Outside Mount Myōboku, a large Heipi Toad walked ahead, its carapace glistening with dew. Gamamaru perched on its head, its two front paws clutching a rolled-up leaf, as if holding an umbrella for itself.
They traveled a long way. Starting from Mount Myōboku, they crossed parched valleys, half-burnt forests, three streams with dead fish floating on them, and then climbed a mountain ridge shrouded in white mist.
Along the way, the big Heipi Toad complained more than a dozen times, saying that its webbed feet were almost worn through.
The Gamamaru didn't respond, only occasionally pausing to look at the sky or raise its leaves a little higher.
"You really think you can find him?" the big Heipi Toad asked.
"I saw him in my dream," Gamamaru said. "He was sitting on a black rock, surrounded by burnt trees. He wasn't far away."
The large Heipi Toad croaked. It had no concept of dreams, but it believed in Gamamaru. The old folks on Mount Myōboku who had survived to this day all believed in Gamamaru's dreams.
After walking for another half a day, a collapsed stone slope appeared ahead. There was no grass on the slope, only a few ancient trees that had been burned down to their stumps.
A man sat on the largest black rock, his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.
He wore strange red armor, and his long hair was like a hedgehog's.
The two Toad stopped five zhang away, watching the man in front of them cautiously.
After a moment, Gamamaru finally couldn't help but speak.
"My lord," Gamamaru jumped down from the head of the large Heipi Toad, landing steadily on the ground, and looked up at him, "We are Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku. My name is Gamamaru, and this one next to me is Heipi. We have come to see you to form an alliance."
Ban paused in wiping his hands. He slowly raised his head, his dark eyes sweeping over the two Toad, and suddenly chuckled.
The laugh wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble hitting an iron plate, cold and brittle.
" Toad from Mount Myōboku? You dare call yourselves immortals? Form an alliance?" Madara said, "You two Toad dare to compare yourselves to me?"
The Heipi Toad bulged its back and pressed its belly against the ground, as if it were about to explode in anger.
It leaped forward half a meter, its four legs stomping loudly on the ground.
As the Natural Energy within his body surged, even the moss in the cracks of the rocks curled up. Gamamaru tried to pull it up, but couldn't.
"Don't underestimate us! Our Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku is a sacred place that even Takamagahara couldn't conquer!"
When the Heipi Toad opened its mouth, a foul stench wafted from its throat, sending pebbles flying everywhere.
Ban didn't speak; he didn't even move. He simply narrowed his eyes slightly.
A Chakra emanated from his body, extremely cold and heavy, like an invisible river suddenly pressing down from the sky.
The croaking of the large Heipi Toad was stuck in its throat, and its four legs felt as if they were nailed into stone.
Its skin began to break out in a cold sweat, and the dew on its carapace evaporated instantly. Gamamaru also froze, the entire Toad pressed to the ground by that imposing aura, not even the bead on its neck could make a sound.
Ban stood up. He was much taller than the Toad, his shadow looming like a mountain. He looked at them and slowly spoke, his voice carrying a faint, almost non-smiling chuckle.
Do you also want to dance?
The Heipi, black Toad couldn't even croak.
It realized for the first time that some people are not to be allied with lightly. If such a person stood before you, you wouldn't even have the strength to beg for mercy.
Gamamaru was the first to regain its senses. It used all its strength to prop itself up, bowed its head to Ban, and spoke in a tone that was both urgent and steady.
"Please forgive us, sir! We were overestimating ourselves and offended you. But we didn't come here to fight. We truly saw it. Sir, you are not from this era."
If you want to go back, you need to destroy the God Tree. And we also need to stop the God Tree from destroying the Natural Energy of this world.
So, my lord, you, the Celestial Being, are our allies.
Ban didn't speak. He stood on the rocky slope, the wind whipping his clothes around.
Those eyes were still cold, but Gamamaru felt that the weight pressing down on him had lightened a little. The Heipi- skinned Toad finally caught his breath, took two steps back, and dared not make a sound again.
Ban sat down again, as if he had lost interest in the two Toad. He turned his head to look at the horizon, his voice as faint as if he were talking to thin air.
Why should I disturb the God Tree?
Gamamaru raised his head.
" The God Tree has locked time and space. If you want to go home, it must die first."
The God Tree indiscriminately absorbs the Natural Energy of this world; when this Natural Energy Natural Energy depleted, even we immortals who depend on it for survival will not survive.
So, sir, if you want to go home, you must cut down God Tree God Tree tree and break its lock on this spacetime.
Ban didn't respond. He leaned back against the black rock and closed his eyes.
