Chapter 52: Chapter 48: Sage…. doubts?

Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!

And like always, remember if you want to read up to 13-15 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 62 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 65-67

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Enjoy you sexy bastards.

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[Arata Takeshi - POV.]

I was in the middle of practicing my aim at the local practice range when an Anbu agent appeared out of nowhere, his mask hiding his identity, albeit poorly. He was the strongest of all the Anbu that had been assigned to watch me, with white, spiky hair and a scent that reminded me of dogs. If that wasn't enough to identify him, the distinctive feel of his left eye—a Sharingan—was a dead giveaway. The eye seemed to be constantly siphoning his chakra in large quantities. That couldn't feel good for him.

"Arata Takeshi," Totally-not-Kakashi said, his voice muffled but authoritative. "The Hokage has summoned you."

I paused, turning to look at him. "What's this about?" I asked, though I had a pretty good idea. I had felt Jiraiya's presence arriving in the village a few hours ago, so it probably had something to do with him. But it didn't hurt to ask.

Totally-not-Kakashi didn't answer, simply motioning for me to follow. So, instead of asking again, I just sighed and fell in step behind him. We moved swiftly through the village, the familiar sights passing by in a blur.

As we reached the Hokage Tower, totally-not-Kakashi led me up the stairs and down the long hallway to the Hokage's office. The doors were already open, and I could see the Third Hokage sitting behind his desk, a stack of papers before him. Jiraiya stood to the side, his usual laid-back demeanor somewhat subdued.

"Hokage-sama," Totally-not-Kakashi announced, "Takeshi Arata is here."

"Thank you, you are dismissed," Hiruzen said, waving him away. "Come in, Takeshi, take a seat."

I stepped into the office, waving at the Toad Summoner, who simply offered me a nod and a small smile. He looked tired… no, he looked exhausted, and not just physically, but mentally. He looked on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"You wanted to see me, Lord Third?" I asked, keeping my tone respectful.

Hiruzen nodded, his eyes serious, taking a few puffs from his smoking pipe. "Yes, Takeshi. As you might recall, I wanted Jiraiya to take a look at you."

I glanced at Jiraiya, who was watching me intently. "Do you want me to take my shirt off?"

"Yes, that would be great," Jiraiya responded, his voice a raspy drawl. "I need to inspect the area where the seal was put."

Even his voice sounded like he was done with everything. "Very well," I replied, taking off my shirt.

Jiraiya's tired eyes flickered over me briefly before they settled on my neck. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, his hands reaching out, touching the area where the seal had been placed gently. His fingers traced around, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. "Takeshi, you are free to go."

That was it?

Well, that was easy. I'm almost mad now that I had to wait almost two months for him to come here and verify I didn't have anything on my neck with an inspection that took all but ten seconds.

"So, does that mean I'm good? No seal?" I asked, a faint smile on my face.

"It does," Jiraiya replied, offering me a tired smile.

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[Third Person - POV.]

[Hokage's Office.]

After Takeshi left the Hokage's office, the atmosphere in the room grew more serious. Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Jiraiya, who was still standing near the desk, deep in thought.

Jiraiya finally broke the silence with a tired sigh that seemed both relieved and puzzled. "The seal is completely gone, Sensei. Not a trace of it remains on the boy's neck."

Hiruzen nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. "That's good to hear. But I can sense there's more to it, which is what I was afraid of when I contacted you to come and check on him."

Jiraiya sighed, running a hand through his spiky white hair. "While I'm glad the seal is gone, because Takeshi and the village won't have to deal with it, it should've been impossible for a seal of that caliber to be erased so easily. I read the research Orochimaru left behind; his seal work was beyond complex and powerful. Even if the contents of the seal were somehow erased, the seal's formula, the remnants of its design, should've remained."

Hiruzen frowned, his pipe hanging loosely from his lips. "The more complicated a seal is, the harder it is to remove."

