Chapter 16: Conversation with the Slug Sage
The Slug Sage quietly observed Shen without speaking, her gaze steady and unreadable. Under that silent scrutiny, Shen grew increasingly tense, a thin layer of sweat forming across his forehead. Although he had spoken nothing but the truth, whether the Slug Sage chose to believe him—and more importantly, whether she would agree to help—depended entirely on her judgment.
"I can confirm that you are not lying. My main body can assist you as well, but I have one condition." The Slug Sage's voice was gentle now, no longer carrying the earlier chill. It seemed she had, at the very least, accepted his words.
"Please, go ahead." In truth, Shen found it difficult to imagine what someone as powerful as the Slug Sage could possibly require from him.
"I want you to kill Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. She poses too great a threat to this world. At present, she is absorbing natural energy at an alarming rate. If this continues, it will disrupt the balance of the world's energy."
"When that happens, the entire world will fall into catastrophe. If her actions persist, calamities will continue endlessly. Even if she were to stop, restoring balance would take an extremely long time."
"So Ōtsutsuki Kaguya must die." Hearing this condition, Shen could only offer a bitter smile.
"Great Sage, do you know? This matter actually involves both the people of this world and the Ōtsutsuki Clan. How about this—I will explain everything in detail. Once you understand the full story, you can decide for yourself."
"Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and I both belong to a branch family. Our duty is to serve the main family. Originally, Kaguya was sent by a high-ranking member of the main family, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, to guard the Divine Tree he planted."
"During her time guarding it, a mortal king witnessed her descent from the heavens and became captivated by her beauty. He pursued her relentlessly and eventually won her heart. Kaguya broke the clan's rules, married an outsider, and became that king's wife."
"At first, everything was peaceful. But the Land of Ancestors, where the king ruled, bordered the stronger Kingdom of Xiong. The king of Xiong also coveted Kaguya, and so he launched an invasion."
"The Land of Ancestors could not resist and sought peace. Xiong agreed—but only on the condition that Kaguya be handed over. And the king agreed. Heh… what he didn't know was that Kaguya was already pregnant with his child."
"The king returned and attempted to capture Kaguya. Disillusioned by his betrayal, Kaguya endured her condition and, with the help of a maid, broke through the encirclement and fled toward the Divine Tree."
"Along the way, the maid tried to inform the king that Kaguya was carrying his child—but she was shot to death by a volley of arrows. Completely heartbroken, Kaguya consumed the fruit of the Divine Tree, committing an even greater unforgivable sin."
"After eating the fruit, Kaguya gained immense power. She pacified the warring nations and proclaimed herself the Rabbit Goddess. These events should not have happened long ago. The toads of Mount Myōboku, who observe the world, should be aware of this."
Shen recounted everything he knew about Kaguya to the Slug Sage. As for what conclusion she would draw, that was entirely up to her. No matter what she chose, Shen had already resolved to intervene—because, in the end, his position stood above Kaguya's.
"The toads only know that Kaguya descended from the heavens and later began frantically absorbing natural energy after consuming the fruit. They do not know what happened in between—they are only aware that someone betrayed her."
"If what you say is true, then Kaguya may not necessarily deserve death. However, her excessive absorption of natural energy remains a serious problem." The Slug Sage fell into contemplation. By nature, she was gentle and compassionate—having already endured so much, how could she bring herself to harm Kaguya further?
"You don't need to worry too much. The toad clan likely already has plans in motion. They may not be able to kill Kaguya, but they can certainly resolve the issue of her absorbing natural energy."
"However, have you forgotten what I said earlier? This matter also involves the Ōtsutsuki Clan."
"I was only summoned a few days ago to take part in capturing Kaguya. At that time, she was about to give birth. The main force sent to apprehend her was trapped in a separate dimension. Once she gives birth and recovers, those pursuing her will most likely meet their deaths."
"They are your own kin. Do you feel no sorrow?" The Slug Sage frowned slightly. She disliked witnessing members of the same race killing one another, and Shen's lack of visible grief unsettled her.
"You still don't understand the Ōtsutsuki Clan. To the main family, branch members like us are nothing more than expendable resources—pills to be consumed at any moment."
"The energy we use is called chakra, refined from physical and spiritual energy. Members of the main family who have consumed the fruit of the Divine Tree possess the ability to turn fellow clan members—who also possess chakra—into pills and devour them."
"Even among branch families, competition is brutal. Killing one another is commonplace. Tell me—what attachment could I possibly have to such a clan?" Shen replied with a bitter smile. The Slug Sage was deeply shaken—such a terrifying clan truly existed?
"Sage, the one frantically absorbing natural energy isn't Kaguya—it's the Divine Tree and Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki. The Divine Tree is a special creation of the main family. It is planted on promising planets, where it absorbs planetary energy to produce chakra fruits."
"After consuming the fruit, members of the main family gain overwhelming power. But any planet where a Divine Tree is planted will eventually become a lifeless world."
"So the true problem lies with the Divine Tree, its master Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, and the Ōtsutsuki Clan itself."
The Slug Sage fell silent, pondering his words. The information she had was still limited, making it difficult to reach a clear decision. At last, she raised her gaze and looked at Shen, who clearly understood the inner workings of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
"What do you intend to do?"