Only the wind blew on the rocky slope. Gamamaru and the big Heipi Toad didn't dare to move anymore, just standing there in the shadow of the spotted one, like two small animals forgotten by the roadside.
After a moment, Gamamaru looked at Madara Uchiha and asked cautiously.
"Sir, do you agree? If so, we are willing to lead the way for you."
"Hahahaha..." Madara Uchiha his head back, put his hands on his hips, and laughed heartily.
After a moment, he finally stopped smiling, crossed his arms, and looked down at the two Toad below.
"Destroy the God Tree? Why would I destroy the God Tree? Otsutsuki Kaguya ate the Chakra Fruit and became the Rabbit Goddess. Why can't I, Madara Uchiha?"
Inside the spacious temple in Takamagahara.
The eternal lamp was still burning, only a little whiter than usual. Amaterasu sat behind the gauze curtain, a tiny copper bell beside her.
Kukurihime-no-Kami knelt at the lower end, her eyes half-closed, as if listening to a distant sound.
The palace doors were pushed open. Ninigi-no-Mikoto in, her robes still covered in the dust she had brought back from Takamagahara.
He approached Amaterasu, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head low.
"Grandmother, Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto dead."
Amaterasu did not respond. Kukurihime did not open her eyes. Only the copper bell in the hall rang faintly, as if gently carried by some unseen wind.
After a long silence, Amaterasu finally spoke.
"Then why did you come back? Because of your recklessness, Takamagahara has forever lost a god."
Ninigi-no-Mikoto gritted her teeth.
"I admit I underestimated Shinsei. But I don't think it was my fault. Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto lost because he was too incompetent."
That guy knows nothing but arson.
If it were Takemikazuchi-no-Kami instead, with his speed, Shinsei wouldn't have had time to react at all.
Grandmother, please recall Takemikazuchi-no-Kami and send him to deal with Shinsei. This time, he will not fail.
Amaterasu remained silent. Ninigi-no-Mikoto thought she was considering it, so she knelt forward two steps, wanting to persuade her again. Suddenly, a very soft sigh came from behind the gauze curtain.
" Ninigi-no-Mikoto." Amaterasu's voice was as cold as water. "You always think that as long as you send in someone stronger, all the problems can be solved."
Ninigi-no-Mikoto, "Grandson just felt that we shouldn't let that outsider look down on Takamagahara."
"So you're planning to send people to him one after another?" Amaterasu. "Do you know that even an eagle uses all its strength to catch a rabbit, and it won't send out just one wing to test the waters first?"
Now we're facing Shinsei, someone even Kukurihime can't see through. You want to send out your generals one by one, but after they're all dead, are you going to go yourself?"
Ninigi-no-Mikoto's face turned pale, and she opened her mouth but couldn't say a word.
" Takemikazuchi-no-Kami is fast. But do you think speed can determine life and death?" Amaterasu's voice grew even colder. "If he doesn't return, are you going to go find Susanoo? If Susanoo doesn't return either, are you just going to sit in the temple and Takamagahara to shatter along with them?"
Ninigi-no-Mikoto pressed her forehead to the ground, no longer daring to argue.
Ninigi-no-Mikoto head even further. After a long while, Amaterasu spoke again.
" Takamagahara won't send anyone to look for Shinsei anymore," she said. "At least not now."
Ninigi-no-Mikoto raised her head, as if unwilling, or perhaps confused.
"What about the God Tree? We can't just leave it there forever."
"The matter of the God Tree must be dealt with," Amaterasu. "Send Susanoo and Takemikazuchi-no-Kami to the God Tree. Once they arrive, no one should make a move. Wait."
"Who are you waiting for?" Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
" Otsutsuki Kaguya," Amaterasu, "She will go to the God Tree. Go and tell her that we in Takamagahara do not wish to be her enemies. As long as the matter of the God Tree is handled safely, Takamagahara will always treat her as an honored guest."
Ninigi-no-Mikoto was stunned for a moment. "Aren't you going to arrest her?"
" Takamagahara needs now is not a new enemy," Amaterasu, "But a tree that will no longer drain the earth. If she can do that, it will benefit us all."
Ninigi-no-Mikoto remained silent for a moment, then finally bowed and said, "Grandson understands."
As he left the temple, his steps were lighter than when he arrived, as if he were pressing something down. Kukurihime-no-Kami closed her eyes again.
Amaterasu sat in the light, her fingers gently stroking her forehead.
"Is Omoikane still unwilling to return? Go tell him that Takamagahara needs his wisdom."
This fog is something I can neither understand nor see through.
If he refuses to return, then all the gods of Takamagahara will perish together.