fundamental strength was still lacking.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the darkness outside the tree hollow, three figures appeared, eyeing the entrance.
"Hehehe... Sasuke Uchiha, found you at last. I want to see exactly what Lord Orochimaru sees in you," Dosu Kinuta whispered gloomily.
Analytical Team.
"Safe... as long as they're safe."
Tonbo Tobitake received the message from Hiruzen Sarutobi. Learning that Mibu and Anko had encountered Orochimaru and emerged safe allowed him to relax. Earlier, he had sensed Mibu using the "Proxy Tag" ninja tool he had provided, so he knew they had engaged a powerful enemy. Crossing paths with Orochimaru alongside Anko was within his expectations.
However, after receiving intelligence on Orochimaru, Hiruzen tasked Tonbo with assisting in the internal security of Konoha.
Overtime.
Tonbo had no choice but to put down his books and join the ranks guarding the village.
Time passed.
Orochimaru did not show his face again. The Konoha village remained peaceful and serene, with no hint of the impending storm. Children played and laughed, and shops opened to welcome guests. The influx of outsiders made Konoha appear even more prosperous.
Teuchi's Ichiraku Ramen was exploding with business every day. The never-ending stream of customers kept Teuchi and Ayame busy around the clock; fortunately, they had hired extra staff.
Tonbo naturally had no time to help out, because the Forest of Death exam had ended. The one-on-one preliminary matches were about to begin.
Shish!
At the arena, Tonbo appeared among the spectator group.
"Yo, busy man. You actually have time to watch the Chunin Exams?" Kakashi quipped.
Tonbo glanced at him. "Paying attention to the village's juniors is something I've always done, okay? Not like you—too lazy. I advise you to be a bit more diligent. Read less Icha Icha and look at the beautiful women on the street more. Maybe you'll actually find a wife."
Kakashi choked. He really shouldn't have teased this guy; Tonbo moved the conversation to him getting married at every opportunity.
"Eh? Uncle Tonbo, does Kakashi-sensei not have a girlfriend? Does that mean he's actually a monster under that mask, and that's why he won't show his face?" Naruto was standing nearby and became instantly intrigued.
Sasuke and Sakura's ears perked up as well. The three of them had exerted every ounce of effort and still failed to remove Kakashi's mask. They had been curious about what was underneath for a long time—even the currently preoccupied Sasuke was no exception.
Kakashi gave Naruto a "dead fish" stare. "Don't worry about whether I'm ugly or not. Worry about yourself first. I happen to know that no girls at the Academy like you."
"..." Naruto slumped, his eyes drifting toward Sakura. Sakura noticed his gaze but pointedly turned her head away.
Further off, Hinata seemed to have overheard Kakashi's words; her face turned bright red. This made Kiba feel strange. Why does she always turn red when she sees Naruto? Does she actually like that troublemaker?
Tonbo found the little ones quite amusing. Just how many overlapping unrequited loves were going on here?
"The matches are starting. Get ready!"
In the arena, the screen began the random selection for the duels.
Flash!
Sasuke Uchiha VS Yoroi Akado.
"Will the contestants please enter the arena," the proctor, Hayate Gekko, announced.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures dropped from the stands simultaneously, standing face-to-face.
"Good luck, Sasuke!"
"Go for it, Sasuke!"
Two voices shouted from the stands at the same time. Then, Sakura and Ino glared at each other, sparks flying between them.
"This guy better not lose and embarrass Team 7," Naruto muttered, though his words were sharp.
Sakura roared, "You jerk! How could Sasuke lose?" However, she looked at the side of Sasuke's neck, her eyes filled with worry. She didn't know how that "thing" would affect him.
"Let me see the power of the Cursed Seal," Tonbo watched Sasuke with anticipation.
The Cursed Seal, which utilized Natural Energy, was a rarity in the shinobi world. He was quite interested in it. Now that he was a man with a decent "Chakra-per-pound" count, he likely possessed the potential to suppress Natural Energy, making him curious about Sage Jutsu.
In the past, his chakra was insufficient, so he didn't dwell on it. Now that his chakra levels had "stood up," he naturally had ideas. Whether it was Genjutsu or Ninjutsu, adding Natural Energy resulted in a qualitative leap.
He suspected that the Genjutsu invented by Yakumo Kurama had utilized Natural Energy, which allowed it to manifest such unimaginable power. That was likely why he had been caught by it despite having multiple Genjutsu defenses in place.
According to Tonbo's theory, once he could use Natural Energy to upgrade his Genjutsu into the realm of Sage Jutsu, its power would skyrocket, making it even harder for enemies to resist.
Now was an opportunity—an opportunity to sense Natural Energy. He had been thinking about it the wrong way before; Sage Mode mostly originated from the Three Great Sage Regions, but the application of Natural Energy did not.
According to Tonbo's research, there were many jutsus in the world that utilized Natural Energy. A famous example was En no Gyoja of the Tsuchigumo clan, who, during the Third Great War, had wiped out an entire town roughly the size of Konoha. It was a terrifying feat. Many small nations also had "trump card" techniques that involved Natural Energy. Even mutants like Juugo existed.
Unlike Sage Mode, these were techniques that directly used Natural Energy without the transformative abilities of a true Sage Mode. Currently, he found that Juugo's Cursed Seal power was the closest to Sage Mode, as it possessed the ability to vitalize the body.
"Mhm. The fight has started."
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