"Exactly," Jiraiya confirmed. "I've seen my fair share of seals, and the one Orochimaru created is amongst the most advanced ones I have ever seen. I'm pretty certain he based his research on the Uzumaki to create it. For Takeshi to remove it so completely... to make it seem as if the seal was never there."

The Hokage took a deep puff from his pipe, letting the smoke curl around him. "Do you think this has something to do with his Natural Energy?"

Jiraiya nodded slowly. "It's possible. The Natural Energy emanating from Takeshi is unlike anything I've encountered. It's not just potent; it's... pure, but also more predatory. It's hard to explain. Perhaps it played a role in neutralizing the curse mark. But even so, the precision required to erase a seal without leaving any trace is beyond anything I've seen. And let's not talk about the amount of Natural Energy he would've needed to accomplish such a thing."

Hiruzen leaned forward, his brows furrowed in thought. "I haven't told you how exactly he got rid of the curse seal, did I?"

Jiraiya shook his head, taking a seat on one of the many chairs around. "No, you only said he used his kekkei genkai and burned the seal away."

After a moment of contemplation, Hiruzen exhaled deeply and met Jiraiya's gaze. "It wasn't as simple as that, I'm afraid."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on, sensei."

Hiruzen took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Takeshi used his Natural Energy to burn the mark away, yes. But it wasn't just a matter of channeling his energy; his body began to change as he used his power."

Jiraiya's interest was piqued. "Change how?"

Hiruzen's expression grew more serious. "First, his eyes turned gold. Then, as he continued releasing his power, his face began to distort, becoming more bestial in appearance. His teeth turned into fangs, and his voice sounded more like a beast than a child. It was an unnerving sight, to say the least."

Jiraiya listened intently, his mind racing as he absorbed the information. "That kind of transformation... to a certain degree sounds a lot like how Senjutsu works when the user isn't a perfect sage."

"Exactly," Hiruzen agreed, taking a big puff from his pipe before continuing. "But that wasn't all. The killing intent and bloodlust that emanated from him were unnaturally large for a child his age. It was as if he had become a different being altogether, one driven by a powerful, almost uncontrollable urge."

"Did he act differently while that was happening?" Jiraiya asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

Hiruzen's eyes held a far-off look. "No, he was the same Takeshi we know, and that's what confuses me the most. But even though his personality seemed to remain intact, I could tell he was different... his stance became more aggressive, more ferocious. A part of him seemed to have been taken over by raw instinct. Then, as if nothing had happened, he simply reeled all the power he had released, reversing the changes as if they were never there."

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples. "That… doesn't make any sense. Natural Energy is a delicate thing when it comes to control. It either affects you physically or mentally, or if you are terribly unlucky, both." At this, the Sannin took a deep breath. "To be able to just… go back to normal without any difficulty would normally mean he has a very advanced level of control with his Natural Energy."

"I sense a but coming…" Hiruzen remarked, leaning back in his chair with a weary sigh.

"Of course there is a but," Jiraiya continued, a frown tugging at his lips. "Based on what you told me, he was both affected by the two forms. And that shouldn't be possible. Physical changes are the easiest to work with; I would know. But psychological changes are an entirely different matter. They are nearly impossible to work with; they just drive you mad and that's it. They don't kind of affect you or mildly change you. They hit hard and at full force from the beginning."

"But Takeshi wasn't fully affected by them," Hiruzen replied, looking at his student. "Despite the turmoil, his inherent calmness still shone through, as if draped over the tempest like a thin veil. There was a struggle, yes, but it didn't consume him."

Jiraiya nodded, as if the old Hokage had proven a point. "That's exactly the point. You can't control the psychological changes. They either affect you, or they don't. And if they happen to affect you, there's no measure of control about it. No fighting back against it. You just succumb to them for as long as the Natural Energy is running through you."

"It seems his kekkei genkai is more intricate than we initially thought," Hiruzen murmured, his eyes narrowing as he contemplated the possibilities.

Jiraiya chuckled, taking a deep breath. "That's an understatement."