Faced with the Katsuyu Sage's enthusiastic invitation, Shinsei quickly shook his head.
"No need, Katsuyu Sage, we brought our own food."
"Is that so? What a pity, I was hoping to share my delicious moss with you all."
Shinsei had no intention of trying the moss, but Kaguya nearby, seemed quite eager to give it a go.
Shinsei quickly stopped Kaguya; he didn't want Kaguya to eat anything strange right now.
Katsuyu little Katsuyu scattered in all directions; Shinsei knew they were going to carry food for the Katsuyu Sage.
The Katsuyu Sage had Shinsei and Kaguya stand on his enormous body.
The Katsuyu Sage's body was much more stable than I had imagined.
She moved slowly along the bluestone ground, her body like a gray-white boat, carrying Shinsei and Kaguya through the valley.
The further you go, the narrower the valley becomes, and the stone walls on both sides gradually close in, until only a very narrow passage remains.
At the end of the passage was a huge cave.
The entrance to the cave was shrouded in thick moisture, but the inside was very dry.
The cave ceiling was extremely high and pitch black, with only a few luminous mosses embedded in the stone walls emitting a faint green glow.
The ground is made of flat bluestone slabs, with a recessed corner that resembles a natural stove.
The Katsuyu Sage pressed its enormous head against the cave entrance. Its body was too large to fit inside, so it could only extend its tentacles as far in as possible.
"This place is habitable; there's no wind inside. But wouldn't it be a bit damp for you humans?"
Shinsei smiled indifferently.
"That works fine, just heat it up with a flame."
Shinsei helped Kaguya down from the Katsuyu Sage's back.
Kaguya stepped onto the stone slab, took two steps, and then looked back at the outside of the cave.
The silvery light from the valley floor shone in from the entrance of the passage, illuminating the cave with a clear distinction between light and shadow. She took a soft breath, a satisfied expression on her face.
"Fine."
Shinsei nodded and immediately began tidying up.
He took out a dry cloth and a straw mat from the sealed scroll and laid them out on a flat stone platform in the corner.
They inspected the cave walls again to confirm that there were no cracks or hidden dangers.
Kaguya tried to help, but he forced her to sit on the stone platform.
"You sit down," Shinsei said. "I'll do it."
Kaguya didn't argue; she simply placed her hands on her knees and quietly watched him work.
Shinsei quickly finished packing.
He took out fresh meat and dry rations from the scroll and started a fire to cook on the natural stove in the corner.
The fire-attribute Chakra was controlled with extreme precision; the flames were small, and the temperature was just right.
The meat slowly rendered its fat on the stone slab, and the aroma quickly filled the cave.
Kaguya's nose twitched, and her eyes lit up.
The Katsuyu Sage perched at the cave entrance, taking a deep breath, wanting to smell the aroma of the food Shinsei had prepared.
She shook her head, her antennae swaying curiously back and forth.
"May I try some? I've never eaten anything from you humans before."
"Of course, this is barbecue."
"Barbecue?" The Katsuyu Sage seemed unfamiliar with the term. "Although I don't like eating meat, since it's food you grilled, Shinsei, I'll reluctantly try a little."
Shinsei tore off a piece and handed it to her.
The Katsuyu Sage extended its tentacles, rolled up the slice of meat, and put it into its mouth.
She chewed it once, then chewed it again.
Then her whole face scrunched up, if Katsuyu had faces.
She suddenly spat out the piece of flesh, her tentacles flailing wildly.
"How can you eat something so disgusting?"
The Katsuyu Sage's voice was full of disbelief.
"That's so pitiful. Is this what you usually eat? Why don't you try moss?"
"Where I live, there's a kind of newly grown moss that's tender and smooth, and tastes much better than this."
Shinsei was both amused and exasperated. He looked at the roasted meat in his hand, then at the Katsuyu Sage's disgusted expression.
Kaguya couldn't help but laugh out loud. She took the meat from Shinsei's hand and ate it in small bites, talking as she ate.
"But I think it tastes delicious."
The Katsuyu Sage shook its head, its antennae twitching as if looking at two pitiful people who didn't understand food.
She pulled her head back in and Fudo at the cave entrance.
After the meal, Kaguya rested against the stone platform.
Shinsei sat beside her, closing his eyes to rest. The cave was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of dripping water coming from the bottom of the valley.
The Katsuyu Sage suddenly spoke.
" Shinsei."
"Um."
There's something I feel I should tell you.
Shinsei opened his eyes. The Katsuyu Sage's voice was lower than before, and less relaxed.
"You say."
"Since I, from another time and space, brought you here, there must be a reason," said the Katsuyu Sage. "Knowing myself as I do, I never do anything pointless."
If the contract you bear is real, then there must be a reason why she asked you to come.
I can't figure out the reason for this right now.
But I can tell you the truth about my situation.
Shinsei sat up straight, making a gesture of attentive listening.
"Now, besides you, I have another contractor."
Shinsei frowned. He had thought about this problem before.
He had guessed that the Katsuyu Sage already had contractors in this era.
But he didn't expect the Katsuyu Sage to bring it up himself.
"The contract requires me not to tell you who he is," said the Katsuyu Sage. "This is an agreement between him and me. I must abide by it."
However, I can remind you of something.
"What?"
"Watch out for him."
Shinsei was silent for a moment. The Katsuyu Sage's tone was very serious.
He realized something: since the Katsuyu Sage had taken the initiative to warn him to be careful of another contractor, it meant that this contractor and the Katsuyu Sage did not have a good relationship.
