Konoha: The Honored One

The ground rumbled as Gojo stood in the clearing, his figure wreathed in crackling blue lightning. The air shimmered with raw, untamed chakra, potent enough to make the earth tremble beneath his feet. Tiny seedlings shot up from the soil around him, growing as if compelled by the sheer force of his presence—a forest awakening in an instant.

"Scary chakra…" Sakura murmured, her voice trembling.

Team 7 stood frozen, their hearts pounding as they witnessed the spectacle. Gojo's energy wasn't just immense; it was overwhelming, a paradoxical blend of warmth and terror. Unlike Kisame's oppressive malice or Itachi's cold, calculating aura, this felt almost... divine. As if nature itself bowed to him.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his mind racing to comprehend what he was seeing. "Is this... Sage Mode?" he asked, his voice low, tinged with disbelief.

Gojo chuckled, turning to face them with a grin as radiant as the storm surrounding him. "You could say it's a version of it," he replied casually, as if he wasn't exuding enough power to level a mountain. "But enough chit-chat. Time to learn the basics."

Naruto's eyes sparkled like twin suns. "So cool! Sage Mode! Teach me, Gojo-sensei! I'll master it, and then Sasuke-teme won't stand a chance!"

Sakura glanced at Naruto, exasperated. "Naruto, this isn't about showing off!"

Gojo tilted his head, amused. "Actually, Sakura, Sage Mode is kind of about showing off. Just look at this," he said, gesturing to the lightning dancing around him.

"Sensei," Sasuke interjected coldly, his gaze sharp. "That lightning... Is Sage Mode linked to Lightning Style?"

Gojo smirked, tapping a finger to his chin. "Not exactly, Sasuke-kun. The lightning is just for flair. Gotta admit, it makes the outfit pop, right?"

Naruto let out a loud sigh of relief. "Phew! For a second, I thought I couldn't learn it 'cause I don't have Lightning Style."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Naruto," Gojo said, popping a lollipop into his mouth. "Sage Mode is about natural energy. You absorb it from the world around you, then blend it with your own chakra. It's not tied to any one element—it's everything."

Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion. "So, uh… it's like using all the elements at once?"

Gojo sighed, ruffling Naruto's hair. "Close enough, kid. Let me show you instead."

He raised a hand, his palm sparking with light blue energy. With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of chakra shot forward, striking a distant tree. The impact reduced it to splinters, leaving a smoking crater behind.

"That," Gojo said, brushing imaginary dust off his coat, "was normal chakra."

Naruto gawked at the destruction. "That's normal?! What happens when you go all-out?"

"Glad you asked!" Gojo's eyes glinted mischievously as he focused. The natural energy around him seemed to ripple, converging into his body. His palm lit up again, but this time the energy felt alive, untamed.

"Sage Art: Chidori Stream!"

A surge of electricity erupted from his hand, arcing through the air like a thunder god's wrath. The forest ahead was obliterated in a deafening explosion, leaving a gaping crater and scattering debris for miles.

Naruto's jaw hit the floor. "That's insane!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Gojo-sensei, you're like a walking disaster!"

Sasuke frowned, his Sharingan spinning as he analyzed the technique. The sheer magnitude of power made his own jutsu feel insignificant. "This isn't just a jutsu," he muttered. "It's like wielding nature itself."

Naruto pumped his fists, stars in his eyes. "I'm learning this! Just wait, Sasuke! I'll blow you away with my Sage Mode!"

"Baka," Sasuke muttered, turning away. "You can't even summon a toad properly."

"Oh, that reminds me," Gojo interjected, his grin widening. "Naruto, before you dream of Sage Mode, you need a Summoning Contract. Let's fix that."

Gojo bit his thumb, drawing blood, and slammed his palm onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke erupted, and as it cleared, a small white cat emerged. It stretched lazily, licking its paw before letting out a soft "Meow."

Naruto blinked, dumbfounded. "Wait, what? A cat?! That's your Summoning beast?!"

The cat yawned, then stood on two legs, producing a tiny cigar from seemingly nowhere. "Watch your mouth, brat," it said in a gruff voice, puffing out smoke. "I'm Cat Boss."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "It talks?! And smokes?!"

"Go on, Kitty," Gojo said, suppressing a laugh. "Show him what you've got."

The cat leapt forward with surprising agility, smacking Naruto across the face with its paw.

"Argh!" Naruto cried, clutching his cheek. "Why, you little—"

Before he could finish, the cat pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with ease.

"Lesson one, brat," the cat growled, blowing a ring of smoke. "Respect your elders."

Sakura buried her face in her hands. "Gojo-sensei... what is this madness?"

Gojo chuckled, clearly entertained. "It's a masterpiece of Summoning. You'll see soon enough."

Naruto scrambled to his feet, fists clenched. "I'll show you! Let's fight for real!"

The absurdity of the scene left Team 7 speechless, their minds reeling from the day's events. Sasuke, however, just sighed, muttering under his breath, "This team gets weirder and weider by the day."