Chapter 56.2 : Future?

"So, thank you, Sage Katsuyu!" 

Tsunade thanked gratefully.

Tsunade received the Slippery fruit, the kind that would naturally make countless women envious. Some naturally beautiful women didn't feel too envious, but the ugly ones were seething with jealousy.

"The Slippery fruit, Tsunade, you've got quite the luck!" Rong Rong said.

However, the girls from the Honghong clan weren't envious at all. Being a fox demon clan, their innate temperament wasn't comparable to that of changes caused by the Slippery fruits. Slippery fruit could change one's appearance, but it couldn't alter their innate nature.

Hence, the three of them didn't harbor any envy.

Soon, they announced the reward for the twelfth place on the pet list.

This reward went to White Snake Sage.

At this moment, White Snake Sage anxiously stared at the live broadcast room screen, eagerly anticipating her reward.

"I hope it's something great," she said, looking forward.

Wow!

The reward for the thirteenth place on the pet list appeared in the live broadcast room. It was a blood-colored thread that seemed to carry the image of a soaring snake.

Seeing this reward, even though it had no name, everyone knew it had nothing to do with the dragon clan.

White Snake Sage was immediately disappointed.

Then, details about the reward were revealed.

[Bloodline of the Soaring Snake: A divine beast nearly on par with the dragon clan. By choosing this reward, you can directly inherit the bloodline of the Soaring Snake, which will perfectly integrate with your body.

[Manda]: The Soaring Snake, comparable to the dragon clan, seems quite excellent too!

[Great Toad Sage: Hahaha, old White Snake, you've always dreamt of joining the dragon clan, but you've been granted the Soaring Snake bloodline. Truth be told, the Soaring Snake bloodline is indeed formidable, no less than the Dragon clan. However, if you integrate the Soaring Snake bloodline, you may only tread the path of the snake. You might even have to rename Ryūchi Cave to Soaring Snake Cave.]

[Garaga: Soaring-serpent bloodline, huh? It's okay, but it's just the Soaring-serpent's bloodline, not Soaring-snake. Old White Snake, if you don't want it, I'll gladly take it.[

[White Snake Sage]: Garaga, step off!

At this point, White Snake Sage was in a quandary. She pondered whether or not to accept the Soaring Snake bloodline. 

The bloodline bestowed by Golden List was very potent, and it would devour the feeble dragon bloodline within her. This meant she'd have to embrace the path of the soaring snake and abandon her dream of becoming a dragon.

"I've finally obtained the Serpent's bloodline. If I reject it, I'll be left with no reward, and I won't be able to enhance my strength further. Garaga's strength is continuously rising, and he has a multitude of powerful summoning beasts. I can't afford to stay behind!" White Snake Sage thought.

She wasn't like Sage Katsuyu, who wasn't obsessed with gaining strength. She had grand ambitions and was determined not to miss this opportunity. After all, she didn't know what lay ahead on the list. What if she couldn't make it?

"The path of the snake is the path of the snake. If I encounter better opportunities in the future, I might reclaim the path of a true dragon," she reasoned.

After some introspection, White Snake Sage acquired the blood of the Soaring Snake from the live broadcast room.

Humm!

A blood-red thread flew from the golden list, traversing space to enter her body.

In the next moment, White Snake Sage felt a powerful surge of blood within her. It consumed her own White Snake blood and the feeble dragon blood within her, fortifying her physique and causing wings to form faintly on her back.

However, her Serpent Wings ultimately didn't manifest.

After the bloodline transformation was completed, White Snake Sage muttered, "My strength has improved significantly."

Inside the studio,

[Garaga]: Hahaha, it appears that you've embraced the transformation of the Soaring Snake bloodline, so from now on, I'll call you Soaring Snake Sage.

[White Snake Sage]: Garaga, when I truly become a Soaring Snake, even if you become a dragon, I won't be afraid of you. I'm a master of various sage jutsu, and I'm stronger than you, who relies solely on brute force!

[Garaga]: Oh, White Snake, do you still think I'm the same as before? Shameless!

[White Snake Sage]: You...

[Orochimaru]: Congratulations to White Snake Sage for her remarkable progress. In my view, as long as one's strength improves, the method doesn't matter.

[White Snake Sage]: Orochimaru, you're absolutely right. Whether it's the blood of the Soaring Snake or the blood of the true dragon, they're merely means to enhance one's strength. As long as you become stronger, the specifics are irrelevant.

After White Snake Sage received her reward, it was time for the Great Toad Sage's reward.

Shortly after, the reward for the thirteenth place on the pet list was unveiled.

A Buddha-like eye radiating light appeared on the live broadcast room screen.

