Chapter 51: My Secret Contract with the Sage

"Perhaps it is destiny stirring…" The voice of the Slug Sage rumbled from the depths of the earth, making every drop of liquid in the swamp and every leaf in the vast forest tremble.

"A dozen days ago, young Tsunade brought the Blastsword: Shibuki. That extremely tough silk cloth was a piece of that man's clothing. Even after a thousand years, I recognized it at a glance."

"That man is the Sage of Six Paths."

'The Sage of Six Paths… Did he once predict the fates of the toads, white snakes, and slugs of the three great lands?' Yuto was moved.

He remained silent, still kneeling as he listened.

"The toad dies of old age, so that guy is getting increasingly decrepit. The last time we met, his skin was hanging down to the ground."

"The white snake sheds its skin and hibernates in Ryuchi Cave year-round, so it barely changes its appearance. It's the laziest and most leisurely."

"The slug is immortal… hahahaha…"

The ever-living sage suddenly burst into laughter, with no intention of stopping.

Yuto's intuition told him that this laughter contained emotions far from "joy."

The Slug Sage only stopped laughing when all the trees within dozens of kilometers had collapsed.

"Anyway, everything runs according to the Sage of Six Paths' prophecy. He is the founder of the chakra and the first to comprehend the true essence of chakra. His power is ancient and unmatched, and those eyes of his can see far, far away."

"I enjoy immortality but must also accept this fate. Even after another thousand years, the slug will not die and will still live underground in the Shikkotsu Forest."

"However, a small bird tries to break its cage with its beak."

"This is a trivial matter, so small it's not worth mentioning, like a new shoot sprouting from a great tree at Konoha's gate. But even the smallest thing is different in my eyes."

The gentle voice suddenly stopped, and the vast Shikkotsu Forest became so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Despite his thoughts being exposed, Yuto remained extremely calm, and deep inside, he even felt a strange sense of relief.

He raised his head and removed his forehead protector, revealing the ugly green caged bird mark, "Slug Sage, may I ask how you knew…?"

"The Land of Waves. Though you had a thin needle in your mouth to prevent yourself from talking in your sleep, the fluctuating chakra already told me many things. When that slug returned to my body, I knew… Don't worry, there are very few who can interpret emotions from chakra in this world. And at that time, there was only me beside you."

"The Land of Waves, huh." Yuto shrugged, "So, what do you think of my idea?"

"Let's look around the Shikkotsu Forest," the Slug Sage replied.

Yuto almost laughed inappropriately, almost thinking that this ancient slug was telling him a cold joke to tease him.

But clearly, the sage's answer was not a joke.

The boy knew what the slug meant—

What you want to do is none of my business. I won't interfere, and I certainly won't tell anyone.

This answer fit the slug's identity perfectly.

She had lived for a thousand years, existing long before the shinobi villages. To her, the affairs of the world were insignificant.

To her, Konoha's internal affairs might seem like child's play. In a few hundred years, everything would change. Maybe even the concept of shinobi villages would no longer exist, but she, the Slug Sage, would still live in the Shikkotsu Forest.

After all… "The slug is immortal."

That is her fate.

But this wasn't enough. Since the conversation had reached this point, it would be a waste not to push further… Yuto thought, not planning to stop here.

—If you truly believed in fair competition and didn't get close to the leadership, you'd never get promoted.

Like all transmigrators, Yuto was a cunning outsider.

Moreover, from the Slug Sage's words, it seemed she wasn't satisfied with the fate of being "immortal."

"Whatever you do, I won't tell anyone," was already a form of tacit approval.

Though he didn't know the specific reason, Yuto sensed that the Slug Sage had some hidden expectations regarding what he planned to do.

After a moment's thought, Yuto cautiously said, "Slug Sage, the world has become quite chaotic lately. Even the most peaceful and stable place, Konoha, is stockpiling ninja tools and ration pills."

"As a shinobi, both for public and personal reasons, I will stand on the battlefield and fight the enemies. Given my current status, I'll probably hold a position and act with my village comrades. But, I also want a private space of my own."

Yuto smiled wickedly, knowing the Slug Sage understood what this "private space" was for.

"Recently, I've set up a few underground bases to tinker with some scientific experiments..."

"However, on the battlefield, certain items can't be moved easily, and I can't use sealing scrolls as they're military supplies under control. So… can I summon slugs to help me transport them? If necessary, even store them in the Shikkotsu Forest?"

As a signer of the summoning blood contract, Yuto had the right to make such a request. What he truly meant was, "When I use slugs for rogue activities, can you keep it a secret?"

Before long, the rumbling underground returned:

"Before this, if Tsunade asked, the slugs would tell her what you did with the summoning jutsu. But from today, it will no longer be the case. Your authority will be the highest among the summoners. The slugs will prioritize your commands. Of course, Tsunade or Konoha… no one will know about this change."

Yuto let out a sigh of relief.

As expected, the Slug Sage understood the hidden meaning in his words, establishing a certain degree of mutual understanding.

The branch family boy suddenly recalled an old saying from his past life, "An old fox is cunning, an old horse is slippery, and an old rabbit is hard for the hawk to catch!"

Living in the Shikkotsu Forest for a thousand years, even a piece of wood would become sentient over time.

The wisdom and thoughts of such an ancient creature were indeed difficult to fathom.

"Then, Slug Sage, I, Yuto, will take my leave." Yuto understood the principle of quitting while ahead. He put on his forehead protector and was about to leave the Shikkotsu Forest.

However, he didn't expect the Slug Sage's gentle voice to echo in his ears once more:

"Yuto… What's the weather like outside?"

The branch family boy paused, then answered:

"Sage, it's very sunny. A very fine day."

"A sunny day…"

Yuto didn't quite understand, but he still respectfully left.

The boundless Shikkotsu Forest was once again left with a sea of trees, a swamp, and the slugs dwelling underground.

No one knew how much time had passed. Maybe an hour, a day, or a month, before the gentle voice slowly rumbled through the Shikkotsu Forest:

"A sunny day… The last time I basked in the sun was… a thousand years ago."

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TN: "人老奸,马老滑,兔子老了鹰难拿!"

This phrase is a Chinese proverb which translates to "As people age, they become more cunning; as horses age, they become more crafty; when rabbits get old, even eagles have a hard time catching them!"

Or

"An old fox is cunning, an old horse is slippery, and an old rabbit is hard for the hawk to catch!"

The meaning of this saying is that with age comes wisdom and experience, making older individuals (or animals) more skillful and difficult to deceive or catch.

(End of Chapter)