Chương 78: Failed Attempt

The group finally crossed the border of the Rain Country, entering the territory of the Land of Rivers. The change in the environment was palpable; the air became less humid and the constant rain was left behind.

"At last... we've left that damn country behind. The environment was unbearable." Nawaki, his face drenched in sweat, let out a sigh of relief.

However, his tranquility was short-lived. Shikaku shot him a reproachful look, "Nawaki, now is not the time to relax. We have enemies on our heels. We must keep moving!"

Despite these words, the group's exhaustion was palpable. Choza, with cheeks reddened from effort and panting, intervened, "Shikaku, please... we need a break. I'm at the limit of my strength. If we continue like this, fatigue will kill us before they do."

Realizing this, Shikaku hesitated, his gaze sweeping over the exhausted faces of his companions, "This... I don't know if it's wise..."

"We'll make a stop in the next town to rest. Let's take the opportunity to replenish our food and water." Chen, observing the situation, made the decision.

Then, analyzing the situation, he added with a touch of irony.

"Considering the strength of our pursuers, if they really wanted to catch up with us, they would have done so already. The fact that they haven't found us suggests they took a wrong direction. It seems our previous mistakes have turned out to be useful after all."

Previously, Shikaku had suggested an ingenious plan to throw off their pursuers.

Before reaching the Land of Rivers, the group had used shadow clones to create a false trail. These clones had deliberately left a trail leading in a different direction from the one they actually took.

Although there was a possibility they would eventually be discovered, this stratagem provided them with room for maneuver.

With this plan in mind, the group arrived at a small border town. Fatigue was evident on their faces, but caution did not abandon them. Chen directed the team, ensuring everyone quickly replenished their water and food supplies.

Aware that a prolonged stay in the town could compromise their safety, they didn't linger longer than necessary.

After leaving the town, Chen guided the group towards more rugged terrain.

Finally, he spotted what they were looking for: a cave hidden among the vegetation and rock formations.

The entrance to the cave, barely visible to the naked eye, offered the perfect hiding place. Chen signaled the group to approach cautiously. One by one, they entered the darkness of the cave.

Once everyone was inside, Shikaku, his face pale from exhaustion, approached Chen.

"Chen, we need to recover our chakra. Can you take care of the surveillance while we rest?"

The urgency of their flight had left most of the group on the brink of exhaustion. Their chakra reserves were dangerously low, a situation he knew could be fatal if they encountered the enemy in that state.

Chen nodded without much concern.

"Finally something other than soldier pills!" he exclaimed, taking an enthusiastic bite. "Although, Mikoto, your food is still unbeatable." Nawaki, for his part, seemed oblivious to the tension of the moment. With a cheerful smile, he pulled out a rice ball from his backpack.

Despite the situation, Nawaki and Tomo seemed less affected by chakra exhaustion. Their lineages provided them with exceptional reserves, allowing them to maintain some vitality even after the arduous journey.

Chen, focused on the task ahead, made a dismissive gesture towards Nawaki.

"Eat and recover, but keep your guard up. I can't take care of everything on my own."

His mind was already focused on his next challenge: trying to practice Sage Mode. This moment of relative calm was the perfect opportunity.

Sensing the seriousness in Chen's tone, he lowered his gaze, a little discouraged. Mumbling something unintelligible, he moved away to join the others, the rice ball still in his hand.

....

Sitting in a lotus position in the center of the cave, his breathing becoming slow and steady.

He closed his eyes, and the outside world began to fade away. In the darkness of his mind, he began to perceive something else: the natural energy that permeated everything around him.

This energy, older than chakra itself, was the primordial source from which everything arose. Even the Sacred Tree, the origin of chakra, drew from this natural energy to grow.

It was the very essence of the world, invisible to most, but palpable to those who knew how to seek it.

Thanks to his unique lineage and his two Logia Devil Fruits, he found that perceiving this energy was surprisingly easy. It was as if it had always been there, waiting to be discovered, and now that he sought it, it revealed itself with crystal clarity.

With the natural energy identified, he moved on to the next step: trying to capture it and integrate it into his body.

To his surprise, this process turned out to be almost intuitive. The energy flowed towards him as if magnetically attracted, infiltrating every cell of his body. He could feel how this energy filled him, activating every part of his body. It was an intoxicating sensation, as if he was suddenly full of food.

However, the real challenge was yet to come. The final step, and the most crucial, was to achieve the perfect combination of physical energy, spiritual energy, and this new natural energy to form Senjutsu Chakra. This is where he encountered resistance.

At first, each attempt to balance the three energies resulted in failure. Sometimes, the natural energy overwhelmed the others, and Chen felt as if his body was about to turn to stone. In these moments, his physical form fluctuated, emitting flashes of light that briefly illuminated the cave.

Mikoto and Kushina, observing from a safe distance, exchanged looks of concern. They knew Chen's abilities well enough not to be completely alarmed, but everything was unsettling.

"What... what kind of Kekkei Genkai is that? I've never seen anything like it. He turns into light! It's... it's incredible." Nawaki, with eyes wide open, couldn't take his gaze off what was in front of him.

Before anyone could answer, a blinding flash illuminated the cave. Chen, for the umpteenth time, transformed into a sphere of light before returning to his human form. His face, upon recomposing, showed discouragement.

"Damn it," he muttered. "I failed again. It seems I underestimated the difficulty of Sage Mode."

He had trusted that his unique lineage, his Devil Fruits, and his natural talent would be enough to master this technique quickly. Reality, however, had given him a harsh lesson in humility.

Despite the repeated failures, he wasn't completely discouraged. Each attempt, each failed transformation, provided him with valuable experience. He could feel that he was progressing, albeit slowly.

"It's not a total failure," he reflected. "Each attempt brings me a little closer. It's a matter of time and practice."

Mastering Sage Mode was crucial for his future plans.

After several more attempts, each ending in a flash of light and frustration, he finally decided to leave it for the moment. He stood up, stretching his tense muscles.

"Well, I guess Rome wasn't built in a day," he said, trying to cheer himself up a bit. "I'll have to keep practicing on the way."

In a corner of the cave, Mikoto and Kushina had dedicated themselves to teaching Konan to refine chakra. The girl, with concentration, listened attentively to each instruction.

"That's it, Konan. Feel the flow of energy within you," Mikoto murmured in a soft but firm voice.

Kushina, observing closely, nodded with approval. "Incredible. Her talent is exceptional."

To everyone's surprise, Konan managed to refine a thread of chakra in a matter of hours, a feat that took most novices days, even weeks.

Nawaki, who had been observing the scene with growing amazement, couldn't contain his exclamation: "Wow! It took me two whole days to achieve that. Konan did it in... what? Three hours?"

Impressed by Konan's rapid progress and perhaps a bit jealous, Nawaki approached Chen. "Hey, Chen... I was wondering if... well, if you could teach me that lightning jutsu of yours."

Chen raised an eyebrow, noting the discomfort in Nawaki's voice. They both knew that asking to share a personal jutsu was a delicate matter in their world.

"You mean the Lightning Rasengan?" he asked.

Nawaki's eyes lit up. "Yes, that one! Could you... you know, teach it to me?"

Chen considered the request for a moment. His response was carefully measured:

"The Lightning Rasengan is a personal technique, Nawaki. I can't teach it to you." Seeing the disappointment on the young man's face, Chen continued: "However, I can teach you the basic Rasengan. If you master it, perhaps you can develop your own variant, like the Lightning Rasengan or another unique form."

Nawaki's expression went from disappointment to excitement in an instant.

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