"What did you do to Lady Tsunade?"
Katsuyu's voice rumbled softly, her two antennae twitching as her massive, blue-white form loomed over the moonlit yard.
Ryuuto sighed. He briefly considered handling her the same way he did with Ten Thousand Snakes—through dominance and sheer will—until he actually looked at her. The slug's big, gentle eyes and slow little wiggle of her feelers made her… weirdly cute.
Yeah, no way he could bring himself to bully something like that.
Still, the memory of how Katsuyu could split into hundreds of smaller versions made his scalp prickle. Good thing he didn't have trypophobia. Otherwise, watching her divide like that would've been nightmare fuel.
Seeing that she wasn't outright hostile, Ryuuto raised a hand calmly. "Alright, let me explain this once. This isn't the world you know. There's no Konoha, no Tsunade, no Naruto, no Sakura. This is an entirely new reality—and you've been pulled into it by my summoning. Whether your connection to Tsunade still exists in your own world, I don't know. But from here on, I'll be the one calling on you."
Katsuyu tilted her massive head. "So… you mean I now share a contract with both Lady Tsunade and you?"
"Assuming her world still exists, yeah."
Her eyes blinked once. "Then… you didn't kill Lady Tsunade?"
Ryuuto coughed awkwardly. "Kill her? Please. That woman could punch a god into retirement. Even if I wanted to, I doubt I'd manage more than a scratch."
Katsuyu nodded thoughtfully. "True. Even if she were torn apart, her Mitotic Regeneration would bring her back. She can rebuild organs and tissue in seconds."
Ryuuto already knew that. The Mitotic Regeneration Technique was legendary—Tsunade's forbidden ninjutsu that essentially made her unkillable at the cost of her lifespan. But he already had Hidan's regenerative factor from a previous system packet, so it didn't mean much to him personally.
He smiled faintly. "In this world, Katsuyu, I'll be your master. Got it?"
Katsuyu's antennae swayed. "Understood."
"Good. Now—how many people can you heal at once?"
"Nearly a village's worth," she replied.
"How many, exactly?"
"Thousands."
Ryuuto whistled. "Not bad. You're officially better than most national healthcare systems." He paused, then smirked. "By the way… what's your relationship with Ten Thousand Snakes like?"
Katsuyu hesitated. "We serve different kinds of humans. Those who contract with the serpents tend to be… less pure-hearted. So we've been enemies. But long ago, when our masters—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—were friends, we three beasts were companions too. We'd greet each other every time we were summoned."
Ryuuto's grin widened. "Well, guess what? Ten Thousand Snakes is mine now."
"Impossible."
He snapped his fingers. "Let's test that theory."
BOOM!
The ground exploded as Ten Thousand Snakes materialized beside Katsuyu, his massive coils filling half the backyard. For a moment, the two stared at each other—then the serpent lunged.
"Ah, hell," Ryuuto muttered.
Katsuyu instantly split apart, her huge body dissolving into hundreds of smaller slugs that scattered across the ground. The snake's fangs bit into nothing but dirt.
"Wanshe!" Ryuuto barked. "Try greeting people before you try eating them!"
The giant snake flicked his tongue, looking mildly offended. "Didn't you summon me to kill the slug?"
"She's also my summon, idiot."
"…Oh."
Ryuuto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah. You misunderstood."
A few seconds later, Katsuyu's scattered fragments merged again into her full form. She turned to Wanshe with a calm stare. "I never imagined we'd one day share the same summoner."
"He's not my master," the snake hissed. "It's a business arrangement. He gives me food, I crush his enemies."
Ryuuto laughed. "Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
In truth, he liked Wanshe's bluntness. The serpent was proud, lazy, and always hungry—but honest about it. No schemes, no fake loyalty.
Looking at both colossal beasts crowding his backyard, Ryuuto crossed his arms. "So, are you two planning to hang out here all night or what?"
Katsuyu blinked. "Before that—what's your name, young man?"
"Ryuuto," he said simply. "Just Ryuuto."
"Hmm… I'll remember that." Her voice softened. "Can you also summon Gamabunta?"
Ryuuto chuckled. "Not yet. But give me time."
Katsuyu nodded slowly. "If you ever do, the three of us can drink together again. Like old times."
"Deal."
Wanshe yawned. "I'm heading back to my realm. Next time you've got something tasty, call me—and summon this big slug too. I want her to see how I swallow a man alive."
Ryuuto facepalmed. "Can't take you anywhere."
As Wanshe vanished, Katsuyu sighed softly.
Ryuuto shook his head, smiling faintly. "You two are going to give me a migraine someday. But remember this—if you're both under me, then you get along. Got it? Especially you, Wanshe. Katsuyu's a lady, so stop trying to pick fights."