"Well then..."
"These sweet candies are delightful. If you ever come across new types of candies in the future, you must bring them to me!"
"No problem! Consider it done!"
Before Ichikishimahime's words had even fully landed, Sōmi enthusiastically patted his chest, making a firm promise.
"And also..."
"I've heard that in your outside world, there's something called a 'hot spring.' The water there is said to be warm and soothing, with many miraculous effects. I'd like to try soaking in one..."
Ichikishimahime continued, her voice laced with curiosity.
"Uh..."
Sōmi froze for a moment. He hadn't expected Ichikishimahime to make such a request. Do snakes actually enjoy hot springs?
This question clearly hit a blind spot in Sōmi's knowledge. But fortunately, this condition was something he could easily fulfill.
After Sōmi nodded in agreement, Ichikishimahime's serpentine face lit up with a delighted smile.
Then, with a flick of her crimson tongue, she coiled the lollipop and swallowed it whole into her belly.
Turning to Sasori, she said, "Extend your hand."
Having just had his mouth forcibly tugged into a smile by Sōmi, Sasori's face had now returned to its usual indifferent expression. Without hesitation, he opened his right hand and stretched it forward.
"Sasori! Remember the key points I told you!"
"First, carefully sense the flow of this Natural Energy and imprint the feeling into your mind!"
"Then, control your internal chakra and spiritual energy, blending them with the Natural Energy in an even 1:1:1 ratio..."
Sōmi reminded him once again from the side.
Sasori turned his head slightly and gave Sōmi a small nod.
At that moment, Ichikishimahime's serpentine body suddenly coiled tightly, and her head shot forward like a lightning bolt, striking Sasori's outstretched palm with precision.
In the blink of an eye, two crimson beads of blood appeared on Sasori's right palm.
"Hmm?!"
Even someone as stoic as Sasori couldn't suppress a muffled groan as the sensation of countless fine blades coursing through his veins spread across his entire body.
And this was after Sōmi had specifically warned Ichikishimahime to reduce the amount of Natural Energy by more than half.
Sōmi suspected this was because Ryūchi Cave hadn't trained a human in Sage Techniques for many years—or perhaps they had never intended to properly teach humans at all. Ichikishimahime's method of injecting Natural Energy was completely reckless.
Unlike Mount Myōboku, where Fukasaku's guidance ensured that there was no risk to one's life, Ryūchi Cave's approach was entirely different.
There, the process involved directly flooding the body with an overwhelming surge of Natural Energy, forcing the individual to endure excruciating pain and the risk of energy rampaging within their body while attempting to sense, comprehend, and harmonize with it. Failure meant death.
Back when Sōmi had trained in Sage Techniques, if not for the fact that he was a Jinchūriki with an extraordinary spiritual resilience, he would have long since become a lifeless, limp snake.
And that was without the White Snake Sage personally stepping in. If the White Snake Sage, with her fangs as thick as pillars, had been involved, Sōmi figured only someone of Hashirama's caliber could survive without being skewered to death in one bite.
Thanks to Sōmi's deliberate reminder, Ichikishimahime had shown restraint this time, injecting a more reasonable amount of Natural Energy.
After a single groan, Sasori fell silent. His eyes closed tightly, and his brows furrowed in concentration.
His left hand gripped his right wrist, while his right palm began to sprout fine scales.
The scales spread upward, disappearing into his sleeve, and after a while, they climbed to his neck.
Soon, subtle serpentine features began to emerge on Sasori's face.
His once delicate features became sharper, as though his cheeks and chin had been finely carved. Faint purple markings appeared around his eyes, resembling eyeshadow.
Land of Fire, Konohagakure, High Council Meeting Room
The senior officials of Konoha were gathered in the meeting room. Their expressions were grim, but the room itself was silent, save for the occasional puffing of the Third Hokage's pipe and the incessant, irritating chirping of cicadas outside the window.
The handsome, sunny-haired young man in the room also wore a tense expression.
"Well, if none of you are willing to speak, then I'll go first..."
Sitting to Minato's left, Danzō spoke in a deep, cold voice.
"After Sunagakure was the first to act against their Daimyō, Kumogakure followed suit shortly thereafter."
"Unlike the straightforward methods of those two nations, Iwagakure has also taken action recently, albeit in a more subtle manner."
"The sons of the Daimyō of the Land of Earth all mysteriously fell gravely ill around the same time."
"Under the guise of 'considering the bigger picture,' the Tsuchikage managed to have one of his distant nephews, who barely has any connection to the Daimyō's household, adopted as his heir."
"At this rate, it won't be long before the Daimyō himself falls ill..."
"Consolidating a nation's economic power within the village—surely you understand how significant this is for a village's development, don't you, Fourth Hokage?"
After finishing his statement, Danzō fixed his remaining eye on Minato with a piercing gaze.
"No!"
Before Danzō's words had fully dissipated, an older woman sitting across from Minato slammed her hand on the table and shouted.
"The terms of the Five Kage Summit were personally drafted by the First Hokage and signed by the other four Kage!"
"How could we possibly violate them?"
"Hmph..."
"The Five Kage?"
Danzō sneered disdainfully.
"The Raikage and Tsuchikage have already trampled those terms underfoot. The Kazekage even went so far as to grind them into the dirt..."
"That leaves only the ailing Mizukage and our Hokage!"
"And according to reports from our informants, the voices of the elders in the Land of Water are growing louder. It's only a matter of time before they take action!"
Koharu Utatane's face darkened with anger as she glared at Danzō. "Konoha is the rightful leader of the ninja world! How could we stoop to the level of those petty scoundrels, disrespecting our predecessors and disregarding established rules?"
"Hmph..."
"Rightful leader? What does that even mean?"
"The truth is simple: the victor becomes king, and the defeated are nothing but outlaws!"
"If the First Hokage were still alive, Konoha would undoubtedly be the rightful leader! Who would dare challenge the systems he established?"
"But you, sitting in this village all day, have clearly lost touch with reality. You should take a look at the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds—they've already built ninja academies!"
"All civilian children are admitted without exams and receive free education!"
"Do you even understand what that means?!"
Danzō's tone grew harsher, showing no regard for Koharu's dignity.
"Enough... enough..."
The Third Hokage exhaled a cloud of smoke, attempting to mediate.
"Both of you, calm down!"
"Our Daimyō has always maintained a good relationship with the village. There's no reason for us to suddenly take action against him—it wouldn't look good..."
The Third Hokage spoke slowly, his face obscured by the smoke.
"Minato, isn't Kushina's due date approaching?"
"When she gives birth, the Nine-Tails' seal will loosen, won't it? You must be vigilant. I'll have Biwako assist during the delivery!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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