Deep within the mist-shrouded Mount Myoboku.
On the stone table were several delicate wooden and metal components. Gamamaru puffed out his round belly, holding a strange self-made device, and eagerly brought it in front of Arisu like he was presenting a treasure.
"Teacher, this is a camera I just invented. It can permanently capture the scene in front of you and preserve a single moment!"
Arisu looked at the somewhat crude machine in front of him. There wasn't the slightest trace of surprise in his eyes. He simply smiled and waved his hand.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Let me try it."
Arisu casually took the camera. His fingertips skillfully adjusted the angle and focused the lens.
His movements flowed smoothly without the slightest hint of unfamiliarity. With a soft click, a flash of white light appeared, and a photo with a blurry image slowly emerged.
This was the first photograph in the history of the ninja world.
Gamamaru's frog eyes widened, his face full of shock and confusion, his short hands frozen midair.
'Something's not right…'
'This is clearly teacher's first time seeing something like a camera. Shouldn't he be curious, fumbling around, and full of amazement?'
'But teacher's manner clearly shows he has used it before, even more skillfully than me, the inventor!'
Gamamaru had originally wanted to show off in front of his teacher, to see him act like someone who had never seen the world before. Now all his expectations had completely fallen through, and he suddenly felt stifled inside.
"Teacher… how are you so skilled at using it?", Gamamaru couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
This had also been a long-standing doubt of his. No matter what new and strange thing he created, Teacher Arisu always acted as if it was nothing unusual, as if everything in the world was already within his expectations.
Even Gamamaru himself found his inventions novel, yet the teacher seemed to have seen them countless times before.
Arisu only smiled lightly, shaking his head inwardly.
'Can I tell you that in my previous life's era, cameras were already everywhere?'
Arisu deliberately avoided the question and waved his hand. "No need to praise me, no need to praise me…"
Gamamaru's mouth twitched, completely choked of words. He could only switch to a question he had been holding in for a long time, "Teacher, why have you always forbidden me from creating weapons with destructive power?"
Arisu picked up the clear tea from the stone table, gently blew away the steam, and slowly shook his head, "The time has not come. When the time arrives, I will naturally let you begin preparations."
Arisu had his own plans.
The current ninja world did not yet need large-scale destructive technology. His real target was the Otsutsuki clan that would descend in the future.
He wanted Gamamaru to take the path of technology and try to break through the limits of life in another way.
Just like Orochimaru in the future, who used technology to break the shackles of bloodline and reverse life itself.
He already possessed an immortal body, so there was no need to pursue eternal life. Countless pieces of knowledge and ideas from his previous life were stored in his mind, waiting to be realized step by step through Gamamaru.
"By the way, Gamamaru."
"In the past few days, have you been dreaming?"
Arisu put down his teacup and asked calmly, "Eh!"
Gamamaru immediately nodded, his eyes lighting up. "Yes! All my technological inspiration comes from dreams!"
"Yesterday I dreamed of a strange table, covered densely with text and symbols. I still remember it clearly!"
"Then write it down and let me see."
Arisu casually took out paper and a pen and pushed them in front of him.
Gamamaru immediately lay on the stone table, gripping the short pen as he quickly wrote. Symbols and text were neatly arranged, gradually forming a structured table.
As he wrote, Gamamaru suddenly felt a stir in his heart and came up with a probing idea.
Arisu's gaze fell on the paper, his pupils slightly tightening.
The content on the paper was clearly... the periodic table of elements.
'So it's this thing…'
Arisu's mouth twitched slightly as he complained inwardly.
'Well, it does make sense.'
In his previous life, Mendeleev had dreamed of the periodic table. Gamamaru had the ability to see prophetic dreams, so dreaming of this was understandable.
But Gamamaru had no foundational knowledge at all, yet he dreamed up a complete periodic table out of nothing.
Compared to Mendeleev, Gamamaru was more like Ramanujan, directly dreaming of the final answer.
If he hadn't already examined Gamamaru's soul and confirmed that he wasn't a transmigrator, he might have suspected that another one of his kind had appeared.
At that moment, Gamamaru suddenly held his head and let out an annoyed wail. "Ah! I actually forgot! Just one last part left! Damn it!"
"Why…", As he muttered to himself, he secretly glanced at Arisu from the corner of his eye, his gaze full of hidden intent.
Arisu slightly raised his brow, instantly seeing through his trick.
'This little guy is doing it on purpose.'
He didn't expose him and simply watched Gamamaru with interest.
"I can't remember… why can't I remember it! Just one last part left!", Gamamaru continued putting on an act, wailing.
When he opened his eyes again, he met Arisu's half-smiling gaze.
One sage and one frog stared at each other quietly. The air suddenly fell silent.
Arisu spoke first, his smile carrying a deeper meaning, "What, do you want me to help you fill in the last element?"
Thump! Thump! Thump!!
Gamamaru suddenly stiffened, his heart skipping a beat.
He had been seen through.
From the moment he wrote down the periodic table, he had noticed something off about the teacher's gaze, as if he had seen this table before.
He had deliberately left out the last part just to test him.
Gamamaru pressed his lips together and said nothing.
After a few seconds, Arisu smiled faintly, picked up the pen, and without hesitation filled in the final missing part at the end of the table.
Gamamaru stared at the complete periodic table on the paper. His entire frog body froze. His wide eyes were filled with disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.
"Teacher…???"
Gamamaru opened his mouth, but couldn't produce a complete sentence, only trembling in shock.
The teacher's action had already explained everything...
He had long known this table, knew every symbol, and even knew what the final missing element was.
Why would the teacher in front of him know these things?
Logically, it was impossible.
Unless this table had already existed before him. And the teacher had definitely seen it.
"Teacher, you're incredible!"
Gamamaru exclaimed involuntarily, his round eyes filled with admiration and shock.
He opened his mouth, still wanting to ask further. "But… why do you..."
Before he could finish, Arisu smiled lightly and interrupted him.
"Hehe, that's enough, Gamamaru. Go do what you should do. I should be leaving.", A mysterious smile hung on Arisu's face.
Before Gamamaru could speak again, a faint layer of white mist rose around Arisu. His entire figure gradually faded within the mist and vanished without a trace in an instant.
"Teacher…"
Gamamaru looked at the now empty seat. The question that had reached his lips was forcibly swallowed back.
He could only give up asking, full of unwillingness, his small head packed with unsolved confusion.