Chapter 60 – The Four Great Sage Regions
"Since you have seen this immortal, why do you not bow?"
The peach trees repeated the chant like broken record players, over and over.
At first Danzo only found it noisy, but gradually an unimaginable pressure began to form.
It was as if he did not belong to this world.
Every mote of dust, every leaf, every breath of air, was saying no to him, rejecting his very existence.
Even with two teammates beside him, Danzo felt utterly alone.
His body grew heavier, as though hundreds of burly men were pressing down on him.
He knew what they wanted.
They wanted him to kneel.
But who was he? Shimura Danzo!
How could he ever kneel?!
All his life he had been unyielding steel; he bowed only to parents and teachers—never to some inexplicable immortal.
Danzo's face flushed red as he endured immense pressure.
His two bodyguards, Fu Yamanaka and Aburame Torune, had already prostrated themselves.
Yet he did not. He roared inwardly:
Ab-so-lute-ly— Not— Boom!
Both knees struck the ground.
The thick pressure in the air vanished.
Ah, relief.
Danzo sighed instinctively, then immediately coughed up blood in rage.
When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
"Welcome, travelers from afar."
A languid voice sounded.
Danzo looked up, livid.
An aged macaque sat upon a lotus throne.
Mists and rainbow light curled around him.
Ten more macaques stood in two rows, their bodies radiating indescribable holy light.
Danzo had no idea what to say.
Could a mortal truly achieve such an effect?
Could it be an illusion?
Thinking this, he quietly revealed a Three-Tomoe Sharingan hidden in his right hand.
Yet everything before his eyes remained unchanged.
Danzo was shaken.
In his mind, the pinnacle of genjutsu was naturally the Sharingan.
If even the Sharingan could not see through it, there was only one possibility: it was real.
Masquerading as the old monkey, Naruto caught the gesture and showed a faint smile.
To Danzo's unspoken question he replied:
"It's special effects—I added special effects."
The terror of Mirror Flower, Water Moon lay precisely here.
As long as there was enough Chakra, within this place Naruto was a god!
"Who are you, honored one?"
Danzo suppressed his fury for the moment; he could not see through this monkey.
He only sensed an ocean-like depth of Natural Energy within it.
"You may address me as Great Macaque Sage."
Naruto lifted a trembling hand.
With each spoken word a golden lotus bloomed in the air, dazzling to behold.
Danzo had never witnessed such a spectacle in his life.
For a moment he was awestruck.
"This land is the Proud Ape Kingdom, also called Water Curtain Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions of Summoned Beasts."
"The Three Great Sage Regions are clearly Mount Myōboku, the Shikkotsu Woods, and Ryūchi Cave. I have never heard of Water Curtain Cave."
Danzo blurted out, stunned.
After all, he was the famed Root of the Hokage.
In strategy and knowledge he yielded to no one.
"The Three Great Sage Regions number four—isn't that common knowledge?"
Naruto still spoke unhurriedly. "The history of the Sage Regions is far older than you imagine. To evade that man, my macaque clan has lived in seclusion for over a thousand years."
"Who is that man?"
Danzo was curious.
By now he acknowledged the terrifying strength of these macaques.
What Ninja could force them into hiding for a millennium?
Could it be the Six Paths Sage?
"He cannot be named."
Naruto shook his head. "That man cultivates a secret technique. Whoever speaks his true name will be sensed and locked onto by him."
"A technique like that exists?"
Danzo found everything he had seen and heard today inconceivable.
"That man's might is beyond your imagination."
Naruto lifted a hand and pointed outside the cave. "The seaside scene you saw earlier was my ancestor, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, wreaking havoc in the Celestial Palace ages ago. That man is the lord of the Celestial Palace, the head of all immortals."
Danzo's heart shook—yet he did not quite believe it.
Wasn't this straight out of myth?
"Today, honored guests strayed into my Water Curtain Cave. As apology, I offer a flat peach."
Naruto smiled and beckoned.
The six-eared macaque beside him leapt onto a peach tree and struck down a fruit with a golden rod.
Danzo's face darkened.
That's it?
If I hadn't seen you have some skill, I'd have dragged you to Root long ago.
"I possess three thousand six hundred peach trees; they ripen once every three centuries. A mortal who eats one becomes immortal, their body light and strong."
Naruto feigned profundity.
"?"
Danzo felt things growing more absurd by the moment.
He wanted to see what trick this fellow was playing.
After swallowing the peach in a few bites, he froze.
A unique energy surged within him.
This is—?!
Danzo's eyes snapped wide.
Sage Chakra!
He stared at the macaque sage in disbelief.
"It seems you have sensed the power of the sages."
Naruto wore a faint smile; with rainbow light everywhere he looked every inch a true immortal.
"Can this flat peach serve as adequate apology?"
"It can!"
Danzo answered instinctively.
Though the Sage Chakra inside him was scant, it meant he could now use senjutsu.
He knew full well the terror of Sage Mode.
But he lacked the talent for it.
Now an opportunity lay before him.
Danzo had to consider whether this might be the only chance in his lifetime.
Besides, Sage Mode plus Wood Release plus Sharingan—wouldn't that surpass Senju Hashirama and make him the new god of the Ninja World?
"Then honored guest, please return. Straying into Water Curtain Cave this time was merely an accident."
Naruto waved dismissively, signaling him to leave.
"Wait."
Danzo hastily bowed again. "Might Great Sage bestow more flat peaches?"
"Insatiable greed!"
Naruto's tone changed abruptly.
An overwhelming aura burst forth, as though the sky had flipped and poured downward.
Danzo was sent flying.
"Great Sage, wait! We can trade!"
He wiped blood from his mouth, his attitude so humble that Hiruzen Sarutobi would have cried foul.
"Trade?"
Naruto showed hesitation.
There's a chance!
Rich in experience, Danzo instantly sensed the possibility.
"Great Sage, perhaps you do not know: I am a Konoha Village hokage advisor. I possess all manner of precious treasures and secret techniques. Though they cannot compare to flat peaches, they can satisfy you. What conditions do you have?"
"Great lord, perhaps we could…"
The six-eared macaque leaned in and whispered.
Fully performing his duty as a shill.
Naruto showed difficulty, then finally said, "Very well. I can trade you a thousand flat peaches. In return, you will give me one billion ryō."
"A billion?!"
Danzo's voice shot up.
Why don't you just rob me?
Well, Naruto would answer.
Exactly—I am robbing you.
Besides, of the thousand peaches, the vast majority would be fakes.
Danzo had no way to verify them.
Would Naruto ever leave real peaches for others?
"If you can't afford it, then leave."
Naruto showed no reluctance.
He well knew the art of haggling—feigning indifference to hook the buyer.
"Wait!"
Danzo's expression shifted again and again.
He was wealthy, but a billion ryō at once would still tear his resources to the bone.
A single misstep could drag down both Root and the Shimura Clan.
"I will give you one hour. If you wish to trade, return here. If not, never come back."
Naruto waved casually.
The world cracked and receded.
Danzo's vision blurred; he was back in the familiar Forest of Death.
Everything just now had felt like a dream.
Yet the Sage Chakra inside him reminded him it was real.
He, Shimura Danzo, like Jiraiya, had entered a Sage Region and gained a heaven-sent opportunity.
The only difference—this opportunity was damned expensive!
No chapter at midnight; wait for tomorrow. Happy National Day, everyone.