Meanwhile two days later…..
"Ready?" Kakashi asked, placing a hand on Naruto and Sasuke's shoulders.
"Yeah," Naruto said, determination shining in his eyes despite a hint of nerves as he looked at Sasuke.
"I'm ready," Sasuke replied quietly.
Kakashi smiled, then vanished, his chakra signature lingering for a moment.
"Whoa… that was fast."Naruto blinked.
Sasuke nodded.
"Flying Thunder God again," he said admiringly.
They reappeared in front of a massive cave opening. Steam drifted out, accompanied by the heavy scent of chakra.
"Kakashi!," a deep voice rumbled. Garaga slithered forward, red scales glinting from the faint light. Behind him, Naruto's summon Hikaribi and Sasuke's Yamihibi bowed their heads respectfully.
"Kakashi," Garaga acknowledged, his voice low. "You finally came."
Kakashi hesitated, then sat cross-legged on a flat rock. He reached out to pat Garaga's head. The great snake flinched.
"Don't touch me. Disgusting," he growled.
"We're here to train. Teach us Sage Mode, I know you can do it." Kakashi chuckled, he knew Garaga could use natural energy.
Garaga flicked his tongue. "Simple: come when you can sense the world's chakra. Probably Naruto will struggle, I see. But you two… You have talent."
"It's okay, I've got Kurama." Naruto gulped.
"And I've got Sharingan," Sasuke smirked.
"Fine. Begin with meditation."Garaga nodded.
They spread out on the cave floor. Warm air pulsed around them. Garaga, Hikaribi, and Yamihibi maintained their still forms.
Sasuke closed his eyes. His Sharingan activated. Chakra flowed along pathways teased open by breath and focus.
"Detect nature's chakra," Garaga instructed. "Feel the cave breathing."
Sasuke nodded, breathing steadily. Within minutes, faint green chakra pulses traced intricate patterns on his skin.
Kakashi followed, chakras intertwining silently. He felt the world pulse with life energy. He smiled softly.
Naruto struggled, his eyes darting around, mind racing.
"Guided by Kurama," he whispered. He imagined the Nine-Tails' presence, warm and patient. If Kurama knew how he was imagining him he would probably vomit.
Slowly, the nature chakra seeped into him. His body stilled; his breathing slowed. A wide grin spread as glowing loops traced his muscles.
"Good," Garaga murmured. "Now meditation."
Sparks of ambient chakra danced around them, responding to their focused minds.
Hours passed. Kakashi and Sasuke progressed swiftly, their chakra control smooth and confident. Naruto remained determined, sweat dripping from his brow until at last his eyes blinked open.
His skin shimmered. A final surge of sage chakra rolled through him, smoothing out the edges.
"Enough for now."Garaga nodded, snapping his tail.
Weeks followed of rigorous training, chakra control drills, stamina building, and nature chakra balance.
….
Two weeks later, Kakashi stood before them.
"You're ready," he said.
Sasuke and Naruto stepped forward. Naruto's eyelids carried white accents, Sasuke's black.
"Show me," Kakashi prompted.
Sasuke's chakra flared, and serpentine scales shimmered on his cheeks. Sharingan, nature energy, and snake summon chakra blended tightly.
Naruto roared. His chakra blossomed in emerald swirls, and faint snake patterns glowed across his torso and limbs. The ground vibrated with power.
Kakashi's eyes glowed bright. He ascended to intermediate Super-Kage strength: his form solidified, snake, white, grey chakra swirling under his vest. Hair stood on end. His presence shifted; he looked more alive than ever.
"Perfect Sage Mode," Garaga echoed from the shadows. Shizune and Tsunade, who had come, watched in awe from the cave mouth.
The next day, they found White Snake Sage perched on her rocky throne deep in the cave. Three smaller snakes coiled at her sides.
"Scroll," Kakashi demanded. "White Snake, I need all the Sage mode Techniques."
She looked at him with cool, pale eyes.
"Impressive," she hissed. "You've grown strong."
"As promised." Kakashi entered Sage Mode. His aura flared, dulling even her pride. The white snake's neck straightened.
"Take it."With a sigh, she unsheathed a scroll etched in ivory. What can she, a poor snake do against this strong brat? He had come before and blatantly threatened to beat her up if she didn't give them the scroll.
She had stalled for time, telling him that if he mastered perfect sage mode she would give them the scroll, and the brat had done it.
"Thank you."Kakashi took the scroll and waved at her.
Naruto and Sasuke received nods of approval from their summons.
They teleported out using Kakashi's Flying Thunder God, leaving the White Snake Sage staring after them, conflicted.
Back outside, Sasuke whispered to Naruto: "That was too easy."
Naruto laughed.
"We've been training!" His voice shook with excitement.
