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"The Sage of Six Paths... Great Toad Sage, how are you communicating with the Sage of Six Paths?"
Jiraiya was stunned after hearing this, even glancing at Fukasaku, wondering if the Great Toad Sage was confused, mistaking a dream for a prophecy.
How could anyone talk to someone who died over a thousand years ago? Surely, the body of the Sage of Six Paths would have decayed by now.
Fukasaku was also skeptical because the Great Toad Sage had never mentioned anything about the Sage of Six Paths before, so he asked loudly, "Great Sage, how did you meet the Sage of Six Paths?"
"Dreams are a mysterious thing; there's no need to delve too deeply into it. In short, Hagoromo is still out there somewhere, watching over the ninja world."
The Great Toad Sage smacked its lips before continuing, "He asked me to keep an eye out, but Mount Myōboku is a summoning sanctuary, and we rarely venture outside. Jiraiya, can I entrust this task to you?"
"I'll keep an ear out while I'm on missions. But, Great Toad Sage, what are the signs of this other pair of Rinnegan besides Nagato?"
Jiraiya agreed, though he was beginning to doubt the Great Toad Sage. After all, how could the Sage of Six Paths, who had died over a thousand years ago, still be alive? And even if he was, why wouldn't he intervene directly?
The Great Toad Sage thought for a moment before responding slowly, "With the ultimate power of Yin Release and the ultimate power of Yang Release, one can acquire Hagoromo's eyes."
Jiraiya was puzzled and asked, "What does that mean?"
Fukasaku, who had been pondering the words, finally spoke, "Jiraiya, if we're talking about the ultimate powers of Yin and Yang Release, the most representative would be the Senju and Uchiha clans. While other ninja also possess Yin-Yang Release techniques, none are as renowned as those two clans."
Hearing this, Jiraiya immediately thought of Yōichi, who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and could use Wood Release. The power that once ended the Warring States period was embodied in him alone.
While many in Konoha could now use Wood Release, Jiraiya felt that Yōichi was the only one who fit the Great Toad Sage's description.
Jiraiya said, "Fukasaku, Great Toad Sage, there's a ninja in Konoha who might fit what you're describing. Not only has he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but he also uses Wood Release. Most importantly, he's a summoner of Ryūchi Cave."
Hearing this, Fukasaku recalled the Great Toad Sage's earlier prophecy about a potential threat to Mount Myōboku, linked to a summoner of Ryūchi Cave.
Jiraiya had searched the ninja world for a long time, but aside from Orochimaru and Yōichi, he hadn't found any other Ryūchi Cave summoners. After persistent questioning, he learned from Orochimaru that there were only two summoners—Orochimaru and Yōichi.
One prophecy might not mean much, but two pointing to the same person made Jiraiya start to believe that the Great Toad Sage's predictions were accurate.
"Jiraiya, if that's the case, the person you're talking about is highly suspicious. But he's Konoha's advisor."
Fukasaku sighed. Not only was Yōichi Konoha's advisor, but he was also the head of the Uchiha clan and a summoner of Ryūchi Cave. They couldn't handle him as they would an ordinary person, or it could lead to serious consequences.
If it were any other matter, Fukasaku wouldn't want to get involved in the ninja world unless a summoner requested it. But this was different, as it concerned the survival of Mount Myōboku.
The Great Toad Sage's prophecies had never been wrong, and Fukasaku, who had lived in Mount Myōboku for centuries, would not allow it to be destroyed by anyone.
"Don't worry, Fukasaku, I won't let him harm Mount Myōboku."
Although Jiraiya said this, he wasn't entirely confident. He planned to return to Konoha and discuss the matter with the old man. While he wasn't sure what Hiruzen was up to lately, Hiruzen was one of the few people Jiraiya could rely on.
Just as Jiraiya was about to ask the Great Toad Sage more questions, the sage had already fallen asleep.
Seeing this, Fukasaku advised, "It's time to go back, Jiraiya. Once the Great Sage falls asleep, nothing can wake it."
