Chapter 378: Like Cheating
"Heave-ho!"
To give the two youngsters their first contact with Sage Techniques a direct impression, Fukasaku Sage decided to first provide a small demonstration.
It steadied its form, forming a seal before its chest.
The next moment, invisible energy currents began gathering toward its small body. Yet no chakra cloak-like radiance appeared on Fukasaku Sage's body.
Then it approached a nearby frog stone statue—over six meters tall, seemingly carved from a single massive boulder.
Fukasaku Sage extended two small forelimbs, placing them beneath the statue's base.
With a light shout, that solid giant stone frog statue weighing at least three to four tons was actually lifted off the ground by its body no larger than an adult human's head, weighing at most twenty pounds! And raised overhead!
Fukasaku Sage quickly set it down, but it was exhausted and panting, fine beads of sweat appearing on its forehead.
This scene made even the constantly calm, observing Uchiha Satsuki unable to help revealing surprised expression.
One must understand, Fukasaku Sage wasn't Might Guy or Rock Lee—that type specializing in taijutsu, famous for strength. Its true body was merely a small summoning beast.
Just preliminarily mobilizing natural energy brought such terrifying physical enhancement? This was merely pure strength demonstration. If used for jutsu...
"This is one enhancement obtainable after becoming one with nature." Fukasaku Sage caught its breath, using its webbed foot to wipe sweat. "Then, we'll begin from the most basic comprehension of natural energy. Though for beginners, directly using toad oil might be somewhat 'pulling up seedlings to help them grow,' since young Naruto could accidentally summon the Grand Elder over there, this little difficulty probably won't stump you, right?"
"You're too kind." Naruto's attitude remained humble, but his eyes also ignited with eagerness to try. "However, I'd like to attempt immediately."
"Mm, come over." Fukasaku Sage turned, hopping before that waterfall flowing with brownish viscous liquid, dipping a fingertip in.
"This is Mount Myoboku's ancestral 'toad oil.'" It explained. "It possesses special efficacy attracting natural energy. As long as it's applied to the body, external natural energy will be attracted to your body."
"However, using it might carry some 'side effects'—don't get too excited or rush things. If too much uncontrollable natural energy enters the body, the body might develop some frog characteristics."
"But don't worry. Once such signs appear, I'll immediately intervene, helping you expel excess natural energy. Repeating this process until your body gradually adapts and learns controlling them."
Standing behind, Satsuki—upon hearing "frog characteristics"—had her original surprise instantly replaced by a trace of panic.
She didn't fear hardship, nor training's difficulty, but "turning into a frog"—for a young girl in her prime youth who wasn't completely unconcerned about her appearance, the impact was truly quite large.
She subconsciously stepped forward half a step, seemingly wanting to speak to stop him, eyes filled with worry about potential risks.
Naruto sensed her unease, turned his head, giving her a "don't worry" look.
Naruto followed instructions, walking before Fukasaku Sage, extending his right hand. Fukasaku Sage used its webbed foot dipped in toad oil, carefully applying a layer on Naruto's hand back.
The sensation was somewhat peculiar—cool, carrying slight stickiness.
The applied area immediately transmitted a mild tingling sensation like micro-currents running through. Naruto could clearly feel the hand back skin seemingly "coming alive," perception of some invisible external existence becoming abnormally acute—that should be the "natural energy" Fukasaku Sage mentioned.
Then he held his breath, concentrating, waiting for the impact that might follow—body being flooded by natural energy.
Ten seconds passed...
Twenty seconds passed...
One minute passed...
Besides that persistent, gentle tingling sensation on his hand back, plus clearer perception of external energy flow, there were no other changes whatsoever.
No imagined energy torrent impact. His body showed not the slightest sign of "frog transformation."
Naruto felt somewhat embarrassed, raising his head toward the equally confused Fukasaku Sage. "Um... Fukasaku Sage, what should I do next? Seems like... no particular feeling?"
"What?!"
Fukasaku Sage's frog face was filled with disbelief. By normal logic, after applying toad oil, beginners' bodies would immediately absorb natural energy like sponges going crazy. They'd quickly show obvious frog transformation features from energy overload, then it would need to intervene for "detoxification," repeatedly tempering control through this process. But now...?
Could it be special constitution, completely unable to absorb natural energy? Fukasaku Sage's heart sank. If truly this way, it meant Naruto was completely incompatible with Sage Techniques.
It immediately extended its webbed foot, grabbing Naruto's arm, closing its eyes, pouring its full sage perception ability into exploring Naruto's body interior.
Not exploring didn't reveal—one exploration, and Fukasaku Sage was completely shocked!
In its perception, Naruto's body interior wasn't empty at all, but already filled with massive, heart-palpitating, lake-like viscous energy—precisely highly concentrated natural energy!
Moreover, this energy wasn't static, but still continuously absorbing from outside through skin and breathing with stable yet astounding efficiency!
