บท 132: 131-Who are you?
"What the hell....."
Renjiro whispered, awe and apprehension mingling in his voice. He scrambled to his feet, stepping back to get a better view.
The eye belonged to an enormous creature partially buried in the hills, its form blending seamlessly with the landscape.
The hills themselves seemed to be a part of its massive, undulating body.
The creature shifted, and the ground beneath Renjiro's feet trembled once more.
"Rrrrumble... rrummmble..."
With a low, resonant groan, the creature raised its head, revealing more of its colossal form.
'I am not seeing my own things, right?'
Renjiro remarked as he took in the humongous form of the beast or thing in front of him.
It was a gigantic tortoise, its shell covered in moss and rocky protrusions that made it look like part of the terrain. Its eyes, now fully visible, exuded a calm yet ancient wisdom.
'This is big... it is basically a living mountain.'
Renjiro's mind raced. This creature was unlike any he had encountered before, a living mountain with a presence that radiated power. He sensed no immediate hostility, but the sheer size and potential strength of the tortoise were intimidating.
Gathering his composure, Renjiro took a cautious step forward, his demeanour tensed, ready to react if needed.
"Hello," he called out, his voice steady but respectful. "I am Uzumaki Renjiro. May I get the privilege of knowing who I am before?"
The tortoise's massive eye focused on Renjiro, and for a moment, there was only silence.
Then, with a deep, rumbling voice that seemed to echo through the hills, the tortoise spoke.
'An Uzumaki? It's been long since one of them came to my Domain. And he wants to make a summoning contract?' The mountain Turtle wondered.
"I am Kamegami, the last of the Ugoka clan," it said, each word resonating with the weight of centuries. "Why do you seek a summon, young shinobi?"
Renjiro bowed slightly, acknowledging the creature's immense presence.
"I seek strength and wisdom to protect my village and those I care about. I have faced many trials in my path and I am sure I will face many more in the future, so I believe that with a strong summon, I can achieve my goals."
Renjiro just said what was in his heart. He did not dare lie as with such an imposing creature, he wouldn't be surprised if he had an ability to detect lies. So he had to be careful to make sure that his first impression lasted.
Kamegami regarded him thoughtfully. "Strength and wisdom are not easily granted," the tortoise said slowly. "They must be earned and proven. Are you sure you are you have what it takes?"
'Whatever it takes? Are there some kind of trials that I have to go through?'
Renjiro wondered but in the end, he decided to go with the flow. He nodded and said, "I am ready," he declared. "I will face whatever challenges are necessary."
Kamegami's eyes studied Renjiro intently. "Come closer, young shinobi," the tortoise rumbled, its voice deep and resonant. "Let us see if you are worthy."
Renjiro took a deep breath, steadying himself. He nodded and stepped forward.
"Stand still,"
Kamegami instructed, lifting one of its colossal claws. The claw, the size of a full-grown human adult, cast a vast shadow over Renjiro.
'Is the test him placing the claw on me?'
Kamegami's claw descended slowly, and as it made contact with Renjiro's head, a strange sensation washed over him.
His body temperature began to rise rapidly, beads of sweat forming on his brow and trickling down his face.
'Aarrgh!!! What is this?' Renjiro wondered, gritting his teeth against the growing discomfort.
The heat was intense, unlike anything he had experienced before, but it wasn't coming from the tortoise's touch. It felt as if it was welling up from deep within him.
Kamegami's claw remained in place, while time seemed to stretch, each second feeling like an eternity. Renjiro's mind raced, trying to understand what was happening.
'It's not like I am being affected by the pressure he is exuding, so what is it? Or is his claw inserting something in me?'
Sweat dripped from Renjiro's face, his breathing becoming laboured. Yet, he stood his ground, refusing to falter. He closed his eyes, focusing on his determination.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kamegami withdrew its claw. The pressure lifted, and Renjiro's body temperature began to normalize. He gasped for breath, falling to his knees.
'Finally! I thought that I was going to burn to death. Hopefully, I passed this test.'
Renjiro braced himself for Kamegami's verdict, expecting words of either approval or rejection. However, the ancient tortoise remained silent. The silence was profound and loud, the only sound being the distant rustle of wind through the hills.
'Huh? Why is he silent?'