Jiraiya, unwilling to believe it, shouted a few times, but the Great Toad Sage remained motionless, showing no response.
With no other choice, Jiraiya left with Fukasaku. He had originally planned to ask about the Child of Prophecy. Once, he believed that two people had the potential to be the Child of Prophecy, but one now resented Konoha and had strayed from the path.
The other had died, and as a mentor, he hadn't even been able to retrieve his student's body.
Lately, he had been gathering intelligence on Nagato and looking for clues about Ryūchi Cave, but he had found nothing. Jiraiya felt exhausted, so he wanted to ask the Great Toad Sage about the Child of Prophecy.
If he could find someone to solve all these problems, he could rest easy knowing that the future was in good hands.
After leaving Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya returned to Konoha and went straight to the Sarutobi clan to find the old man.
"Old man, I've got a gift for you. You can use this for tea from now on."
Jiraiya greeted him as he entered, feeling a bit more relaxed in Hiruzen's presence.
"A teacup? You might as well bring me some good tobacco."
Hiruzen accepted the gift, sounding a bit dismissive but still carefully examining it before placing it on a nearby tray, indicating that he intended to use it in the future.
After Jiraiya sat down, Hiruzen lit his pipe and said, "It's rare for you to visit. What's on your mind?"
"I'm having some trouble in the village, so I wanted to ask for your help."
Jiraiya took a sip of tea and slowly began, "Today, I went to Mount Myōboku and heard something rather unbelievable from the Great Toad Sage."
He then explained in detail the second pair of Rinnegan and the possibility of the Great Toad Sage communicating with the Sage of Six Paths, including his own analysis.
After listening, Hiruzen found it all quite surreal and said with a twitch of his mouth, "Jiraiya, you can't seriously believe this, can you? The Sage of Six Paths is already a pretty mystical figure."
"Moreover, the Rinnegan is the fusion of Wood Release and the Sharingan. If what the Great Toad Sage said is true, then Yōichi should already have the Rinnegan."
Jiraiya's expression became serious as he said, "Speaking of which, old man, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you know what Yōichi's Mangekyō abilities are?"
After awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, a user would gain two unique abilities, one in each eye. The Second Hokage had faced Uchiha who had awakened the Mangekyō, and he had studied the Sharingan extensively, understanding that the Mangekyō had two unique abilities and Susano'o.
"Do you know about Nawaki's resurrection? Could that be one of the Mangekyō abilities or a power of the Rinnegan?"
Hiruzen asked, "Your student has the Rinnegan, doesn't he? Has he shown any ability to resurrect the dead?"
Jiraiya shook his head, "No, even though I've fought him twice, I still haven't fully grasped the extent of the Rinnegan's abilities. I have a feeling that the next time I face Nagato, he'll have even more new powers."
"As for Yōichi's abilities... to be honest, I don't know."
Hiruzen sighed, "The only people who might know are those who've fought him. Fugaku might know, or perhaps the Fourth Raikage, but as for others, it's hard to say. After all, his power is..."
Too strong! To Hiruzen, Yōichi seemed like someone even more talented than Minato. Hardly anyone could force him to use his Mangekyō abilities in battle, making it difficult to gather intelligence.
"Old man, could you help me gather some information? I'll also ask Orochimaru. This is very important to me."
"Jiraiya, this won't benefit you at all. If Yōichi finds out that you're gathering intelligence on him and planning to..."
Hiruzen didn't finish the sentence, but the consequences were clear.
Mount Myōboku had always remained neutral in the ninja world. If they were to align with Konoha, wear Konoha's headbands, and become Konoha's summon creatures, Hiruzen would consider taking the risk for Jiraiya. But now, risking his plans for those toads wasn't worth it.
"Please, old man, this is a very important request from me. Do it for your student's sake."
Jiraiya clasped his hands together, pleading. After some persuasion, he finally got Hiruzen to reluctantly agree.
