Single for Over a Thousand Years

One year later.

Within the Slug Forest.

Smack! Bang!

A red-haired boy and a black-haired girl are Taijutsu in close combat.

Each punch and palm strike created ripples in the air.

"Kanami, Hinata, it's lunchtime."

The blue and white Slug Sage called out to the two from the tree branch.

"Good."

Upon hearing this, the red-haired boy and the black-haired girl stopped fighting and followed the Slug Sage to that familiar cave.

Upon seeing the unidentified green food prepared by the Slug Sage, Kanami and Hinata exchanged a quiet glance but remained silent.

Kanami said, "Lord Katsuyu, you can eat it yourself. We still have plenty of instant noodles we stocked up on back in the village."

"Yes, Lord Katsuyu, you go ahead and eat. Kanami and I will just have cup noodles."

Hinata in from the side.

As she spoke, Hinata took out a huge package from the Sealing Scrolls, from which she took out many cup noodles and some snacks.

Seeing this, the Slug Sage didn't hold back and went straight for the food.

For the past year, whenever Hinata Anju Kazeya ran out of food, they would beg her to use the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to return to the village and buy more, refusing to share the meal with her. It was clear that they didn't like the delicious food she prepared.

However, only the Slug Sage herself knew the concept of time, so she was the one who called the two of them to mealtimes.

"This tastes really good, very much like the vegetables you humans eat."

The Slug Sage chewed on the mountain of green algae piled up in front of him and said.

"If you like it, please eat more."

Kanami whispered.

Before long, the two people and the insect had finished eating.

Kanami wiped his mouth and stood up.

"I'm leaving now. I have to find that guy today."

After saying that, Kanami turned and headed towards one of the directions of the Slug Forest.

"Lord Katsuyu, I'm going to cultivate as well."

Hinata nodded to the Slug Sage in front of her.

"I'm truly sorry. I promised to teach you both Senjutsu, but over the past year, Kanami went to seek out the First Hokage's Senjutsu, and you happen to lack Yang Release, making it impossible for you to cultivate my Senjutsu..."

"The Slug Sage sighed."

Hinata shook her head. "Lord Katsuyu, you've already helped us so much... and..."

At this point, Hinata's fair face flushed slightly.

The Slug Sage pressed on, "And what?"

"And... it's because of you that I've been able to have more interaction with Kanami..."

Hinata's voice grew softer and softer, but the Katsuyu was Sage; even a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz could be heard clearly by her.

Before Kanami and Hinata stayed in Slug Forest, she never recalled her numerous clones.

It wasn't until her numerous clones occasionally witnessed Kanami and Hinata engaging in intimate acts that she, a perennial single woman, was struck dumb, blushing furiously as she retracted her clone.

Although the Slug Sage has an extremely long lifespan, it remains a solitary creature in the Slug Forest.

She thought she wouldn't be like ordinary people, with any pursuit of love, hate, or passion. But she never expected that Kanami and Hinata would stir up her budding and innocent heart in just one year.

The Slug Sage coughed lightly. "Ahem, Hinata, you should go train. I'm going to rest."

"Good."

Hinata nodded, then vanished in a flash from the Slug Sage's cave.

Once the two figures had completely disappeared from his cave, the Slug Sage sighed inwardly.

We need to find a way to get them to leave...

She'd had enough dog food this year; she was even a little tired of it.