Fukasaku and Shima

As Fukasaku and Shima spoke, the Yatagarasu directly produced the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, offering them up with both claws!

"Oh?"

Manji raised an eyebrow slightly, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"This Immortal is greatly comforted, truly comforted!"

Manji took the Totsuka Blade and examined it carefully.

He understood in an instant; could it be that Uchiha Itachi's divine weapon, the Totsuka Blade, was obtained from here?

Thinking of Uchiha Itachi and his contract with the crows.

And the status of crows in Japanese mythology is far from ordinary.

Everything seemed to connect.

"Hehe, as long as the Immortal likes it."

The Yatagarasu forced a smile.

"Wonderful, wonderful... what a fine blade..."

However, Manji's gaze suddenly darkened!

The next second!

"Whoosh----!!!"

With lightning speed, Manji lunged forward, thrusting the Totsuka Blade toward the Yatagarasu!

"Pfft!"

"Immortal!!!"

Caught off guard, the Yatagarasu was pierced through, its eyes widening in disbelief as it stared at Manji.

Manji's gaze was as cold as frost.

Does this bastard really think I didn't notice?

My killing intent perception was blaring, did you really take this old man for a bot?

The Yatagarasu's perception of Manji:

To actually dare to assassinate me, you've truly narrowed your own path.

You have already invited your own death!

Originally, this Immortal intended to leave after learning the Sage Art and would not have interfered with you, yet you dared to attempt an assassination?

Then don't blame this Immortal for being ruthless; better you die than I.

Do not be fooled by Manji's amiable appearance; when it comes to killing, he never hesitates!

Manji has lived so long because he is open-minded, and also because he prevents trouble before it starts, never giving potential threats a chance to grow.

"No!!!!"

The Yatagarasu let out a roar!

Immediately after, the Yatagarasu's body was instantly sucked into the Totsuka Blade, completely sealed!

"It seems to be the real deal..."

Manji nodded, looking at the Totsuka Blade with satisfaction.

It seems this Totsuka Blade is authentic.

Manji walked slowly out of the Land of the Yatagarasu.

"Manji, how did it go?"

The White Ape King stepped forward quickly, his tone full of concern.

Manji's expression was somber, his brows furrowed with gravity:

"This place is extremely sinister; the hidden danger has been eliminated."

"To prevent future generations from wandering in and losing their lives, I intend to destroy this place completely. What is your opinion?"

"Good! That is exactly what I intended!"

The White Ape King nodded immediately in agreement; if humans were to accidentally step into such a dangerous place, there would be no chance of survival. Destroying it was the only foolproof plan.

"Mm."

As the words fell, violent lightning surged in Manji's palm, purple electricity dancing like dragons and snakes, tearing through the surrounding air.

"Sage Art: Lightning Style: Kirin!"

With a deep shout that shook the heavens and earth, a brilliant, awe-inspiring lightning Kirin plummeted from the nine heavens!

"Boom!"

As lightning tore through the air, the Land of the Yatagarasu was instantly razed to the ground, leaving behind nothing but scorched ruins and a lingering scent of ozone.

"White Ape King, I take my leave."

Manji retracted his Sage Art, his aura receding as he bowed in farewell to the White Ape King.

"Wait, Manji..."

"Who knows when we shall meet again?"

The White Ape King stepped forward, his tone laced with a complex sense of reluctance.

Manji paused, pondering for a moment before speaking slowly: "Perhaps not for a hundred years. I intend to reside in Mount Myōboku to cultivate; the chaos of the mortal world no longer concerns me."

With Hagoromo there, the mortal world would not fall into ruin.

There was no need for him to meddle in affairs that did not concern him.

His next appearance would likely coincide with the arrival of Indra or Asura.

These two were the hidden threads running through the history of Naruto.

Manji had his own plans.

From this day forth, he would devote himself to Mount Myōboku, delving into the path of fusing the five great Sage Arts: those of Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest, the Monkey Demon, and the Land of the Yatagarasu.

If he could unify these five, he might break through to the level of the Six Paths, shatter the shackles of the system, and ascend to a higher realm.

Remaining stuck at the Super Kage level was frustrating; though he was invincible, the Otsutsuki would be troublesome should they appear.

Being stuck at the Super Kage level felt like being denied the final release.

"Sigh, very well."

The White Ape King let out a soft sigh, watching Manji's retreating figure with a flicker of melancholy in his eyes, feeling how fleeting time was—a single parting could span an eternity.

"Farewell!"

"Sage Art: Immortal Mist Body Flicker."

Accompanied by a wisp of light mist, Manji vanished.

Returning to Mount Myōboku, Manji appeared directly inside the Sage Hall.

Upon arriving, Manji paused, sensing something amiss, and immediately headed toward the side hall.

This was the hall where the Sage Art scrolls were stored.

It contained various Sage Arts created by Manji—some from Mount Myōboku, some from Shikkotsu Forest, others from Ryūchi Cave, along with a series of standard hand-seal-less ninjutsu.

As Manji's figure solidified within the Sage Hall, the Sage chakra surrounding him keenly captured a faint fluctuation of energy coming from the direction of the side hall.

