"But if you sign a contract with me and become my summoning beast, we can explore this world together. That's better than staying here alone, a snake on an island surrounded by the sea, and just imagining what it's like out there.
You might as well come with me and see the outside world. Maybe we really will find a way for a snake to become a dragon."
After hearing this, Little Green Snake lay on the ground, lost in thought. It was clear that Hyuga Shinichi's words had struck a chord with her. After considering them for a little while, she finally replied.
"Fine. I'll trust you this once! It's boring staying here by myself anyway. I might as well go out and see the world with you."
Hyuga Shinichi was very pleased with Little Green Snake's answer. 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 drawing on the surface.
In the blink of an eye, a mysterious formula appeared on the scroll. It was the summoning formula used to sign a contract with a summoning beast. Once both parties had signed the contract, Hyuga Shinichi would be able to summon Little Green Snake to his side with the Summoning Technique.
"Oh, right. I still don't know what your name is."
Hyuga Shinichi suddenly remembered that he hadn't asked the little green snake in front of him her name.
"I'm me. I don't have a name."
Little Green Snake raised her head proudly and flicked out her tongue.
"I see... Then how about I give you a name?"
Hyuga Shinichi rubbed his chin, thinking it over.
"Suit yourself."
Little Green Snake didn't seem to care whether she had a name or not.
"Look, you're about to come with me and see this vast world. And since you're a little green snake, how about I call you 'Ao Qing'?
"'Ao' can mean to travel or wander about, which suits you coming along with me. And 'Qing' refers to the color of your body. What do you think of that name?"
Hyuga Shinichi explained earnestly.
Little Green Snake blinked with a humanlike expression. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Ao Qing... Hmm, that's a pretty good name! It suits me! From today on, my name is Ao Qing!"
Hyuga Shinichi then asked her to write her name on the summoning formula. Ao Qing came over to the scroll and stared at it for a while without moving, so Hyuga Shinichi wondered what was wrong.
Then Ao Qing turned to him and asked, "Um, how do you write those two characters in Ao Qing?"
Hyuga Shinichi smiled, picked up a branch, and carefully wrote the two characters for Ao Qing on the ground. Ao Qing watched closely and memorized how to write them.
Then Ao Qing opened her mouth, revealing her sharp teeth, and bit into her tail, piercing a small hole in it.
Blood flowed from the wound. Ao Qing used her tail as a brush and carefully wrote the two characters for "Ao Qing" in the blank space at the center of the summoning formula, using her own blood.
Once Ao Qing had finished, Hyuga Shinichi didn't hesitate to bite his index finger. With his bloody fingertip, he wrote his name vertically in the blank space beside the summoning formula.
Finally, he gently pressed his finger beneath his name, leaving a bright red fingerprint. With that, the contract with his summoning beast was officially complete.
Hyuga Shinichi rolled up the scroll and put it into the ninja tool pouch at his waist, then smiled at Ao Qing.
"Ao Qing, that makes us partners who'll fight side by side!"
At the word "partners," Hyuga Shinichi was reminded of the reason he had come here: to find medicinal herbs for Nawaki.
"Ao Qing, I just remembered I have something to do. Do you want to wait here for a bit and leave with me when I'm done, or..."
Before he could finish, Ao Qing climbed straight up his leg. When she reached his waist, she slipped through a gap in his breastplate.
Hyuga Shinichi felt Ao Qing nestled inside his breastplate and smiled as he patted it.
He picked up the bag of medicinal herbs beside him and started running back toward Uzushio Village.
Along the way, he chatted now and then with Ao Qing, who was hiding inside his breastplate, telling her that he had come from a country across the sea.
Ao Qing listened quietly the whole time, occasionally hissing as if to show him that she was paying attention.
When they were not far from Uzushio Village, Hyuga Shinichi spotted a group of figures in the distance.
They carried all kinds of weapons. Most striking of all were their vivid red hair. They were heading toward Uzushio Village.
Could this be the patrol team Uzumaki Michiko had mentioned?
As Hyuga Shinichi wondered about it, one of the group's sensor ninja sensed him approaching from behind.
In an instant, the entire group went on alert. Just as Hyuga Shinichi was about to draw near, the sensor ninja shouted, "Stop right there! Who are you?"
Faced with their wary shout, Hyuga Shinichi stopped in front of the group.
Even though they saw that he was only a child, they didn't let their guard down.
At that moment, Ao Qing, who had been hiding inside his breastplate, thought a fight was about to break out. She poked her head out and fixed her gaze on the group.
Hyuga Shinichi raised both hands high to show that he meant no harm, then identified himself without waiting to be asked. "I'm from Konoha. I've been in the village before. I just went out to gather medicinal herbs for Uzumaki Michiko, and I'm on my way back."
At that, a middle-aged man stepped out from the group. He scrutinized Hyuga Shinichi and asked sternly, "Michiko sent you out to gather herbs? Then where are they?"
Hyuga Shinichi was just about to take the bag of herbs from behind his waist when some nervous members of the Uzumaki Clan thought he was reaching for a weapon or something. They nearly rushed at him, but the middle-aged man stopped them.
Hyuga Shinichi opened the bag so the man could see inside, then reached in and took out a handful of the herbs.
After confirming that everything was in order, the man said, "Then follow behind us and keep a safe distance. We're almost at the village. We need to verify your identity before we can let our guard down."
Hyuga Shinichi understood. Seeing that there wouldn't be a fight, Ao Qing lost interest and slipped back inside his breastplate.
As he followed behind the group, Hyuga Shinichi began observing the members of the Uzumaki Clan. They all looked serious, and even those who were injured gave off an air of wariness.
Before long, they reached Uzushio Village. When the two guards at the entrance saw the patrol team with Hyuga Shinichi, they came over to ask what was going on.
After hearing the explanation, the guards confirmed that Hyuga Shinichi was indeed a guest from Konoha and that he really had said he was going out to gather herbs.
Only then did everyone stop being wary of Hyuga Shinichi.
As he said goodbye to the group and prepared to head to the clinic, the middle-aged man who had stepped forward earlier followed him and said, "Michiko is my daughter. And I'm sorry about earlier, young man."
"Oh, it's fine. Special times call for special measures. I understand."
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