Chapter 303: The Interlocking Prophecies!

Chapter 303: The Interlocking Prophecies!

Was it possible that a steady, step-by-step approach was no longer suitable for this shinobi world, which was full of brutes?

Hearing Tsunade spill his true goal without a moment's hesitation, Nara Keisuke quickly performed a self-review.

However, when Katsuyu turned her "gaze" toward him, he firmly chose to stand on a united front with Princess Tsunade.

"That is correct!"

Nara Keisuke solemnly confirmed Princess Tsunade's statement.

"Katsuyu-sama, I have long admired the Senjutsu inheritance of Shikkotsu Forest, one of the three legendary Sage lands. I wonder if I might be able to ask you a few questions regarding natural energy and Sage Mode?"

The conversation had already reached this stage. There was no point in Nara Keisuke trying to be coy.

If he denied his interest in Shikkotsu Forest's Senjutsu now, it would only make it harder to access it in the future.

He might even leave a bad impression on Katsuyu or Princess Tsunade.

And so, Nara Keisuke also chose to be direct.

"If Nara-sama has any questions, please feel free to ask. I will certainly answer to the best of my ability."

Katsuyu replied softly.

"However, the natural energy in the outside world is not particularly abundant. Nara-sama, would you like me to summon both you and Tsunade-sama to Shikkotsu Forest?"

As the master of Shikkotsu Forest, Katsuyu, who had mastered the Reverse Summoning Technique, could naturally summon her contractors to Shikkotsu Forest for a face-to-face chat.

"You don't need to include me!"

Tsunade waved her hands repeatedly, rejecting Katsuyu's suggestion. Her desire for Sage Mode was quite limited; her attitude was one of "if I get it, great; if not, c'est la vie."

If Shimura Danzō wasn't so disgusting, and Orochimaru wasn't so punchable, and she didn't have such a capable man like Nara Keisuke, Tsunade would have washed her hands of it all and retired right now.

Train in [Sage Mode]? That was just too much trouble!

She wasn't like Nara, a man who was insatiable and never satisfied.

Although she didn't know why Nara Keisuke, who was already so strong, was still pursuing further increases and breakthroughs in strength.

But for a man, being ambitious was always a good thing.

At some point, Tsunade's image of Nara Keisuke had deviated just a tiny bit. She truly believed he was a motivated, positive, and sunny "good man of Konoha"…

After Tsunade's refusal, Nara Keisuke also politely declined Katsuyu's invitation.

He needed to make some preparations before going to Shikkotsu Forest to meet one of the three legendary Sages.

"In that case, I shall await Nara-sama's next summoning."

Katsuyu's attitude remained gentle and compliant from beginning to end.

"As soon as Nara-sama is ready, I will bring you to Shikkotsu Forest."

After nodding to both Nara Keisuke and Tsunade, Katsuyu canceled the Summoning Technique herself, dissipating in a puff of smoke. A single scroll was left in her place.

Tsunade looked at the item on the ground, confused.

"Hm? Why did Katsuyu leave a scroll?"

"That wasn't left by her. It was the apology gift I was about to give her."

Nara Keisuke shook his head, manipulating the Shadow Gathering Jutsu to bring the scroll over with a shadow tentacle.

"An apology gift? Aren't you being a bit too... polite?"

Tsunade was slightly amused by his actions.

"What's in this scroll? Another new jutsu?"

"No, it's just a very ordinary [Corrosion Release Chakra Production Method]."

Nara Keisuke shrugged, stuffing the scroll back into his ninja pouch. He planned to give it to her the next time he went to Shikkotsu Forest.

"Corrosion Release…"

A look of shock appeared on Tsunade's face.

Before she could speak, Nara Keisuke took the initiative to explain.

"Yes, just as you're thinking. This is the research result from Kirigakure, a Kekkei Genkai developed from the Six-Tails' special ability—a strong acid formed by fusing Water and Fire Release."

