As three faint beams of red, blue, and green light glowed, Gekko Chizan emanated a faint, otherworldly radiance.
Tsunade and Katsuyu were both stunned at the sight.
"This... Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave...?"
"How old is he... and he already mastered Sage Arts?"
"My god... the scent of those three streams of natural energy... are those the three sages of Ryūchi Cave...?"
Sage Mode activated, the Serpent-Coiling Technique initiated — this time Gekko Chizan directly summoned the three Snake Princesses.
"Hmm... dense natural energy. Chizan, has your Sage body formed?"
"Huh? What? You two are here too?"
Tagitsuhime had been feeling comfortable — after all, with Gekko Chizan opening Sage Mode her displayed strength had improved — but her pleasure was short-lived when she spotted Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime.
She immediately grew unhappy; what had been hers alone was suddenly split into three.
"Why can't we appear alone?"
"Chizan's Sage body is complete, and the Serpent-Coiling Technique has reached a perfect state. Connecting all three of us at once is normal."
"Don't think you can hog this opportunity all to yourself."
Tagorihime's tone carried a hint of delight, paying no heed to Tagitsuhime's face, which had already darkened.
Two against one, Tagitsuhime had no temper left; she turned away in a huff — and as soon as she did, she saw countless Katsuyu. Her eyes went wide.
"Katsuyu? Why are there so many Katsuyu?!"
"Chizan, act! These vile things — I'm going to wipe them out!"
Tagitsuhime's shout immediately drew the attention of the other two Snake Princesses.
They froze for a moment on seeing the ground swarming with Katsuyu, then their expressions changed drastically.
The next second, three great snakes opened their mouths, and Gekko Chizan's own momentum surged.
"Wait, wait — don't be hasty, three Snake Princesses."
"This is Tsunade's summon, Katsuyu. Hmm, although they do look like the Katsuyu from the Shikkotsu Forest."
"But for my sake, can we not immediately resort to fighting and killing?"
Gekko Chizan pressed his hands together again, and with his Sage energy he suppressed the three Snake Princesses' auras.
After all, he was the caster of the Serpent-Coiling Technique, and it gave him a certain restraining influence over the three Snake Princesses.
"Hmph! Three stinking snakes — what now?"
"Don't think that just because you cultivated Sage Arts I'll be afraid of you. The Katsuyu of the Shikkotsu Forest do not fear snakes!"
Katsuyu, perched on Tsunade's shoulder, emitted a displeased sound.
One Katsuyu and three snakes stared each other down, neither willing to back down.
Gekko Chizan was helpless; the three had never been harmonious.
Pythons eat frogs, frogs eat Katsuyu, Katsuyu eat snakes.
By that logic, the Shikkotsu Forest even restrains the Ryūchi Cave, but how would a proud group of snakes ever admit that a bunch of slugs could beat them?
"Chizan kid, I didn't expect you to have already comprehended Sage Mode..."
"Unimaginable..."
Tsunade herself was greatly moved. Sage Mode might be an enigma to other shinobi, but who was she? The granddaughter of the First Hokage.
But knowing something and mastering it were different things. She understood how difficult training Sage Arts was. Even though she was a contract holder of the Shikkotsu Forest, she had never learned Sage Arts.
In her worldview, only her grandfather, the First Hokage, had truly mastered Sage Arts.
She never expected to see Sage Arts again today — the Sage Arts of the three sacred sites of Ryūchi Cave.
"Ah, ah, ah — it's nothing major. The mission is important right now."
"Four of you, save your quarrels until later, please."
"Right now we have a mission."
"Katsuyu, did you finish placing the detonation tags?"
Tsunade looked toward Katsuyu at the right moment; her meaning was clear — stop the bickering for now.
Katsuyu grumbled but nodded, indicating that all her clones were carrying explosive tags.
"Tagitsuhime, Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, I need your help next."
"Use the power of your Sage Arts to cloak and cover all the Katsuyu."
Invisibility is a major capability of Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts — this natural-energy cloak can block chakra sensing.
It's perfect for a surprise attack.
"Hmph. For your sake this once, I'll use Sage Arts to help."
"Hmph, disgusting!"
Tagitsuhime spat in displeasure; Katsuyu nearly ran wild again, but Tsunade restrained her with great effort.
"Since it's Chizan's request, we'll lend a hand."
"Begin."
Ichikishimahime also calmed Tagitsuhime down, and then blue light began to emanate from her body.
Tagitsuhime let out another cold snort, and red light began to glow from her.
Tagorihime said nothing, only offering Gekko Chizan a faint smile as green light bloomed around her.
Ryūchi Cave's Sage Arts began to work. Where the three beams swept, every Katsuyu was covered and the invisibility activated.
All the Katsuyu vanished from sight — even their chakra was hidden.
Seeing this, Gekko Chizan nodded in satisfaction and said to Tsunade:
"Invisibility is done. Next, I'll scout the coordinates. Tsunade, keep communicating with all the Katsuyu here."
"Alright — it's up to you now. The coordinates must not be wrong, or it'll all be for nothing."
Tsunade nodded solemnly. The first step — invisibility — was complete. The real essence of the mission came next.
Whether the surprise explosions could weaken Iwagakure's strength depended on what followed.
Gekko Chizan casually tossed a kunai toward Tsunade, then in the next second leapt into the air.
Tsunade watched, dumbfounded.
"Heh heh, don't be surprised. With Sage Arts in hand, flying is too easy for me, hahaha."
"Three Snake Princesses, let's go!"
Sage body granted him flight; even without Chōmei's power he could fly. Coupled with invisibility...
Tsk tsk — Gekko Chizan now resembled a stealth fighter jet.
"Katsuyu, prepare to move — climb up first."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade set things in motion as well. Tens of thousands of Katsuyu began to crawl toward the ground. Though their forms couldn't be seen, the sound of them climbing the walls was clear — tsk tsk, lucky they weren't visible, or someone with trypophobia would surely be terrified.
"Chōmei, help me keep watch. Once you find signs of the Kamizuru clan, tell me."
"I've set them up a big surprise!"
Chōmei chuckled; he was looking forward to the show.
Turning a bunch of Katsuyu into bombs — only someone with Gekko Chizan's eccentric brain could think of such an idea.
"No problem! Watch me!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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