Even though he had suspected it for some time, hearing confirmation from the Katsuyu Sage still made Naoki Senju's heart race uncontrollably.
The Ryūmyaku really had developed consciousness!
"Ah..."
The Katsuyu Sage sighed helplessly. Having failed to control her emotions for a moment, she had inadvertently given herself away. Members of the Senju Clan truly could not be underestimated.
"If you know anything about the Ryūmyaku's consciousness, Katsuyu Sage, please tell me. I suspect... the Ryūmyaku's consciousness has already set its sights on me."
Since the Ryūmyaku had indeed awakened its own consciousness, his entry into the Ancient Kingdom of Roran had not been a coincidence. The Ryūmyaku had deliberately brought it about.
And the Ryūmyaku's energy could even reverse time, taking someone more than a decade into the past. How terrifying would it be for such fearsome energy to possess a consciousness of its own?
Yet, unexpectedly, Naoki Senju sensed neither fear nor worry from the Katsuyu Sage. Did she not know just how powerful the Ryūmyaku's energy was? Or was she confident enough not to fear it?
The Katsuyu Sage studied the black divine markings on Naoki Senju's face and the dense natural energy surrounding him. His Sage Mode was remarkably complete. There seemed to be no harm in telling him...
"Very well. Since you want to know, follow me."
Naoki and Tsunade exchanged a glance, everything passing unspoken between them. With their fingers interlaced, they followed the Katsuyu Sage.
A hidden compartment in the middle of the Katsuyu statue opened, and a stone tablet slowly floated out. Naoki Senju could not help taking a few extra looks. Some statues looked like statues on the outside but were actually storage boxes.
The tablet descended. When Naoki Senju saw what was on it, his pupils abruptly widened.
A beautiful woman knelt on the ground, her long blue-white hair spread across the floor. Her features were flawless, her skin so pale it held not a trace of color. The two small horns on her forehead showed that she was not human.
Her clear white eyes held not a trace of impurity, pure and unfathomably deep, as though they would draw in the soul of anyone who met them.
The person carved on this tablet was undoubtedly the progenitor of chakra-Otsutsuki Kaguya.
The Katsuyu Sage seemed somewhat afraid of the tablet. After letting Naoki and Tsunade look at it briefly, she hurriedly returned it to the hidden compartment.
"She was the progenitor of ninja, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths. A thousand years ago, the Sage of Six Paths sealed her away, but her soul did not disperse into nothingness. It scattered throughout the shinobi world, and what resides within the Ryūmyaku is one part of it. But I remember little Hashirama already sealing the Ryūmyaku?"
It made sense, yet it was still unexpected. Naoki Senju nevertheless felt much more at ease. An unknown enemy was the most frightening kind. No wonder the Katsuyu Sage had only seemed a little surprised rather than afraid.
"The First Hokage's seal has probably already been broken. The kingdom built over the Ryūmyaku was destroyed by its energy. Now, only a seal laid down by the Fourth Hokage remains." Naoki Senju did not conceal the Ryūmyaku's current state.
"I see." Understanding dawned on the Katsuyu Sage, and she instructed him:
"If you have the chance in the future, make sure to reinforce the seal with the Gate of the Great God. As for the spirit of the Ryūmyaku-the mother of the Sage of Six Paths-if you have any more questions, little Naoki, you can go to Mount Myōboku and ask that little toad."
The little toad of Mount Myōboku... Recalling how decrepit the Toad Sage looked, barely able to move, Naoki had never heard him made to sound so young.
"Of course. Thank you for your guidance, Katsuyu Sage."
"Mm." The Katsuyu Sage answered softly, with an air of utter majesty.
"Naoki!" Tsunade tightened her grip on Naoki Senju's hand. He had wanted to ask a few more questions, but turned toward her in confusion.
"What is it?"
"I don't know, but my Shadow Clone dispelled. Shizune probably wants us to come back."
Naoki Senju thought it over. He had learned everything he needed to know and had also obtained the method for training in Wood Release senjutsu. There really was no need to remain in Shikkotsu Forest.
He turned to bid the Katsuyu Sage farewell. "Katsuyu Sage, something has happened back in the shinobi world. We'll have to take our leave."
Tsunade also said a hurried farewell. "Goodbye, Katsuyu Sage."
Without waiting for the Katsuyu Sage to reply, Tsunade hurriedly released the Summoning Technique. White smoke rose, and when it cleared, the two had vanished from the shrine.
Vaguely, Naoki Senju seemed to hear the Katsuyu Sage's voice.
"Mount Myōboku... Ryūchi... the three great..."
When they returned to the room at the hideout, Orochimaru and Shizune were already waiting for them. The atmosphere was grave, and even the habitually nonchalant Orochimaru had turned serious.
"What happened?" Tsunade asked in confusion.
Orochimaru stepped forward and explained:
"The Akatsuki has already destroyed three hideouts. Judging by the direction they're taking, the hideout in the Land of Wind is next. This place is no longer safe. We need to relocate."
After speaking, Orochimaru noticed the divine markings on Naoki Senju's face, and his golden snake pupils involuntarily dilated.
Tsunade shot Orochimaru a contemptuous glance and mocked him:
"Heh, Orochimaru, didn't you say your hideouts couldn't possibly be discovered? How were they found so quickly? And by some Akatsuki we've never even heard of?"
Orochimaru's golden snake pupils remained fixed on the divine markings on Naoki Senju's face. He stared with near obsession, utterly unresponsive to Tsunade's mockery.
Several breaths later, Tsunade noticed Orochimaru's abnormal behavior. She forcefully stepped in front of Naoki Senju, blocking Orochimaru's view. At the same time, a powerful aura erupted from her and pressed down on Orochimaru, making the atmosphere extremely tense.
"Orochimaru, I'm warning you. Naoki is my little brother. If you dare look at him like that again, I'll beat you into a dead snake!"
Watching Tsunade protect him like a mother guarding her young, Orochimaru smiled knowingly and did not confront her head-on.
But Naoki Senju placed a hand on Tsunade's shoulder. A surging aura burst forth, bearing down on Orochimaru with overwhelming force.
"Orochimaru, you didn't deliberately lead the Akatsuki here, did you?"
Caught between the two auras, Orochimaru had no choice but to release his own. A cold, sinister aura rose, and Tsunade pulled Shizune behind her to protect her.
Naoki no longer needs my protection... For a moment, Tsunade felt both gratified and a little bereft. I won't be able to bully Naoki with my strength anymore...
"You know quite a lot, Naoki-kun. But why would you think that? The Akatsuki and I are mortal enemies."
Naoki Senju snorted coldly. He could not trust so much as a punctuation mark of Orochimaru's words. This was a man who could trade schemes with Danzo, one of the shinobi world's greatest scheming bastards. He was absolutely capable of using the Akatsuki.
"Then how does Cold-Blooded plan to deal with this? Keep letting the Akatsuki hunt you down? Setting up a hideout can't be cheap."
Orochimaru's smile deepened. He had caught the scent of his "own kind." To make an enemy of someone like this... Danzo, I hope you don't die too quickly.
"What do you suggest, Naoki-kun?"
"Who has the Akatsuki sent this time?" Naoki Senju asked with apparent nonchalance. Among the Akatsuki, only Sasori of the Red Sands had ties to Orochimaru. The others barely knew him.
Besides, to kill with a borrowed knife, the knife had to be sharp enough.
"Uchiha Itachi, a missing-nin from Konoha, and Kakuzu, a missing-nin from Takigakure."