Is that the main point?

Shouldn't the main point be why you have the Six-Tails' Kekkei Genkai?

Wasn't it the Three-Tails you captured in the Land of Hot Water the other day?

Tsunade's thoughts were a bit chaotic.

"So, why would you give [Corrosion Release] to Katsuyu as a gift? I mean, why that specific one?"

"Because the Six-Tails, Saiken, is a giant slug. At least, that's what it looks like to me. A giant slug with six tails."

Nara Keisuke replied calmly.

"Although the idea is a bit presumptuous, I do feel there must be some special connection between the Six-Tails and Katsuyu. And Katsuyu's attitude just now confirmed it; she at least knows of the Six-Tails' existence.

"That's why I wanted to give her the [Corrosion Release] as a gift. You know, to cater to her interests."

The scheming of the Nara Clan...

Tsunade sighed internally, but immediately focused her attention on the interesting gossip.

"Katsuyu and the Six-Tails are really connected? What's the deal with them? Is it the kind of relationship I'm imagining?"

"I can probably guess what kind of relationship you're imagining…"

Seeing Tsunade's sudden excitement, Nara Keisuke felt inexplicably annoyed.

"But the problem is, I really don't know. Katsuyu didn't explain her opinion of the Six-Tails.

"But, one is an immortal Sage, and the other is a magical Tailed Beast. And they're both slugs—or at least they look like slugs. It's normal for them to have a little connection."

Tsunade's eyes were practically shining.

What Nara Keisuke said had undoubtedly opened a door to a new world for her.

Before today, she had never associated Katsuyu with "love"...

Could it be…

'A thousand years of loneliness in Shikkotsu Forest, all in waiting for her 'him'?'

At this thought, Tsunade couldn't help but clasp her hands together, her beautiful brown eyes narrowing into slits.

If Nara Keisuke knew what Tsunade was really thinking, he would have definitely given her a massive eye-roll.

Although the Six-Tails, Saiken, looked like a giant slug, it wasn't really a slug.

And Katsuyu Sage, who didn't look like a normal slug, really was just a slug.

They were different species, how could they be in love?

Rather than imagining some kind of forbidden, unspeakable romance between Katsuyu and the Six-Tails, it was more likely they had a "creator" relationship.

Nara Keisuke sorted through the intelligence he had.

The Six-Tails was one of the Tailed Beasts created by the Sage of Six Paths when he split the Ten-Tails.

Katsuyu's specific age was unknown, but she was basically a contemporary of the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku.

As for who was older, the Great Toad Sage or the Sage of Six Paths?

Nara Keisuke didn't know the answer.

But they should be from the same era.

So…

The Six-Tails, Saiken, was created by the Sage of Six Paths in reference to Katsuyu's image?

This guess was just Nara Keisuke's personal speculation.

But verifying it... wasn't impossible.

The Five-Tails, Kokuō, was lazing about in a forest in the Land of Hot Water, bored, watching the clouds roll by.

These days, Kokuō felt like it had returned to the free-spirited era of the past.

It would nap in the forest, rest, and when the mood struck, it would gallop across the land.

It seemed like a happy life, but Kokuō always felt something was missing.

Just then, a mass of shadows appeared in Kokuō's pure white fur. The great white steed's boredom was instantly swept away.

"Keisuke, you're here?"

"Kokuō."

Nara Keisuke found a good spot on Kokuō's head and lay flat.

"I've come to ask for your help."

"Hm?"

The Five-Tails, Kokuō, leaped up from the ground, its eyes bright as it scanned the surroundings.

"Are we fighting someone?"

"Not a fight, and there's no need to fight right now."

Nara Keisuke gently patted Kokuō's head, signaling it to calm down.

"With you wandering the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost, those Kumogakure ninjas wouldn't dare advance."

The Five-Tails, Kokuō's recent actions were, of course, witnessed and permitted by Nara Keisuke.

