Inside the forest, thick fog rose everywhere.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Arisu moved through the forest countless times, his senses scanning the surroundings.
Mount Myoboku was always bright as day.
Ryuchi Cave was dark with no light at all.
As for Shikkotsu Forest, thick fog was rising everywhere, like being stuck in some kind of backrooms level.
"Strange, my sensing clearly shows it's nearby, so why isn't it here?"
Arisu felt slightly confused.
The original work explained it very clearly.
The Katsuyu that Tsunade and Sakura summoned was only a small part of the Slug Sage's body.
In other words, the Slug Sage had to be extremely huge.
It should be something you could see at a glance.
But Arisu searched for a long time and still did not see even a shadow.
Yet his sensing clearly told him it should be nearby.
Arisu thought for a moment. "Strange, Sage sensing can't be wrong… unless…"
As he spoke, Arisu seemed to understand something and looked at the ground beneath his feet with amazement.
"Sage, you've been here the whole time?"
Arisu suddenly understood and spoke out.
The moment his words fell, the entire ground of Shikkotsu Forest began to shake.
The once solid land and trees all turned into slugs.
'So that is it! The entire Shikkotsu Forest is on the Slug Sage's body!' Arisu rose into the air, shock flashing through his eyes.
"So that's how it is… it really is unbelievably huge…"
It turned out that the moment Arisu stepped into Shikkotsu Forest, he had already found the Slug Sage.
The Slug Sage was the land beneath his feet.
"Hehe… you discovered it very quickly… you are the first human to step into my Shikkotsu Forest."
"White-Brow and Black Snake have already told me about you. Since you want to learn, then I will teach you." The Slug Sage spoke gently.
The next second, a scroll appeared in front of Arisu.
At the same time, a small slug landed on Arisu's shoulder.
The small slug spoke softly, "Lord Arisu, from now on I will assist you in learning Sage Arts!"
Arisu was slightly stunned. 'This Slug Sage is way too easy to talk to, isn't she?'
Just like in the original story, her voice was very pleasant.
"Many thanks, Sage!" Arisu still said the same thing.
Arisu, 'I will not be polite.'
He immediately began learning.
———
Almost another month passed.
Patterns similar to those of Hashirama Senju appeared on Arisu's face.
(A/N: The original work did not say that Hashirama Senju's Sage Art came from Shikkotsu Forest, but in this story, we set that Hashirama Senju's Sage Art comes from Shikkotsu Forest.)
"As expected, it's similar to Hashirama Senju…"
Arisu smiled faintly and used Sage Art to condense a water mirror, looking at himself in it.
On his face were almost the same markings as Hashirama Senju.
"But Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Art has the same reaction as Ryuchi Cave."
Arisu sensed it.
That was, Sage Arts could not be used at the same time.
Just like with Ryuchi Cave.
If he wanted to use Sage Art, he could only choose one.
For example, if he wanted to use Ryuchi Cave's Sage Art, he would need to shut off the other Sage Arts.
'This is a problem. I need to find a way to merge these Sage Arts.' Arisu stroked his chin and thought.
It was hard to imagine how powerful it would become if the three great Sage Arts plus the Monkey Sage Art were fused together.
"Take it slow. In just a few months, I've learned so many Sage Arts. If I go too fast, I still need time to digest it."
After that, Arisu signed a contract with Shikkotsu Forest.
Then he said goodbye to the Slug Sage.
When he returned to Mount Myoboku, Arisu saw a crying frog.
"Wuu wuu, Lord White-Brow Great Sage, please take in this frog. He has no home, his parents are both gone…" A scar-faced toad knelt in front of White-Brow Toad and cried out.
"What happened?" Arisu stepped forward at this moment and saw the scene.
"Arisu is back… it's nothing, just a toad orphan. Very common." White-Brow Toad sighed deeply and spoke.
Arisu raised his eyebrow slightly and looked at the pitiful little toad. He then crouched down and asked, "Little toad, what's your name?"
The scar-faced toad quickly nudged the little toad. "Speak quickly. This is Sage Arisu!"
The little toad looked at Arisu and hurriedly said, "Hello, Sage Arisu. My name is Gamamaru."
"Gamamaru? Oh… hmm?"
Arisu first nodded, then a trace of surprise flashed through him.
'Gamamaru?'
That name felt very familiar.
'Wait, wasn't the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku in the future also called Gamamaru?'
Thinking of this, Arisu looked at the toad named Gamamaru with slight surprise. He still needed to confirm.
"Gamamaru, let me ask you, do you dream at night?" Arisu asked calmly.
Surprise flashed in Gamamaru's eyes, and he nodded quickly. "Sage Arisu is truly unfathomable. I do dream! And the dreams I have all come true!"
Hearing this, Arisu smiled slightly. "What have you dreamed about?"
"I dreamed that I would become the leader of Mount Myoboku in the future." Gamamaru answered honestly.
As soon as these words came out, the scar-faced toad beside him instantly darkened his expression and scolded, "Gamamaru, in front of two Sages, don't act mysterious and pretend to be divine!"
"I was wrong. I'm sorry, two Sages!"
Gamamaru realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly lowered his head to apologize.
Arisu smiled faintly and looked at White-Brow Toad. "Grandpa White-Brow, what do you think?"
"Just childish talk. How could we take it seriously? But a toad dreaming is indeed rare." White-Brow smiled and waved his hand.
Arisu clasped his hands behind his back and looked Gamamaru up and down, then spoke, "Gamamaru, you have no father or mother. In that case, are you willing to sign a contract with me?"
The moment these words were spoken, Gamamaru was stunned.
Not only Gamamaru, even White-Brow Toad and the scar-faced toad beside him doubted their own ears.
You must know, at this time Arisu was the number two figure of Mount Myoboku. Aside from White-Brow Toad, he was the boss of the entire Mount Myoboku.
Moreover, Arisu had only signed a contract with one toad.
That was the leader of Mount Myoboku, White-Brow Toad.
Those who signed contracts with Arisu were all big figures.
White Snake Sage, White Ape King, White-Brow Toad were all top-level beings.
And what about Gamamaru?
An orphan toad who only knew how to daydream all day, basically like a roadside nobody standing there like a lackey.
Are you saying the dignified number two of Mount Myoboku, the simultaneous contractor of the three great Sage lands, would sign a contract with you, an ordinary little toad who only knows how to daydream?
"Sage Arisu, this… this isn't appropriate, is it?"
The scar-faced toad also felt this was a joke and spoke nervously.
Gamamaru did not dare to speak at this moment, but hope shone in his eyes.
He firmly believed that his dreams would come true. It was just that no toad believed him.
Could it be that Sage Arisu saw his talent and felt he had ability?
"Of course. Come, Gamamaru." Arisu smiled slightly and took out the scroll.
And just like that, in a daze, Gamamaru signed the contract.
"From now on, move next to me and live with me." Arisu looked at Gamamaru and said.
"Why aren't you thanking the Sage?" the scar-faced toad quickly reminded him.
Only then did Gamamaru snap out of it! He quickly cupped his hands in salute.
After Gamamaru left, White-Brow Toad looked at Arisu with a smile. "Arisu, why did you sign a contract with this toad?"
Arisu smiled slightly. "I just found him interesting."
White-Brow Toad still smiled. "It seems, Arisu, you also saw what makes this toad different…"
Arisu raised an eyebrow, then his face darkened. "Grandpa White-Brow, don't tell me you noticed Gamamaru long ago?"
White-Brow Toad only smiled without speaking.