But even then, Hiruzen wasn't sure he could fulfill the request. Sakumo was on the verge of handing over the role of the next Hokage to Yōichi, and although Yōichi wasn't Hokage yet, gathering intelligence on a Hokage's advisor made Hiruzen's head ache just thinking about it.
"Jiraiya, I'll do this for you, but you have to agree to one condition."
"What condition? Just tell me, old man. If I can do it, I will."
Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, then solemnly said to Jiraiya, "Stay in the village and try to become the Fifth Hokage!"
"What!?"
Jiraiya was stunned and immediately shook his head, "Old man, I can't..."
"It's time to stop running away."
Hiruzen, frustrated with Jiraiya's avoidance, said, "It's no longer about what you want. You have to take responsibility. Stop looking for some Child of Prophecy. Minato is gone now. You keep circling around Minato's home whenever you return. It's time to take on Minato's dreams and responsibilities."
At the mention of Minato, Jiraiya lowered his head. He always believed Minato's death could have been avoided, but Minato had died to save him.
"But, old man, I'm really not suitable for..."
"You have the strength, reputation, and connections to be Hokage. If you take on this responsibility, you have a good chance of becoming the Fifth Hokage. Even if you're not as strong as Yōichi, it doesn't matter. Being Hokage isn't about who's the strongest."
Seeing that Jiraiya was wavering, Hiruzen continued, "Starting tomorrow, focus on completing missions, gaining fame and connections. I'll help you with the rest because I'm your teacher."
"Old man..."
"If you truly don't want to, I won't force you. You can continue as you were."
After saying this, Hiruzen stopped persuading Jiraiya and silently replaced the tobacco in his pipe.
Jiraiya remained silent for a while, then finally said, "Alright, I'll do my best to become the Fifth Hokage. And then, I'll take on Minato's son as my student and train him to be the Sixth Hokage!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen smiled, "That's the spirit, Jiraiya. I'll support you all the way."
Aside from Jiraiya, Hiruzen didn't have a better candidate in mind. His eldest son, despite having Wood Release, hadn't become significantly stronger because of it. After much consideration, Jiraiya was the most suitable.
——————————
In the afternoon, Yōichi was suddenly called to the hospital by Tsunade, who took a sample of his flesh.
Then she sent Yōichi away without even giving him a chance for a warm moment.
However, Yōichi understood that Tsunade's research might have made a breakthrough, so he left after providing the sample without disturbing her.
From what Tsunade had said, it seemed she had discovered traces of the Ōtsutsuki clan. The integration of Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku was going smoothly, and there was a tendency for the Senju and Sharingan genes to complement each other.
After discovering this, Tsunade had asked Yōichi if he knew anything about it, but he had only mentioned that it was a hypothesis based on some ancient records.
After all, the Hyūga clan had close ties with the Taketori clan, and the Taketori clan had split from the Kaguya clan long ago.
As for the Senju and Uchiha, there was the Uchiha clan's ancestral stone tablet, which, although altered, was enough to satisfy Tsunade.
He couldn't exactly tell her he was a time traveler.
Tsunade hadn't pressed further and just informed him that the progress on the clone was going well. They had successfully extracted the genes and were in the initial stages of fusion. The next step was to attempt to create the embryo.
Artificial clones wouldn't need the lengthy natural growth time, and within a year, they could resemble a three- or four-year-old child.
With this good news, Yōichi left. However, as he returned to the clan compound, he thought about White Zetsu clones and decided that if he had the chance, he would definitely capture a few for Tsunade to study.
"I'm back."
After leaving the hospital, Yōichi knew that Yugito had just returned from a mission, so he headed home to extract some more tailed beast chakra.
With three tailed beasts at his disposal, Yōichi was rather extravagant in his usage.
"Yugito, are you home?"
No sooner had Yōichi finished speaking than a girl with a single ponytail stepped out of the house. Compared to two years ago, Yugito had grown significantly, her figure now graceful and mature, her white socks emphasizing the elegance of her feet.
