Naruto: The Hidden Shadow Style

The materials before Haseo were at least on the level of "ancient clan scrolls." From what he had previously learned, months ago one of the purposes behind the Fuma clan's attempt to create chaos in Konoha was to obtain precious documents like these… and yet now, they were simply laid out before him.

Free for the taking—something that'd make anyone green with envy.

Even Sansho treated them as little more than discarded rags. She gave a brief explanation of their origins, decided their destination, and then turned and walked away.

"So, my task now is to carry all these items into the hidden realm of Shikkotsu Forest?"

Haseo scratched his head thoughtfully. Since Senju had already withdrawn the ninjas guarding this place, for safety's sake there was no time to lose in moving these documents.

Thus, Haseo summoned Katsuyu from within himself.

"Am I back at the Senju estate in… Konoha?" As soon as it appeared, Katsuyu confirmed its location—evidently familiar with this place.

"Lord Haseo, why have you summoned me?"

"These are some secret documents concerning the Senju clan that Sansho-sensei entrusted to me," Haseo said, pointing toward those massive, heavy wooden boxes. "Considering their importance, I need to bring them into Shikkotsu Forest."

Katsuyu surely felt a deeper connection to these matters than Haseo ever could. Yet such matters were beyond even her control, so whatever emotions she held remained unspoken. The people of the Senju might still live, but the Senju clan itself was already gone—these boxes represented the last remnants of that legacy. Strictly speaking, even Katsuyu herself barely qualified as part of the Senju clan heritage.

"I understand, Lord Haseo. In that case, our main body in Shikkotsu Forest will perform [Reverse Summoning Jutsu] to summon both you and those items over," Katsuyu said.

Compared to last time when only a Summoning Contract Scroll was involved, what Haseo needed to transport this time was not only far more in quantity but also significantly more valuable. Therefore, it made sense for him to personally accompany everything into Shikkotsu Forest.

Haseo nodded, indicating he was ready for spatial movement. The Katsuyu he had summoned would remain here, serving as a guide and reference point for his return journey from Shikkotsu Forest.

In an instant, Haseo felt the scenery before him blur—as if countless images flashed past him all at once. But upon looking closer, aside from bizarre color blocks twisting in strange shapes, he saw nothing at all.

A pressure like being deep underwater bore down on him. A chaotic flood of spatial and temporal information caused his mind to disconnect, making him feel as if endlessly sinking through infinite space… His five senses shut down, leaving nothing but a deep, lonely fear inside him.

As he gradually regained his senses of time, location, volume, light, and other external perceptions, his whole body felt dizzy and unstable... To describe it, it was like someone suffering from carsickness, airsickness, and seasickness all at once had taken a car, plane, and ship continuously and simultaneously for three years.

Ding, we have arrived at Shikkotsu Forest. Passengers disembarking here are advised to do so promptly. Thank you for riding the Katsuyu Bus Line, and we look forward to serving you again.

Haseo felt extremely lightheaded. He barely managed to steady himself by holding onto a nearby large tree when suddenly his cheeks puffed out violently. He forcefully held himself back, but then came a second surge—his already round cheeks swelled even more... These two consecutive impacts were like Madara Uchiha's Heavenly Obstacle Quaking Star, while Haseo's cheeks acted like The Third. In the end, he barely managed to endure it. Then, his throat convulsively moved as he forcibly pushed back down into his stomach the contents that had risen up.

While other children entering Shikkotsu Forest would usually be filled with joy and curiosity, unable to contain their excitement over such a wondrous place, Haseo nearly decorated this supposedly mystical hidden realm with his own personal offering — right there on the mossy ground.

Leaving something behind—does that instantly claim the territory? That sounds more like the behavior of canines!

"Wet… Shikkotsu Forest, we're really here?" he muttered, still dazed.

Then, Haseo first felt a slight pressure on his shoulder before hearing a voice answer beside his ear, "We've arrived, Lord Haseo... Are you alright? [Reverse Summoning] can cause discomfort the first time for anyone—you'll get used to it after a few times."

"I'm… fine now," Haseo replied, loosening his grip on the tree trunk. He finally straightened himself up again. He wasn't sure if Katsuyu was being kind or just honest—either way, it sounded a lot like "you'll get used to throwing up a few times."

The few boxes had fallen beside his feet. Well, at least none of the luggage had gone missing during transportation.

So this is Shikkotsu Forest? Haseo glanced around and looked far into the distance, finding himself surrounded by towering trees in a dense rainforest. From the first impression, Haseo noticed nothing particularly mysterious about this so-called hidden realm—only that the air was overly humid, like every single pore on his body had been clogged shut. Within moments, his hair had become soaked, plastered to his cheeks like a dog had given them a quick lick.

Now the question was, where exactly was the giant slug they mentioned? Looking around, he couldn't spot one at all.

"Let's take care of the most important thing first. Katsuyu, where should I put these materials?"

This excessively hot and moist environment was clearly unsuitable for preserving precious documents. Haseo thought they should find a better place to safely store those crates.

"Just leave it to me, Lord Haseo. Just walk forward," Katsuyu said.

In reality, though, Haseo didn't need to walk forward at all. He simply felt the ground beneath his feet shift slightly, and then the very earth beneath him began swiftly moving in some direction.

Five minutes later, it stopped beneath a sheer cliff. Then, a perfectly round hole opened up on the cliff face... At this moment, Haseo finally understood why he couldn't find Katsuyu's true body—it was because he had been inside it all along, just as the old saying goes.

The entire Shikkotsu Forest *was* Katsuyu itself. When it rolls over, that's not just movement—it's like nature's own demolition crew reshaping the entire landscape.

Haseo carried those boxes into the depths of the opening. As he advanced, the humid heat gradually gave way to a cool, refreshing sensation. The surroundings displayed a jade-like texture, yet he still believed this place must be within the giant slug's body.

"This area is protected by an open Barrier. You can safely bring those items inside," said the small Katsuyu perched on Haseo's shoulder.

"Mmm, I like this secret base," Haseo replied.

Honestly, it was mind-blowing that such a colossal creature could even exist—let alone survive. However, gigantic life forms weren't exactly rare in the Ninjutsu World. If one were to rank the largest creatures in the world by sheer size, the top three would likely be: Gamabunta of Mount Myoboku, the Turtle Island off the coast of the Land of Lightning, and then Katsuyu.

At this point, Haseo could already be considered the world's greatest master of Katsuyu—and rightful owner of the Shikkotsu Forest… Looking back, he totally should've freaked out the second he got here.

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