266 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

Akira's thoughts swirled as he focused entirely on the Divine Tree before him, carefully observing its state.

"As expected..." After a long moment, he murmured to himself and nodded slightly. "The Divine Tree isn't just absorbing natural energy, it's also drawing in the energy of the planet itself."

The energy that was similar to natural energy but of significantly higher quality—Akira termed it planetary natural energy.

"No wonder the chakra fruit that the Divine Tree bears after devouring an Ōtsutsuki is so powerful. It turns out that it absorbs the very essence of an entire planet!" Akira suddenly understood.

"Then, let's try channeling energy from beyond the stars and see if the Divine Tree can absorb it. If it works, it might serve as a substitute for planetary energy and be used to cultivate the tree." Akira's thoughts shifted rapidly.

He extended his senses toward the boundless sky!

This time, it took him a full thirty minutes to successfully perceive the energy radiating from countless celestial bodies across the cosmos!

Carefully, he guided this overwhelming energy from the infinite expanse of space and channeled it into the Divine Tree before him.

As the special energy surged in, the massive Divine Tree trembled slightly. Then, to everyone's astonishment, it visibly sprouted new branches. What was once a barren trunk rapidly transformed into a lush, verdant giant!

The energy birthed from the stars had an even more potent effect on the Divine Tree than Akira had anticipated!

Seeing the dramatic change, the people around him were visibly overjoyed.

There was no doubt—Akira's experiment had succeeded!

Turning to the group, he smiled and said, "Everyone, it's a success."

"What did you do to make the Divine Tree change so drastically all at once?" Uchiha Hikari asked curiously.

Given that she essentially carried a Divine Tree within her own body, she was more sensitive to its changes than anyone else.

Not just Hikari—everyone present was equally intrigued.

They all understood the nature of the Divine Tree. Under normal circumstances, it would take an immense amount of time to bear fruit!

"It was a type of energy similar to natural energy," Akira explained.

"Something similar to natural energy?" Tsunade and the others were taken aback.

They, who could enter Sage Mode, hadn't sensed any abnormalities just now.

"A form of energy similar to natural energy? What do you mean, Fifth Hokage?" Senju Tobirama asked, his curiosity piqued.

He was well aware of natural energy—after all, his older brother, Senju Hashirama, had mastered Sage Mode. As his disciple, Tobirama had also studied it extensively.

"You could say it is natural energy—just on a higher level." Akira elaborated.

Uchiha Hikari looked at him with keen interest. "Tell us more."

Akira glanced at the others and continued, "The source of the natural energy we currently use is still unclear, but it is likely linked to both the planet and its living beings."

Tsunade, Hikari, and the other Sage Mode users nodded slightly. They had sensed something similar before.

"However, the natural energy we harness isn't exactly the same as the planet's energy. Just as the living beings in the ninja world possess chakra, so too does the planet itself. This planetary energy is akin to natural energy but exists on a higher tier!" Akira explained.

"The planet itself has its own energy?" Tobirama's interest deepened.

"Exactly," Akira confirmed. "For the Divine Tree to bloom and bear fruit, it requires both natural energy and the energy of the planet itself. When those energies are completely depleted, the planet becomes a dead star."

Tsunade furrowed her brows and asked in a serious tone, "So what you just infused into the Divine Tree was planetary energy?"

"No, it wasn't." Akira shook his head before posing a question of his own. "Our planet possesses its own energy—but what about the celestial bodies in the sky?"

The realization struck everyone present like a thunderbolt.

Tsunade quickly asked, "Are you saying the energy you channeled just now came from the celestial bodies in space?"

"That's right," Akira nodded. "To be precise, it was stellar energy—energy from the stars themselves!"

Tobirama stroked his chin, his face filled with astonishment.

"I never imagined that planets could generate something akin to natural energy. I've studied chakra for a lifetime and never discovered this."

At that moment, Akira spoke again. "Perhaps it's not just celestial bodies that possess their own energy—maybe the entire universe has its own energy as well!"

Tobirama was stunned for a moment before nodding thoughtfully. "That is indeed a possibility."

"If the universe itself contains an energy akin to natural energy, it must be unimaginably powerful!" Tobirama's voice held a hint of excitement.

Natural energy, when combined with spiritual and physical energy, gave birth to Sage Chakra.

If planetary energy, stellar energy, and even universal energy could be harnessed in a similar way, the power it would grant was beyond comprehension.

It was clear—if one could integrate these energies as seamlessly as natural energy, their strength would increase exponentially.

After all, Sage Mode was so formidable precisely because natural energy was of a higher tier than regular chakra!

"Can you apply planetary or stellar energy to yourself?" Tobirama asked Akira.

"Not yet," Akira admitted, shaking his head. "For now, I've only discovered these energies and learned how to guide them. I can influence them, but I can't yet integrate them into my body."

Both planetary and stellar energies were on a level above natural energy, making them incredibly difficult to control.

Akira could tell that the balance between these energies and spiritual/physical energy likely wasn't the same strict 1:1:1 ratio as with Sage Mode.

To successfully wield them, further research was needed!

"Fifth Hokage, you must not abandon this path," Tobirama said firmly, his expression grave. "I have a feeling this could be one of the key factors in our fight against the Ōtsutsuki."

"I understand, Second Hokage. I'll push forward with this research and strive to develop a new chakra mode as soon as possible." Akira nodded.

This was something he had already planned to pursue.

To fight the Ōtsutsuki Clan, relying solely on conventional chakra training wouldn't be enough. A new path had to be forged if they were to stand a chance against those beings.

Cultivating the Divine Tree and consuming its chakra fruit was certainly an option, but it was not an easy road.

Unlike the Ōtsutsuki, who freely roamed the cosmos and had access to countless life-bearing planets, they lacked such resources.

However, this new discovery gave Akira genuine hope—hope that they could truly stand against the Ōtsutsuki!