But her expression was the same as before. When she saw Yōichi, she huffed lightly and asked, "What do you want?"
(End of Chapter)
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"The tailed beast chakra is running low. Can you ask Matatabi for me? I need to extract some more."
Yōichi said as he approached Yugito. Recently, he had been continuously training using his shadow clones without taking a break. He even took a trip to Takigakure and extracted a large portion of the Seven-Tails' chakra without alerting the village.
However, even with all this, Yōichi found himself running out of chakra.
But there were results. Yōichi had successfully mastered the basics of the Thunder Annihilation Mode.
With the help of his Research Assistant ability, he had developed two new techniques. By combining the Lightning Release Chakra Mode with the Destruction Spear Technique, Yōichi had created a new ninjutsu-taijutsu hybrid technique, which he named the Thunder Annihilation Mode.
It was the only super S-rank forbidden technique in the ninja world.
Even at the first level, it required the physical constitution of a high-ranking warrior from the Devouring World to successfully cultivate it. After mastering the first level of Thunder Annihilation Mode, activating it would enhance one's physical abilities by 2.2 times—speed, strength, explosiveness, reflexes, and physical defense included.
However, it consumed a lot of chakra. If a jonin-level ninja managed to master it, their chakra would only support the Thunder Annihilation Mode for a few dozen seconds.
To simulate the feeling of molten lightning chakra boiling within and then erupting inside the body required immense physical strength, precise chakra control, abundant chakra reserves, and original energy. Without these, the technique was impossible to execute.
The second level of Thunder Annihilation Mode would boost physical abilities by 4.4 times, and the full potential of the mode could enhance physical attributes by up to 15.4 times. However, this required an even higher level of physical constitution.
Aside from Thunder Annihilation Mode, Yōichi also fused the Destruction Spear Technique with Tsunade's superhuman strength, creating a new technique he called Hakai: Unmatched Strength.
This technique allowed the user to concentrate explosive power to its absolute limit, similar to condensing a tailed beast bomb with raw chakra and force. Releasing this power in an instant resulted in a massive explosion of force.
This technique also required immense control, physical strength, and original energy. Though it focused on the fist's explosive power, Yōichi classified it as a super S-rank ninjutsu-taijutsu hybrid.
Mastering it was so complex that Yōichi was likely the only one in the ninja world capable of doing so; even Tsunade lacked a few necessary qualifications.
With these two super S-rank techniques finally developed, Yōichi spent every day training with his shadow clones, quickly burning through his tailed beast chakra.
If he relied solely on his own chakra, his training time would be significantly reduced. Besides, why not use an external source of chakra if it was available?
However, when Yugito heard Yōichi's request, she felt a surge of anger. So, he came to her just for more tailed beast chakra? She had just returned from a long mission, and he didn't even ask how she was.
She had gone to wash her feet and changed into silky white knee-high socks as soon as she returned!
With a cold huff, Yugito turned her head and said, "No, Matatabi is sleeping!"
"Huh? Tailed beasts can sleep for long periods?" Yōichi asked, puzzled. But when he noticed Yugito glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, he understood what the tsundere girl was really thinking.
He approached her and placed a hand on her head, asking, "It's been a while since I last helped you with your training. Do you have time now?"
"I just finished a mission, but I could have continued. The jonin leading the team insisted on taking a break!" Yugito tilted her head slightly, her tone defiant. In truth, she was slated to rest and train for a month to prepare for the upcoming chunin exams, as her mission record had long qualified her for promotion.
"Then let's start tomorrow. I have too much going on in the village, so I'll have a shadow clone guide you."
Then, leaning in closer to her, Yōichi smiled and said, "But shouldn't you repay me with a few massages?"
Yugito's cheeks flushed red as she lowered her head and whispered, "Idiot!"
"Let's go to my room."
With that, she turned and walked to her room, leaving the door open until Yōichi followed her inside.