"Strengthen the forces of this planet to resist the future invasion of the Ōtsutsuki Clan," Shen replied solemnly. This had always been his goal. As long as the Ōtsutsuki Clan existed, true peace would never be possible. The Three Great Sage Lands—and this future world of powerful shinobi—would need to stand united.
"How do you plan to accomplish that?"
"I will make the Ōtsutsuki Clan's cultivation methods public, allowing all talented individuals to train. Over generations, the planet will grow stronger. But strength cannot come from training alone—real combat is essential."
"So I intend to allow controlled conflicts to occur among the people of this world—within certain limits. That is where the Three Great Sage Lands must step in." Shen briefly outlined his plan.
"Will we truly have enough time to prepare?" the Slug Sage asked, a trace of doubt in her voice.
"Rest assured. After Kaguya gives birth, she will eliminate the pursuing forces. To prevent future invasions, she will likely seal off the entrance to that separate dimension. Unless something happens to her, no one will be able to pass through."
"As for traveling across the stars… who knows how many tens of thousands of years that would take?" Shen said with quiet confidence. No one understood this better than he did.
"In that case, it is worth attempting. But Kaguya's issue still remains unresolved," the Slug Sage said, her concern lingering.
"You don't need to worry about that. In about a decade, it will be resolved. Besides, I also need a chakra fruit to awaken my Ōtsutsuki abilities. The difference between those who have consumed it and those who haven't is like heaven and earth."
Shen spoke with certainty. With his knowledge of the future, he knew that in roughly a dozen years, Kaguya would be sealed by her own sons.
In truth, Shen felt that Kaguya's fate was tragic. Betrayed by the man she loved—throughout everything, only Black Zetsu had remained truly devoted to her.
"Then I have no further objections. As for the Divine Tree, once Kaguya's issue is resolved, we will destroy it. Such an evil existence should not remain in this world," the Slug Sage declared.
"In fact, all of this originates from Momoshiki. The Divine Tree itself is not inherently evil. According to our clan's records, it was once a sacred entity on our home planet, responsible for regulating the earth's veins and nourishing life."
"Long ago, someone discovered another use for the Divine Tree—controlling it to devour planetary energy and produce chakra fruits. After gaining immense power from consuming the fruit, many began to replicate this method."
"As a result, our clan's original homeland has become barren, while the powerful now roam the cosmos in search of suitable planets to plant Divine Trees."
"If we can take control of the Divine Tree now—slowing its absorption of natural energy and instead using it to regulate the earth's veins—it would bring unimaginable benefits to this planet." Shen spoke calmly, revealing everything he knew.
"In that case, I will entrust this matter to you. Is that acceptable, Shen-kun?" The Slug Sage's tone softened as she looked at him.
"Of course!" Shen agreed immediately, unable to conceal his excitement. This had been his intention from the very beginning. Now, with the Slug Sage's support, it was equivalent to gaining the backing of the Three Great Sage Lands—his plans would proceed far more smoothly.
Shen recalled that the Dragon Vein possessed the power to traverse time. Since it was part of the earth's veins, if he could use the Divine Tree to harness that power and return to the past, he might be able to locate the coordinates of his original world. Even if he couldn't return immediately, it would at least give him hope.
"Shen-kun, thank you for your contributions to this world. I am willing to assist you to the best of my ability. However, the Three Great Sage Lands are somewhat different—we cannot directly enter the continent without a special technique."
"Will you agree to sign a contract so that I may be summoned to the continent? That way, I can assist you."
Hearing this, Shen immediately understood—this was the Summoning Technique of the future. How could he possibly refuse such an opportunity? He nodded without hesitation.
The Slug Sage's mouth moved slightly, and a large green scroll emerged.
"This scroll was created using the unique spatial properties of the Three Great Sage Lands. It was originally meant for those who accidentally entered the Sage Lands, allowing them to learn our Sage Arts and later summon us."
"But ordinary people cannot cultivate Sage Arts. As a result, this summoning scroll has never been used—until now."
"However, you possess your own power. Once you sign it, you will establish a connection with the Sage Land. When you use the summoning technique, I will be able to reach the continent through that link."
"I see." Shen nodded in understanding. Even a genius like Tobirama had drawn inspiration from the Summoning Technique to develop the Flying Thunder God Technique—there was no way ordinary people could have created such a profound method on their own. So it originated from the Sage Lands.
Opening the scroll, he found it completely blank. Without hesitation, he bit his finger and wrote his name in blood. Instantly, he felt a strange energy flow from the scroll into his chakra, forming a subtle yet undeniable connection with the Sage Land.
"Shen-kun, this is the summoning formula. You must practice it carefully." The Slug Sage then inscribed the technique onto a nearby mushroom using Sage Art.
Shen carefully examined the formula. Many aspects resembled the sensations he had experienced while practicing hand seals. Following the sequence, he formed the seals and slammed his palm onto the mushroom.
With a loud boom, white smoke erupted, then slowly dissipated—
Shen had vanished.
At that very moment, a cloud of white smoke burst forth atop the Slug Sage's head, and Shen reappeared standing there.
"It worked!" Shen exclaimed excitedly. Only now did he truly appear his age—a young man filled with unrestrained excitement.
"Shen-kun, you are truly a genius. How did you accomplish this?" The Slug Sage was genuinely astonished. Yet she had clearly felt the connection just now—there was no doubt that if Shen used this technique in the outside world, he would indeed be able to summon her.