Given the Katsuyu Sage's current strength, anyone who can become her contractor must be a god from Takamagahara.
Something that would warrant a special warning from the Katsuyu Sage must be something extraordinary.
Shinsei believed he possessed the strength to fear no god in Takamagahara.
He absorbed the abilities of Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto Takemikazuchi-no-Kami, and also gained control of the Kusanagi Sword.
But the Katsuyu Sage still warned him to be careful.
This demonstrates that this deity possesses extremely unique abilities.
So unique that even Katsuyu Sage as powerful as Shinsei might not be able to handle it.
In terms of direct combat alone, Shinsei believes he is no weaker than any god in Takamagahara.
Even Amaterasu, who is said to rule Takamagahara.
The Katsuyu Sage surely understands this. The fact that the Katsuyu Sage still warns him to be careful under these circumstances can only prove one thing.
This mysterious ability is not used for direct combat.
They can sense danger, but their direct combat strength is not strong.
Shinsei quickly scanned the names of gods in his mind. Suddenly, he thought of a person, or rather, a god.
"Is the other contractor Omoikane-no-Kami?"
The Katsuyu Sage paused for a moment, then said in a somewhat pleasant tone.
"Since you guessed it, then I haven't broken the contract. My other contractor is him."
Having received confirmation from the Katsuyu Sage, Shinjō couldn't help but frown.
"His ability is extremely special. He can control other people's thoughts and change their will."
He doesn't need to hit you, he doesn't need to kill you. He just needs to make you feel that something is something you want to do yourself.
This ability is more terrifying than any form of force.
Shinsei's heart sank; this ability would later become famous.
This belongs to Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō ability.
Kotoamatsukami!
"And now," the Katsuyu Sage looked at him, his voice soft, "Your will has been slightly altered."
Shinsei was stunned.
"Are you sure, Katsuyu Sage?"
"I'm pretty sure, although Shinsei, you're not deeply affected right now."
But if I see him again, it will only deepen the impact.
Shinsei took a deep breath, shook his head at Kaguya who looked at him with concern, and indicated that he was fine.
"Please wait a moment while I assess my situation."
Shinsei immediately sat down cross-legged, regulated his breathing, and closed his eyes.
Gradually, as Shinsei deepened his meditation, he also immersed his will into his heart.
Thoughts raced through his body as he recalled his journey into this world.
He felt that he was the one who made every decision.
But the Katsuyu Sage's words made him begin to doubt his own judgment.
He examined his own behavior, thoughts, and emotions, looking deeper and deeper.
Gradually, he noticed something was wrong.
His will was indeed slightly affected after he killed Ninigi-no-Mikoto.
He lost some of his caution.
He wouldn't have so easily trusted a Flower God who suddenly appeared, nor would he have so rashly allowed a woman of unknown origin to live nearby.
But he didn't refuse. He told himself it was just pity, that Kaguya wanted to keep her.
Looking back now, that sympathy came all too easily.
And then there was Kaguya's pregnancy. He thought it was perfectly normal at the time.
Yet a woman he had never touched became pregnant with his child, and he didn't even bother to find out more.
He simply accepted it, and this acceptance itself was abnormal.
A bead of sweat appeared on Shinsei's forehead. He painstakingly extracted those emotions, thoughts, and inclinations that were not his own from his mind.
The process was very painful, like picking thorns out of flesh. Some thorns were stuck very deep, and when they were pulled out, they were covered in blood.
With strong willpower, Shinsei painstakingly cleared away, bit by bit, the thoughts that didn't belong to him from his mind.
As time passed, until all the implanted ideas deep in the mind were cleared away, the altar regained its clarity.
He opened his eyes; the cave was quiet. Kaguya was still leaning against the stone platform, her breathing steady.
The Katsuyu Sage coiled at the cave entrance, its tentacles swaying gently.
"You've finally broken free. The influence of Omoikane-no-Kami has been cleared."
Shinsei let out a breath.
He looked down at his hands; his palms were covered in sweat.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. You're my contractor. It's only right that I help you."
Shinsei retrieved the black sphere that sealed Takemikazuchi-no-Kami's power from the sealing scroll.
He held it in his hand, watching the lightning flowing across the surface of the sphere—the power he had always wanted to absorb.
" Katsuyu Sage, could you help me determine if this contains the will of Omoikane-no-Kami?"
The Katsuyu Sage looked at the black ball in his hand, its tentacles retracting slightly.
"Oh dear, this ability also contains the will of Omoikane-no-Kami."
Shinsei looked at the black ball in his hand, lightning dancing within its body.
He recalled the feeling he had when he absorbed Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto.
The exhilaration and satisfaction he felt made him believe for a time that it was a pure gain.
But now he knows that there might be something else hidden inside.
Takemikazuchi-no-Kami's abilities are perfect for him.
If he could absorb this ability, the improvement it would bring to Shinsei would be far greater than any other ability.
Moreover, possessing this ability will steadily elevate Shinsei's strength to the Six Paths Level.
They also possess the power to protect themselves in the face of the approaching Ōtsutsuki Clan.
But now, this power belonging to Takemikazuchi-no-Kami contains the will of Omoikane-no-Kami.
If one rashly absorbs it, one risks having one's will altered.
He was able to subtly change his own thoughts. Shinsei had no doubt about the power of Omoikane-no-Kami's abilities.
Do we really have to give up this ability?
" Shinsei, do you really want to absorb this ability?"
Perhaps I can help you.