Yugito's room wasn't small—none of the rooms in Yōichi's house were. When he first selected this location, it was on the village's outskirts, giving him plenty of space. Even as the area developed, he still had a forest reserved as his personal training ground.
"Lie on the floor."
"I won't. The floor's too hard; you should lie on the bed."
Yōichi wasted no time lying down on the bed, then used Wood Release to create a support bar for Yugito so she wouldn't lose her balance while giving him a foot massage.
"Cheater... pervert~"
Yugito huffed in irritation at Yōichi's audacity, but she still complied. Standing on the bed, she placed her soft, delicate feet on Yōichi's back.
Her slender feet, tender soles, curled toes, and perfectly shaped calves encased in white socks made every touch feel soft and smooth against Yōichi's skin.
As she continued, Yugito couldn't help but glance down at his iron-hard abdomen, blushing more with each peek.
"After our mission, our team went out for dinner before we disbanded."
Yugito suddenly broke the silence, mentioning her day before returning home.
"Really? Was the mission difficult?" Yōichi asked casually, eyes closed as he enjoyed the massage.
"The mission was a breeze for us, but do you know what happened after the dinner?"
Yugito, her tone proud, shifted her white-clad feet slightly down Yōichi's back, almost to his lower abdomen.
"What happened?" Yōichi asked, curious. What could have happened in the village?
"Someone on the team expressed their feelings for me and even gave me a gift."
Yugito's face lit up with a proud smile, like a small fox showing off. She pointed to the gift on her desk as she spoke.
Yōichi sighed, "Someone gave you a gift? The younger generation matures so quickly. He probably doesn't even know you that well yet, and he's already pursuing you."
Yugito felt a wave of frustration. After saying all that, this pervert didn't even say anything nice? She stomped her foot in irritation, her white-socked toes pressing against his back.
"How do you know he doesn't know me?" she huffed.
"Does he know what you're doing now?"
Yōichi suddenly grabbed her soft, sock-covered foot, feeling its warmth and smoothness.
"Ugh..."
Yugito wobbled, the heat from his grip making her lose balance slightly. Thankfully, the support bar kept her steady and then...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After extracting the tailed beast chakra, Yōichi left, satisfied. It was only after a while that Yugito, her face flushed, snapped out of her daze.
As she recalled what had just happened, she couldn't help but mutter words like "pervert" and "freak" under her breath.
But when she thought about training with Yōichi tomorrow, a smile crept onto her face.
"I just washed up, and that pervert..."
She grumbled a bit, then went to wash up again. After changing clothes, she noticed the gift on the table.
She hadn't wanted to take it, but the teammate—whether his name was —had stuffed it into her hands and run off. She still hadn't opened the gift box.
"I'll return it to him tomorrow. What was his name?"
Yugito wasn't short of money. She took on missions to increase her strength. Living in Yōichi's house for so long, they had become like family.
Mikoto had even given her a card that could be used to purchase anything from any Uchiha shop—pills, ninja battle gear, kunai, explosive tags, or other items. And it wasn't really "buying" since the card was practically limitless.
After Yugito finished washing up and changing, a blue chakra aura formed around her, and a cat-like face appeared on her shoulder.
"Yugito, that guy took more of my chakra again. You need to stop him from doing that."
Ever since the seal had been removed, Matatabi could manifest like this whenever it wanted, even taking control of Yugito's body, though it chose not to.
"It seems like he's been training, Matatabi. Maybe I should stop using your chakra and let him have it."
"...Yugito, you always call him an idiot, but I think you're the real idiot here!"
Matatabi said, exasperated, before retreating back into Yugito's body. Having just given away a lot of chakra, it needed to rest.
"How am I the idiot, Matatabi? Explain that, Matatabi..."
Yugito called out a couple more times, but Matatabi didn't respond. Frustrated, she resigned herself to tidying up her bed. Recently, she'd taken to cleaning her own sheets, never relying on anyone else.
...
