After thinking these questions through, Hoshiyomi couldn't help but shake his head. These matters really were a tangled mess, impossible to sort out who was right and who was wrong.
Even after returning home, he kept mulling over the matter of senjutsu.
Originally, he had considered trying to learn Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu—after all, Mitsuki's Sage Mode in Boruto looked so cool, completely different from Kabuto's grotesque, disfigured transformation.
But after Orochimaru's detailed explanation, Hoshiyomi's excitement was thoroughly extinguished. The learning process was far too difficult, and he doubted he could withstand such an ordeal.
What's more, Mitsuki had unique conditions as a modified human—like Hashirama's cells and snake cells within his body. Without those biological foundations, who knew if Hoshiyomi's Sage Mode would resemble Mitsuki's or end up more like Kabuto's half-human, half-monster state? That would be a disastrous loss.
With Ryūchi Cave off the table, Hoshiyomi shifted his focus to Shikkotsu Forest. In his eyes, the three great holy lands all mastered methods of harnessing natural energy.
Since their methods might differ but their ultimate goal was the same, why not observe all three, then try to combine their strengths?
It was like swordsmanship: whether one used a single blade or dual blades, the pursuit was always the same—reaching the essence of the sword, the clarity of a heart sharp enough to cut through all things.
Learning senjutsu was no different. Only by finding one's own path could one truly master it. Hoshiyomi, being familiar with all three Sannin, had the perfect opportunity to witness each of their senjutsu firsthand and search for patterns. Perhaps he could carve out a unique path of his own.
And even if he couldn't, it didn't matter. Worst case, he could always choose one of the remaining two holy lands to commit to.
Shikkotsu Forest was the least explored of the three in the original story—even by the end of Naruto, it had never been fully revealed.
The only speculation was that the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, might have learned his senjutsu there. His extraordinary healing ability seemed quite similar to the powers of the giant slug.
But that was only a speculation. Whether Hashirama's Sage Mode truly originated from Shikkotsu Forest had yet to be proven.
And since it needed proving, why not prove it himself?
If it turned out to be fruitless, he could always head to Mount Myōboku afterward.
Hoshiyomi was the kind of person who acted as soon as he made up his mind. So, having decided to investigate Shikkotsu Forest, he went straight to the Hokage's office.
Inside, Tsunade had just finished approving dozens of documents. Stretching her back, she gazed out at the bustling streets of Konoha. Hoshiyomi's sudden appearance startled her.
After years of knowing each other, there was no need for polite greetings. Hoshiyomi asked her directly about the senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest.
Tsunade blinked in surprise:
"Sage Mode?"
She looked at Hoshiyomi with a hint of astonishment. After a moment of thought, she muttered:
"The Slug Sage did mention it once. But she told me my body wasn't suited for Sage Mode, so she never brought it up again."
Hoshiyomi immediately asked, almost reflexively:
"Then could you send me to Shikkotsu Forest? I'd really like to study their senjutsu myself."
Seeing Hoshiyomi's eagerness, Tsunade gave him a slightly odd look:
"I once heard the Slug Sage say that training in this is very dangerous… How about you go directly to Shikkotsu Forest and meet the main body of the Slug?"
"Meet the Slug Sage itself? But I already signed a contract with Lobo."
Hoshiyomi knew that Shikkotsu Forest housed only one Slug, and even the one Tsunade summoned was just a small clone of its main body
What surprised him was hearing that one could still reach Shikkotsu Forest without a summoning contract.
As if reading his thoughts, Tsunade chuckled:
"Don't worry. The slugs are the most gentle. It's very easy to communicate with them, and even if you don't have a contract with it, it will still let strangers in."
As she spoke, Tsunade raised her hand and summoned a small slug. The little slug looked at Tsunade, then at Hoshiyomi, and asked curiously:
"Little Tsunade, what made you summon me today?"
"Hoshiyomi says he wants to visit Shikkotsu Forest, so I'll have to trouble you to take him there," Tsunade replied.
Since Hoshiyomi had never signed a contract with the Slug of Shikkotsu Forest, he couldn't be reverse-summoned there. So he could only be taken there by one of its clones.
Just as Tsunade had said, slugs temperament was very gentle. After hearing her explanation, the little slug turned toward Hoshiyomi and said:
"If you want to visit Shikkotsu Forest, then let me guide you there."
With that, the slug slowly crawled onto Hoshiyomi's shoulder. Seeing how agreeable it was, Hoshiyomi felt much more at ease. After bidding farewell to Tsunade, he left Konoha.
Destination: Shikkotsu Forest.
Shikkotsu Forest was located near the Land of Fire. With Hoshiyomi's speed, it only took a few days to arrive.
The world of summoning beasts was somewhat different from the real world. There was an interface between them similar to a sealing technique or genjutsu. Ordinary people certainly couldn't find their way here.
Arriving at a place surrounded by standing or hanging stalactite formations, the little slug said:
"We're here. The main body is just over there."
Looking around, Hoshiyomi nodded and walked in the direction she indicated.
Shikkotsu Forest, alongside Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave, was one of the Three Great Holy Lands. The Slug Sage's age was comparable to that of the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage—an ancient existence that had lived for who knew how long.
As Hoshiyomi walked through Shikkotsu Forest, he often saw slugs of all sizes wriggling about. These were all divisions of the main body. Each time they spotted Hoshiyomi, they greeted him cheerfully, showing just how friendly they truly were.
Before long, Hoshiyomi finally saw the main body—so enormous that he couldn't help but be shaken. Imagination could never compare to witnessing it with his own eyes.
From a great distance, he could already see a massive figure spanning across Shikkotsu Forest.
In the original story, even the gigantic slug summoned by Tsunade and Sakura together was only a tenth of the main body. It was clear now just how incomprehensibly huge it was.
Standing before this gigantic being, the little slug twitched its antennae happily as it noticed Hoshiyomi's awe.
At the same time, the Slug Sage also became aware of Hoshiyomi's presence. Despite its vast size, it was surprisingly agile—its body shifted twice, and its head turned to face him.
"Young one, what brings you here?"
Though the slug was massive, its voice was no different from the little slug's: gentle, soft, completely unlike the ferocity of Manda or the gruffness of the Great Toad.
By now, Hoshiyomi had gradually calmed himself, suppressing the awe in his heart. Though the size of the main body was overwhelming, once he was certain it posed him no harm, the fear dissipated.