Although the 4 items forged from Minato weren't broken bug-level items, Jokichi could use every single one immediately, providing him with a huge improvement.
He was very satisfied.
But these four items weren't the biggest harvest of this trip; the real harvest was...
Jokichi took out a small tuft of orange-yellow fur from his pocket.
This was the Nine-Tails' fur.
He plucked it casually when he was asking the Nine-Tails about the Sage of Six Paths.
The Nine-Tails is a physical entity created by the Sage of Six Paths dividing the Ten-Tails' chakra using Yin-Yang Release.
However, it is essentially still an aggregate of chakra, able to transform between energy and a physical entity.
If its fur, organs, and other tissues are separated from the main body for too long, they will dissipate on their own.
They must be preserved using special methods.
Right now, a day had passed since Jokichi plucked the fur. Fluorescence was flowing over it, and it was about to turn into energy and dissipate.
However, it wouldn't be dissipating anymore.
[Ding! Detected special material "Nine-Tails' Fur", can forge special item "Stone of Nature". Do you wish to forge?]
"Forge."
Jokichi chanted silently in his mind. Instantly, an earth-yellow stone the size of a basketball appeared in his hand.
[Stone of Nature: A stone born naturally from heaven and earth. It constantly absorbs the natural energy born between heaven and earth at all times, while also feeding back to nature.]
[Ding! Detected that "Garb of Heaven and Earth" and "Stone of Nature" belong to the same origin and can be fused and upgraded. Do you wish to upgrade?]
"Just upgrading, not forging a new item..."
Jokichi pondered slightly, feeling a bit disappointed.
A fusion upgrade would at most enhance the original functional effects of the item. Using the item as a material to forge a new item, however, not only enhances the original effects, but also extends new functions, making it extremely powerful.
However, although a bit disappointed, it was acceptable.
"Fuse!"
As the thought fell in his mind, the Garb of Heaven and Earth on Jokichi's body glowed softly and automatically detached from his body. The Stone of Nature also glowed and flew up.
The two blended together in the air, merging into one.
A moment later, the light dissipated.
The item inside revealed itself again.
It was still that Garb of Heaven and Earth. The appearance details and system description hadn't changed at all, making one wonder: Did the system pocket the Stone of Nature?
However, the system's character over the long term was still trustworthy.
Jokichi put the Garb of Heaven and Earth back on, then tried injecting chakra.
The next second, a massive amount of Senjutsu chakra fed back from the Garb of Heaven and Earth. The sheer volume of it caused his body to start petrifying.
Jokichi hurriedly stopped injecting chakra, then sliced off the petrified parts of his body.
Not long after, the missing parts of his body grew back.
Jokichi breathed a huge sigh of relief.
After this Garb of Heaven and Earth was upgraded, its ability to refine Senjutsu chakra was too strong. So strong that with just a tiny bit of chakra injected, it fed back Senjutsu chakra in an amount several times greater than his ordinary chakra.
So much so that he couldn't control it for a moment, causing his body to undergo petrification.
Just now, if his speed in stopping the chakra infusion had been slightly slower, his entire body would have been completely petrified.
"No wonder possessing powerful chakra yourself is a prerequisite for learning Sage Mode. The larger the chakra volume, the greater the advantage in learning Sage Mode. So that's how it is."
Jokichi couldn't help but smile bitterly.
The so-called Sage Mode refers to the state of having refined Senjutsu chakra.
And Senjutsu chakra is formed by fusing physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy in a 1:1:1 ratio.
Being able to refine Senjutsu chakra inherently grants 33% more chakra than usual. The external natural energy will also continuously replenish the consumption of one's own chakra, ensuring the maintenance of Sage Mode.
If one doesn't have the control to handle a massive amount of chakra, the sudden addition of a third more chakra volume would cause you to lose control over the Senjutsu chakra.
And Jokichi...
He had never learned how to refine Senjutsu chakra; everything was left to the Garb of Heaven and Earth to handle itself.
Doing this had advantages, but also disadvantages.
The advantage is not having to calm down to sense natural energy and absorb and refine Senjutsu chakra oneself, allowing one to absorb natural energy while simultaneously using Senjutsu.
The disadvantage is that the power of extracting natural energy and refining Senjutsu chakra cannot be controlled by oneself, depending entirely on the functional strength of the Garb of Heaven and Earth.
If the efficacy is too weak, then Jokichi's Sage Mode would be very weak.
If the efficacy is very strong, his Sage Mode would be very strong.
And right now, the efficacy of the Garb of Heaven and Earth was a bit too strong, so powerful that he couldn't even control it himself.
Just like an ordinary high schooler getting their hands on a nuclear bomb and only being able to hold it and smash people with it, Jokichi at this moment could only wear the Garb of Heaven and Earth as ordinary clothing.
The power of the Garb of Heaven and Earth in absorbing natural energy was too strong. In just a short while, it could gather the natural energy of the entire earth or sky.
If Jokichi wanted to use this garment to enter Sage Mode, his own chakra volume would have to reach at least the level of the First Hokage.
And his current chakra is at most comparable to Shukaku.
It might not even be more than it!
"Is this ultimately a good thing or a bad thing?"
Jokichi was somewhat caught between laughter and tears.
...
In the dead of night, the full moon hid within the clouds.
Still that classical building floor.
Yakushi Kabuto and Sunagakure's Baki met secretly here.
This time, Yakushi Kabuto didn't disguise himself, but openly revealed his identity to Baki.
Ever since he withdrew from the Chunin Exams, he had realized he was being tailed.
As an outstanding spy, with just a little deduction, he knew his identity had aroused suspicion.
Therefore, he might as well expose it openly.
Anyway, the plan no longer required him to continue lying low.
Meeting with Sunagakure using his true face would make it easier to gain their trust, and he could also lure the tail following him over and resolve it completely.
"Didn't you say you guys would take care of that Wood Release ninja?"
As soon as Baki arrived, he questioned.
"This afternoon, I saw that Wood Release ninja alive and well on the street."
"Well, this is something that can't be helped!"
Yakushi Kabuto sighed helplessly.
"That guy's residence is right next to the Hokage building. Even if Lord Orochimaru acted personally, it would be very difficult to assassinate him."
"I don't care what reasons you have. If the Wood Release ninja is still around, we Sunagakure won't cooperate with you."
"It's not like there isn't a solution."
Yakushi Kabuto pushed his glasses frame, leaning close to Baki's ear and saying.
"Our plan is like this, like this..."
His voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it.
The Konoha ninja tailing Yakushi Kabuto couldn't endure it and wanted to get a bit closer.
Unexpectedly, a person suddenly appeared in front of the two.
"What are you secretly plotting against Konoha?"
A man wearing a green flak jacket stood openly in front of the two.
He crossed his arms over his chest. His meticulous face looked somewhat intimidating, and within a pair of scarlet blood-eyes, three tomoe slowly rotated.
"Let me, the captain of the Police Force, know about it too!"