"Going from 0 to 1 isn't the hardest part. The real challenge is going from 1 to 100. It's a long and arduous journey, much like a person's life. Looking back on our childhood, those years always feel short and filled with joy. But in the end, we must look forward. The road ahead is vast, and the years ahead are long. We must use this life to comprehend the true meaning of our existence—something that is by no means easy. Do you understand what I mean, Kakuzu?"
Deep within Mount Myoboku, Fukasaku sat across from Kakuzu, sharing his wisdom. His method of teaching senjutsu was different from how he had trained Naruto, Jiraiya, or even Minato. Rather than starting with techniques, he first introduced a profound philosophical question.
Kakuzu pondered for a moment. Fukasaku had lived for centuries, so it was unlikely that he was treating him differently without reason.
"Fukasaku-sama, you must be referring to the Shikkotsu Forest's senjutsu within me, correct?"
"That's right. I assume the slug of Shikkotsu Forest has already explained this to you. A person is composed of three fundamental aspects: form, body, and spirit. I can sense the vast and surging power of the Shikkotsu Forest's senjutsu within you. Your physique is already among the strongest in the entire shinobi world. However, here in Mount Myoboku, we focus on the training of the 'spirit.'"
"You can understand 'spirit' as the mind, as the soul, or even as one's inner self."
"Your task now is to connect your spirit with your body, to integrate the two seamlessly. But this is no simple feat. Regardless of your natural talent, it will likely take a significant amount of time to fully master."
As Fukasaku spoke, Kakuzu quietly absorbed his words. Slowly, he began to grasp the concept of going from 0 to 1, and then from 1 to 100. He visualized a human being as a circle, with three distinct colors representing form, body, and spirit. Having already mastered the body, his next step was to fill in the remaining third—the spirit.
How long would this process take? There was no definitive answer. It depended on his comprehension and a degree of luck. But if he truly succeeded in fusing his body and spirit, his physique would undoubtedly undergo an extraordinary transformation.
With this in mind, Kakuzu voiced his curiosity.
"The three great sacred lands of senjutsu are not exactly a secret in the shinobi world. Many must have speculated about this before. Has anyone ever managed to fully integrate form, body, and spirit?"
If someone had indeed combined all three, what kind of power would that produce? This question intrigued not only Kakuzu but surely others before him. He refused to believe that, throughout the vast history of the shinobi world, no one had ever pursued this path.
Fukasaku fell silent for a moment before finally lifting his gaze to meet Kakuzu's.
"A long time ago, I heard from the Great Toad Sage that someone had the potential to achieve this. However, he lacked the time to pursue it, for he had more important matters to attend to."
Kakuzu chuckled.
Fukasaku hadn't explicitly stated who that person was, but Kakuzu could guess. In the entire history of the shinobi world, only one individual could have had such an opportunity—Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths.
As for why the Sage had not fully mastered all three senjutsu techniques, Kakuzu considered two possibilities.
The first was what Fukasaku had suggested—the Sage had dedicated himself to spreading his philosophy of love and peace across the world. The ninja sect he founded wasn't just about teaching ninjutsu, it was about forming bonds between people. As the leader of this movement, he had no time to train in the other two sacred lands.
The second possibility was that the Sage of Six Paths had already become invincible with just Mount Myoboku's senjutsu and his own inherent power. After all, he had defeated Kaguya Otsutsuki with what he had at the time. If he had already reached the pinnacle of power, what need was there to seek further training?
For one reason or another, the Sage of Six Paths had not completed the ultimate fusion of form, body, and spirit. But that didn't mean the journey ended there.
"Then it falls upon me to carry on this task," Kakuzu thought to himself.
He would learn everything the Sage of Six Paths had learned, and even the things the Sage had not. With his unnaturally long life, he had more than enough time to explore the fundamental truths of this world. He wanted to see just how far the path of senjutsu could truly go.
"Fukasaku-sama, I understand. Let's begin the training."
"Good. Follow me."
What followed was a training regimen nearly identical to what Naruto had undergone in the original storyline. Fukasaku applied toad oil onto Kakuzu's body, guiding him to sense the natural energy in the air. However, failing to balance that energy could be fatal—one misstep, and the massive toad statues nearby would be his final resting place.
