"What? Kabuto took Naruto and Hinata to the Ryuchi Cave?" Kuroto muttered in shock.
Ichikishima hime nodded, and explained, "Yup, Orochimaru's subordinate brought the two kids to the Ryuchi Cave today… he did so in order to escape the pursuit of some pursuers…"
Kuroto was silenced… For the identities of the pursuers, Kuroto can guess that they were probably the members of the Akatsuki Organization… It's a good thing that Naruto did not get into their hands… Still, though, he didn't expect the situation to become so complicated… Naruto who wasn't supposed to have any connection with the Ryuchi Cave was currently at the Ryuchi Cave… whether it is a good thing or a bad thing and what would happen to Mount Myoboku can't be decided at this moment.
After thinking for a while, Kuroto asked, "What are the three of them doing right now?"
Ichikishima hime answered, "Since that kid, Naruto wanted to learn Senjutsu, so White Snake Sage assigned him a test, with the condition that if Naruto manages to complete that test, he will be given Senjutsu training… so the three of them are probably trying to complete that test…"
Kuroto nodded lightly, and asked again, "And what's the test White Snake Sage gave Naruto?"
Ichikishima hime replied, "It's to retrieve Garaga's reverse scale…" then added with a confused expression, "I don't know why she gave such a difficult test to that kid… he will more than likely fail the test… Retrieving Garaga's scale is not something a kid like him can accomplish… even if that kid is somewhat special as White Snake Sage believes, he is still a kid… so I am sort of sceptical why White Snake Sage gave such a test to that kid…"
Kuroto had a thoughtful expression on his face… he is of course aware of who Garaga is and what is his past… Garaga was betrayed by a Shinobi several decades ago, and coincidently enough that Shinobi happens to be Sandaime Kazekage of Sunagakure… since the puppet of Sandaime Kazekage is in Kuroto's hands, he is pretty aware of what happened back then.
At the same time, Kuroto also knows that Naruto is really a special kid… of all the Shinobi in the world, Asura and his reincarnation have always been special ones… especially Naruto, on top of being the current reincarnation of Otsutsuki Asura, he is also the supposed Child of the Prophecy, and perhaps, White Snake Sage who has lived for over a millennium also realizes Naruto's speciality, as such, she assigned such a test to him.
And if Kuroto thinks about it a little bit, she is definitely now wrong, because of all the people in the Shinobi World, at this point in time, Naruto is probably the only person who can change Garaga with his overpowered Talk no Jutsu.
Understanding so, Kuroto nodded to himself, and then said to Ichikishima hime, "Well, I understand, let that guy help Naruto and protect Hinata…"
Ichikishima hime was a little surprised, and questioned, "Kuroto-sama, you want me to order your summon snake to help them?"
Kuroto nodded lightly, and explained, "Well, Hinata is a member of the Hyuga Clan, I can't just let her die out there, and the other kid is the Jinchuriki of Kyuubi… he needs to be protected as well, otherwise there will be problems… and if Naruto can really learn Senjutsu, then it would be a good thing… So, I want you to instruct Aoda to help the two of them…"
Ichikishima hime nodded, "Alright then… if you say so, I will let Aoda help them…"
With that clear, Kuroto said, "If there is nothing more to report, you can go back to the Ryuchi Cave, I have certain things that I must take care of…"
Ichikishima hime nodded and then disappeared from the room with a poof of smoke.
…
'Kuchiyose no Jutsu!'
Pooooooff!
Instantly, white smoke that was produced as a result of using 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' swept the entire cave… At the same time, Kabuto, Naruto, and Hinata who were standing on the ground were suddenly lifted off of their feet, and rose up, as if they were standing on an object of huge size which shocked and surprised both Naruto and Hinata…
"Who summoned me!?" But before Naruto and Hinata could be happy for very long, suddenly a very loud roar echoed in the cave… Immediately afterwards, the huge purple giant snake came before everyone's eyes, and a very violent aura filled the entire cave.
