Having soothed the mature woman's heart and body, Hii Kōri returned to the suite where Tsunade was staying, fully prepared for her to give him an earful.
After all, he had barely arrived before spending the night with another woman. Given Tsunade's fragile, sensitive state during pregnancy, getting angry would be perfectly normal.
Yet the cold stares and accusations he expected never came.
Tsunade was wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, sitting in the rocking chair by the window. When she heard the door open, she turned to give him a look that was more complicated than angry—enough to make him pause.
His gaze shifted slightly, and understanding dawned.
On the coffee table—laid with an elegant cloth—a white slug, about the length of a human forearm, striped with blue markings, lay quietly.
Like the toad sages Fukasaku and Shima that Jiraiya summoned, this slug radiated a clear, pure aura of natural energy—calm and clean.
He had told Tsunade yesterday that for questions about natural energy and the Dragon Veins, asking the Slug Sage would be more reliable and accurate. He hadn't expected her to act so quickly, summoning this slug here.
Judging by her expression, she had already asked.
"You… you're back."
Tsunade's voice wavered slightly. In the end, she didn't say anything else—just a simple greeting.
"Yeah."
Hii Kōri responded, then turned to the slug and gave a proper bow: "Nice to meet you, Slug Sage."
"Nice to meet you too, Hii-sama."
The slug raised its eyestalks slightly, responding in a gentle, soothing feminine voice. "I am merely an individual divided from the main Slug Sage's body. I am not truly the Slug Sage herself. There's no need to be so formal."
Already knowing this, Hii Kōri showed no surprise. He pulled up a chair and sat by the coffee table, his gaze sweeping the room.
Seeing his questioning look, Tsunade told him that Shizune and Sara were playing in the inner room, with Rashōmon watching them. He nodded and turned his attention to the slug.
The slug waved its eyestalks and went straight to the point in its calming voice: "I already know why Tsunade-sama summoned me. Hii-sama, how much do you know about that ancient disaster?"
"How much, huh…"
Hii Kōri rested his chin on his hand, tapping his index finger rhythmically as several barriers of different functions unfolded around them. "…Probably all of it. The Star Memories from the Dragon Veins are clear and complete—from the victims' perspectives. Just a lot of them. Takes some effort to recall."
"But… the true identity of the 'Rabbit Goddess' who descended from the heavens, the truth of the Divine Tree that drains planets' life, the true nature of the Sage of Six Paths… I know all of it."
"I understand."
The slug bobbed its body as if nodding, then responded with a hint of surprise: "Hii-sama's connection to the Dragon Veins is indeed very deep. You have even been granted this level of 'Authority.'"
"Oh my. That's quite an unexpected word."
Hii Kōri's eyebrows rose with interest. "Could you elaborate on that 'Authority'?"
"Of course. If Hii-sama asks, Katsuyu will hold nothing back."
Perhaps because its body didn't allow for the same range of expressions as a toad, the slug's tone was highly expressive—making its emotions easy to read.
Now, its voice took on a more serious tone: "Though the Three Great Sacred Lands are famous in the ninja world today, and their founders are honored as 'Sages,' originally, these founders were simply lifeforms that received blessings from the Star Blood."
"In the distant past, many lifeforms—including my main body—gained intelligence from the natural energy of the Star Blood. Those individuals were meant to serve as the planet's 'extended senses,' given roles to fulfill."
"But when the invaders from beyond descended, those lifeforms could no longer perform their duties. When the Divine Tree took root and began draining the planet's life force, three individuals—including my main body—did everything in their power to 'conserve' a portion of the natural energy, barely managing to hide it away."
"Those three became the Sages of today. Their hiding places became the prototypes of the Three Great Sacred Lands."
"And Hii-sama, as the contractor fully connected to the Dragon Veins, possess an Authority that surpasses even the original founders of the Sacred Lands."
The slug's voice carried a note of regret: "But the natural energy that was conserved back then has, over a thousand years, transformed to align with the natures of the three Sacred Lands. In this world today, the only pure current of natural energy that can still be called 'Star Blood' is the dying Dragon Veins in the desert of Rōran. Under these circumstances, your Authority cannot fully manifest its true effects."
Hii Kōri was silent, processing this.
He had indeed received immense blessings from the Dragon Veins—not just the authority to wield that natural energy and various interesting abilities, but also the ultimate question that had sprouted from it, worth dedicating everything to pursue. And the Dragon Veins… perhaps had also found a chance at salvation.
Just as his soul had fused with his original body's young self due to their similarities, wasn't there also a two-way connection between him and the Dragon Veins?
Gravity, perhaps.
Seeing him lost in thought, the slug waited quietly.
After a moment, Hii Kōri looked up and asked another question: "That term you mentioned earlier—'extended senses'—what exactly does that mean?"
"I suppose it's quite literal."
The slug's tone grew more hesitant. "My main body had not yet formally begun its duties when the Ōtsutsuki invaded this planet. So I don't know the specifics."
"But based on our abilities, I can guess. We were likely meant to serve as nodes for the planet's senses and functions. The Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku has the power of prophecy—to other intelligent beings, it seems like precognition, clairvoyance. But for the planet itself, it's simply a matter of certainty."
"The Star Memories record all information on this planet. Based on that, all future possibilities can be inferred."
