Naming Ao Qing, Signing the Contract

"However, if you sign a contract with me and become my summoning beast, we can explore this world together. That's certainly better than you staying alone on this island surrounded by the sea, lost in your fantasies.

It would be far better to come out with me and see the world beyond; perhaps we might actually find a way for a snake to transform into a dragon."

After hearing this, the little green snake lying on the ground fell into deep thought. Clearly, Hyuga Shinichi's words had struck a chord, and after a brief moment of contemplation, the little green snake responded.

"Fine, I'll trust you just this once! Besides, staying here alone is incredibly boring anyway, so I might as well tag along and see what's out there."

Hyuga Shinichi was very satisfied with the little green snake's reply. He immediately took a scroll from the ninja tool pouch at his waist, then pulled out a brush, dipped it in ink, and quickly began to paint and sketch on the surface.

In the blink of an eye, a mysterious formation appeared on the paper. This was the summoning formula used to sign a contract with a summoning beast. Once both parties successfully signed this contract, Hyuga Shinichi would be able to summon the little green snake to his side by performing the summoning jutsu.

"Oh, right, I still don't know your name."

Hyuga Shinichi suddenly remembered that he hadn't asked the little green snake for its name yet.

"I am who I am; I have no name."

The little green snake held its head high on the ground and flicked its tongue as it spoke.

"I see... how about I give you a name?"

Hyuga Shinichi rubbed his chin, speaking thoughtfully.

"Suit yourself."

The little green snake didn't seem to care whether it had a name or not.

"Look, you're about to follow me out to see this vast world, and since you're a little green snake, why don't I call you 'Ao Qing'?"

"The character 'Ao' implies traveling and wandering at leisure, which fits you coming out with me, and 'Qing' represents the color of your body. What do you think of this name?"

Hyuga Shinichi explained earnestly.

The little green snake blinked its eyes with a human-like expression, thought for a moment, and said.

"Ao Qing... hmm, that name isn't bad! It suits me quite well! From today on, I shall be called Ao Qing!"

Immediately after, Hyuga Shinichi asked it to write its name on the summoning formula. Ao Qing came up to the scroll and stared at it for a while without moving, leaving Hyuga Shinichi wondering what was wrong.

Then, Ao Qing turned its head and asked Hyuga Shinichi.

"Um, how do you write the characters for Ao Qing?"

Hyuga Shinichi smiled, picked up a twig, and wrote the characters for Ao Qing on the ground stroke by stroke. Ao Qing watched carefully, memorizing how to write them.

Afterward, Ao Qing opened its mouth, bared its sharp teeth, and pierced its own tail, biting a small hole into it.

Blood flowed out, and then Ao Qing used its tail as a brush, carefully writing the characters "Ao Qing" in the blank space reserved in the center of the summoning formula with its own blood.

Once Ao Qing finished, Hyuga Shinichi didn't hesitate to bite his own index finger, using his bleeding fingertip to write his name vertically in the blank space next to the summoning formula.

Finally, he pressed his finger gently below the name, leaving a bright red blood print. With that, the contract with the summoning beast was officially completed.

Hyuga Shinichi rolled up the scroll, placed it back into the ninja tool pouch at his waist, and said to Ao Qing with a smile.

"Ao Qing, now we can truly be called partners fighting side by side!"

Mentioning the word "partner" reminded Hyuga Shinichi of the purpose of his trip: to go out and search for medicinal herbs for Nawaki.

"Ao Qing, I just remembered I have something to attend to. Will you wait here for a moment, and I'll bring you along when I leave, or..."

Before he could finish, Ao Qing climbed directly up Hyuga Shinichi's leg, and once it reached his waist, it slipped right into a gap in his chest armor.

Hyuga Shinichi felt Ao Qing settling inside his chest armor and patted the armor with a smile.

He picked up the bag of herbs at his side and began to run back toward Uzushio Village.

On the way, he chatted from time to time with Ao Qing, who was hiding inside his chest armor, telling it about how he had come from the country across the sea.

Ao Qing listened quietly the whole time, occasionally making a hissing sound, as if expressing that it was listening in its own unique way.

Not far from Uzushio Village, Hyuga Shinichi could see a group of figures in the distance.

They were holding various weapons, and most striking were the strands of vibrant red hair. These people were heading toward Uzushio Village.

Could this be the patrol team that Uzumaki Michiko had mentioned?

Just as Hyuga Shinichi was thinking, a sensory ninja in the group keenly sensed Hyuga Shinichi approaching from behind.

In an instant, the entire team went into combat readiness. As Hyuga Shinichi drew closer, the sensory ninja shouted loudly.

"Stop right there! Who are you!"

Faced with the vigilant shout, Hyuga Shinichi stopped right in front of the group.

Seeing that Hyuga Shinichi was just a child, they still didn't dare to lower their guard.

At this moment, Ao Qing, who had been hiding in the chest armor, thought a fight was about to break out and poked its head out, staring intently at the group of people.

Hyuga Shinichi raised his hands high to show he had no hostile intent and took the initiative to state his identity.

"I am from Konoha. I entered the village earlier, and I just returned from gathering medicinal herbs for Uzumaki Michiko."

Hearing this, a middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd. He scrutinized Hyuga Shinichi and asked in a serious tone.

"Michiko sent you out to gather herbs? Then where are the herbs?"

Just as he was about to take out the bag of herbs from his waist, some of the nervous Uzumaki clan members thought Hyuga Shinichi was reaching for a weapon and nearly rushed forward to attack, but they were stopped by the middle-aged man.

Hyuga Shinichi opened the bag of medicinal herbs to let the middle-aged man see, then reached in and grabbed a handful.

After confirming there were no issues, the man opposite him spoke up.

"Then follow behind us and keep a safe distance. We're almost at the village, and we need to verify your identity before we can rest easy."

Hyuga Shinichi nodded in understanding, and Ao Qing, seeing that a fight wasn't going to break out, retreated back into the chest armor with a bored expression.

Following behind the group, Hyuga Shinichi began observing these members of the Uzumaki clan, noticing that everyone wore a serious expression; even those who were wounded exuded an air of vigilance.

Before long, they arrived at Uzushio Village. The two guards standing at the village entrance saw the patrol bringing Hyuga Shinichi along and stepped forward to inquire about the situation.

Upon learning the reason, the guards confirmed that Hyuga Shinichi was indeed a guest from Konoha and that he had mentioned going out to gather herbs earlier.

Only then did the group lower their guard toward Hyuga Shinichi.

As he bid farewell to the others and prepared to head toward the clinic, the middle-aged man who had stepped forward earlier caught up to him and said to Hyuga Shinichi:

"Michiko is my daughter. I apologize for earlier, young man."

"Oh, no worries. Special times call for special measures; I understand."