Faint, hushed whispers drifted clearly into his ears, carrying the characteristic nervousness and wishful thinking of young frog-kin.

"Is it really okay for us to be doing this? If the Great Sage, no, if the Grandmaster finds out, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

A slightly timid voice of a male frog sounded, filled with unease.

"What are you afraid of? We're just looking, secretly learning one or two basic Sage Arts. The Grandmaster has always been kind; at most, he'll punish us by making us copy the Mount Myōboku Code a few times, he won't punish us severely!"

Another voice, slightly bolder, belonging to a female frog, hurriedly reassured him, though her tone betrayed a hint of guilt.

Manji pushed the door open with a soft, silent motion, taking in the scene within the hall.

Towering bookshelves were stacked layer upon layer, with countless scrolls recording Sage Arts and ninjutsu arranged neatly.

In the corner at the very bottom of the shelves, two palm-sized young frogs were huddled together, their heads pressed against an unfurled Sage Art scroll. Their tiny claws pointed at the patterns on the parchment, and they were so engrossed that they failed to notice the person behind them.

"What are you two looking for?"

Manji spoke calmly, his voice echoing gently through the vast hall.

The two young frogs stiffened as if struck by a binding spell. As they slowly turned their heads, their round frog eyes widened in terror and shock.

"Ah!? Grandmaster!"

"Great Sage, we—we are sorry!"

They scrambled away from the scroll in an instant, hurriedly kneeling on the stone floor, burying their small heads low, not daring to even breathe.

"So, you were sneaking a look at the scrolls."

Manji watched their trembling forms, his gaze sweeping over the open scroll, and he understood everything in an instant.

These two little toads had actually snuck into the Sage Hall, hoping to learn Sage Arts in private.

"Grandmaster, this disciple was wrong! Please, Grandmaster, show mercy!"

The two young frogs pleaded in unison, their voices thick with tears, clearly terrified of the punishment to come.

Manji was not angry; he simply spoke in a flat tone: "What are your names, you two?"

Manji was not actually angry.

It is common for young frogs to crave Sage Arts; while trespassing in the Sage Hall was a mistake, it was not a crime worthy of severe punishment.

They were right just now—he was indeed easygoing.

At most, as they suggested, he would punish them by having them copy the Mount Myōboku Code.

"I, I am called Fukasaku."

The male frog trembled as he stated his name.

"I am called Shima."

The female frog followed suit, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.

Hearing these two names, Manji raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise rising in his heart.

So it was Fukasaku and Shima, the very two Great Sages of Mount Myōboku in the future; he had not expected them to be such ignorant, youthful frogs at this moment.

Calculating the time, it made perfect sense that they had been born by now.

Manji's gaze fell back onto the unfurled Sage Art scroll, the cover clearly inscribed with the large characters: "Sage Art: Goemon."

"You have been looking at this for so long; have you learned it?"

Manji asked casually.

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in the other's eyes.

The two frogs shook their heads in unison: "Reporting to the Grandmaster, the disciples have looked for a long time, but we only find the patterns on the scroll obscure and difficult to understand. As for the circulation of Sage Chakra, we have no clue at all. We simply cannot learn it."

Manji chuckled inwardly; of course they couldn't learn it.

If they could, they would be geniuses.

At this moment, the Ninja World had yet to see the birth of hand seals. The release of Sage Arts and Ninjutsu relied entirely on the instinctive manipulation of chakra and the guidance of intent. With their current level of mastery in Sage Arts, they were fundamentally incapable of controlling a complex technique like Sage Art: Goemon.

They could only learn it by relying on hand seals.

"You have not yet learned how to form hand seals, so naturally, you cannot trigger such a Sage Art."

Manji explained indifferently.

"Hand seals?"

Fukasaku looked up, his face full of confusion.

"Grandmaster, what is a hand seal?"

Shima blinked her eyes as well, her face full of curiosity and bewilderment; clearly, she had never heard this term before.

Manji did not offer a detailed explanation, merely waving his hand.

"I will teach you about this another day."

"For now, go to Gamamaru immediately to collect two copies of the Mount Myōboku Code. Copy them three hundred times each. Until you have finished, you are not allowed to step one foot inside the Sage Hall."

Manji said calmly.

Hearing that it was only a punishment of copying the code, rather than cleaning the entire Mount Myōboku or being confined to bitter cultivation, Fukasaku and Shima breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for your mercy, Grandmaster!"

The two frogs bowed respectfully.

After paying their respects, the two young frogs hopped away from the Sage Hall in a hurry.

Manji stood alone in the hall filled with scrolls.

"Hand seals..."

He rubbed his chin with his fingertips, falling into deep thought.

In the current Ninja World, Indra had not yet been born, let alone the hand seal system he would eventually pioneer.

Since that was the case, why not create the method of hand seals himself ahead of time?

Creating hand seals was not difficult.

Once the method of hand seals was promoted throughout Mount Myōboku, it would not only allow the frog clan to master Sage Arts and Ninjutsu more quickly, but it would also push the strength of Mount Myōboku a step further, placing them at the forefront of the Ninja World.