In any case, Nara Keisuke was still the supreme commander of the Kumogakure defense line.

Although Kumogakure had lost a unit head-on in battle, and later lost top-tier assets like the Third Raikage and the AB Combo, they were still one of the "Five Great Shinobi Villages" and had a deep foundation.

Without the help of the Third Raikage (Nara-Raikage), his high-level spy, Nara Keisuke couldn't control Kumogakure's desire for war.

Although he felt the probability of Kumogakure attacking the Land of Hot Water in their "crippled state" was low, considering the battle-style of those Kumo muscle-heads, Nara Keisuke wouldn't rule it out completely.

In this situation, the Five-Tails, Kokuō's "wandering" was especially important.

With the Third Raikage and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki "mysteriously missing," and the AB Combo either dead or captured, Kumogakure, in its current state, had no way to deal with a wild Five-Tails.

Not to mention, the Five-Tails, Kokuō, and the Shadow of Darkness were deeply bound!

With Kokuō making its presence known from time to time, Kumogakure's willingness to go to war would definitely be affected.

"Oh, so no fighting…"

Kokuō lay back down on the forest grass.

"Then what is it? Did something happen with Isobu?"

"Not Isobu. It's about Saiken."

Nara Keisuke finally asked his question.

"Kokuō, do you know about the Three Great Sage Lands? Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest."

"I've heard of them," Kokuō replied flatly.

"But I haven't had any contact with them. Why are you asking about Saiken?"

"Before I ask that, I want to know something else."

Nara Keisuke continued.

"Kokuō, which appeared first: you Tailed Beasts, or the Three Great Sage Lands?"

"That question… let me think."

The Five-Tails, Kokuō, sank into deep memory. After a long while, it spoke, somewhat uncertainly.

"I don't have much concept of the 'Three Great Sage Lands' you mentioned, but the old man (Sage of Six Paths) did have a deep relationship with a toad named 'Gamamaru.' That toad once gave the old man a prophecy.

"Something like, 'The blue-eyed boy who plays, calling the names of the nine beasts, will bring change to the world,' right?

"When I was young, I had not heard the name Mount Myōboku. It was only later that I learned of such a place from humans.

"So, to be precise, the Three Great Sage Lands should have appeared first?"

Nara Keisuke nodded slightly.

What Kokuō said was not much different from the intelligence he possessed.

Then Katsuyu's age should be greater than the Six-Tails'.

So…

Is Katsuyu really the Six-Tails' mother?

But the prophecy Kokuō mentioned…

"I actually think that Great Toad from Mount Myōboku, Gamamaru, is very unreliable."

The Five-Tails, Kokuō, began to talk about the "prophecy."

"Although there are rumors that his prophecies are 100% correct, the old man (Sage of Six Paths) has been dead for so long, and his prophecy never came true. Even we Tailed Beasts became… sigh.

"In short, Keisuke, don't hang around that group of mystical, muttering toads from Mount Myōboku. They are not normal."

"Kokuō, you probably don't know, but that Great Toad Sage—Gamamaru—he recently made a new prophecy."

Nara Keisuke thought for a moment, then decided to speak.

"And it's somewhat related to your old prophecy.

"Remember that white-haired uncle from the other day? He is the 'central figure' of this prophecy.

"The Great Toad Sage once gave Jiraiya a prophecy: that his disciple would bring a great change to the shinobi world, either peace or destruction… you get the gist."

"Gamamaru made another prophecy?"

The Five-Tails, Kokuō's five long tails twitched in annoyance.

"That white-haired human, does he really have what it takes to teach a Child of Prophecy?"

"From a pure shinobi standpoint, Jiraiya's abilities are basically at the peak," Nara Keisuke said, not speaking ill of Jiraiya at this moment.

"As for his disciple…

"Remember Minato Namikaze? The blond-haired, blue-eyed ninja. He is one of Jiraiya's disciples. And right now, many people believe he is the Child of Prophecy, or even... the savior."