Naruto: Becomes a Rebel Ninja After Annihilating the Hyuga Clan - Chapter 90

“Konoha has been destroyed. Jiraiya, along with the remaining forces, has withdrawn from the Iwagakure battlefield and is currently missing.”

Tsunade’s eyes trembled. She opened her mouth, and her voice, sounding like it came from her throat, was filled with disbelief:

“Konoha is really… destroyed?”

“Were the intel I sent back still too late…”

She shook her head as if trying to shake the image of Konoha’s destruction out of her mind, questions swirling, her emotions growing more intense:

“Wait a minute, are you lying to me, Neiki?!”

“Is your source really reliable?!”

“Have you seen Konoha with your own eyes?!”

Tsunade’s hair was disheveled, and her collar slipped from her shoulders, revealing her impressive chest, but she didn’t care, looking like a madwoman questioning a scoundrel for abandoning her.

Neiki watched her, then a mocking smile appeared on his calm face.

Seeing Neiki’s expression, Tsunade was slightly stunned as if she finally realized something. Her previously sorrowful expression gradually faded, and she gritted her teeth:

“You are indeed lying to me.”

“I was just telling you about something that will happen in the future in advance,” Neiki said with a faint smile.

“…”

“Is it fun, Neiki?”

“Not bad.”

This guy…

Tsunade didn’t know what to say. It was obvious that Neiki was amusing himself with her.

Tsunade was already like fish on a chopping board. Her anger and hatred toward Neiki couldn’t harm this butcher in any way, nor could it slow down the descent of his butcher knife. It only served to infuriate herself.

Tsunade shook her head. As long as Konoha still existed, it was fine. Being fooled wasn’t a big deal, and this bit of humiliation was not hard to endure.

Thinking of the scene of Konoha’s reconstruction before she left, the hardworking villagers who had barely survived the disaster, and Sarutobi-sensei sending her off, she sighed.

At least it was just a trick.

Thankfully, it was just a trick.

Her chest gradually calmed down. She recalled Neiki’s previous words and suddenly realized something, looking up sharply:

“How do you know… that the Kumogakure intends to attack Konoha through Sunagakure?” It was Terumi Mei who told her about the Kumogakure’s decision to attack Konoha through other ninja villages. But how would Neiki know this?

Neiki returned her a clear smile.

“Terumi Mei also fell into your hands?!” she asked in disbelief.

“No, she fell into your grandfather’s hands.” Neiki sighed, his expression somewhat helpless.

Tsunade frowned. What did he mean by that, taking advantage of her?

She didn’t think much further, just assuming Neiki got the information from other Kirigakure ninjas since Terumi Mei hadn’t fallen into his hands.

Tsunade pursed her lips, thinking for a while, her eyes scanning the dozen pairs of Sharingan not far away. Her fingers, which were tapping the wall out of boredom, suddenly stopped. She turned to look at the container filled with her blood, then quickly lowered her head, not letting Neiki notice her abnormal expression.

After organizing her thoughts, she raised her head again and asked casually:

“…Then why Sunagakure? There are so many ninja villages, why must they attack Konoha through Sunagakure?”

Neiki shook his head: “You ask too many questions. Why should I answer you? You’ll have your answer in a few days.”

“Satisfy my curiosity, and I’ll tell you how to enter Shikkotsu Forest to train.” Tsunade brought up the main topic.

As she expected, Neiki’s body paused, frowning as if seriously considering Tsunade’s proposal.

Seeing this, Tsunade quickly struck while the iron was hot:
“Aren’t you curious about the secrets of Shikkotsu Forest? I can tell you clearly, my blood is useless. What Shikkotsu Forest recognizes is not the blood flowing in my body, but me as a person.”

“If you trust me, I can even introduce you to the Slug Sage.”

She emphasized the word “Sage.”

She had figured out that Neiki had a similar disposition to Orochimaru. Orochimaru sought eternal life, while Neiki sought powerful strength.

Although she didn’t know how Neiki learned about the sacred land of Shikkotsu Forest, this bait might be worth trying…

“The Slug Sage?” Neiki lightly bit these words.