[Precognition Buddha Eye: A Buddha Eye with the ability to foresee the future. It won't harm the user when activated, but it consumes the Buddha Eye's power and can be used once a year.]

[Great Toad Sage]: So, it's the Precognition Buddha Eye, a valuable reward more aligned with my abilities. 

[White Snake Sage]: An item that doesn't enhance one's strength is pointless.

[Great Toad Sage]: White Snake Sage, you don't understand. Strength isn't everything. If one can foresee the future, that's the most crucial ability.

[Gamabunta]: Congratulations to the Great Toad Sage for acquiring the Precognition Buddha Eye!

[Sage Fukasaku]: Congratulations to the Master for gaining the Precognition Buddha Eye!

[Sage Shima]: Congratulations to the Master for gaining the Precognition Buddha Eye!

The toads of Mount Myōboku exchanged congratulatory messages in the live broadcast room.

"Will the Precognition Buddha Eye predict about you, Master?" Honghong inquired.

"No," Yasao replied firmly. "No one can foresee my future."

His confidence stemmed from his deduction system, which didn't allow anyone to glimpse his future.

Mount Myōboku.

The Great Toad Sage acquired the Precognition Buddha Eye from the live broadcast room, and the golden Buddha eye nestled into his palm.

He promptly pressed the Precognition Buddha Eye against his left eye, integrating its vision with his own.

"Would you like to test the Precognition Buddha Eye's ability?" the Great Toad Sage contemplated. 

He initially considered predicting Yasao but recalled that his previous prediction of Yasao had been futile. 

Yasao had a well-guarded secret that might prevent the Precognition Buddha Eye from predicting his future.

"Use it on Fukasaku! He's the closest to me," the Great Toad Sage decided.

Fukasaku was the only suitable candidate.

He said, "Activate the Precognition Buddha Eye!"

Instantly, Sage Fukasaku was enveloped in the Buddha eye's light. Soon, future images manifested in his eyes. One of the images portrayed Sage Fukasaku impaled by a black stick, meeting his demise.

Observing this, the Great Toad Sage told Fukasaku, "Fukasaku, there's something I need to tell you."

Sage Fukasaku listened and replied, "Master, please go ahead."

"In the future, you'll meet your end," the Great Toad Sage warned.

Fukasaku nodded, unfazed. "I know."

Toads had finite lifespans. They all perished when their time was up. Even the toads who lived during the era of the Great Toad Sage hadn't survived. 

Only the Great Toad Sage had an exceptionally long lifespan, with the rest typically living for only a few decades.

Sage toads like him had longer lifespans, often reaching two to three hundred years or more, but it wouldn't exceed a thousand years. Fukasaku accepted his mortality, just like every other toad.

Great Toad Sage noticed Fukasaku's calm and explained, "I mean, you'll be killed soon."

"Old toad confused, don't talk nonsense!" Sage Shima chided him. She often showed great respect for the Great Toad Sage, but she wasn't hesitant to scold him when the occasion called for it.

"Shima, I'm not confused this time. I used the Precognition Buddha Eye and saw a vision of Fukasaku being fatally pierced by someone with a black stick," the Great Toad Sage explained.

"I don't believe it. Take a closer look," Sage Shima insisted.

"The Precognition Buddha Eye can only be used once a year," the Great Toad Sage reminded.

"Great Toad Sage, my husband is really going to be killed by a human in the near future?" Sage Shima frowned.

"Yes," the Great Toad Sage affirmed.

"The future can be altered, so don't worry," Sage Fukasaku assured her.

The Great Toad Sage nodded in agreement, "The future is malleable. For instance, if Fukasaku doesn't leave Mount Myōboku, nothing will happen. The future image likely depicts a battlefield, but the Precognition Buddha Eye can only provide a specific glimpse into the future. Maybe I need to study it more to gain greater accuracy."

Thanks to the Great Toad Sage's insight, Sage Fukasaku responded, "I'll be cautious."

Mount Myōboku.

The Great Toad Sage put the Precognition Buddha Eye on Sage Fukasaku. The golden Buddha eye embedded itself into his left eye.

"Will the person who killed you really have Rinnegan and a black stick on his face?" Sage Fukasaku inquired.

"Indeed, Rinnegan," confirmed the Great Toad Sage. "It's quite an unusual combination."

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima made a mental note. If they ever encountered such a person in the future, they'd make a hasty retreat, which should keep them safe.

Soon, the reward for the fourteenth place on the pet list was announced.

This time, the reward went to Nine Tails.

In the live broadcast room, Nine Tails declared, "Hahaha, it's finally my turn to receive a reward!

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