Not inability to absorb! Quite the opposite—absorption and capacity efficiency and limits reached an inconceivable degree!
The bit of natural energy introduced after applying toad oil—for Naruto's body already "soaked through" by massive natural energy and continuously self-replenishing every moment—was simply like dropping one drop of water into a vast ocean, unable to stir any ripples, much less trigger energy overload's "side effects"!
Fukasaku Sage slowly withdrew its webbed foot, opening its eyes. Its gaze toward Naruto had completely changed, filled with extreme shock and excitement.
It was ultimately younger than Great Toad Sage, never personally witnessing Sage of Six Paths. But this blond youth before it displayed such nearly "innate affinity" with natural energy, body seemingly born to carry Sage Techniques—this terrifying talent... it had lived so long, never heard of such!
Not training steps having problems, but encountering a true "genius" probably unprecedented in Sage Technique training history!
"I see... Really now, young Jiraiya needs a good talking-to when he returns. This delays matters! Came way too late!"
Fukasaku Sage muttered quietly. Seems gentle guidance methods had no effect on this extraordinarily talented child before it. Must use some "strong medicine."
It turned, facing that waterfall continuously flowing brownish toad oil, and the oil pool gathered below.
"Young Naruto, next we'll switch methods." Fukasaku Sage's voice carried some seriousness. "Jump directly down, immerse your entire body in this toad oil pool. Perhaps... this is the method suitable for you, the way that can truly stimulate your potential."
"What?! Entire body soaking? Won't this be dangerous?!"
Before Naruto could respond, Uchiha Satsuki at the side already couldn't help crying out in alarm, face filled with worry.
If merely partial application, risks might be controllable, but full-body immersion... what if Naruto instantly turned into a frog?
Satsuki's thoughts even spun uncontrollably—should prepare a sufficiently comfortable, exquisite cage in advance...
"Young Satsuki, no need for excessive worry." Fukasaku Sage turned its head toward her. "I'll watch right here. As long as young Naruto's body shows any trace of uncontrolled frog transformation signs, I'll immediately scatter all excess natural energy in his body. I guarantee it."
Hearing Fukasaku Sage's guarantee, Naruto took a deep breath. Though his heart also held a trace of trepidation, he still suppressed the unease. Stepping forward several paces to the oil pool's edge, then—
Splash!
A muffled sound. He leaped into the viscous toad oil pool.
Instantly, an indescribable feeling enveloped his entire body. Cold stickiness rapidly penetrated skin through clothing. Soon, oil-soaked clothes heavily clung to his body. Naruto thought—this outfit was probably completely ruined.
Stronger was that tingling sensation. If the earlier hand back application felt like being gently licked by a cat's tongue, carrying slight itch and stimulation.
Then now, full-body immersion felt... though describing this way seemed a bit bizarre, like being stuffed into a room made of countless tiger tongues continuously writhing!
Omnipresent tingling, prickling, plus some strange sensation of energy trying to drill into pores made his muscles throughout involuntarily tense.
Fukasaku Sage stared intently at Naruto in the oil pool, expression grave. By normal logic, ordinary people jumping into toad oil pools would probably completely frog-transform within three seconds from natural energy flooding in madly.
But current Naruto—besides expression appearing somewhat stiff from discomfort—his body surface still showed no changes whatsoever, not even skin color changing.
Time passed second by second.
...About ten minutes passed.
Naruto kept striving to adapt and endure his entire body's increasingly intense abnormal sensation. Initial tingling gradually became somewhat numb. His body's perception was "soaked" dull by this viscous energy.
But just then, a trace of subtle change finally appeared—he felt his fingers seemingly wanting to curl and extend uncontrollably. A slight pulling sensation came from knuckle areas.
Finally, like a lake originally already near overflowing—after completely opening all floodgates letting mountain torrent-like natural energy flood in madly—Naruto's internal "natural energy reservoir" for the first time reached a critical point—full.
His body's self-protection mechanism was instantly triggered.
Deep in Naruto's consciousness, some instinct was activated.
Immediately after, before he himself fully noticed, his right eye suddenly circulated on its own a trace of barely noticeable, non-natural energy dark light.
On shore, constantly focused Fukasaku Sage and Satsuki simultaneously noticed this subtle change. Fukasaku Sage immediately raised the specially-made black rod kept ready beside it, prepared to intervene for "detoxification" anytime.
However, imagined accelerating frog transformation didn't occur.
Those just-beginning-to-surface, almost imperceptibly faint frog skin-like textures and eye bulging signs on Naruto's face surprisingly rapidly vanished, returning to normal.
The next moment, under Fukasaku Sage and Satsuki's shocked observation, one azure energy paper crane "separated" from somewhere on Naruto's body immersed below the oil pool, slowly rising into the air before transforming into scattered flowing light, dissipating formlessly.