“Yes, the Slug Sage is similar to the legendary Sage of Six Paths, a sage-level life form. If you can pass the test, you can gain incredibly powerful strength from it.”

Neiki’s pupils slightly enlarged, and his eyes revealed alternating greed and hesitation.

Tsunade observed this clearly from the side… This guy, just as Shikaku said, was a greedy one.

“How powerful?”

“An undead-level rapid healing ability, is that strong enough? And that’s just the basic ability.” Tsunade proudly declared.

“Have you mastered this ability?” Neiki asked.

“You can try. Just release the chakra seal on me, and I can show you.” Tsunade licked her lips.

“No need, I believe you.” He shook his head, not biting such an obvious hook.

The basement fell silent. Tsunade knew that the trap she had set up on a whim had reached a critical moment. Whether she could escape or even turn the tables on Neiki depended on Neiki’s answer at this moment.

After a long consideration, Neiki slowly spoke:
“Tell me how to enter Shikkotsu Forest.”

Tsunade sighed in relief inwardly.

Neiki’s choice was not surprising to Tsunade. Though he acted boldly, he was never reckless. Every time he made a bold appearance in turmoil, it was based on prior arrangements and his own strength, which had reached the level where he could handle the turmoil and even take advantage of it to fish in troubled waters.

Moreover, Neiki wasn’t ignorant about Shikkotsu Forest. He had obviously done his homework and had a deep understanding of his own significantly superior healing ability.

“Then you tell me why the Kumogakure would attack Konoha through Sunagakure. Isn’t Sunagakure an ally of Konoha?” This question was just a medium to smoothly hand over the “method to enter Shikkotsu Forest” to Neiki without arousing suspicion, and also to satisfy Tsunade’s insignificant curiosity.

“The weakest will choose to ally with the strongest. Isn’t that obvious?” Neiki replied casually.

Once, Konoha was the strongest ninja village, so Sunagakure allied with Konoha. Now that Konoha was on the verge of destruction, it made sense for Sunagakure to cling to the Kumogakure… Was that the logic?

—Too perfunctory.

Tsunade frowned. Neiki’s answer was somewhat incomplete.

As if seeing Tsunade’s dissatisfaction, Neiki smiled and added meaningfully:
“Konoha sees Sunagakure as an ally, but Sunagakure may not think the same. Their environment is harsh, and they’ve been coveting Konoha’s fertile land for a long time… Even without the Fourth Ninja War I caused, in a few years, Sunagakure might seize the opportunity of the Chunin Exams to destroy Konoha…”

Tsunade didn’t understand the basis of Neiki’s certainty.

Sunagakure planning to destroy Konoha during the Chunin Exams?
He spoke as if he had experienced it.

Though still skeptical of Neiki’s answer, Tsunade no longer hesitated. After a moment of pretended contemplation, she nodded slightly and told Neiki how to enter Shikkotsu Forest.

“Reverse Summoning…?” Neiki frowned slightly.

“Yes, it’s the fastest way to Shikkotsu Forest.” Tsunade said softly.

“I haven’t contracted with the slugs. Can I still use the reverse summoning technique to transport myself to Shikkotsu Forest?” Neiki identified the problem.

Tsunade shook her head: “Of course not. Reverse summoning requires a contract with a summoning beast to proceed with reverse transmission.”

Neiki glanced at her: “You mean, I have to contract with the slugs to use reverse transmission to enter Shikkotsu Forest?”

“Yes,” Tsunade said matter-of-factly, looking Neiki up and down, “Do you have a summoning beast?”

“No.”

“Then you can try to contract with the slugs.”

“We’ll see.” Neiki didn’t decide immediately. After noting down the reverse summoning technique, he looked up at Tsunade, then reached out and placed his palm on Tsunade’s forehead.

“What are you doing?” Feeling the warmth of his palm, a tingling sensation gradually invaded her brain, Tsunade asked suspiciously.

“I need you to sleep for a while.”

“You…” Before she could finish, Tsunade’s head tilted, and she passed out.

As Neiki completed a seal, the previously unconscious Tsunade slowly raised her head, her eyes closed, her expression wandering, looking like she was sleepwalking.

