You have one day to say goodbye to your family. I'm leaving Konoha early the day after tomorrow.
Tsunade, who had dragged Kazashiro into the alley, looked down at him from her elevated position and issued her final ultimatum with a slight parting of her red lips.
"Uh, umm."
Things were going so smoothly that Kazashiro's brain went blank for a moment, and he didn't realize that Tsunade had agreed to his request until Tsunade left.
"The outcome is good overall, even though the process was quite bizarre."
Having overheard a conversation that he wasn't sure he should have heard, Kazashiro didn't know if Tsunade had truly found peace, but these were none of his concerns.
Shikkotsu Forest Kazashiro made this decision after careful consideration.
Ryūchi Cave looks good, but he'll need to ask Orochimaru for help. To be honest, he doesn't really enjoy talking to Orochimaru; the other man's eyes are just too terrifying.
Jiraiya is really unreliable, and the Great Toad Sage likes to make prophecies all the time. What if he makes one for me someday? Should I believe him or not?
Looking at it this way, the Slug Sage is definitely better.
Go back and pack your things.
With that thought in mind, Kazashiro hummed a little tune and started his journey home.
That evening, Danzo, having Danzo learned of the news, appeared at the house, looking at the group of people sitting around the dining table with icy eyes.
Upon seeing Danzo appear, Yamato, who had been chatting with Itachi Yamato fell silent, while Shisui nearby, also looked at him nervously.
"Hmm? Dad's back. Sit down and eat."
Kazashiro, focused solely on his meal, was oblivious to the coldness in Danzo's eyes. He pulled out a chair and gestured for Danzo to sit down.
After waiting for a while without receiving a response, Kazashiro finally realized what was happening. He swallowed the last mouthful of rice in his mouth, put down his chopsticks dejectedly, and said, "Well, I'm full..."
"Me too." X3
Shisui, Yamato, and Itachi all spoke in unison and went to the small courtyard outside, leaving the father and son alone.
Seeing that all the irrelevant people had left, Danzo slowly walked to the chair that Kazashiro had just pulled out for him and sat down.
"I heard you're leaving Konoha to train in Shikkotsu Forest?"
Danzo spoke coldly.
"Yes, Lord Tsunade has agreed..." Kazashiro lowered his head, not daring to look at Danzo's face.
"I don't know much about Senjutsu techniques. I only know that Shikkotsu Forest is one of the three great heritage sites and is home to a Slug Sage." Danzo spoke calmly and without inflection, recounting what he knew about Shikkotsu Forest.
"Mmm."
Seeing Danzo finally pick up his bowl and Danzo, Kazashiro obsequiously took the bowl, served him a bowl of rice, and then nodded obsequiously, not daring to say another word.
He had more or less figured out why Danzo was angry. It must be because he hadn't informed Danzo beforehand about his trip to Shikkotsu Forest, which had upset his father.
"Um, Dad, I didn't mean to not tell you..." Kazashiro tried to struggle a bit more.
"Don't talk while eating."
"Yes!"
Watching his father swallow the last mouthful of rice with trepidation, Kazashiro hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when Danzo's next words made him stand at Danzo.
"Come out and practice Wind Release with me."
"Oh? This, this isn't a good idea..."
"Hmm?" Danzo shot him a glare.
"Yes!"
That day, the Shimura Clan's wails lasted for a full hour.
Although he really wanted to see Sakumo's succession ceremony in person, due to Tsunade's urging, Kazashiro set off for Shikkotsu Forest at the agreed time.
Without saying goodbye to anyone or having anyone come to see him off, Kazashiro left Konoha with Tsunade.
However, Danzo's figure only emerged from the shadows shortly after he left.
Danzo only left quietly after he could no longer see Kazashiro.
After Danzo, two little heads peeked out from another spot, and urged by Shisui, they also embarked on their journey home.
Because he had not signed Summoning Contract, Kazashiro could not travel to the Shikkotsu Forest using Reverse Summoning Technique like the contractors. He could only take the most primitive and simplest method, which was to walk.
Fortunately, Tsunade knew that Kazashiro was a minor, so she still had to abide by the Genin prohibitions and did not take him to her favorite casino, but instead focused on getting on her way.
After all, once he hands this little guy over to the Slug Sage, he can go to the casino whenever he wants.
"Look, this is the Shikkotsu Forest."
After traveling for countless days, Kazashiro followed Tsunade into a misty place. Looking at the withered trees everywhere, the atmosphere here seemed eerie.
Through the thick fog, a massive mountain range could be vaguely seen.
Slurp, slurp, slurp.
With the sound of a sticky substance scraping across the ground, a cute voice rang out from below. "Isn't this Lord Tsunade? It's been so long!"
Looking in the direction of the sound, Kazashiro saw a Katsuyu appear at Tsunade.
"Oh, Katsuyu."
Tsunade greeted him with a smile, "I haven't been on the battlefield lately, so you don't need to help."
"Let's not talk about that. I'm here today to ask you for a favor."
Without lingering with the Katsuyu, Tsunade grabbed Kazashiro, who was standing nearby. Eager to get to the casino, she quickly introduced Kazashiro: "Anyway, this kid wants to learn the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest from you, so I brought him along."
"What an adorable kid!"
The Katsuyu slowly crawled onto Kazashiro's body and gently touched Kazashiro's cheek with its tentacles.
To be honest, the feel of it wasn't very pleasant.
Suppressing his physical discomfort, Kazashiro resisted the urge to throw the other person away.
"Okay, fine."
Nodding, the Slug Sage slowly climbed off Kazashiro and returned to the ground. "Then I'll trouble you, Lord Tsunade. You know the method."
"It's okay, it's better for me to finish sooner."
Tsunade began to warm up her fists.
"Hmm? Senior sister, you..."
Looking at Tsunade's pale fist, Kazashiro felt that something was off.
What does "begin" mean, and what are the methods?
The next second, Kazashiro, whose collar had been grabbed, knew the answer.
With great force, Tsunade pulled Kazashiro up and threw him violently toward the distant mountains.
Ah!~~~~
"Kid, don't use Flying Thunder God, just charge in!"
Just as Kazashiro was about to use Flying Thunder God Technique to dodge the mountain range ahead, Tsunade's words interrupted his actions.
"Smack!"
The expected pain did not come; instead, amidst an ominous sound, Kazashiro felt his surroundings become unusually sticky.
"It has indeed been received." A loud female voice rang out, accompanied by a rumbling sound, and the mountains came to life.