Thunk.
Fujimoto Tōma clutched his forehead and looked up in confusion.
Elder Fukasaku stood in front of him, black ruler still raised, his expression frozen somewhere between shock and anger. That strike had landed cleanly.
Tōma had sensed the movement. He had even tried to dodge.
And failed completely.
The ruler had knocked him straight out of his calm, focused state.
Fukasaku took a deep breath, clearly restraining himself, then asked sternly, "Did Jiraiya teach you that state?"
Tōma blinked. "No. I've been using it since I was little. I relax like that after training. It feels… comfortable. Is there something wrong with it?"
Fukasaku stared at him as if he were looking at a monster.
"…You developed it yourself?"
Tōma nodded.
Fukasaku inhaled again, longer this time, his voice trembling with excitement. "That kind of talent… not learning senjutsu would be an absolute waste."
"Senjutsu?" Tōma asked, feigning curiosity.
"Yes. Senjutsu." Fukasaku's gaze burned. "Unfortunately, your chakra reserves aren't enough yet. Otherwise…"
For the first time, the elder toad felt impatient with time itself. If only this child's body would grow faster.
Seeing Tōma's interest, Fukasaku decided there was no harm in explaining.
"In this world," he said slowly, "living beings generate physical and spiritual energy. But nature itself also holds power. Senjutsu is the art of drawing in natural energy and blending it with your own chakra in precise balance. The result is senjutsu chakra."
"And what's the difference?" Tōma asked.
"With senjutsu chakra," Fukasaku said, "every technique improves. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu. Everything."
Tōma's eyes lit up. "Can I learn it?"
"Not yet," Fukasaku said firmly. "Without sufficient chakra, natural energy will overwhelm you. You saw the stone statues around Mount Myōboku, didn't you? Those are the result of failure."
Tōma's face fell, though inwardly he was thinking something else.
Violent? That's not how it feels…
In his focused state, the surrounding energy felt gentle, distant, almost cautious.
Still, Fukasaku was the expert. This wasn't something to gamble on.
After a pause, Fukasaku asked, "When you were in that state just now… did you sense any other kind of energy around you?"
He expected a no.
"I did," Tōma replied after thinking. "But it was very faint."
Fukasaku froze.
"…You can sense it without the oil?"
His expression turned deadly serious. "Listen carefully. Your chakra is not enough. Do not try to absorb it. Not even a little. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Tōma said immediately.
After a moment, Fukasaku asked another question. "Have you ever used that state in front of Jiraiya?"
"Yes."
"You named it yourself?"
"Yes. I call it Deep Focus State."
Fukasaku stroked his beard, then snorted. "That fool. He's been practicing senjutsu for years and didn't even recognize what you were doing."
Tōma said nothing. He had not meant to implicate his teacher… but it was a little late for that.
"Alright," Fukasaku said at last. "Continue. Just remember my warning."
Tōma nodded, closed his eyes, and slipped back into Deep Focus State with ease.
Watching him, Fukasaku felt a strange mix of pride and disbelief. Even now, Tōma entered that state faster than Jiraiya ever had.
Inside the calm, Tōma's thoughts stirred.
That hit just now…
At the instant the ruler struck, his eyes had opened.
And yet, he hadn't fully left Deep Focus State.
That realization made his heart race.
Movement without breaking the state.
Even something as small as blinking meant he was beginning to act while maintaining it.
And the true purpose of this state wasn't chakra control or perception.
It was natural energy.
If he could move while staying in this state, then absorbing natural energy while moving might be possible.
In his memory, Sage Mode never lasted long. Minutes at best.
But if this worked…
Could it be sustained?
Even longer?
Maybe something beyond what people called Sage Mode at all?
Still, Tōma reined in his thoughts. His chakra wasn't ready. The path ahead was long.
One step at a time.
For now, mastering movement within Deep Focus State was enough.