He glanced up at Kamegami, hoping to glean some insight from the tortoise's expressionless visage, but the creature's face remained an unreadable mask of stone. Minutes passed, each second stretching out painfully.
Unable to bear the silence any longer, Renjiro took a tentative step forward.
"Kamegami," he began, "did I pass your test?"
The tortoise remained still for a moment, the only movement being the slow blink of its massive eyes. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kamegami spoke, his voice deep and resonant.
"No."
The single word hit Renjiro like a blow.
"Why not?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady. "What did I do wrong?"
"While you were forthcoming with your desire and determination, there is a sinister presence within you," the tortoise said slowly.
"This presence prevents me from entering into a summoning contract with you."
'A sinister presence? What the hell is he talking about?'
"What is this presence?" Renjiro asked
Kamegami shook his massive head, the movement causing the ground to tremble slightly.
"It is not my place to say," he replied. "Such matters are beyond my domain. You must seek out the truth for yourself."
'How do you just drop the bomb and just leave me like that?'
"Is there anything I can do to remove this presence?"
"Renjiro, I have already said that it is beyond my control. The only thing you should do is leave."
'Why has his mood changed all of a sudden? He was friendly before whatever he did to me. I should be the one who is angry because I don't know what he did to me, what if he inserted something dangerous in me?'
Bummed out and filled with a mixture of confusion and frustration, Renjiro bowed respectfully to Kamegami.
"Thank you for your time and your wisdom," he said, his voice subdued. He retrieved his summoning seal and activated it.
Instantly, Renjiro was transported back to the familiar surroundings of his home.
'Is my luck that bad? First, the whale tried to kill me, then I met the spiders and now Kamegani basically chased me away. There must be something I am doing wrong.'
With only six seals left, Renjiro decided to just forget what happened and keep on trying. The next summoning took him to a volcanic region.
The air was thick with the scent of sulfur, and the ground beneath his feet was hot, cracked, and unstable. Rivers of molten lava flowed nearby, the intense heat making the air shimmer.
As Renjiro cautiously navigated the treacherous place, he was astonished to see sharks, yes, sharks, swimming through the lava as if it were water.
But as he tried to approach, hoping to communicate, it became clear that these lava sharks, like the horned jaguars before, lacked the sentience required for forming a summoning contract.
Disappointed, Renjiro activated another seal, this time, he was transported to a vast desert.
The sun beat down mercilessly, and waves of heat distorted the horizon. Soon, he noticed large lizards burrowing in and out of the sand, their scales glistening in the harsh sunlight.
Intrigued, Renjiro observed their behaviour, hoping to find some sign of intelligence or communication. However, just like the creatures in the volcanic region, these lizards were driven by primal instincts.
'Maybe the beast Kamegami was talking about was my terrible luck. Because why do I keep running into animals with minimal sentience?'
Frustration began to mount within Renjiro. He had traveled to extraordinary places and encountered incredible creatures, yet none of them possessed the sentience or willingness needed for a summoning contract.
'There's no need wasting time here. I have one more trip left. It's better I get done with this sooner rather than later.'
After activating the seal, Renjiro found himself standing in what looked like a giant nest. The nest was enormous, almost the size of his house, made of intricately woven branches and twigs.
'So I am in a nest this time.'
He got up slowly, brushing off bits of debris, and began to walk around the empty nest, studying its structure.
The nest's height was staggering, perched high above the clouds. Thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed in the distance, illuminating the floating islands that hovered around the nest.
'Floatin islands, It kinda reminds me of what I Imagine Kumo to be. But what animal am I going to meet this time?'
As he pondered what kind of animal could create such a structure, a fierce gust of wind suddenly assaulted him.
Renjiro looked up, shielding his eyes, and saw the source: a huge grey bird flapping its mighty wings. The winds whipped around Renjiro, nearly knocking him off balance.
The bird, an eagle standing at over thirty feet tall, landed gracefully in the nest. Its feathers were a striking blend of grey and white, with white tips that gleamed in the stormy light. Its beak and talons were a radiant gold, adding an aura of regality to its already imposing presence.
Renjiro stood still, studying the magnificent creature before him, when a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Who are you?" the bird asked, its voice deep and resonant.
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