"My main body seems to be responsible for the cycles of water, energy, and life."
"That sounds like deities with different domains."
Hii Kōri remarked with interest.
"Perhaps that was the intention."
The slug rose slightly, affirming his comment. "Human civilization was just beginning then—mostly tribal societies. Those lifeforms granted intelligence and special abilities were probably meant to serve as 'totem deities,' 'guardian spirits,' to guide humanity."
"Besides the three Sages who remain, there were likely many others. Unfortunately, only three survived. The others died in the past."
Hii Kōri nodded, satisfied. That certainly explained things.
"So, Hii-sama, what are your plans going forward?"
Summoned by Tsunade for this very question, the slug was genuinely curious about his thoughts.
"I'll have to deal with those bastards, won't I?"
Hii Kōri leaned back, his expression calm. "Without the Star Blood, this planet won't last long. Even if I distributed the remaining natural energy from the Dragon Veins and the Three Sacred Lands evenly across the world, it would be a drop in the bucket."
"Even if the planet's remaining lifespan far exceeds my own as a human—I don't really need to worry—the Ōtsutsuki are still a threat."
"And..."
His eyes lit up with pure fire. He lowered his hands between his open legs, fingertips touching. His tone grew eager: "What if we could convert the Ōtsutsuki—who have drained the life from countless planets—back into natural energy? Use that to feed this dying planet?"
"I've no intention of being some world-saving hero. But with my hands, my technology, my techniques… hatching a dying planet's soul back to life… doesn't that sound interesting?"
"...I understand."
The slug was silent for a long moment, as if affected by the sudden passion radiating from Hii Kōri. Then its tone shifted—now tinged with excitement of its own: "Though I am merely a divided body of the main Slug Sage, on this matter, I can represent Shikkotsu Forest in offering you support."
As it spoke, a puff of smoke burst on the table. When it cleared, a scroll lay there.
"This is our summoning contract. If you need to train in Sage Mode, or require Shikkotsu's power for any reason, you can summon us at any time."
The slug crawled to the scroll, unrolled it slightly. The most recent signature was Tsunade's.
"Though Shikkotsu's Sage Mode was developed based on our slug physiology and is completely unsuitable for human cultivation, the natural energy in the Three Sacred Lands is more active than the dying Dragon Veins. With the Authority granted by the Dragon Veins and your precision in energy manipulation, even developing your own method should progress quickly."
Hii Kōri had no reason to refuse such a windfall.
He'd been wondering about getting a summoning creature. And here it was. Though the slug's own abilities were of limited use to him, just the applications of reverse summoning were a jackpot—not to mention the natural energy of Shikkotsu Forest.
He pricked his index finger with his nail and wrote his name in blood neatly below Tsunade's.
"I actually have a project right now that needs a lot of energy. I was going to wait until after Tsunade gives birth and go back to Sunagakure to borrow more chakra from Shukaku. Guess I don't have to wait so long now."
"Glad to be of help."
With the contract established, the slug sensed the bond formed by the blood contract and wriggled contentedly.
It rolled up the scroll, turned to Tsunade, offered some gentle advice about taking care of her health, and then returned to Shikkotsu Forest to report to its main body.
With the slug gone, the room fell briefly silent.
Tsunade licked her lips—still moist but inexplicably dry—and asked Hii Kōri in a voice heavy with complex emotion: "Why… didn't you tell me sooner?"
"What good would tell you do? It would only add to your worries, wouldn't it?"
He squeezed into the double-wide rocking chair, took her hand—which seemed a little plumper lately—and played with it absently. "Too much thinking isn't good for your health."
"I thought my vague hints yesterday would hold you off until after Kao was born. But I underestimated your initiative—you went straight to summoning Katsuyu to get all the answers."
"Huh..."
Tsunade made a muffled sound, knowing he was right but still frustrated. "So besides me, who else knows?"
"Me and Rashōmon. Maybe Akane. You know her ancestors were the Dragon Veins' contractors. That's what we were discussing last night."
He reached out and rested his hand on her swollen belly, feeling the life within, his tone light: "Don't worry. Just live how you want to live. Hate me if you want—no need to feel burdened. One thing is one thing, right?"
"Besides, that Rabbit Goddess has been locked in the moon for over a thousand years. That long in solitary, she's probably brain-dead by now. I could just seduce her and take her down."
He didn't mention Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, still hiding somewhere in the ninja world. No need to burden her with distant problems.
Tsunade thought about how he'd likely spent last night "comforting" another woman, then his talk of seduction, and couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. She grabbed the cushion from the armrest and threw it at him.
"Get lost!"
"Alright, alright. I'm going~"
Hii Kōri caught the cushion, tucked it back behind her, and raised his hands in surrender.
He stood, his expression more serious: "I'll take Sara back to Akane first, then I'll be in the workshop for a while. If anything comes up, send someone to find me."
From the documents he'd reviewed earlier, the stress in some small structural parts had been mostly relieved. With Shikkotsu's energy support, he could finally start building the puppet he'd been planning.
"Alright."
Having been "spoiled" on information that was meant for the "next version," Tsunade felt that even if she couldn't help, she should at least not hold him back.
She tilted her head, watching him walk toward the inner room, and softly called out another name.
"Father of my child."
***
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