Of course, while Might Guy was preparing to teach Sakura the "Eight Gates," this technique wasn't something that could be grasped overnight. In the original system of taijutsu, the Eight Gates are internal limiters placed on the human body, and forcibly opening them places immense strain on muscles, bones, and the circulatory system. Without sufficient physical conditioning, attempting to open even the First Gate would result in severe injury.
Therefore, Sakura's immediate priority wasn't learning the Gates themselves, but strengthening her body to withstand the burden.
While Sakura trained toward the threshold required to access the Eight Gates, Might Guy also used this period to test her perseverance and determination.
Running! Squats! Sit-ups! Pull-ups!
Every exercise pushed her body to its limits. At the same time, Sakura continuously released chakra to reinforce and precisely control her muscles, minimizing unnecessary strain. This method, which relied heavily on her naturally exceptional chakra control, was something even Guy acknowledged as rare.
Sakura: Don't become a muscle woman! Don't become a muscle woman! Don't become a muscle woman!!!
To avoid becoming overly bulky, Sakura adjusted her training intensity carefully, balancing strength with control. This level of discipline doubled her workload, and even surprised both Might Guy and his prized student, Rock Lee.
Might Guy: Maybe she really can master the Eight Gates. Two Eight Gates users appearing in the Chunin Exams… just imagining it makes my blood boil with youth!
Rock Lee: Sakura is working so hard… I must work even harder! I have to open at least the Fifth Gate before the Chunin Exams!
Tenten: No way… there are actually girls who would train like this? That's terrifying…
Neji: Even if she manages to learn it, there's not enough time. At most, she could open one or two gates. That won't be enough to threaten me.
Neji Hyuga remained calm. Having already mastered the Eight Trigrams Rotation, a near-perfect defense technique utilizing the Byakugan's field of vision, he believed himself superior to most genin.
Still, in his mind, the real threats were clear.
Naruto… Sasuke.
At this moment, however, those two "greatest threats" were doing something completely unthreatening…
Eating skewers.
"Hey, Sasuke, shouldn't we go back to training? The Chunin Exams are coming soon!"
"In our current state, brute-force training won't change much. What we need now is refinement… or a breakthrough."
"Haha… I never thought you'd say something like that."
Naruto laughed, while Sasuke Uchiha calmly rested his chin on his hand.
Both of them had already surpassed the level of ordinary genin by a wide margin. Thanks to Chinatsu's earlier training and influence, Naruto's chakra reserves already massive due to Kurama were being used more efficiently, while Sasuke's control and combat instincts had sharpened far beyond academy standards.
Continuing to grind mindlessly wouldn't produce explosive growth anymore.
What they lacked now… was direction.
And that direction
Should have been given by their sister.
Anxious… anxious… anxious…
Not because their strength wasn't increasing fast enough
But because she still hadn't returned.
It had already been almost four months.
"Did something happen to my sister?"
Naruto frowned.
"Something happened? More like she caused trouble for someone else."
Sasuke snorted lightly, though his tone carried a hint of longing.
In his eyes, Chinatsu wasn't someone who could be easily defeated not even by someone like Kakashi Hatake, or even higher-level shinobi.
What bothered him wasn't fear
It was distance.
He was falling behind.
"Ahhh… sister… when are you coming back…?"
Sasuke finally dropped his usual composed demeanor, slumping onto the table and muttering in frustration.
Far away, in the depths of Shikkotsu Forest
Chinatsu suddenly shivered.
Her control over natural energy nearly destabilized for a moment.
"Ah what was that? Why did I suddenly feel a chill? Did someone curse me?"
She frowned slightly, then quickly calmed herself and resumed focusing.
At this stage, she had already understood the essence of Sage Mode.
Unlike normal chakra, Sage Mode required the balance of three energies:
Physical energy
Spiritual energy
Natural energy
This principle, known in the series as Sage Mode, demanded perfect equilibrium. Too much natural energy, and the user would be overtaken like turning into stone in Mount Myōboku or mutating under Ryūchi Cave's influence.
But Shikkotsu Forest's system was… different.
It was quieter.
Subtler.
More precise.
"It doesn't matter… I'll catch up."
Chinatsu closed her eyes again, steadily refining natural energy into Sage Chakra.
She was already at the final stage.
Nearby, the Katsuyu the Slug Sage watched closely, its usually calm demeanor now filled with anticipation.
"It's beginning…!"
The flow inside Chinatsu's body shifted.
Natural energy merged with her chakra
Then stabilized.
Then balanced.
The most dangerous phase… passed.
From that balance, power was born.
Subtle markings appeared on her face not exaggerated transformations like Ryūchi Cave, nor the heavy pigmentation of imperfect toad Sage Mode.
Perfect.
Stable.
Refined.
"She succeeded…!"
Katsuyu trembled slightly in disbelief.
Chinatsu slowly opened her eyes.
Her aura had completely changed.
Before, she carried charm and sharpness.
Now… there was a calm, distant pressure like someone standing above the natural world itself.
"…So this is Sage Mode?"
She raised her hand slightly, feeling the flow of energy.
Everything was clearer.
Sharper.
More connected.
"Congratulations," Katsuyu said, its tone rare and solemn.
"You are the second person to master the Sage Arts of Shikkotsu Forest… after Hashirama Senju."
Chinatsu clenched her fist lightly.
Boom.
A surge of chakra burst outward not wild, but dense and controlled.
She paused… then smiled.
The increase was far beyond what she had predicted.
Sage Chakra didn't just increase quantity
It multiplied quality.
If before, her reserves were roughly equivalent to several times Kakashi's
Now?
"Six or seven Kakashi…?"
She tilted her head slightly.
Then shook it.
"That's outdated."
With Sage Mode enhancing efficiency, output, and recovery
Her combat capability had leapt to an entirely different level.
"Now…"
Chinatsu looked into the distance, her eyes calm but filled with certainty.
"I'm at least… two-digit Kakashi."
And this
Was only the beginning.
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