Ninja World, in an unknown corner.
Countless white trees stood all around them. Mist filled the air, making it impossible to tell which way the path led.
The white trees had no leaves or branches, only bare trunks rising from the gray-white ground like countless bleached bones scattered across a wasteland.
The White Snake Sage, in human form, walked at the front beside Kou. The others followed behind them, and all but Tsunade looked around with curiosity.
"So this is... Shikkotsu Forest?"
After looking around for a long while, Hashirama finally sighed.
"It's nothing like I imagined. I always thought it would be a place bursting with life."
"Huh? You've never been here, First? I thought you'd know this place well."
Jiraiya looked at Hashirama, surprise plain in his voice.
He instinctively hunched his shoulders, as though afraid of disturbing something, and lowered his voice.
"I asked Tsunade several times how she made a contract with Slug, but she always dodged the question.
"So I figured it was a summoning scroll passed down through the Senju Clan, and that she didn't mention it because she was afraid Orochimaru and I would think she was relying on her family. You know, something that might hurt her pride."
Hashirama shook his head and scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.
"I'd only heard about Shikkotsu Forest from the elders in my family.
"Apparently, one of our ancestors made a contract with it, but the contract was never passed down.
"When I was little, I dreamed of going on an adventure to find Shikkotsu Forest.
"But the world was at war when I was young, and once peace came, I was busy building Konoha. I never got the chance."
As he spoke, he drew his gaze away from the dead