Chapter 50

Under Shinki's questioning gaze, Tsunade's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Stop staring! The Slug Sage said I don't have the talent!" she huffed.

*Got it.* The truth had finally come out. With Tsunade's determined nature, she wouldn't have given up easily unless she truly lacked the aptitude. No wonder she seemed so guilty talking about it—it wasn't that she didn't want to learn; she just couldn't.

The path to mastering senjutsu was perilous, requiring exceptional talent. A single misstep could be fatal. Shinki wondered just how different the training methods of the Shikkotsu Forest were compared to Mount Myoboku.

Suddenly, there was a loud *bang!* Tsunade swiftly formed a seal, slapped her palm to the floor, and summoned a small slug no bigger than her hand.

"Tsunade-sama, what can I do for you?" came a clear, feminine voice from the slug.

Unlike the toads of Mount Myoboku or the snakes of Ryuchi Cave, the Shikkotsu Forest had only one slug, the Slug Sage. The smaller summoned slugs were just fragments of the sage itself.

The size of the summoned slug depended on the chakra used. More chakra meant a larger slug.

Despite its appearance, the Slug Sage's voice could easily be mistaken for that of a peerless beauty. Too bad it was still a slug—a very large slug.

Tsunade glared at Shinki. "I want him to sign a summoning contract with the Slug Sage. I also want the sage to test whether he has the talent to learn the senjutsu of the Shikkotsu Forest."

*Didn't you say you didn't want to sign a contract?* Well, now you will.

Shinki sighed, resigned. With his unique eyes, he wasn't eager to pursue senjutsu. The risks were high, and he preferred not to gamble with his life.

Still, Tsunade's stubbornness left him no choice.

Reluctantly, Shinki bit his finger, drew some blood, and pressed his hand to the summoning scroll.

This particular scroll had once belonged to Hashirama Senju. However, his Wood Release was so powerful that he never had much need for the Slug Sage's help, as his Sage Body healed faster than the Slug Sage could.

"Please wait a moment, Master Shinki," said the small slug before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Moments later, Shinki and Tsunade were reverse-summoned to the Shikkotsu Forest.

The Shikkotsu Forest was unlike any other place. It wasn't picturesque or serene. Jagged rocks and barren trees littered the area, their branches skeletal. Slugs of various sizes crawled everywhere, enough to trigger anyone's trypophobia.

At the heart of the forest stood the Slug Sage, a colossal being larger than a mountain.

"So big," Shinki muttered, staring at the creature that dwarfed even the Nine-Tails.

"Hello, little Tsunade," the Slug Sage said, its voice echoing as it moved its enormous body.

"Hello, Slug Sage," Tsunade replied with a smile, though Shinki noticed a flicker of guilt on her face.

*Did she do something to upset it?*

"Greetings, I am the Slug Sage," it said, turning its vast head towards Shinki. "The chakra aura around you is peculiar. I recall sensing it many years ago... How long has it been?"

The Slug Sage, along with the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage, had existed since the time of Kaguya Otsutsuki and the Sage of Six Paths. The toad had even helped train the Sage of Six Paths, urging him to stand against his mother. The three sages had left their mark on history, but only the Great Toad Sage had taken an active role back then.

"Slug Sage, we didn't come for a history lesson," Tsunade interrupted, snapping it out of its reverie. "I need you to test if he can learn the senjutsu of the Shikkotsu Forest."

"Apologies, little Tsunade. I was lost in thought. Since he has signed the contract, I will conduct the test," the Slug Sage said, lowering its head. "Are you ready, child?"

Tsunade retreated to a safe distance, folding her arms and smirking as if she were about to watch an entertaining show. *Let's see if you still mock me after this,* her expression seemed to say.

"What do I need to—wait, what the—!" Shinki's question was cut off as the Slug Sage lunged, engulfing him in its vast mouth.

A sticky, gelatinous liquid enveloped him, leaving him stunned.

*Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?*

"Hahaha!" Tsunade burst into uncontrollable laughter, her voice echoing in the mucus-covered forest.

Finally, someone else understood the horror she had endured. The memory of being swallowed whole by the Slug Sage still made her skin crawl. The sticky, slimy sensation was unforgettable. Watching Shinki go through it was too much for her to resist.

*Is this seriously how they test senjutsu aptitude here?* Shinki, immobile and drenched in thick mucus, felt trapped and bewildered.

Moments later, a force under his feet launched him out of the Slug Sage's mouth. He soared through the air and landed on a cushion of smaller slugs that broke his fall. Still, the impact left him winded, and he was drenched from head to toe in the foul-smelling mucus.

"Ughhh!" Shinki gagged, retching at the stench and the feeling of the slime clinging to him.

"Hahahaha!" Tsunade sat down, holding her sides and pounding the ground as she laughed. Shinki's disheveled state was priceless, and she couldn't stop herself.

"Was that really necessary?" Shinki sputtered, glaring at her.

"Yes! Hahaha!" Tsunade's laughter only grew louder.

The Slug Sage, oblivious to the humor, tilted its head. "Hmm, little Tsunade, he has a good talent."

Tsunade's laughter faltered, and she looked at the Slug Sage in disbelief.

"Wait... he passed?" 

The Slug Sage nodded, still perplexed as to why Tsunade found the situation amusing. 

It didn't matter, though. Slugs, after all, weren't known for their humor.

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