Upon entering Shikkotsu Forest, the first thing that met his eyes was a hazy expanse of mist. Like a milky-white veil, it permeated every inch of the space, damp and carrying a faint chill.
All around stood a dense, almost primordial forest. Towering trees blotted out the sky, their trunks covered in wet moss like slick green garments draped over them.
The moss glimmered faintly in the dim light, as though concealing countless untold secrets. The ground beneath his feet was muddy and soft; each step left behind a deep footprint that was soon submerged by slowly seeping groundwater, accompanied by a soft gurgling sound.
Strange giant mushrooms grew throughout the forest in scattered clusters. They were brilliantly colored, and some had crystalline mucus flowing over their caps, giving off a peculiar scent that intertwined decay and new life.
Every so often, tiny phosphorescent insects could be seen flitting among the mushrooms like specks of starlight fallen into the mortal world. Ponds and streams crisscrossed the forest, their surfaces as still as mirrors, reflecting the hazy scenery around them.
"Little Chiba, not many humans can come to Shikkotsu Forest." The white-haired girl clasped her hands behind her back and slowly headed deeper into Shikkotsu Forest as if she were walking through empty air.
"Master Tsunade came here too?" Uchiha Chiba looked at the towering trees around him and could not help thinking of the other two sacred lands from the original story.
Mount Myoboku—the gathering place of the toad clan, where the local specialty was an all-you-can-eat insect feast...
Ryūchi Cave—the gathering place of the giant snake clan, famous for its cold, damp environment. There was also Manda, who loved eating people, though he was later summoned by Sasuke to block an attack and died...
"Little Tsunade? Of course she