"You have one day to say goodbye to your family. The morning after tomorrow, I'm leaving Konoha."
Tsunade loomed over Takeshi as she dragged him into a small alleyway, her crimson lips parting to deliver a final ultimatum.
"Uh… mm-hmm."
Things had gone so smoothly that Takeshi's brain nearly short-circuited. It wasn't until Tsunade left that he finally confirmed she had actually agreed to his request.
"Well, the result turned out fine at least… even if the process was bizarre."
He had overheard a conversation that perhaps he shouldn't have, and at this point, he had no idea whether Tsunade had truly let go of her anger. But that wasn't something for him to worry about.
Choosing to study at Shikkotsu Forest was a well-thought-out decision on Takeshi's part.
Ryūchi Cave seemed decent too, but asking Orochimaru for help? Honestly, he really didn't enjoy interacting with Orochimaru—those eyes were just too creepy.
Jiraiya was definitely unreliable, and the Great Toad Sage loved throwing out cryptic prophecies. If he suddenly decided to give Takeshi one too, was he supposed to believe it or not?
Looking at it that way, the Slug Sage still seemed like the best option.
Time to go pack.
With that thought, Takeshi hummed a little tune and began walking home.
That night, Danzo—somehow having found out—showed up at their home, his icy gaze fixed on the group gathered around the dinner table.
Seeing Danzo appear, Yamato, who had been chatting with Itachi, immediately fell silent. Shisui, sitting nearby, also tensed up and looked toward him nervously.
"Hm? You're back. Come sit down and eat."
Only Takeshi, who was focused on devouring his food, failed to catch the chill in Danzo's gaze. He pulled out the chair beside him and gestured for Danzo to sit.
After waiting a while with no response, Takeshi finally realized something was off. He swallowed his last bite of rice and reluctantly put down his chopsticks.
"Uh, I'm full now..."
"I am too." ×3
Shisui, Yamato, and Itachi all spoke in unison, heading out to the courtyard to give the father and son some privacy.
Once the others had left, Danzo slowly made his way to the seat Takeshi had just pulled out for him and sat down.
"I heard you're leaving Konoha to train at Shikkotsu Forest?"
Danzo's tone was cold.
"Yes... Tsunade-sama has already agreed..." Takeshi lowered his head, not daring to look at Danzo's face.
"I don't know much about Sage Techniques. I only know that Shikkotsu Forest is one of the Three Great Summoning Grounds, and that it's home to the Slug Sage." Danzo's tone didn't fluctuate—his narration calm and clinical.
"Mm-hmm-hmm."
Watching Danzo finally pick up his chopsticks, Takeshi flattered him with a grin, took his bowl, and scooped him a serving of rice. Then, like a bobblehead, he just nodded without saying a word.
He'd more or less figured out the reason behind Danzo's anger. It was definitely because he hadn't informed his old man in advance about going to Shikkotsu Forest, which naturally triggered his displeasure.
"Uh, Dad, I didn't mean to keep it from you..." Takeshi tried to defend himself.
"Don't talk while eating."
"Yes, sir!"
As he nervously watched his father swallow his last bite of rice, Takeshi had barely begun to relax when Danzo's next words made him snap to attention.
"Come out and train Wind Release with me."
"Ah? Th-that's probably not a good—"
"Hmm?" Danzo shot him a sharp look.
"Yes, sir!"
That night, the howls coming from the Shimura household lasted a full hour.
...
Though he really wanted to witness Sakumo's succession ceremony with his own eyes, Tsunade's urgency left Takeshi no choice but to set out for Shikkotsu Forest on schedule.
He didn't say goodbye to anyone. He didn't ask anyone to see him off. Just like that, Takeshi left Konoha with Tsunade.
Not long after their departure, Danzo's figure emerged from the shadows.
Only when Takeshi had completely disappeared from view did Danzo quietly turn and walk away.
After Danzo left, two small heads peeked out from a hidden corner. Urged on by Shisui, they too began walking home.
Because he hadn't signed a summoning contract, Takeshi couldn't travel to Shikkotsu Forest via Reverse Summoning like a typical summoner. He had to take the most primitive and straightforward approach—walking.
Fortunately, Tsunade remembered that Takeshi was still a minor, and chose to respect the "Three Prohibitions of the Shinobi." She didn't drag him to her favorite gambling dens but instead focused solely on their journey.
After all, once she handed the kid off to the Slug Sage, she could hit the casino whenever she wanted.
"Here we are—this is Shikkotsu Forest."
After who-knows-how-many days on the road, Tsunade finally led Takeshi into a mist-shrouded area. All around were dry, withered trees, and the atmosphere felt disturbingly eerie.
Through the thick fog, a massive mountain range could be vaguely seen.
Slurp... slurp... slurp...
Amid the sticky, squelching sound of something dragging along the ground, a cute voice rose from beneath their feet:
"Well, if it isn't Tsunade-sama. It's been a while."
Following the sound, Takeshi saw a slug appear at Tsunade's feet.
Tsunade smiled and greeted her.
"I haven't been on the battlefield lately, so naturally I haven't needed your help."
"Anyway, I'm here to ask a favor."
She didn't linger on small talk. Tsunade grabbed Takeshi from beside her, clearly eager to get to the nearest gambling parlor. She gave a hasty introduction:
"Basically, this kid wants to learn the Sage Techniques of Shikkotsu Forest, so I brought him here."
"This kid? What an adorable child~"
The slug slowly crawled onto Takeshi, extending a tendril from her body to gently stroke his cheek.
To be honest, the sensation was far from pleasant.
Takeshi fought hard to suppress his instinctive revulsion, resisting the urge to hurl the creature away.
"Alright, then."
The Slug Sage nodded, then slowly slid back down from Takeshi and returned to the ground.
"Thanks for bringing him, Tsunade-sama. You know the method."
"No problem. The sooner I finish this, the better for me too."
Tsunade began cracking her knuckles.
"Huh? Onee-san, you..."
Looking at her pale fist, Takeshi got a bad feeling.
What did she mean by "finish"? And what "method"?
The next second, Takeshi found himself yanked up by his collar.
With a mighty heave, Tsunade hurled him toward the distant mountain range.
"Aaaah~~~~!"
"Brat, don't use Flying Thunder God! Just charge straight in!"
Just as Takeshi was about to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade the incoming mountain, Tsunade's shout stopped him in his tracks.
Splaaat!
The pain he expected didn't come. Instead, Takeshi found himself surrounded by something incredibly slimy.
"Received."
A giant feminine voice boomed, and with a rumble, the mountain came alive.