"Mimi? Mimi my ass."
After opening his eyes and arriving in this strange world, Madara was rescued from the seal. But he was then bound by a so-called summoning scroll, and if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't lay a hand on the person in front of him, he would bite this cunning, fox-like brat to shreds.
Shinji said indifferently, "There's unlimited sake and all kinds of food every day."
"No problem, I'll be called Mimi." Mimi immediately changed his expression and nodded in agreement.
The dorayaki and sake in his hand were truly delicious and touched his heart.
"Hehe." Shinji's lips twitched.
For a bite to eat, this fat cat really had no integrity.
"Oh, right, can you return to the scroll later?" Shinji asked Mimi, thinking of something.
"The scroll?" Mimi, having finished the last bite of dorayaki, narrowed his eyes, then nodded and shook his head.
"What do you mean?" Shinji asked, speechless.
He really didn't know about this kind of thing. The scroll didn't explain it, and the system hadn't given him an answer.
"Yes, but I don't want to go back." Mimi spread his two front paws, an indifferent expression on his face.
"And if I release the summoning, I don't go back to the scroll, but to a place where I hid in my previous life, which should now be called a Sage Region."
"A Sage Region?"
Shinji was startled, then asked curiously, "So, you also have Sage Mode?"
"Sage Mode?"
Mimi scratched his neck with his hind paw, saying indifferently, "If you're referring to the so-called symbiotic jutsu formed by natural energy combined with yokai spiritual power, then yes, I do."
Shinji said with a smile, "Take me there."
"I refu… I agree." Mimi was about to refuse, but then he saw a small bottle of sake in Shinji's hand and immediately changed his tone.
—
In a dense forest, Shinji looked at a shrine in front of him with the words 'Muku Shrine' written on it.
He turned his head and asked Mimi in confusion, "Aren't you a demon? Why do you live in a shrine?"
Mimi slowly turned around and said dismissively, "That's just something passed down by my ancestor, it has nothing to do with me."
Shinji nodded and followed Mimi's footsteps, observing this Sage Region.
At this moment, he had arrived in a secret forest above a sea of clouds, surrounded by ancient trees thousands of years old. Walking through the forest, the leaves of the ancient trees were like bells, ringing when the wind blew.
"These are the Ancient Tree Bells, capable of dispelling distracting thoughts." Mimi, walking in front of Shinji, explained, then looked back at Shinji.
"What's wrong?" Shinji looked sideways.
He had vaguely felt Mimi's thoughts just now, but they were very blurry.
Mimi said nonchalantly, "If your mind is impure, you will become deaf and unable to leave this dense forest."
How could there be no risk when coming to this place?
Shinji was speechless. This fat ball truly had ill intentions. However, having forcibly contracted someone and not letting them go back, Shinji could only ignore these small matters.
The man and the cat stopped in front of a river, and Mimi squatted down and licked his front paws.
"What's wrong?" Shinji sat down cross-legged and asked. The scenery here was very peaceful.
Mimi pointed his front paw at the river in front of him and said slowly, "You've already passed the first stage. The second stage is the river in front of you."
"That simple?" Shinji asked, a little confused.
Compared to Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode training, Mimi's trial seemed a bit too bland?
"Simple?" Mimi looked at Shinji unhappily.
"What do you think the trees in this forest are like?"
Hearing this, Shinji thought for a long time before saying, "Besides most of the ancient trees, some trees seem to be of different ages."
Mimi said nonchalantly, "These are some yokais or humans who, before my time, strayed in or explored, and because their minds were impure, they were assimilated into trees by the bell sounds."
After all, for those who dared to covet his things, it was best to get rid of them.
Shinji nodded in understanding, then slapped Mimi's head with his right hand.
"Ow!"
Mimi cried out in pain, shaking his head for a long time before baring his teeth and roaring at Shinji, "Brat! Why did you suddenly hit me?!"
Shinji said calmly, with a smiling expression, "If there's a next time, I'll kill you."
Mimi, realizing the situation, closed his mouth and nodded helplessly, saying, "You're fine too, aren't you?"
His tone, however, was unexpectedly lacking confidence. After all, despite Shinji's smiling expression, Mimi truly felt that he might die just now.
Shinji said calmly, "Although it was because I summoned and contracted you, you also escaped Natsume Reiko's seal because of it. So, I hope we can get along well in the future, instead of having to constantly be on guard."
He dared to come because of the protection of the system's Summoning Scroll. That's why he was so bold and confident. But he couldn't let Mimi's current actions continue. If so, it would be better to just kill him and be done with it.
Worst case scenario, he could go to the Three Sage Regions later to find other summoned beasts.
Mimi asked with a shocked expression, "You actually know Natsume Reiko?!"
He hadn't told Shinji any of these things.
Shinji nodded. "Ah, I know everything about you, otherwise how would I know you can change forms?"
Mimi had a serious expression, not just because Shinji knew his background but also because the current Shinji gave off an excessively dangerous feeling. It was a danger that touched the soul directly.
After a long time, Mimi slowly said, "Understood, brat, no, Shinji, please take care of me from now on."
Shinji's lips curved into a smile upon hearing this. Names in the world of Natsume's Book of Friends have a different meaning. They represent a bond of soul, memory, and emotion.
Mimi now calling out his name meant that he was willing to form a bond with him.
Even if the foundation of this bond was based on a threat to his life.
Shinji nodded. "Please take care of me."
Mimi, seeing Shinji agree, returned to his lazy demeanor and said, "However, I have one condition."
Shinji asked curiously, "What condition?"
Mimi said very calmly, "After you die, set me free. In the meantime, you can let anyone contract me."
The existence of summoned beasts is to assist in battle, and Mimi naturally knew Shinji's intentions.
"Okay." Shinji agreed.
He didn't know if Naruto and the others would summon Mimi later.
But, as for what happens after his death, why bother so much?