"Who wants to go first?"
Arisu smiled as he looked at everyone in front of him.
At this moment, everyone's gaze, as if by unspoken agreement, turned toward Otsutsuki Kaguya.
Her figure was tall and slender, and the plain long dress she wore made her look cold and detached, almost otherworldly.
When it came to her connection with Arisu, she was the earliest person in the ninja world to know him. And in everyone's eyes, Kaguya was also quite close to Arisu.
In their hearts, they all assumed that the first birthday gift should naturally be presented by Kaguya.
Gamamaru also gently turned his head, his gaze falling on Kaguya.
"Hmph..."
Kaguya smiled faintly in her heart.
She also felt that it should indeed be her to go first. She immediately lifted her foot slightly, about to step forward and respond.
"I'll go first!"
A clear and lively female voice, like a spring oriole, interrupted Kaguya's movement.
Kaguya's brows instantly furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly. The cold look in her eyes darkened a little as she turned toward the source of the voice.
She saw faint blue-white mist rising out of nowhere.
Immediately after, a massive crimson serpent suddenly revealed itself from within the mist.
And on top of the crimson giant snake's head, four figures stood steadily.
At the front, a young girl wore a pink and white long dress. The hem fluttered lightly in the immortal wind. Her figure was slender and graceful, her face delicate and small, her skin smooth like jade.
On the high platform, the moment Arisu saw the girl, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"She came too..."
Arisu slowly stood up on his own initiative.
"So it's the White Snake Sage. I didn't expect you to come in person. That really adds more liveliness to this birthday banquet."
Arisu smiled faintly as he stepped forward to greet her.
The one who came was the ruler of Ryuchi Cave, the White Snake Sage. She had known Arisu for a thousand years and shared a deep relationship with him.
Upon hearing of his thousand-year birthday, she accepted the invitation and personally rushed over.
She lightly stepped down from Hitsuki's head, descending gracefully like a butterfly. She walked straight toward the high platform, showing none of the distance typical of an otherworldly sage. Instead, she smiled as she looked at Arisu.
"Brother Arisu, although we've each stayed in our own sacred lands all these years and rarely had the chance to meet, how could I possibly miss such a big occasion like your thousand-year birthday?"
The White Snake said with a smile.
She didn't address him as "Great Sage" like the others. Instead, she called him "Brother Arisu," and the closeness in her tone was obvious.
Arisu immediately waved his hand with a smile, not minding the familiarity at all.
"These are the four disciples I've carefully taught in Ryuchi Cave, Tagorihime, Tagitsuhime, Ichikishimahime, and Hitsuki. You four, follow me and greet the Great Sage!"
The White Snake Sage then turned slightly and looked back at the three girls and Hitsuki on the serpent's head, her tone carrying a hint of authority.
The three girls in simple and elegant dresses immediately walked down along Hitsuki's body, their eyes full of curiosity toward the legendary figure.
"Greetings, Great Sage!" ×3
The three of them bowed together with full respect.
They had long heard many of Arisu's deeds from the White Snake Sage.
In their hearts, they were curious about what kind of person he was, to make their usually aloof master think of him for so many years and come so solemnly to celebrate his birthday.
"This little snake greets the Great Sage!"
Even Hitsuki, who was usually unruly and bad-tempered, spoke respectfully.
"No need to be so formal. Ryuchi Cave and Mount Myoboku have always had deep ties. We're all one family. You're all juniors, just be at ease."
Seeing this, Arisu stepped forward two steps and said gently with a smile.
Kaguya stood to the side the entire time.
She watched everything unfold. Watching Arisu stand up to greet her, watching the White Snake Sage interact with him so familiarly and intimately.
Kaguya's brows furrowed a little tighter. A faint trace of displeasure flashed in her cold eyes.
A subtle feeling of bitterness and discomfort rose in her heart.
The step she had been about to take forward quietly stopped in place.
The White Snake Sage only glanced at Kaguya lightly and didn't say anything.
She then took out an exquisite green scroll from her sleeve and held it with both hands as she presented it to Arisu. Her eyes curved as she smiled brightly.
"Brother Arisu, for your thousand-year birthday, I didn't prepare any rare treasures. I remember you mentioning long ago that you like poetry, so I personally wrote you a birthday verse."
"It's not particularly refined, but it's my sincere intention. I wish you long blessings and longevity!"
After speaking, she gently unfolded the scroll.
The handwriting on the scroll was neat and lively, each word clear. A simple and easy-to-understand birthday verse was displayed before everyone.
The lines were filled with admiration for Arisu's thousand-year achievements and blessings for his birthday,
"For a thousand years you guarded the mortal world, protecting humanity."
"You quelled Isshiki's chaos and brought an end to war."
"You broke the Infinite Tsukuyomi and sealed Kaguya, your grace filling the ninja world."
"You spread teachings and nurtured talents, the lineage continues."
"You compiled history, recording the passage of years."
"Today we celebrate your immortal age reaching a thousand, with everlasting joy and peace."
———
"Good! Good! Good!"
Arisu laughed and clapped his hands, praising it as a fine poem.
Kaguya, standing nearby, felt a bit uncomfortable. The poem even mentioned sealing her...
As soon as the White Snake finished, Shikkotsu Forest's side arrived. Arisu could be considered half a member of Shikkotsu Forest, after all, he had learned their sage arts.
After that came the Monkey Sage clan.
Arisu could also be considered half a successor of the Monkey Sage clan, as he had learned their sage arts as well.
Then came the segment where gifts were presented one by one.
Kaguya slowly stepped forward, her posture cold and elegant. She held a finely mounted scroll painting with both hands and gently handed it to Arisu.
"This is something I painted myself, as a birthday gift for you.", Kaguya said as she looked at Arisu.
Arisu raised his hand to accept it and slowly unfolded the scroll.
What appeared before him was not the usual ink wash painting of the ninja world, but a vividly colored oil painting.
The person in the painting was himself, holding the Six Paths Sword. His posture was straight like a pine tree.
Behind him floated the golden staff transformed from the White Ape King, surrounded by spiritual light.
At his feet, the Ten-Tails lay subdued, its presence imposing. The entire image was filled with heroic spirit and great majesty.
It even made him look a bit better than the portrait Hagoromo painted back then.
Looking at the painting, the corners of Arisu's mouth lifted slightly as he nodded with a smile.
"It's very well done, Kaguya. I like it.", Arisu said warmly.
Next was Gamamaru.
"Teacher, this is a small car I made. It can move. Although it can't travel a thousand miles in a day, you can treat it as a toy."
Gamamaru said with a smile as he handed over a scroll containing the small car.
Arisu smiled and nodded as he accepted it.
After that, Fukasaku and Black Zetsu presented their gift together.
The two of them gave a massive paper book.
"Sage, this is the complete encyclopedia of the ninja world that we compiled together."
The two said respectfully in unison.
"Good, not bad!"
Arisu smiled slightly when he saw it.
After that came Shima, Gamabunta, and the many disciples and descendants of Mount Myoboku, including the descendants of the toads who had once compiled history for Arisu.
But as it went on, Arisu became more and more distracted.
Because the nine tailed beasts had not come.
He clearly remembered instructing the White Zetsu to send them invitations.
When celebrating his birthday, Arisu really wanted to see the nine tailed beasts.
Just as Arisu was celebrating his birthday,
a major event occurred in the ninja world.
The Eight Clans united and boldly began capturing the tailed beasts.