Chapter 21: Yokota's Gratitude and Mount Myoboku's Plan
Shen looked at Yokota Ruma, who stood respectfully before him. A faint smile appeared on his face, but he soon shook his head.
"Uncle Ruma, to be honest… at the very beginning, I didn't care much about the Yokota clan. From the perspective of the future world, your clan is simply too small—far from something worth the effort I would invest."
"You should have noticed it as well. My attitude toward the Yokota clan was rather indifferent. If not for your ability to help me locate Shikkotsu Forest, I would have already left."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone becoming more sincere.
"But now, I can tell you this clearly—back then, I was influenced by some unknown force. That was not my true intention. In reality, the ideals of the Yokota clan align closely with my own… and I am more than willing to help your clan grow."
"You chose to trust me. You led the entire Yokota clan here to live in seclusion. Once that decision is made, it won't just last a few years—it will span at least seventy to eighty years. For a clan that depends on external development, that amount of time is enough for the outside world to undergo drastic changes."
Shen's gaze grew more serious.
"To bring over a hundred clan members under my command… to entrust your future to me and fight by my side—do you understand how much courage that takes? As the clan head, you should understand that better than anyone."
"I come from a great clan—one that, to you, might as well be called divine. And my enemies… are precisely that clan."
"I understand what you need. Whatever I can provide, I will give without hesitation. In return, I ask only one thing…"
Shen lowered his head and bowed deeply.
"That the Yokota clan stands with me—and fights alongside me."
Ever since the soul of Ōtsutsuki Shen had completely disappeared, Shen no longer viewed the Yokota clan as expendable. Instead, he saw them as a vital pillar—his foundation for standing at the peak of the shinobi world, and for opposing the Ōtsutsuki clan in the future.
Ruma's eyes trembled slightly. Without hesitation, he returned the bow just as deeply.
"Thank you for your trust! The Yokota clan will carve a path through any obstacle for you!"
His voice carried both emotion and conviction. To serve under such a powerful and righteous leader—this was nothing short of fortune for the Yokota clan.
"Hahaha, alright, that's enough formality," Shen said, waving his hand with a light laugh. "Uncle Ruma, continue leading the clan in developing the territory. I'll go finish setting up the barrier."
Without waiting for a reply, Shen shot into the air and left.
Ruma watched his departing figure, a satisfied smile forming on his face. In his heart, he was certain—the Yokota clan would surpass its former peak one day.
And all of it… would be because of Shen.
Arriving in the forest, Shen was still smiling. He walked up to a large tree and began engraving seals.
Katsuyu, sensing his mood, felt pleased as well. She continuously guided Sage energy into his body, easing both his mental and physical fatigue while smoothing the flow of his chakra.
Compared to his earlier lack of proficiency, Shen's speed had improved dramatically. Now, he could complete a seal in roughly half a minute. At this point, the real bottleneck was no longer the engraving—it was movement.
Flying short distances in the forest was inefficient, and even moving between trees on foot took over a minute. Ironically, travel time now exceeded the time needed to inscribe the seals.
"Shen-kun, your efficiency in engraving has improved greatly," Katsuyu said gently.
"Yeah. At this rate, I might not even need three days." Shen smiled faintly as he moved toward the next tree. "By the way, Katsuyu… can I ask you something?"
"Of course. Please ask freely—I will do my best to answer."
Shen glanced at the surrounding vegetation.
"Can you enhance these plants? Something like the mushrooms in Shikkotsu Forest—able to absorb natural energy. They don't need to absorb much, just a small amount each day. That way, I won't have to come back regularly to replenish the barrier's chakra."
Katsuyu immediately understood his concern.
"That would be quite simple. I only need to integrate a small amount of mushroom tissue into these plants. Moreover, the natural energy in the outside world is far less dense than in the sacred lands, so the absorption rate will be very slow."
She paused slightly before reassuring him:
"Don't worry—it won't alert the Divine Tree."
Shen nodded. He had never minded the trouble of replenishing chakra himself. But he was about to begin half a year of uninterrupted treatment. If the barrier failed during that time, it would be a serious issue.
On the other hand, if natural energy was absorbed too quickly, it might draw the attention of the Divine Tree—which would be even worse.
"I see… good. That solves it."
Standing before another large tree, Shen smiled again and resumed engraving.
Mount Myoboku
"How is it? Are all preparations within the sacred land complete?" Gamahiro asked.
"Yes, everything is ready," Gamamaru replied. "However… the Great Sage of Shikkotsu Forest has sent new information."
Gamahiro frowned.
"What kind of information?"
"She does not seem to agree with our plan. It appears there are hidden circumstances behind Kaguya's situation. Even the Great Toad Sage is now hesitating."