This was a simple genjutsu Neiki had learned from Kurenai, allowing him to control a person’s consciousness while they were asleep and make their body perform corresponding actions.

Neiki released the chakra seal on her body and the restraints on her hands and feet.

“Since I don’t have a contract with the slugs, I’ll find someone who does and use reverse summoning to see Shikkotsu Forest.”

That was Neiki’s plan.

Just as he was about to control Tsunade to use reverse summoning and use her body to see Shikkotsu Forest, he suddenly felt it wouldn’t work. The

true power of the slugs was unfathomable, and breaking free from the genjutsu he placed on Tsunade would be effortless for them. If Tsunade went there, the possibility of her escaping his control was over ninety-nine percent.

So he controlled Tsunade to form another seal.

Shadow Clone Jutsu!

Tsunade’s shadow clone split from her body and, unlike her, was not under Neiki’s genjutsu. The clone turned its head, seeing the scene in front of it, eyes wide open, just about to act when a large hand swiftly covered her face.

Immediately, the shadow clone also quieted down.

“Almost got into trouble…”

It was just a small, insignificant detail.

Neiki had Tsunade’s body step back, then used the same method to control her shadow clone to follow the reverse summoning sequence, forming one seal after another.

Boar

Rat

Horse

Tiger

Reverse Summoning Jutsu!

Tsunade’s shadow clone slapped the ground, black runes spreading from her as the center. The next moment, the clone disappeared from Neiki’s sight!

The connection through the genjutsu remained.

Neiki adjusted the technique, and in his mind, a new perspective appeared.

It was like playing a video game, controlling a character on a screen. Neiki manipulated Tsunade’s shadow clone to move.

This was a lush, green primeval forest, with dense bushes, leaves dripping with morning dew longer than Neiki’s body. The trees extended their branches, blocking the sky, and even at the maximum angle of Tsunade’s clone’s head tilt, the treetops of the towering trees couldn’t be seen.

A dragonfly, with wings like an eagle’s wingspan, landed on a leaf. Its compound eyes, like a honeycomb, mirrored Tsunade’s clone’s face in each tiny cell.

The image trembled, the ground seemed to vibrate, and the dragonfly flew away as if sensing something. Neiki controlled Tsunade’s clone to turn around.

“Slosh.”

“Slosh.”

“Slosh.”

It was a “mountain” of blue and white slugs.

These slugs, like flowing maggots, made sloshing sounds.

Just as the clone couldn’t see the treetops, the giant slug “mountain” was so close that she couldn’t encompass the entire monster in her view.

But it didn’t matter.

Having read the original work, Neiki knew clearly that the massive, somewhat disgusting slug mountain before him was the true form of the slug.

Unlike the numerous individuals in the other two great sacred places, Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave, the slug in Shikkotsu Forest was a unique summoning beast.

One is all, and all is one.

There was only one slug in this world. The slugs Tsunade and, in the future, Sakura summoned were merely less than one-tenth of its true body.

Unlike the Toad Sage and the Snake Sage, the true body of the slug, or the Slug Sage, had little information revealed in the original work. Its combat performance, abilities, preferences, and personality were all unknown, making it the most mysterious among the three great sages.

But undoubtedly, it was a life form on par with the Sage of Six Paths.

Dealing with such a being required caution.

Though Neiki’s act of controlling Tsunade’s clone seemed provocative.

“Hello…”

Neiki controlled Tsunade’s clone to express his goodwill.

He believed that the true slug could see his sincerity behind Tsunade’s clone.

“Slosh.”

“Slosh.”

“Mito?”

“No.”

“Tsunade?”

“No.”

“Outsider?”

“What’s your name?” The voice was clear, echoing directly in Tsunade’s clone’s mind.

Undoubtedly, this was the voice of the Slug Sage.

“Neji,” under Neiki’s control, Tsunade’s clone spoke hesitantly, “My name is Hyuga Neji, Lord Slug.”

“Slosh.”

“Slosh.”

“Neji?”

“No.”

“Neiki?”

“No.”

“Your name is…”

“Is…”

“Shibai.”

“You are Otsutsuki Shibai.”

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