( A Month Later )
A full month had passed since Katsuyu's warning. Now, the last vestiges of Orochimaru's accursed seal had vanished, leaving Sasuke's chakra pure and untainted by its foreign influence. The subtle infusion of natural energy it had once provided had also faded completely.
Sasuke exhaled slowly, a tangible weight lifting from his shoulders.
"Finally. It's truly gone. Now, I can finally focus on mastering Senjutsu without this complication."
Katsuyu's gentle voice resonated nearby. "Indeed, Sasuk-kun. The residual influence has dissipated entirely. Rest assured, I will continue to guide you through this next stage, ensuring your progress is both safe and effective."
During the enforced break, Sasuke had not remained idle. He had diligently pursued his physical conditioning, pushing his body closer to the threshold of the Eight Inner Gates.
He had also dedicated time to honing his kenjutsu with the Kiba blades, the twin lightning-infused edges humming faintly as he practiced, further refining his affinity for the element that would one day birth the Raikiri.
Now, with the curse mark a distant memory, Sasuke returned to the task at hand. He settled into his meditative pose once more, carefully beginning to draw in the natural energy of Shikkotsu Forest. This time, he proceeded with meticulous caution, absorbing only the smallest increments.
Days turned into a quiet rhythm of focused inhalation and careful monitoring of his internal state. Gradually, Sasuke developed a keen understanding of his capacity, discerning the precise threshold beyond which the delicate balance would be jeopardized.
Katsuyu observed his progress with approval. "Excellent, Uchiha-san. You have gained a commendable sense of your limits. Now comes the most crucial and potentially perilous step: the art of balancing the natural energy you absorb with your own physical and spiritual energies."
Her tone grew more serious. "This stage carries an even greater risk of petrification. Even if the initial balance is achieved, the slightest imbalance, an imperceptible leaning towards an excess of natural energy, can initiate the transformation."
Sasuke, having already experienced the unsettling encroachment of natural energy due to the curse mark, understood the gravity of her words implicitly.
He posed a question, though the answer was already etched in his memory. "And what occurs if the natural energy is insufficient in this balance?"
"If the natural energy is too low," Katsuyu explained patiently, "then Sage Mode will simply not activate. The transformation requires a precise equilibrium."
Knowing the delicate tightrope he now had to walk, Sasuke closed his eyes once more. He began the intricate process of drawing in the natural energy, his senses acutely attuned to the subtle interplay within him, striving for that elusive, perfect harmony between the power of the earth and the essence of his own being.