Shikkotsu Forest

The wind...

The wind called in her ears...

A gray, hazy sky...

Sakura felt herself constantly falling through midair. She struggled to steady herself and looked down...

There was nothing?

No, it shouldn't have been nothing.

It was white—pure white.

"Huh?"

Something seemed to have noticed Sakura, followed by a soft pop.

Sakura only felt herself land on something soft and squishy.

Rubbing her slightly dizzy head, Sakura finally had the chance to look around.

White. There was only white. At the edge of her vision lay a blue "river."

"My, my, who would have thought that after all these years, we would have a guest."

"And such an adorable little guest, too~~~"

A gentle, beautiful female voice rang out. In front of Sakura, a palm-sized slug appeared.

It had two feelers on its head, and its whole body looked soft and squishy.

"This is... Lady Tsunade's slug?"

"My, my, it seems to be a little guest from Konoha too~~"

"What do I do... What do I do..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi anxiously paced in circles while Enma, seated nearby, counted how many circles he had made.

320...

321...

322...

Hiruzen Sarutobi was frantic.

Using the Summoning Jutsu recklessly without a summoning contract could very likely send someone to an unknown alternate dimension.

He had never expected Sakura, usually so composed, to act so rashly.

She was practically on par with Jiraiya back then.

But Jiraiya had simply stumbled into absurd luck and been sent to Mount Myōboku by sheer coincidence. He might have gotten lucky once, but could he get lucky twice?!

Under these circumstances, only space-time ninjutsu could bring Sakura back.

But even if the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, came back to life, he would still be powerless without a Flying Thunder God marker on Sakura.

-Shikkotsu Forest-

"So that's what happened~~"

"Sakura actually used the Summoning Jutsu without signing a contract first. That was very reckless of her~~"

Not only was the slug's voice gentle, but so was her temperament.

She was one of the easier Summoning Beasts to get along with.

"How about this~~"

"I'll send Sakura back first, then explain things to the Third Hokage. That should be enough."

"Even if Sakura signs a contract with the Enma Clan in the future, I can still help if she needs me~~"

The slug, about the size of Sakura's forearm, slowly crawled onto her shoulder. Sakura's heart nearly melted at the gentle sound of her voice.

"Mm-hm! Thank you, Lord Slug!"

With a pop, the slug and Sakura vanished from the spot.

The moment Sakura left, the entire Shikkotsu Forest trembled slightly.

"Though she is a little guest who lies~~"

"She's unexpectedly adorable~~"

There was only one slug in all of Shikkotsu Forest: Sage Katsuyu.

Every slug was a clone of Sage Katsuyu, including the one Tsunade summoned.

Having lived for over a thousand years, how could Sage Katsuyu fail to notice Sakura's clumsy deception?

But Sage Katsuyu did not care.

Although she did not know how Sakura had managed to arrive so precisely at Shikkotsu Forest without a contract.

But that was not important to her.

The fact that Sakura had found this place without a contract meant that she and Sakura were fated.

Poof—

A small cloud of smoke rose from where Sakura had vanished, bringing Hiruzen Sarutobi—who had nearly left to look for information on the Summoning Jutsu—to an abrupt halt.

"Sakura!!!"

"Do you know what you just did?!"

The moment he saw the pink-haired little girl, Hiruzen Sarutobi was practically furious.

He had finally chosen a successor, and the village had finally produced a genius. If she were to die prematurely over nothing more than a Summoning Jutsu—

He would regret it for the rest of his life!

"Huh?"

"Heh, heh, I'm sorry... Master..."

Sakura had intended to laugh it off, but seeing the look on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, she obediently lowered her head and admitted her mistake.

"Third Hokage, we meet again~~"

A familiar voice sounded beside Hiruzen Sarutobi's ear. Only then did he notice the presence on Sakura's shoulder, and his pupils shrank.

A slug...

Sage Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest...

Had Sakura sent herself to Shikkotsu Forest?

This... was incredibly lucky!

Thank goodness she had not sent herself to Ryūchi Cave!

Otherwise, within three hours, she would have become snake poop!

"S-Sage Katsuyu?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in disbelief.

"It has been a long time, Third Hokage~~"

"I was originally sleeping, but this child fell from the sky right onto me~~"

Katsuyu's words slowly calmed Hiruzen Sarutobi's racing heart.

Heavens had eyes!

She had stumbled into outrageous luck twice!

"It seems this child is fated with Shikkotsu Forest."

Enma stroked his chin and spoke thoughtfully.

"Yes~~"

"This child is very cute~~"

Katsuyu's gentle words made Sakura's ears itch.

"Very well, since that's the case, I'll be leaving first."

Enma sighed and gave Sakura a regretful look.

He rather liked Sakura as a summoner too, but since she had chosen Katsuyu, all he could say was that they were fated to meet but not to be together.

Besides, Katsuyu could be considered friendly with Konoha. There was no need to make the Enma Clan and Shikkotsu Forest enemies over one child.

"Sakura hasn't signed a contract with me yet~~"

Katsuyu's words made Enma stop in his tracks.

"Sage Katsuyu, what do you mean?"

Enma looked at Katsuyu in confusion.

Even as the leader of the Enma Clan, he was still a junior before Katsuyu.

"If Mr. Enma wishes to form a contract with Sakura, that is possible too~~"

"After all, Sakura is the successor chosen by the Third Hokage~~"

Katsuyu glanced at the silent Hiruzen Sarutobi beside her, her words gentle.

"Because Sakura could summon me without a contract, she does not need one with me~~"

"Mr. Enma, please rest assured~~"

Katsuyu's words left Enma slightly stunned.

The vast majority of ninja could only summon one Summoning Beast clan.

Only if they had raised a Summoning Beast themselves, or through some other means, could they summon Summoning Beasts of different species.

But Summoning Beast clans that had already formed civilizations possessed a pride of their own.

Under normal circumstances, they would not form a contract with a ninja who had already contracted with another clan.

But from what Katsuyu meant, she clearly did not mind that this little girl already had Summoning Beasts from another clan.

That made Enma fall into deep thought.

Since Sage Katsuyu did not mind, then should he... mind?

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept a straight face, though inwardly he was raging.

Enma, you old bastard, what are you spacing out for? Katsuyu doesn't mind, so what the hell are you minding for?!

Sorry, I got too carried away playing Trial of Illusions today. Updates will be before seven from now on.