"Strange ceiling."
When Seisuke woke up, he was lying on a hospital bed. Beside him, Ichikishima Hime floated in the ward, blinking at him.
"Why are you in Konoha?" Seisuke asked weakly.
"Of course I brought you back. You're the first human we've ever sent back—Lady White Snake Sage seems to value you very much," Ichikishima Hime said. "I haven't been to the human world in ages. It's changed so much, and there's tempting chakra everywhere. I want to eat it all!"
As she spoke, her face transformed into one covered in scales, with a forked snake tongue flicking out.
"I'm truly honored. The way to learn senjutsu in Ryūchi Cave is too simple and brutal—no wonder so few people study it," Seisuke recalled the pain, still feeling a shiver down his spine.
"What did you expect? Do you think it's easy for humans to learn senjutsu?" Ichikishima Hime flew over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Humans and we are different species, so our learning methods differ. Naturally, we use our own methods to teach you."
Unlike Mount Myōboku, which specifically developed a set of methods for humans to learn senjutsu, the summon beasts living in places like Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave are born with the ability to use senjutsu and absorb natural energy—they don't need to learn it. Later, through contact with humans, they discovered that humans could also learn senjutsu. Thus, Shikkotsurin and Mount Myōboku developed methods to help humans learn quickly. Ryūchi Cave didn't research how to let humans understand gradually and learn safely. Instead, it chose a simple, brutal approach—regardless of life or death. When it comes to quick results, Ryūchi Cave is professional.
Bite them: if they survive, they learn senjutsu; if they die, they're eaten. Most who survive learn senjutsu, while those who don't end up in Lady White Snake Sage's stomach.
After hearing Ichikishima Hime's words, Seisuke asked, "By the way, when you bit me and turned me into a snake, how did I turn back into a human?"
"Just bite you again," Ichikishima Hime floated to the window, looking at the scenery below nonchalantly. "However you became a snake, that's how you turn back. It's that simple. That bite even healed your pain, and now you can sense natural energy."
"Huh? How do I sense it?" Seisuke had no idea what to do.
Ichikishima Hime explained, "Lady White Snake Sage left a trace of natural energy in your body. You can use this energy to attract external natural energy. When that trace disappears, it means you can sense natural energy on your own and enter sage mode by yourself."
"I see. Oh right, when you came to Konoha... didn't you encounter any resistance?"
"You mean the strongest human here? He came to see me. He even carried you into the hospital himself. Oh, and he had someone dress you."
"Dr... Dress?" Seisuke's face froze. What the hell was about the clothes?
"Your clothes were already torn apart when you turned into a snake, so of course you had none when you turned back."
"So... you brought me to Konoha Hospital naked?"
"Um, otherwise? Many people were watching along the way."
This was a scene of social death!
"Ahhh!!!" He buried his face in the bed and rolled back and forth. I'm so stupid, really! I shouldn't have asked that question! At least... don't let me know!
"What's going on?" Hearing Seisuke's scream, Kakashi, who came to visit, ran in. Seeing him twisting on the bed, he looked at Ichikishima Hime in confusion.
Ichikishima Hime said doubtfully, "I just mentioned that he was naked all the way..."
"Ahhh!!!" Seisuke screamed even louder, as if trying to drown out the embarrassment with his voice.
Kakashi, with his half-lidded eyes, said, "Seisuke, you have a good figure!"
"Why did you see it too?!"
"Because I dressed you!" Kakashi replied. "Yesterday, when I was helping Rin with her employment procedures, I saw Konoha's Anbu bringing Lady Ichikishima Hime and you to Konoha Hospital. I was the one who dressed you."
"Those brainless Anbu—why couldn't they dress me in advance? And why did the Anbu come?"
Ichikishima Hime said, "I don't know. I appeared with you in Konoha's hot spring, where there were many naked human females bathing. Your naked appearance scared them all away."
Well, it's a good thing the Konoha Military Police Force didn't come! But he was still confused: "Why did the Anbu come instead of the Military Police?"
Kakashi said, "The Military Police did come, but they said they wanted to arrest Lady Ichikishima Hime for interrogation without listening to her explanation. The MPs from that unit are still lying unconscious in the next ward."
Seisuke twitched at the corner of his mouth. What a bold woman!
Kakashi continued, "Then Lord Hokage happened to pass by, brought people, and resolved the matter."
The Hokage is busy with countless affairs—how could he have known so quickly? That means... Hiruzen Sarutobi was using the Telescope Technique to spy on Konoha's women's bathhouse. Otherwise, he couldn't have arrived so quickly. It's plausible that the Anbu came immediately, but the Hokage wouldn't rush over for no reason during wartime. Seisuke's gaze deepened. He wanted to learn the Telescope Technique too...
Floating in the air, Ichikishima Hime said, "That human is strong. He has a summoning contract with the Enma clan, and he talks nicely. So I handed you over to him. But I want to stay here and play for a while. It's rare for me to leave Ryūchi Cave, so I can't go back so easily."
Ancestor, please go back! You're my living black history!
"Are you okay?" Kakashi sat down and asked.
"Nothing serious. This trip to Ryūchi Cave was very rewarding." He turned to Ichikishima Hime, "Sister Ichikishima Hime, when can I learn senjutsu?"
"Oh, that? Anytime. First, you should learn how to enter sage mode. As for senjutsu, I can teach you." Ichikishima Hime suddenly changed her expression, startling Kakashi. "As long as you accompany me to tour this place, I can teach you how to enter sage mode quickly."
"Really? That's great!" At the thought of learning sage mode, Seisuke felt he could immediately get up and take Ichikishima Hime around the village.
Kakashi cast an envious glance, but only for a moment. He said, "Seisuke, remember to dress properly!"
"Ahhhh!!! Don't remind me of that!!!"