24Develop the Cursed Seal Sage ModeAI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 24: Developing the Cursed Seal Sage Mode
In Naruto's conception, the entire process was divided into three stages.
"First is the first stage..."
The little figure in the light screen formed hand seals, and in the next second, ten Shadow Clones appeared beside him.
He intended to imitate his own Mount MyōbokuSage Mode from the original story—
Applying the Cursed Seal of Heaven to the Shadow Clones to let them absorb natural energy.
Afterward, when he needed to enter Sage Mode, he would release the Shadow Clones and reclaim that portion of natural energy into his main body.
The advantage of doing this was that Narutowouldn't need to apply the Cursed Seal of Heavento his own body.
For one, the survival rate for transplanting the Cursed Seal of Heaven was extremely low, and Naruto couldn't possibly risk his own life.
Secondly, even if the transplant was successful, the recipient's body would undergo a mutation and suffer intense pain during the Cursed Seal transformation.
If he ended up like Sasuke—turning black all over with fleshy wings growing out of his back... it felt a bit disgusting.
As for why he didn't choose the Cursed Seal of Earth, which had a higher success rate?
It wasn't just because the Cursed Seal of Earthrequired the mind awakening pill, exclusively developed by Orochimaru, to be used alongside it.
It was more because the efficiency of the Cursed Seal of Earth in absorbing and utilizing natural energy was simply too low.
With sufficient preparation, there was no need to compromise and sacrifice performance for that small bit of success rate.
"Let's begin."
With a slight thought from Naruto, the main body figure in the light screen began applying the Cursed Seal of Heaven to the Shadow Clones.
The entire process looked simple, but in reality, it wasn't easy at all.
Because once a Shadow Clone received excessive damage, it would be passively released.
It was like cutting tofu on a balloon.
This placed significant demands on posture, technique, strength, and duration.
Time passed rapidly.
Performing the Shadow Clone and the Cursed Seal Technique both required a considerable amount of Chakra.
In the simulation space, the little figure exhausted his Chakra time and again, then immediately began meditating to recover without a moment's rest.
Finally, three years passed.
He could finally perfectly stuff the Cursed Seal of Heaven into the Shadow Clones without popping them.
Although the success rate of the inoculation wasn't very high—on average, only one out of ten Shadow Clones could successfully stabilize and begin absorbing natural energy—
it was still within an acceptable range.
"Next, it's time to start the second stage."
Inside the little figure in the simulation space, a Nine-Tailed also existed.
The next step was to overcome the Nine-Tailed's rejection and successfully absorb the portion of natural energy that returned to the main body after the Shadow Clone was released.
The Nine-Tailed's Chakra was pure life energy and destructive power.
Natural energy, on the other hand, represented the gentleness and stillness of nature.
To allow the two types of Chakra to coexist within the body, nearly another year of simulation time passed.
Finally, a thin, stable wisp of natural energy was successfully guided into the main body.
Next was the final step, and also the most difficult one.
Maintaining a 1:1:1 balanced ratio of natural energy, spiritual energy, and physical energy to then condense Senjutsu Chakra.
The Shadow Clones had only completed the work of absorption and rough refinement.
But the final delicate balance had to be completed by the main body.
This delicate leveling was like performing a precise chemical experiment; any slight imbalance would lead to disastrous consequences.
In the original story, the result of failing the training at Mount Myōboku was turning into a frog or a stone statue.
Under the Cursed Seal Sage Mode system, once the balance failed, the natural energy would combine with the power of the Cursed Seal itself and explode instantly.
The main body figure would completely enter a berserk state, uncontrollable, causing indiscriminate destruction within the simulation space.
The berserk figure was like an out-of-control beast, crazily releasing distorted Chakra until it was exhausted.
The entire process wasted a large amount of simulation time.
Just like that, evil points were rapidly consumed in the cycle of going berserk, recovering, and going berserk again.
Gradually, the frequency of the figure going berserk began to get lower and lower.
However, at this point, the evil points had also hit rock bottom.
[Simulation ended, calculating...]
[This simulation consumed a total of 130 evil points]
[Remaining evil points: 0]
Countless insights, experiences, and realizations flooded into his mind.
Naruto knew that he was only one step away from developing the fourth type of Sage Mode in this world.
"I imagine Orochimaru must have tried to research this after developing the Cursed Seal Technique."
Unfortunately, he didn't have the opportunity like Naruto to endlessly restart and try again.
Otherwise, the landscape of the Ninja Worldwould have surely undergone earth-shattering changes.
Although the strategic value of the Cursed Seal Sage Mode was self-evident,
now, after investing 130 evil points, it hadn't brought Naruto any substantial improvement yet.
"I need to borrow some more evil points from others and continue the simulation as soon as possible... Hmm?"
At that moment, his Shadow Clone, which he had left on the examination grounds to observe the situation, suddenly noticed a large amount of Chakra approaching him... Team 7.
"Sasuke, are you okay? Wake up..."
Sakura held the unconscious Sasuke, falling into deep confusion.
Just now, facing the attack of that strange Otogakure, Sasuke had fought alone while she could do nothing.
She had been stunned in place the entire time, not even having the courage to move.
It wasn't until Sasuke was defeated and the Otogakure seemed to let them go, suddenly disappearing,
that Sakura finally snapped out of it and rushed to Sasuke's side.
"I... what should I do..."
Her voice carried a sob.
Sasuke had fallen, and Naruto's whereabouts were unknown.
Now, the only one she could rely on was herself.
Just then, a faint rustling sound suddenly reached Sakura's ears.
Someone else was coming?!
She quickly pulled the unconscious Sasuke and hid in a tree.
Shortly after, through the gaps in the leaves, she saw three figures appear where they had just been.
The Otogakure trio!
Sakura's breathing almost stopped.
"It's here, right?"
Dosu took the lead, looking around at the surroundings.
"Where's Sasuke? And what about that blonde brat?"
"Zaku" looked at Kin beside him and laughed:
"Hey, I heard that both Dosu and Zaku were heavily injured yesterday by that Genin brat named Uzumaki Naruto. Is that true? You guys are way too useless, aren't you?"
"..."
Kin wanted to retort, but she swallowed her words back down.
The two people in front of her were not ones she could afford to offend.
Jirobo and Tayuya.
They were elite Ninjas of the Sound Hidden Village and also Orochimaru's guards.
Originally, her three-man team with Dosu and Zakucarried an important mission in this exam.
That was to suppress and humiliate Uchiha Sasukeas much as possible, forcing him to use the power of the Cursed Seal.
But because Dosu and Zaku were heavily injured and couldn't participate in the exam,
Orochimaru had to change the plan, using secret techniques to transform Jirobo and Tayuya into the likenesses of Dosu and Zaku.
The three of them re-formed a team and entered the Forest of Death.
"Hiding?"
Tayuya, who was now in the form of Zaku, tilted her head, the playful smile on her lips slowly fading.
She raised her hand and lightly pressed it against the side of her ear.
—Snap.
A layer of extremely faint Chakra patterns spread out from under her feet like ripples.
This was Tayuya's sensory barrier.
In the next second, she captured the sound of breathing on the tree trunk overhead—breathing that was intentionally held yet still erratic.
"Found them... Kin, go and take them out."