"Now? We're stronger. Let's return home."Kakashi looked at them with pride.
As they teleported back to Konoha, Garaga remained behind, as he watched them and falling asleep.
…
"We're home," Kakashi said, as the three of them reappeared at the training ground behind his house with a soft pop of chakra.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the grass, but what truly stood out was the energy that now clung to Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke. It was vibrant, alive, thick with natural chakra.
Kakashi stepped forward calmly, his body still faintly outlined by the remnants of perfect Sage Mode. His hair shimmered with faint static, his gaze sharp, his presence somehow denser, as if the very earth beneath him respected his steps.
Naruto stood next to him, his eyes glowing with slitted pupils and soft white shadow trailing his eyelids. Faint serpent-like markings glowed along his arms and neck, fading slowly. He looked stronger, wilder.
Sasuke, silent as always, walked with confidence. His black shadowed eyes glinted faintly with sage chakra, and his skin bore subtle black scale patterns that shimmered in the light. Though not perfect like Kakashi's, it was close.
"Yo," Kakashi called out as they reached the house, waving lazily at the back door.
The screen door slid open with a soft creak. Kurenai stepped out with a steaming cup of tea, Anko right behind her with a bag of dango in hand. Karin was sprawled on the porch, sketching seals into a scroll with her glasses slipping down her nose.
Kurenai looked up first and froze.
"…What is that chakra?" she asked, blinking.
"What the-" Anko narrowed her eyes, then dropped her dango.
Karin looked up slowly… and then her mouth dropped open. "That's not normal sage chakra…" she muttered, her sensory ability already going into overdrive.
"Heh! Cool, right? Snake Sage Mode!" Naruto grinned and scratched his head.
"Yup," Kakashi said, pulling his glove back to reveal a thin pattern of glowing lines around his fingers that pulsed softly. "Perfect Sage Mode. Garaga helped."
"You're not joking?"Kurenai slowly walked forward.
Kakashi activated it again, briefly. His skin took on a light silvery sheen, barely visible scales glinting along his jaw and neck. His eyes narrowed, snake-like, and his chakra pressure spiked, before fading in a heartbeat.
"…So hot," Anko muttered under her breath.
Kurenai turned to glare at her.
"Naruto and Sasuke are nearly perfect. Just a bit more and they'll be ready."Kakashi said as he deactivated the mode.
"I'll master it soon."Sasuke crossed his arms.
"Of course you will, emo prince," Anko said, ruffling his hair. Sasuke flinched and glared, but she ignored it.
"Karin! Touch it. Come on, look at the snake lines! And my eyes! Check it out!"Naruto walked up and held out his hand proudly.
Karin rolled her eyes. "You really want me to scan your chakra network, loudmouth?"
"I do look cool, right?"
"…You look like a reptile."
Naruto pouted.
Kurenai looked at Kakashi. "You're joking about it, but this is a massive deal. Snake Sage Mode is no small feat… and yours is perfect?"
Kakashi nodded and walked toward the porch. "Garaga's been helping for a while now. I never had the time to finish it… But now I do. It took a month."
Kakashi then pulled out a sealed scroll, wrapped in a serpent-patterned ribbon. "All the White Snake Sage's techniques. She gave it up without a fight once I showed her my sage chakra."
Karin whistled.
"I can't believe it. You really did it."Kurenai sat down slowly next to Kakashi.
"Yeah," Anko said, now perched on the railing, her eyes twinkling. "And you didn't even invite us. Rude."
"You three were busy holding down the fort," Kakashi said, smirking. "Someone had to make sure no one burned the house down."
"More like we held the paperwork while you played snake monk in a creepy cave," Anko said with a teasing grin.
"True."Kakashi chuckled.
Sasuke was already seated under the tree with his eyes closed, meditating to absorb more nature chakra.
"I wanna sleep for a week…"Naruto had collapsed onto the grass, arms stretched wide.
Anko leaned closer to Kakashi. "So… Perfect Sage Mode, huh?" she whispered with a glint in her eye. "Does that power translate to stamina in other areas?"
"You'll find out later."Kakashi flicked her forehead gently.
Kurenai rolled her eyes while Karin loudly gagged.
Just then, Tsunade stepped outside with a pitcher of sake. "I figured you all might want to celebrate."
"Ah, you always know."Kakashi's face lit up as he raised a hand.
Tsunade smirked and handed him a cup.
"Wait a second," Kakashi said as he vanished in a silver light.
Soon he came back with Mei, and the women were surprised when they saw her, and They invited her to join.
As they drank together under the soft glow of the setting sun, the air calm and thick with nature's pulse, Kakashi closed his eyes briefly.
The perfect balance of natural energy hummed inside him, stable and complete.
His strength was growing.
And so was his plan.