dmims Chapter 377 Mount Myōboku
Chapter 377 Mount Myōboku
The journey to Mount Myōboku, one of the three legendary sacred sites, normally takes a month. However, Jiraiya could take a shortcut.
The most direct and effective method is to use reverse spirit communication techniques.
Jiraiya skillfully formed hand seals and summoned a communication frog. He gave it a few instructions and asked the little frog to return to Mount Myōboku to report the news to Fukasaku, informing him that he would be traveling with his disciple Naruto Uzumaki, as well as Sasuke Uchiha, whom Naruto had specifically asked if he could join them for a trial. The three of them would be going together.
Naruto's decision to bring Satsuki along was not a spur-of-the-moment thing. Long before, Naruto had privately and seriously inquired with Jiraiya whether Satsuki also had the opportunity to try learning Sage Mode.
He considered many things, including Satsuki's future growth path, especially the evolution of the Sharingan... Naruto wasn't sure if Satsuki would be able to fully awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan in the future.
Naruto harbors a sense of regret about that "night of the massacre of his clan".
Every time he recalls what happened that night, the moment Satsuki activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, he feels a pang of self-reproach, thinking he's a bastard.
He didn't want Satsuki to have to experience some kind of profound "loss" or "pain" to unlock her power in the future, such as awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan. He didn't want her to gain power through methods that involved harm.
He couldn't accept it and was determined to avoid it. If the path of immortal arts could provide Zuo Yue with a powerful, stable, and sacrifice-free way to increase her power, it would undoubtedly be the best choice.
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya carefully contacted Mount Myōboku and, after communicating with the hermit Fukasaku, was told that bringing one more person to try was, in principle, no problem.
However, the cultivation of immortal arts is extremely demanding. Whether one can successfully perceive and absorb natural energy and thus master the immortal mode depends entirely on one's personal talent, physique, and temperament; it cannot be forced.
The implication is that an opportunity can be given, but whether it succeeds or not depends entirely on Zuoyue herself.
Having received this reply, Naruto felt relieved, which led to the arrangement of traveling together.
Preparations were complete. After a short while, the spell was finished. The three figures were instantly enveloped by a thick white smoke that appeared out of nowhere, and with a soft "bang," they vanished without a trace.
Then the feeling of being grounded returned. The surrounding scenery had been completely transformed, and the first thing to flood the senses was the continuous croaking of frogs, which filled the air like background music.
The air was incredibly fresh, and what came into view was a world that seemed to have appeared in a picture book, with huge plants growing wildly and leaves as wide as small boats.
In the distance, a waterfall cascades down the mountainside, its roar softened by the distance. On some unusually large, broad leaves, frogs of various colors can be seen resting comfortably.
The ground was dotted with unusually brightly colored large mushrooms... they probably looked poisonous.
The "person in charge" here had been waiting for a long time.
It was a green frog about the size of an adult's head, with striking long white eyebrows and whiskers, and even white hair growing on its head.
"Here he is, little Jiraiya." An aged yet resonant voice rang out, "You finally brought him here... Is this the kid who accidentally summoned the Great Toad Sage?"
"Boss, please don't bring that up again..." Jiraiya's face showed a helpless and somewhat embarrassed smile. "Naruto didn't mean it at the time, he didn't mean to offend anyone."
The old green toad in front of me is none other than the hermit Fukasaku, the second-in-command of Mount Myōboku.
"I don't mean to blame you." Fukasaku's gaze passed over Jiraiya and landed on Naruto and Satsuki behind him, especially lingering on Naruto's face for a moment. "It's just that you have to understand that summoning the Great Lord in that way... is something that has never happened before in the long history of Mount Myōboku."
"Naruto, this is Fukasaku the Sage," Jiraiya said, stepping aside to introduce him to Naruto. "He is not only the manager of Mount Myōboku, but also my master who taught me Sage Mode. He is my teacher."
Upon hearing this, Naruto stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Fukasaku, saying, "Greetings, Fukasaku."
Fukasaku hopped forward a few steps, getting closer to examine Naruto's face, which was radiating a warm, sunny smile, and couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Naruto... He really looks like him..."
"Yes," Jiraiya chimed in, his voice filled with nostalgia, "He looks exactly like Minato when he was a kid, they're practically identical."
Back then, it was he who brought Minato Namikaze here and began his training in Sage Mode.
"Heh...seems like a good kid with a good heart." Fukasaku nodded, looking quite satisfied, then turned to Jiraiya, "Little Jiraiya, although his mother always says you haven't come to see her in a long time, but...you probably still have a lot of things to take care of, right?"
"yes,"
Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples. That lingering weariness resurfaced. "I never imagined that this is the kind of life the old man used to live, and that he'd lived like this for most of his life..."
"Boss, I'll leave them to you for now. I need to hurry back, or those two old guys will start nagging again."
Fukasaku nodded understandingly, offering no words of persuasion. He was deeply gratified that Jiraiya had finally decided to settle down and shoulder the burden of being the Hokage of Konoha.
"So, Naruto, and this... Satsuki, right?" After Jiraiya dispelled the Reverse Summoning Jutsu and his figure vanished with a "bang," Fukasaku turned his attention back to the two of them. "Have you had breakfast?"
"We've already eaten, thank you for your concern," Naruto replied politely, almost instinctively.
"I've already eaten." Fukasaku the Sage didn't mince words and went straight to the point. "In that case, let's get started on our training. But if you get hungry during training, feel free to say so. Don't be shy. My wife is happy to prepare some rice balls; they taste quite good."
Satsuki stood quietly beside Naruto. In the unfamiliar environment and in front of the "Sage," she reverted to her usual aloof and taciturn demeanor, simply nodding slightly to Fukasaku as a greeting.
Fukasaku didn't care about this. After all, this was an Uchiha, and he knew quite well what kind of people the clan had always been.
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Afterwards, the two followed the hermit Fukasaku toward their training location.
On the way, Naruto suppressed his inner complaints—about Fukasaku's method of travel. Given Fukasaku's small size, it would be difficult for him to lead two humans by hopping alone. Therefore, he chose to ride a toad of moderate size that also seemed quite intelligent.
Using a member of the same race that has gained sentience as a mount... Although the toad that served as the mount seemed to regard it as a legitimate job, Naruto still felt that the scene was somewhat beyond the realm of common sense.
Finally, they arrived at a small waterfall surrounded by numerous stone toad statues. However, the waterfall itself—instead of clear water—was cascading down, a viscous, brownish liquid.
Fukasaku nimbly jumped off his mount and began the formal explanation.
"Well then, I'll get straight to the point. What you'll be trying to learn and cultivate next is immortal magic."
It paused, making sure both of them were listening attentively.
Sage Arts are an ancient power that existed on this land and this planet before the existence of the energy system 'Chakra'.
It relies on the power that fills the space between heaven and earth—what we call 'natural energy'.
The core of cultivating immortal arts lies in integrating external natural energy with one's own internal spiritual and physical energy.
The new chakra born from the successful fusion is called "Sage Chakra." Techniques performed using this chakra are called "Sage Techniques." Their power far surpasses that of ordinary ninjutsu.
"That's about it. Give it a try. Natural energy exists in the air and the earth. The first step in cultivating immortal arts is to integrate with nature and comprehend its energy."