Let's say that it's because of longevity.
But does it really have anything to do with longevity?
Naruto didn't just master Sage Jutsu at a young age—he thrived in it.
Let's talk about the environment.
The ninja world is vast, filled with diverse natural landscapes. The towering mountains and flowing waters of Mount Myoboku, the damp and shadowy depths of Ryuchi Cave—natural energy is everywhere.
As a shinobi, it seems odd to rely solely on chakra while ignoring the abundant natural energy that surrounds us.
Of course, natural energy is far less stable than one's own chakra, making it incredibly difficult to control. But why is that?
Mufasa gazed at the preserved flesh in the jar, his thoughts drifting to Jiraiya.
When Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, his body took on the traits of a toad. Orochimaru, too, exhibited similar transformations. Could it be something genetic?
A bold idea surfaced in Mufasa's mind.
Could it be genetic contamination?
Long ago, Kaguya Otsutsuki used the God Tree to create an army of White Zetsu.
Later, Hagoromo and Hamura Otsutsuki sealed her away in order to free those who had been transformed into Zetsu. But by then, their genes had already been altered by the God Tree.
That transformation may have caused a shift in human physiology, making their descendants more adept at refining chakra rather than absorbing natural energy.
Over time, this genetic corruption spread, embedding itself in every corner of the ninja world.
Thus, an entire civilization evolved around the use of chakra, forsaking the raw power of natural energy.
Toads, snakes, and slugs—beings that remained unaffected by this contamination—continued to wield natural energy as they had in ancient times. Their tradition of Sage Jutsu remained intact and was passed down through the generations.
Mufasa clenched his fists. He was different.
Technically, his body is not a resident of this world. He just arrived here from nowhere with his original body, and through the help of the system, he was able to do ninjutsu and therefore manipulate chakra. In othe words, his genes were supposed to be untainted.
When he first received the Cursed Seal of Heaven, the dormant ability to absorb natural energy had awakened within him.
If Jiraiya's toad-like features were a result of his genes adapting to toad-based Senjutsu, could it be that Sage Mode altered one's genetic structure?
The more Mufasa thought about it, the more questions arose.
Why do Bloodline Limits exist?
Could chakra itself be capable of altering genetics?
Is it possible that chakra serves as a kind of genetic lock?
Scientifically speaking, it wasn't out of the question.
But Orochimaru's will was too weak. The Cursed Seal of Heaven, despite its potential, was unstable. When it clashed with the lightning cells in his body, it was instantly neutralized, allowing him to maintain Sage Mode for only a few seconds at a time.
Perhaps he needed to visit Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, or even the legendary Shikkotsu Forest to further his research.
The prospect filled him with excitement.
This was his next step.
The second matter had been addressed.
Now, onto the third.
He would wait for Kankuro's return before moving forward.
With that in mind, Mufasa rose from his seat and exited the laboratory.
It was going to be another long night of work.
Konoha.
Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade sat at the head of the conference table, fingers laced beneath her chin as she listened to Jiraiya's report.
The shifting dynamics of Sunagakure barely stirred any concern among Konoha's higher-ups.
Power in the ninja world still depended on elite shinobi and prominent clans. Konoha had both—along with the best shinobi academy in existence—ensuring their dominance remained unchallenged.
But when Jiraiya mentioned that Mufasa had proposed peace talks, tensions rose.
Particularly when the terms demanded compensation from Konoha.
Danzo Shimura was the first to react.
"Hmph. Sunagakure has lost its mind," he sneered. "They attack Konoha, then have the audacity to demand reparations?"
His voice grew colder. "This is an insult to us."
He slammed his fist on the table. "Hokage-sama, we should crush them. Let me take my forces and end this farce."
Advisors Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane exchanged uneasy glances.
Even they found Mufasa's demands unreasonable.
Tsunade, resting her chin on her hand, remained silent.
She wasn't one to act impulsively. Something about Mufasa's move unsettled her. Why make such a bold demand? What was he thinking?
Jiraiya sighed. "Tsunade, advisors, I'm telling you—Sunagakure isn't the same as before."
Danzo scoffed. "What's changed?"
"You mean their so-called economic revolution? Selling knives and cookware?" He smirked. "If you ask me, you've been deceived, Jiraiya."
"Sunagakure is still just a wasteland of sand. No matter how much they struggle, they'll never outgrow their limitations."
"Konoha has wealth. Konoha has manpower. There's no reason to fear them."
Jiraiya shook his head. "This isn't just my opinion. Even Shikaku Nara agrees we should tread carefully."
At the mention of Shikaku, Danzo's expression darkened.
Tsunade exhaled, tapping her fingers on the desk. Mufasa's motivations remained a mystery. If he wanted money, there were other ways to get it. Konoha providing financial aid wasn't out of the question—if framed correctly.
She adjusted her hat, finally speaking. "Alright, let's set that matter aside for now."
"Mufasa had other conditions, didn't he?"
Jiraiya nodded. "Yes. Prisoner exchange."
No one objected to that.
He reached into his pouch and placed two scrolls on the table.
"These contain the 'Economic and Trade Treaty' and the 'One Country, One Village' law Mufasa wants us to sign. I suggest you all review them carefully."