Sunagakure
Though Pakura and her companions had returned with cheap supplies and negotiated a much-desired peace agreement for Sunagakure, Rasa was furious when he found out. He remained silent throughout the high council meeting, his face twisted in a scowl.
Pakura ignored Rasa's dark expression, continuing her report to the other council members. "From now on, I will manage all exports from Konoha to Sunagakure and will need a proper facility in the village."
"I think it would be better if the Fourth Kazekage handled this," interjected a council member close to Rasa. "The Fourth Kazekage oversees the entire village and understands how to distribute resources best, while Pakura has little experience managing such tasks beyond warfare."
Many in the village were close to Rasa. His status as the Fourth Kazekage was one reason, but he had also worked hard to prove himself after the war. If not for his betrayal of Pakura, Rasa might have been above reproach.
But betraying Pakura, a hero of the village, who had earned that title through countless deeds, was unforgivable.
The Third Hokage had at least kept his betrayal of Hiashi Hyuga a secret, staying behind the scenes while the clan's main family took the blame.
But Rasa had sent Pakura to her death without any attempt at secrecy. And Pakura had come back alive, making his actions all the more shameful.
"I agree with Pakura. If you can convince Konoha, go ahead."
Pakura sneered. "Do you think Rasa could make Konoha agree? If he angers them, we can forget about this shipment and prepare for war instead."
"Tell all of Sunagakure that because the Fourth Kazekage must personally oversee this matter, we'll be going to war if Konoha refuses!"
The sarcasm in Pakura's voice made Rasa's supporters blush with anger. Even with a mask on, Rasa's face was clearly contorted in frustration.
Unable to defeat Pakura in battle, and now having to endure her ridicule, any guilt Rasa had once felt toward her had turned into hatred.
"Pakura, you incited Konoha to gain control of this situation. For Sunagakure's sake, you'd better..."
Pakura cut him off before he could finish, "I dare you to take control. If Konoha finds out and cancels the next shipment, you'll be the traitor who dragged us into war!"
Her words silenced the council. No one wanted to be responsible for starting a war, especially when the village was so weak. They couldn't even rely on their jinchūriki; the current holder of Shukaku was just a child.
Reluctantly, Rasa ended the meeting, "Fine. Let Pakura handle it. Dismissed."
He stormed out of the council room, his anger so intense that he didn't even care that this was the most sacred place in the village, filled with statues of past Kazekages.
"Hmph!"
Pakura snorted and walked out as well. No matter how much Rasa accomplished, in her eyes, he would always be a traitor.
And his actions were all about gaining power.
"Pakura."
As she left the council room, she saw the elderly Chiyo waiting outside. Relaxing her tone, she said, "Chiyo-sama, you could have joined the meeting. Why didn't you?"
"I've retired, so I'm just an ordinary Sunagakure shinobi now. Meetings like these aren't for me," Chiyo replied with a chuckle. "You haven't come to see me in a while. Shall we take a walk?"
"Alright, Chiyo-sama."
"Don't call me 'sama.' I've been retired for a while now."
Pakura understood that Chiyo had something to discuss, so she agreed to accompany her. Pakura was grateful to Chiyo for treating her injuries and dealing with the traitor, but she didn't believe for a second that the whole scheme had been orchestrated by one person.
That traitor didn't have the power or influence to betray Sunagakure's hero on his own. Who had given him the courage to try?
As they walked outside, Chiyo suddenly asked, "Pakura, what do you think of Konoha?"
"...They're strong. Too strong for Sunagakure to resist."
Pakura answered truthfully after a moment's thought. "Even if Sunagakure's strength tripled, I wouldn't be confident in our ability to win a war. If Konoha decides to attack, Sunagakure's fate..."
"Is that so... It seems Konoha's strength has developed rapidly, especially with warriors like the Konoha White Fang and Thunder Fang."
Chiyo paused for a moment when she mentioned the Konoha Fang, then continued, "Pakura, I'm sorry for what happened before. We couldn't investigate further, but from now on, no one will betray Sunagakure."
