Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha.

"A thousand years ago, I was just a weak slug."

"I don't know when it started, but I gradually developed 'consciousness' and then vaguely sensed a kind of energy."

"I instinctively absorbed and utilized this power, and after an unknown amount of time, I finally became aware of my own existence."

"My destiny was completely changed when this continent welcomed visitors from outer space."

In the hidden, dense forest, the giant trees sway in the wind as if stretching their bodies under the sunlight, and huge slugs share their experiences in soft, sweet voices.

"You mean extraterrestrial beings visited?"

Osamu Furukawa, who had just celebrated his 8th birthday, was visiting Shikkotsu Forest for the second time. Sitting atop a live slug, he asked a question, which the creature kindly replied:

"Yes, this is something I only realized later through continuous learning."

Slowly wriggling through the forest, the slug led Osamu Furukawa on a tour of his habitat:

"Perhaps a battle took place, or perhaps there was some other problem; in any case, the visiting creature was injured."

"The scattered flesh and blood eventually became nutrients for evolution. Now, it seems that it was not flesh and blood, but a kind of energy that I cannot understand."

There was no boasting; the live slug simply shared its knowledge. After leading Furukawa Osamu to a branch of the giant tree, it suddenly exclaimed in amazement:

"It is this energy that made me who I am today, allowing the weak slug to gradually grow stronger."

"After modifying my body, I can absorb energy from nature more efficiently, and I also met the toad clan later."

"The White Snake, now known as the White Snake Sage, has also mastered the same ability. At that time, we will communicate with each other until this land undergoes another change."

A hint of sadness crept into her soft, sweet voice; the slug seemed to miss that time. Lost in thought, Furukawa asked again:

"Is the whole commotion caused by those huge tree roots you showed me?"

"It seems you guessed it, Master Xiu. Gamamaru told us that the monster has turned into a giant tree, and the natural energy is weakening."

"At the time, we had no way to deal with it. After many years, the giant tree bore fruit, and the natural energy gradually returned to normal."

"The Goddess of the Rabbit was an extraterrestrial visitor. She took the fruit, but the giant tree remained, and even transformed into a monster at one point."

"This turmoil was eventually quelled, but the natural energy began to wane again."

The slug's tentacles twitched, and seeing that Furukawa Osamu's face didn't show any confusion, it breathed a sigh of relief:

"The giant tree not only absorbs natural energy, but in fact, it can absorb all kinds of energy, including life."

"A few years later, the Goddess of the Rabbit had two more children. It was around this time that Gamamaru's suggestion led us down different paths."

As Furukawa Osamu gazed at the forest, he noticed that it was somewhat different from the trees in the Land of Fire; the "essence" energy here seemed to be more concentrated after being "gathered."

The trees were of different species, but Furukawa Osamu couldn't recognize them. Some leaves even had live slugs wriggling and communicating on them, making the whole environment vibrant with life.

"Does the Great Toad Sage want to stop the Giant Tree from plundering the planet's energy?"

Seemingly surprised by Furukawa Osamu's understanding, the slug swayed its body in acknowledgment and continued to add:

"Yes, Gamamaru is worried that one day the Goddess of the Rabbit and the monster will drain all the energy, so he wants to take the initiative."

"However, this idea was not accepted by me and the White Snake, because we chose different paths in utilizing energy."

"Coexisting with nature has always been the philosophy of the toad clan."

"Does the white snake want to evolve and become a dragon?"

"But all I want is to survive, Master Xiu. You should be able to understand that we all have the ability to absorb energy and coexist with natural energy, which is inherently difficult."

Although he felt that the other party had misunderstood something, Furukawa Osamu did not explain, but instead nodded in agreement.

The slug, seemingly pleased to receive a response, continued its calm recounting of ancient "secrets" while slowly wriggling:

"In the end, Gamamaru chose to contact the two children, and his prophetic abilities came into play. The Goddess of the Rabbit and the monster disappeared."

"However, tree roots that are scattered throughout the planet have been left behind, and it took me a long time to pinpoint the main locations of these roots."

"That is indeed an unimaginable power. If the giant tree were allowed to absorb it, this planet might really lose all its energy."

"Next is the story of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, who is known as the Sage of Six Paths. He seems to be more powerful than the Goddess of the Rabbit, but he is a advocate of peace."

"His descendants seem to have conflicting ideologies and traditions, and over a long period of time, they eventually evolved into the ninjas we know today."

"..."

After a moment of silence, allowing Furukawa to process the information, the slug wriggled off the tree trunk and returned to the ground to continue moving through the forest.

"In my later studies, I learned that the giant tree was called the 'Divine Tree,' the monster was called the 'Ten-Tails,' and the goddess was named Kaguya Otsutsuki."

"Although I can't be sure what happened before, the energy that changed me was most likely 'chakra'."

"As for my Sage Mode, it is not suitable for humans unless someone can perfectly create Sage Chakra within their body, in which case it can resonate with me."

In the end, the live slug seemed a little embarrassed, because humans, who could perfectly create Sage Chakra, might not need her.

Furukawa Osamu jumped down from the head of the giant slug, and soon another palm-sized slug appeared beside him and climbed onto his shoulder, occasionally waving its antennae, waiting for the question.

"Does 'resonance' refer to the Seal of a Hundred Healers?"

"While absorbing natural energy to power yourself, have you ever tried compressing that energy within your body?"

Instead of asking a barrage of questions like a child, the slug quietly breathed a sigh of relief and then cheerfully replied:

"Yes, Lord Xiu, unlike Lady Tsunade, I can resonate with the Sage Chakra you gather and replenish your Sage Chakra."

"I've tried various methods, and I've already managed to compress the Sage Chakra within my body."

"But doing so only increases the volume in the end."

As if sensing what Furukawa Osamu was thinking, a hint of desolation appeared in the slug's soft, sweet voice:

"Master Xiu, natural energy cannot grant living beings 'immortality'."

"The so-called three holy sites may all be related to the primordial energy. We have all been 'energized,' which is more like a curse!"

"All living things come to an end one day, and my only hope is to meet my 'kin'."

"I will die in a few thousand years...Master Xiu?"

Sensing the intense emotional turmoil, the surrounding slugs all turned their heads. Furukawa Osamu, who had just been trying to comfort them, could only manage a forced smile, inwardly cursing:

"I absolutely must have a copy of this curse!"

"..."