The risks were high, but Kakuzu adapted quickly. Fukasaku only needed to strike him twice with his staff before he successfully grasped the fundamentals of absorbing Mount Myoboku's senjutsu.
Failing in senjutsu training at Mount Myoboku turned one into stone, whereas failure in Shikkotsu Forest could turn one into a tree. Having already mastered the latter, Kakuzu progressed swiftly.
From that point onward, he trained alongside Minato and Jiraiya. The days of training passed quickly, filled with an atmosphere of focus and camaraderie.
Perhaps the only downside was Jiraiya himself.
Kakuzu couldn't help but wonder if the man had some form of hyperactivity. Barely able to sit still for meditation, Jiraiya constantly fidgeted, glancing around and bombarding Minato with questions about ninjutsu training. If not, he was pestering Kakuzu for tales of rare and strange happenings from across the ninja world.
Seeing his own teacher act so scatterbrained, Minato could only offer an awkward smile.
"He's just interested in too many things," Minato explained. "That's why he struggles to calm down."
However, the fact that Minato held such an optimistic view only proved how young he still was. Kakuzu merely glanced at Jiraiya once and immediately grasped the real issue.
"Jiraiya, interested in a little… relaxation?"
"Uh… well… that wouldn't be appropriate, hahaha," Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly, but his face betrayed his true thoughts.
Kakuzu instantly understood why Jiraiya had no interest in becoming the Fourth Hokage. Because Jiraiya knew that if he ever sat in the Hokage's seat, the legacy of the First's foundation, the Second's reinforcement, and the Third's reputation would all go down in flames.
Breaking News: The Hokage of Konoha Indulging in Nightly Pleasures—Rarely Seen in the Office!The Fire Nation's entertainment districts are all familiar with the esteemed Hokage's patronage!Every top courtesan has nothing but praise for the Hokage!
...If that kind of reputation spread, Konoha might as well be finished.
And if you don't believe it, just look at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Even though he held absolute power, he was stuck in his office all day, pretending to be dignified while secretly peering through his crystal ball.
To be honest, being Hokage seemed suffocating. Sarutobi was probably terrified that if he ever stepped out for some "exercise," the Uchiha Police Force would catch him red-handed. That would be quite the scandal.
So, he had no choice but to restrain himself. If he didn't, it wasn't just the Uchiha who would deal with him—Danzo wouldn't let him off the hook either.
Jiraiya and his teacher were cut from the same cloth, but he was determined not to follow in Sarutobi's footsteps.
"Forget it," Kakuzu scoffed. "Look at you—you've been training on Mount Myoboku for so many years, and you still haven't mastered Sage Mode. Meanwhile, little Minato is already halfway there. Aren't you ashamed as his teacher?"
"Ugh." Jiraiya groaned, covering his face in embarrassment. He really did feel like a failure.
"Kakuzu, I know all that," he sighed. "But having to face Fukasaku and the others every day… it's torture."
Kakuzu gave him a sideways glance. "I get what you mean, but I can't help you. Just endure it."
...
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, Minato donned his battle gear and secured his Konoha forehead protector.
"Minato, what's going on? Did something happen in the village?" Jiraiya asked, unable to hold back his concern.
Minato nodded. "Sensei, things in the ninja world have been unstable lately. The surrounding nations have been restless, constantly making small moves. I've received multiple messages from the toads—Konoha is shorthanded right now, and I have to return."
"But don't worry," he added with a reassuring smile. "It's just minor conflicts—nothing too serious."
The moment the topic shifted to Konoha's external threats, Minato's usual gentle demeanor vanished. His gaze turned sharp and resolute.
Jiraiya nodded silently. He had personally fought in the Second Great Ninja War and knew all too well that even with the current one-village-per-nation system, peace was never guaranteed.
He could only sigh in his heart. So, in the end, war is something that can never truly be avoided.
Kakuzu, on the other hand, was more curious. He turned to Minato and asked,
"Have you completed your Sage Mode training?"
Minato had started his training a bit earlier, but all things considered, he hadn't even spent a full year on it.
Hearing the question, Minato smiled and shook his head.
"No, Kakuzu-sama, I haven't. I've only been training for eleven months. There's still a lot I don't understand, and I barely have a grasp on the basics. To be honest, Sage Mode isn't my strong suit."
Kakuzu nodded, not saying much. After all, Minato's struggle with Sage Mode was just one of his traits.