Pakura looked at Chiyo for a few seconds, then said, "I will lead the people of Sunagakure to a better life—something Rasa can never do."
Konoha was preparing to target Sunagakure, leaving the village with only two choices: starvation or war.
But instead of either of those grim fates, Pakura believed the best option was to join Konoha and live a better life.
"Is that so..."
Chiyo said nothing more, leaving Pakura to her thoughts. After a moment, Pakura wondered if Chiyo had guessed her true intentions. But she quickly shook her head. Even if she had, there was no proof.
...
Ryūchi Cave
Yōichi received a summoning serpent's message and quickly performed the Reverse Summoning Technique. In a puff of smoke, Yōichi appeared in Ryūchi Cave.
"Master."
Yōichi greeted Garaga. "I'm here to see the White Snake Sage. I have a matter to discuss."
Garaga asked, "Shall I escort you?"
"No need. It's just a quick question, and I know the way."
Yōichi declined. Garaga's temper was only good when dealing with him. If Shinya decided to call the White Snake Sage a "bastard" during their conversation, it would ruin everything.
After parting with Garaga, Yōichi headed toward the White Snake Sage's lair.
As he approached, he suddenly found Ichikishima-hime rushing toward him. She grabbed his throat, hissing angrily, "You dare return to Ryūchi Cave after what you did?"
Yōichi had called upon Ichikishima-hime for help during the war but had sent her back as soon as it was over.
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Yōichi admitted, "It was wartime, and I didn't have the chance to explain properly. Now that everything's settled, I've come to repay the favor."
He pried Ichikishima-hime off his neck and added, "If I planned to renege on our deal, I wouldn't have come back."
"You have a point..."
"Now, take me to see the White Snake Sage. I have a question to ask. Once that's done, I'll repay my debt to you."
"Alright, but you said the same thing last time."
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Yōichi quickly silenced Ichikishima-hime with three firm pats on her snake posterior, then carried her to the White Snake Sage's chamber. If he didn't keep a firm grip on her, she would undoubtedly try to get even.
As they walked, Yōichi encountered the other two snake sisters, who greeted him with a smile, "Yōichi-kun, have you come to see us?"
Ichikishima-hime quickly interrupted, "He's here to see the White Snake Sage and me, so don't interfere!"
Tagitsu-hime noticed how tightly Yōichi had restrained Ichikishima-hime and chuckled, "The White Snake Sage is inside. Go ahead, Yōichi-kun."
"Thank you."
Yōichi bowed and headed into the deepest part of the cave. He remembered Ichikishima-hime telling him that the White Snake Sage had fused with the land, unable to leave until it transformed into a dragon.
When Yōichi finally met the White Snake Sage, it appeared in its usual elderly form, greeting him, "Yōichi-kun, what brings you to me today?"
"I have two questions, White Snake Sage. Have you ever encountered high-chakra aggregates, similar to this? Something with a high concentration of natural energy or chakra."
As he spoke, Yōichi gathered chakra in his fingers to illustrate his point.
"Hehehe, Yōichi-kun, I suspected you might come for this."
The White Snake Sage's body shimmered, briefly revealing its true serpentine form. Ichikishima-hime interjected, "I didn't tell him our secret."
Realization dawned on Yōichi, "You have something like that?"
"In areas rich in natural energy, it's possible for the environment to mutate—trees growing uncontrollably, animals increasing in size, and minerals transforming. This stone is one of those transformations."
The White Snake Sage explained while a smaller white snake brought several shiny stones to Yōichi, then vanished back into the energy stream.
"This is what you're looking for. I call it the Stone of Nature, formed only in places with extremely high natural energy concentrations."
Yōichi examined the stones, finding them brimming with energy, albeit filled with impurities. Still, they would be perfect for refining into new medicines.
"This is exactly what I needed, White Snake Sage."
(End of Chapter)
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