NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Chapter 30
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Light rain pattered softly, and the distant Hokage Rock was shrouded in a veil of smoke.
Ikeno had reached the outer valley of Konoha, where a river and waterfall spread out before him. Flanking the riverbank were two massive statues of ninjas—Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara—locked in the "Seal of Reconciliation," symbolizing the end of the fateful battle between Indra and Ashura.
But Ikeno couldn't help but sigh, recalling the future battle between Sasuke and Naruto.
He opened the sign-in panel.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing the sign-in task and receiving the antidote ninjutsu: Ten Thousand Poisons Underworld]
"Poisonous Underworld?" Ikeno muttered.
He remembered that in the world of Hokage, detoxification usually involved finding the source of the toxin with the "Trouble Extraction Technique," then using the "Chakra Scalpel" to remove the affected tissue and finally preparing an antidote. He had always wondered why there wasn't a ninjutsu that could directly detoxify poisons.
And now he had one.
What thrilled him even more was that this skill turned out to be an S-rank Forbidden Technique.
But why was it called "Underworld"?
He quickly realized that signing in at the Valley of the End was just the first in a chain of tasks.
[Ten Thousand Poisons Underworld is an S-rank Forbidden Technique capable of removing all toxins in the world.]
"All toxins?" Ikeno couldn't believe it.
He thought about the various poisons in the Naruto world—whether it was the Black Pepper Fish's poison sac, the Aburame Clan's venomous insects, Orochimaru's cursed toxins, or the Red Sand Scorpion's crafted poisons—this technique could neutralize all of them.
However, there was a downside.
[Regular use of Ten Thousand Poisons Underworld will cause toxins to backfire on the user, damaging the nervous system and leading to symptoms such as dizziness, memory loss, and even dementia. Hence, it is classified as a Forbidden Technique.]
"That's risky..." Ikeno muttered.
[However, Host need not worry. The Voiceless Bodhi physique blocks toxin backlash and prevents nerve damage.]
Ikeno's eyes lit up. Not only was his Voiceless Bodhi physique immune to illusions, but it also counteracted toxins.
He was about to leave when the system released a new task.
[Ding! Please follow the instructions and reach the unknown location to sign in]
"Unknown location?" Ikeno was puzzled.
Just then, the rain stopped, and the sun broke through the clouds. A rainbow formed over the valley, casting a colorful glow.
Without much time to enjoy the beauty, Ikeno followed the system's guidance to the riverbank and jumped into the water. He swam for a few meters until he discovered a hole in the rock wall. This had to be the entrance. He swam in.
After emerging from the water, he took a few deep breaths, activated his super perception, and used his night vision to examine his surroundings. A massive cave as big as a training ground appeared before him.
As he climbed ashore, something tapped his shoulder. He turned around to see...
A white skeleton hand!
Startled, Ikeno tossed it aside. The skeleton fell into a large pit ahead, and the sound of cracking bones echoed.
He cautiously approached and peered into the pit.
It was a burial pit—piles of corpses, both human and animal, filled the bottom.
"Konoha hasn't reported any missing persons or livestock... Where did all these bones come from?"
Ikeno noticed fine sand covering the ground nearby. When he brushed it aside, he found a shiny black stone slab with a handle. "A secret door!"
Curiosity piqued, he lifted the handle, and with a "click," the stone slab opened, releasing a strong musty smell.
Ikeno covered his nose and proceeded through a dark, moss-covered passageway until he reached an exit. Beyond was a dense, eerie forest that was devoid of life.
Pressing on, he reached a strange house made entirely of bones, surrounded by jars filled with insects and covered in spider webs. Inside the house sat a beautiful young woman. Her eyes sparkled, and her long white hair flowed gracefully over her shoulders. Her lips were delicate, and her skin was pale as if lifeless. Despite her beauty, she was feeding an ugly toad with her mouth.
"Little one, come closer," the woman beckoned.
Startled, Ikeno secretly summoned Ritoru, his invisible companion, and cautiously approached.
To his shock, the woman could see Ritoru!
Who is this person?
"Little guy, don't be afraid. This is Mingsen."
" Mingsen?" Ikeno had never heard of such a place in the Hokage world.
"It is a place of inheritance, like Ryūchi Cave, Mount Myōboku, and Shikkotsu Forest," the woman explained.
A place of inheritance!
"Yes, my name is Spider Sage," the woman said.
With that, she transformed into her original form—a massive black widow spider with a skull-like head and two braids.
" Mingsen..." Ikeno whispered. The name seemed connected to corpses and poison.
Just then, the system jumped out again.
[Ding! Congratulations on completing the sign-in task and discovering the secret realm. You are rewarded with access to the Mingsen passage.]
"What? No magical skills or anything?"
Before he could continue complaining, the system jumped out again.
[Ding! A new task has been issued. Use the Ten Thousand Poisons Underworld to detoxify a person within two days.]
"That's easy. I'll head to Konoha Hospital!"
As he was about to leave, the Spider Sage shot two white beams from her empty eye sockets, and Ikeno suddenly fainted.
When he woke up, he found himself by the river again. Rubbing his eyes, he recalled the events that had just occurred.
"Open the passage... Where's the passage?"
He thought of Doraemon and immediately entered his omnipotent space. Sure enough, not far from his library, a white arch with a spider symbol had appeared. The door was closed for now, but he knew this was the passage to Mingsen.
"I wonder what kind of techniques I'll be rewarded with in the future..."
Ikeno left the space, basking in the warm sunlight.
The Land of Fire was close to the tropics, so it never felt cold, even in autumn. The warm sun and vibrant flowers around him were refreshing.
But something smelled off.
He sniffed around, realizing it was coming from himself.
"It must be the stench from that forest..."
Deciding to clean himself up, Ikeno jumped back into the river. After washing up, he swam to the shore. As he prepared to leave, he noticed a figure moving through the reeds on the opposite bank...
Who could it be?
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