Once Minato left, only Jiraiya and Kakuzu remained on Mount Myoboku.
At that moment, Kakuzu decided he needed to keep his distance from Jiraiya.
The only living things around here were himself and a bunch of toads. No matter how depraved Jiraiya was, there was no way he'd do anything to the toads… right?
Yeah, Kakuzu wasn't going to take any chances. He had to stay as far away as possible.
Who knew what a man who had been pent up for too long might do? Especially someone like Jiraiya, whose needs in certain areas were… quite intense.
...
Another half a year passed.
It was now September, Year 40 of the New Calendar.
"Kakuzu, have you completed your Sage Mode training?"
Fukasaku looked at him expectantly.
Kakuzu nodded. "The two types of Sage Chakra in my body no longer clash, but that's as far as I've gotten. I still can't fully merge them. Once I leave, I'll continue training to achieve a balance between Shikkotsu Forest's and Mount Myoboku's Sage Modes."
He wasn't Naruto, some fated "child of prophecy" who could master Sage Mode in just a few days.
Plus, he was working with two different types of Sage Chakra, which made things even more complicated. It was bound to take longer.
Still, his progress so far was promising. It was finally time for him to leave.
As Kakuzu prepared the Reverse Summoning hand seal, Jiraiya suddenly had an epiphany. He turned to Fukasaku and said excitedly,
"Elder, I have a strong feeling that I'm getting closer and closer to finding the Child of Prophecy! Let me go out for a while—I need to take him as my student!"
Fukasaku gave Jiraiya a look of utter disdain, then promptly pulled out his staff and smacked him on the head.
"OWWWW!" Jiraiya yelped, rubbing his sore head.
Fukasaku, completely unfazed, pointed his staff at him and scolded,
"Jiraiya, you little bastard! Don't think I don't know what you're really up to! You've been training here for years, and you still haven't fully mastered Sage Mode! Just a few days ago, you needed both me and my wife to help you maintain Sage Mode! And now that you're finally making progress, you want to run off again?! If you keep making these ridiculous requests, I swear I'll break your legs!"
...
This was the first time Kakuzu had ever seen Fukasaku so irritable. But thinking about it, it made sense—Jiraiya was so unfocused that he still hadn't fully mastered Sage Mode. Anyone in Fukasaku's position would probably lose their patience too.
Kakuzu simply chuckled and didn't dwell on it. After bidding farewell to Fukasaku and Jiraiya, he used Reverse Summoning to return to the shinobi world. It took him a few more days to make his way back to his kingdom.
The moment he returned, he and Ni battled for three days and three nights.
Once the fight was over, Kakuzu sat in his mink-fur chair, gently stroking the "Ni" in his arms.
"In the year I've been gone, has anything major happened in the village?" he asked.
Ni's face carried traces of happiness, but exhaustion was more apparent.
"Kakuzu-sama, you were right—things in the shinobi world have become increasingly unstable. Ever since you left, our village has frequently been attacked by ninjas from other villages."
"Even Kirigakure's assassination squads have made their move. But after what happened last time, we expanded our forces and strengthened our defenses."
"They've sent multiple waves of attacks, but we've managed to repel them each time. The casualties have remained within an acceptable range, so I didn't think it was necessary to disturb you."
Hearing this report, Kakuzu nodded. Traveling outside always came with certain inconveniences, but Ni was capable of handling things on her own. She only reported the matters she couldn't resolve herself, which suited Kakuzu just fine—he preferred keeping his hands off village affairs as much as possible.
"By the way, aside from Kirigakure's assassination squads, Sunagakure has also been making some suspicious moves. There was even a border skirmish a few days ago."
"Sunagakure?" Kakuzu frowned. "What are they up to now?"
Ni lifted her head to look at him, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Kakuzu-sama, while you were away, rumors began circulating in the shinobi world that the Third Kazekage has been missing for a long time. Internal conflicts have started to surface within Sunagakure, and the disorder in their government has led to instability in their country. That's what caused the border conflict."
Hearing this, Kakuzu sat up.
He had almost forgotten—according to the original timeline, the disappearance of the Third Kazekage was the very incident that set off the Third Great Shinobi War.
Could it be that the war was about to begin?
...
(T/N: Such big chapters... recently they were almost twice as short.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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