The clauses in the "Economic and Trade Treaty" were filled with complex terms—bilateral trade agreements, most-favored-nation treatment, customs unions—phrases that left the room in a fog of confusion.
The assembled ninjas exchanged glances.
Their world revolved around completing missions, managing villages, and handling inter-village conflicts. The sudden introduction of an economic treaty was entirely outside their realm of expertise.
Despite this, Tsunade took the time to read through the document carefully, while most others skimmed it briefly before setting it aside. If they didn't understand it, it was better not to waste time on it.
Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Mufasa is... unconventional. We're all ninjas. Why bring up something like this?"
She leaned back, addressing the room. "I've skimmed the main points. The treaty states that if Konoha and Sand Village engage in trade, both parties must be treated equally. Tariffs should be standardized, and neither side should create barriers that obstruct the flow of goods and commerce. Thoughts, advisors?"
The older council members—Shimura Danzo, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane—were already skeptical.
Koharu scoffed. "What exactly do we have to trade?"
Unlike civilians, ninja villages didn't survive through trade; they sustained themselves by taking on missions. They were warriors, not merchants.
Jiraiya interjected, "Sand Village has undergone a major transformation. They're moving away from the mission-based economy and shifting their ninjas into industrial production and commercial trade."
Danzo chuckled, a rare expression of amusement crossing his old, battle-worn face. "Hah! Sounds like they've already given up. Their so-called Kazekage, Mufasa, must be crumbling under economic pressure. They've abandoned their ninja way and chosen to become mere merchants."
He scoffed, shaking his head. "A village without real ninjas is no match for Konoha."
For generations, the foundation of ninja villages had been clear: train ninjas, take on missions, earn commissions, and continue the cycle. It was a time-tested system that had survived countless wars. Any deviation from this was seen as absurd.
Surprisingly, Mitokado and Koharu nodded in agreement.
"Sand seems to have lost its way," Homura murmured.
"No wonder they're asking for compensation," Koharu added. "They must be desperate. If Mufasa is willing to bow his head, we could consider providing limited aid."
To them, Mufasa's so-called 'reform' was nothing more than self-sabotage—throwing away the ninja way for the sake of money.
Jiraiya, frustrated, tried again. "You're misunderstanding. Sand Village isn't surrendering, they—"
Danzo cut him off. "Enough, Jiraiya! You've spoken far too much in their defense."
His sharp tone left no room for debate. In his eyes, there was nothing threatening about the "little" Sand Village.
Tsunade, not one to tolerate arrogance, slammed her hand on the table. "Danzo, that's enough! We are here to discuss Mufasa's proposal, not to argue among ourselves."
Her voice held the weight of authority, and despite his obvious disdain, Danzo fell silent.
Homura adjusted his glasses. "I don't see an issue. We have nothing to sell to them, and they have nothing we need."
Koharu smirked. "Maybe they just want to sell us some kitchenware. If the quality is decent, I suppose we could consider it."
The room erupted into quiet chuckles.
What did Sand Village have to offer? Sand? The idea was laughable.
And so, with little resistance, the "Economic and Trade Treaty" was accepted.
Then came the fourth and final document—the "One Country, One Village Law."
The moment it was introduced, a sense of suspicion filled the room.
This proposal was much shorter than the trade treaty, consisting of only three points:
Article 1: A country may have only one recognized ninja village.
This was already an unspoken rule, so no one objected to putting it into writing.
Article 2: All ninjas within a country must operate under the jurisdiction of its designated ninja village. Any criminal acts will be dealt with by that village, with severe cases requiring joint trials between the involved villages.
Jiraiya frowned slightly. This clause felt... odd.
Ninja villages weren't law enforcement. They weren't police or government forces; they operated independently. Konoha, for instance, had no interest in micromanaging every rogue ninja in the Land of Fire. Unless someone directly threatened Konoha, they were free to come and go.
Koharu was the first to raise a concern. "So, within the borders of the the Land of Wind, we'd have to operate under Sand's jurisdiction? Does that mean our Anbu would need permission to conduct missions there?"
Homura pondered for a moment before nodding. "It seems that way."
Danzo let out a full laugh, his bandaged face twitching with amusement. "Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! Even if he wants this to be the case, does he have the power to enforce it? This is nothing more than a fantasy!"
Ninjas weren't civilians. They had jutsu. They could move unseen, crossing borders at will. The idea of policing ninja movements was laughable.
Tsunade pressed her fingers together, deep in thought. "What exactly is Mufasa trying to accomplish?"
And then they reached Article 3: A country's internal affairs must not be influenced by outside forces.
The room fell silent.
Tsunade's brow furrowed. "He's talking about the Daimyo."
Who controlled a country's affairs? The Daimyo. It had always been that way.
She looked up, her mind racing. "Could it be that Mufasa wants to interfere in the Daimyo's rule?"
A single sentence, but its implications were massive.
Was Mufasa trying to prevent the Daimyo of the Land of Wind from using outside forces to suppress the Hidden Sand Village?
Or was it the other way around?
Could Hidden Sand Village be trying to ensure that other villages couldn't intervene against their rule?
The realization hit Tsunade like a truck.
'What kind of man is Mufasa?'
'Is he a visionary leader… or a fool abandoning the ninja way?'
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Word count: 1887