"Unexpectedly… unexpectedly it succeeded…" Kabuto muttered with a relieved expression, and then while pointing at Garaga, he spoke to the giant purple snake whose size is slightly bigger even compared to Garaga… "Manda-sama… I have summoned you… can you please help us retrieve the reverse scale of that red snake?!"
Manda glanced at Kabuto standing on top of his head, and said coldly, "Huh? It turned out to be Orochimaru's subordinate! A brat like you dared to summon me… do you want to be eaten by me?"
Kabuto helplessly shook his head, and said, "Manda-sama… please help me this time… and please rest assured, I will definitely prepare appropriate sacrifices to satiate your hunger."
With a cold snort, Manda turned his gaze to look at the so-called red snake in front, as soon as he saw the other party, his eyes narrowed and he muttered in surprise, "It turned out to be Garaga!"
Even Garaga was taken aback by the sudden appearance of Manda, he stared vigilantly at the other party, and said in an unpleasant tone, "Manda… these humans dare to intrude in my territory first and I am going to kill them… do you want to interfere?"
Manda remained silent for a while, then turned around his head, and spoke to Kabuto, "Hey boy… don't forget the sacrifices that you promised me! Otherwise…!"
As Manda spoke so, Kabuto was relieved because this meant Manda was willing to help them… but before he could nod, Manda looked at Garaga coldly, and then, 'Poooff!' directly disappeared from the cave…!
"W-what?!" Kabuto was taken aback… and for a moment he didn't realize what happened and why Manda who was supposed to help them suddenly disappeared.
But the situation is quite clear… just as Garaga is slightly afraid of fighting against Manda, Manda––who is known as the world's strongest snake––is also somewhat afraid of fighting Garaga, as he had no plans of helping Kabuto and the others in retrieving Garaga's reverse scale.
As Manda disappeared, Kabuto and the others who were lifted off of the ground fell back to the ground with slightly dull expressions on their faces.
And, Kabuto who had finally realized that Manda had ditched him couldn't help but curse the snake because not only did Manda not help them and run away, he didn't forget to remind Kabuto of the sacrifices.
With the disappearance of Manda, Garaga with his yellow snake eye stared at Kabuto and the others with anger boiling in his heart.
"Crap… crap… what to do now…?" Kabuto was really panicked now… The Summoning Jutsu consumed a lot of his Chakra, but not only did it not play the intended role, but it also angered Garaga, making Kabuto helpless…!
The angered Garaga moved instantly, and like a rolling rock, he fiercely pounced on everyone.
But just as Garaga was about to eat everyone, suddenly a giant blue snake emerged through the walls and held Garaga's neck with his mouth.
The new Giant Snake with blue scales glanced at Hinata and Naruto from the corner of his blue vertical slit eyes, and after making sure that the two kids were fine, he smashed Garaga's head on the ground.
Smashed into the ground, the angered Garaga shouted, "Aoda you trash… you have got some nerve getting in my way!"
Aoda gave no reply, and while restraining Garaga to the ground he glanced at Naruto as if trying to convey something to the kid.
The sluggish Kabuto, Naruto, and Hinata were taken aback by the sudden turn of events… and they didn't know what was going on any longer… But when Aoda stared at him, something within Naruto understood what the giant blue-scaled snake was trying to convey and he subconsciously took a step forward.
The moment Naruto took a step forward, a strange orange mist gushed out of his body, the mist didn't affect Aoda but as soon as it approached Garaga he froze in his place, and his expression became dazed.
At the same time, the moment orange mist gushed out of his body, Naruto's soul seemed to have left his body and he too froze where he stood.
Kabuto looked at everything happening around him with a shocked expression, and muttered to himself, "What did the Blue Snake do? And why did that orange smoke come out of him? Is it because of Kyuubi? Or is it because the White Snake Sage did something to Naruto?"
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