"What?!"
Gamahiro's expression immediately darkened.
"How can we abandon this? That woman is recklessly draining Mount Myoboku's natural energy! What hidden circumstances could possibly justify letting her go?!"
"I don't know the details either," Gamamaru said calmly. "But if the Great Sage decides to cancel the plan, we must obey."
He glanced at Gamahiro.
"Or… are you planning to act on your own?"
"Uh…" Gamahiro stiffened, then coughed awkwardly. "Of course not. We follow the Great Sage's orders. But…"
"There is no 'but.'"
Gamamaru's tone was firm.
"Kaguya's childbirth will occur within the next two or three days. Within that time, the Great Sage will decide whether to proceed."
"Fine… then we wait," Gamahiro muttered through gritted teeth. "Damn it!"
Just the thought that Kaguya might escape this crisis filled him with anger. He slammed his fist into the ground, leaving a massive crater.
Gamamaru watched him silently, deep in thought.
What kind of hidden truth could cause the Great Sage to hesitate like this?
And more importantly—how did the Great Sage of Shikkotsu Forest, who had always remained detached from worldly affairs, come to know about Kaguya's secrets?
Unable to find an answer, Gamamaru decided to seek clarification directly.
With a single leap, he dove into the nearby river and disappeared.
Moments later, he arrived at the Sage Hall. The Great Toad Sage sat high above, still deep in contemplation.
"Lord Gamayama," Gamamaru spoke urgently, "what exactly is happening? If Kaguya is not eliminated, Mount Myoboku will continue to decline—and eventually, the entire world could fall into disaster!"
The Great Toad Sage let out a slow sigh, leaning on his staff.
"Gamamaru… the Great Sage of Shikkotsu Forest has sent word. There are hidden circumstances behind Kaguya's situation. She has asked us not to act rashly for now… and to wait until she consults a certain individual."
"Hidden circumstances? What circumstances? And who does she need to consult?" Gamamaru pressed.
The Great Toad Sage fell silent, clearly weighing his words.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"A member of Kaguya's clan has appeared in Shikkotsu Forest."
Gamamaru's pupils contracted.
"That individual brought with him all of Kaguya's information… as well as knowledge about their entire clan. It is precisely because of this that the Great Sage has advised caution."
He then recounted everything Katsuyu had learned from Shen.
The more Gamamaru listened, the more shaken he became.
A powerful race… from beyond this world?
And they had already extended their influence here?
"…Great Sage," he said gravely, "can this information be trusted?"
"It has already been verified by the Great Sage of Shikkotsu Forest. It is entirely credible."
Gamamaru fell silent.
Cold sweat began to form on his forehead as he reconsidered everything—the plan, the future… the fate of the world itself.
"…Great Sage, we must cancel this plan."
His voice was steady, but heavy.
"And we must establish contact with that clan member as soon as possible. Our understanding of the Ōtsutsuki clan is far too limited. This is no longer just a matter for the toad clan."
The Great Toad Sage nodded slowly.
"You are right. I will contact Shikkotsu Forest and request a response."
After a brief pause, he added:
"Gamamaru… from today onward, you will train under Hiro and Yōgi."
Gamamaru froze.
Those two sages were second only to the Great Toad Sage himself—equivalent to future legends like Fukasaku and Shima.
Being placed under both of them meant only one thing.
He was being groomed as the next Great Toad Sage.
"You possess exceptional talent," the Great Toad Sage continued. "You are perceptive, composed, and meticulous. If you are to lead the toad clan in the future… no one would object."
Gamamaru bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your guidance, Great Sage!"
After leaving the Sage Hall, Gamamaru wasted no time returning.
He immediately announced the decision.
"What?! The plan's canceled?" Gamahiro snapped. "Did you go there just to convince the Great Sage to give up?!"
Gamamaru broke into a cold sweat.
"I went to understand Kaguya's hidden circumstances. After hearing everything, the Great Sage made the decision."
He paused, then added:
"There are indeed deeper factors behind Kaguya's situation. She is not some irredeemable evil existence."
"As for the details… I am not allowed to disclose them. So don't ask."
"Just dismantle all preparations."
"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Before anyone could respond, he leapt into the river and vanished.
Gamahiro, furious, tried to chase after him—but the other toads quickly restrained him and forced him to calm down.
In the end, though clearly unwilling, he still obeyed.
One by one, the preparations were dismantled.
Meanwhile, in the Sage Hall, the Great Toad Sage contacted the Great Sage of Shikkotsu Forest. Katsuyu, in turn, immediately relayed the message through her clone, asking Shen for his decision regarding how to handle Kaguya.