"An unfamiliar ceiling."
When Kiyosuke woke up, he was lying on a hospital bed.
Floating beside him was Ichikishimahi, blinking as she stared at him.
"By the way... why are you in Konoha?" Kiyosuke asked weakly.
"Obviously to bring you back. You’re actually the first human we’ve ever returned ourselves. Looks like the Great White Snake Sage really values you." Ichikishimahi said with a mischievous smile. "It’s been ages since I ca to the human world. So many changes... and the place is just full of tempting chakra everywhere. I really want to eat so."
As she spoke, her face shifted—scales appeared, and a forked tongue flicked out.
"How flattering. The training thods at Ryūchi Cave are ridiculously brutal. No wonder so few people try to learn senjutsu there." Just thinking back on the pain made Kiyosuke’s scalp tingle.
"What did you expect? You think humans learning senjutsu is supposed to be easy?" Ichikishimahi floated over and sat at the edge of the bed.
"Humans and we aren’t the sa species. The way we train is different, so we naturally use our own thods to teach you."
Unlike Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave had never bothered to develop a senjutsu system tailored to humans. The creatures who lived in places like Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave were born knowing senjutsu. They could absorb natural energy instinctively—they didn’t need to learn it.
It was only after interacting with humans that places like Shikkotsu Forest and Mount Myōboku began developing safer and more efficient ways to help humans master senjutsu.
But Ryūchi Cave?
Ryūchi Cave didn’t care about helping humans understand or guiding them step by step. They went for brute force. Life or death.
If you survived a bite, congratulations—you’d probably mastered senjutsu. If you didn’t survive?
Well, then the White Snake Sage would just eat you.
After hearing her explanation, Kiyosuke asked, "So... after you bit and turned into a snake, how did I turn back into a human?"
"Bit you again, obviously," Ichikishimahi said casually as she drifted to the window and looked outside. "Sa way you turned into a snake, just reversed it. It’s that simple. That second bite also healed your pain. Plus, you can already feel natural energy now."
"Huh? How do I sense it?" Kiyosuke asked, completely lost.
Ichikishimahi replied, "The Great White Snake Sage left a trace of natural energy in your body. You can use that to attract external natural energy. When that internal trace fades, it ans you’ve started sensing it on your own—and you’ll be able to enter Sage Mode by yourself."
"I see... By the way, didn’t you run into any resistance coming into Konoha?"
"You an the strongest human around here? He ca to see . He was the one who personally brought you to the hospital. Oh, and he also had soone dress you."
"Dr-Dress ?"
Kiyosuke’s face froze. Wait... What the hell does that an?
"Your clothes were destroyed when you turned into a snake. Obviously, they didn’t magically reappear when you changed back."
"So... you brought into Konoha Hospital... completely naked?!"
"Yup. What else was I supposed to do? Lots of people saw too."
This... this was a full-on social death!
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Kiyosuke scread and rolled back and forth on the bed, covering his face.
I’m such an idiot! Why did I even ask?!
At least... don’t let know about it!
"What’s going on?" Kakashi rushed in, having heard the scream. He looked confused as he saw Kiyosuke flailing on the bed, then turned to Ichikishimahi.
"I just told him he ca in here without wearing any clothes," she said innocently.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Kiyosuke’s scream grew even louder, like he was trying to drown the conversation out with sheer volu.
Dead-fish-eyed as always, Kakashi muttered, "Kiyosuke, you’re really... packing, huh?"
"Why did you see it too?!"
"Because I’m the one who dressed you." Kakashi said nonchalantly, "Yesterday I was helping Rin with her onboarding paperwork, and I saw the ANBU bring Ichikishimahi-sama and you to the hospital. So I handled the clothing part."
"Damn those brain-dead ANBU! Why couldn’t they dress beforehand?! Why were the ANBU even involved?!"
Ichikishimahi explained, "No idea. I brought you into Konoha’s hot springs. There were a bunch of naked female humans in there, and when you popped up bare-assed, they all ran off screaming."
Okay, at least it wasn’t the Konoha Police Force that showed up. That’s... sothing.
Still, he asked again, "Why was it the ANBU? Not the police?"
Kakashi answered, "The police did show up. But they wanted to detain Ichikishimahi-sama and interrogate her. Didn’t even give her a chance to explain. They’re all unconscious now—in the room next door."
Kiyosuke’s mouth twitched. What a bunch of reckless atheads...
Kakashi went on, "Then the Hokage happened to be passing by, and he stepped in to handle things."
No way the Hokage just "happened to be passing by." He’s got too much on his plate for that. Which ans...
Hiruzen Sarutobi must’ve been using his crystal ball technique to spy on the won’s bathhouse again.
Otherwise, there’s no way he could’ve reacted that fast.
The ANBU showing up imdiately made sense. But the Hokage? No way he’d personally show up in the middle of a war unless he had a very good reason.
Kiyosuke’s eyes narrowed.
That crystal ball technique... he wanted to learn it too...
Hovering lazily in the air, Ichikishimahi said,
"That human’s strength was decent. He had a summoning contract with the monkey, and he spoke pretty politely, so I left you with him. But I want to stick around for a while. I don’t get out of Ryūchi Cave often—can’t just go back that easily."
"You feeling okay?" Kakashi asked as he sat nearby.
"Nothing serious. I gained a lot from this trip to Ryūchi Cave." Kiyosuke turned to Ichikishimahi.
"Ichikishimahi-san, when can I start learning senjutsu?"
"Oh, that? Anyti. But you should start by learning how to enter Sage Mode. As for the techniques themselves, I can teach you."
Then, with a sudden change of expression that startled Kakashi, she added,
"As long as you accompany around the village. I’ll show you how to enter Sage Mode real fast."
"Really? That’s amazing!"
The mont he heard that, Kiyosuke felt like he could spring out of bed and start giving her a grand tour of the village right away.
Kakashi glanced at him enviously—but only a little.
He muttered, "Kiyosuke, make sure you’re actually wearing clothes this ti."
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!! STOP BRINGING THAT UP!!!"
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