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Although these earthworms were immense in size, after engaging them in combat, Yuta determined that their strength was at most that of elite Chūnin, and their ground speed was not particularly fast.
After subduing the earthworms quickly, Yuta immediately retrieved the scroll he had brought. This was a personal summoning scroll he had prepared specifically for this moment.
By making these earthworms sign a blood contract with him, he became their summoner.
Having completed this, Yuta promptly returned home and took out a large number of sealing scrolls from the cabinet.
Kiko watched him busily moving around, a puzzled expression on her face.
"What's wrong? Didn't you find them?"
Kiko put on her outer robe and observed Yuta placing numerous sealing scrolls around their training grounds, intending to offer her assistance.
"The contract is signed, but while those earthworms are huge, their current strength is somewhat lacking. So, I plan to establish a sealing barrier here and let them reside within it. This way, they can benefit from the same environment as us, and they'll be ready to assist on the battlefield in no time."
Yuta positioned the scrolls in specific locations, explaining to Kiko without looking up.
Approximately half an hour later, Yuta wiped the sweat from his brow. Finally, he had arranged the scrolls and turned to see that Kiko was still there.
"Why haven't you gone back inside? It's cold at night; you should take care of yourself."
"I can't sleep when you're not around," Kiko admitted, having grown comfortable with expressing her affection.
Watching her husband focused and serious, Kiko couldn't help but gaze at him, lost in thought. 'A serious man is truly the most handsome.'
"Alright, go back to the house first; it will be ready here soon."
Yuta carefully checked the placement of the scrolls, ensuring everything was in order.
He then picked up the scroll bearing the newly signed contract and sat in the center of the training ground.
Unrolling the scroll, he made a small cut on his right index finger and squeezed out a drop of blood. He swiftly pressed his bloody finger onto the scroll.
"Sealing Technique: Seal Heaven and Earth!"
This was a novel sealing technique Yuta had developed after several moments of enlightenment, an advanced version of the Uzumaki clan's traditional sealing arts.
This technique could completely isolate a small area from the external world, forming an independent pocket dimension.
This space could freely absorb various energies from the outside, resulting in a highly concentrated environment of chakra and natural energy within.
Only those who had imprinted their blood and name onto the spiritual scroll could freely enter and exit this space.
Kiko watched Yuta's preparations for a while. Then, the scrolls placed around the perimeter suddenly emitted a brilliant light before vanishing into the ground.
Seeing Kiko's puzzled expression, Yuta approached her, holding the spiritual scroll.
"Write your name and fingerprint on this with your own blood, and then I'll make a copy for you. This will allow you to communicate with those earthworms. While they are still weak, you can form a master-servant contract with them."
Kiko carefully took the scroll and examined it for a moment before looking up at Yuta in surprise.
"So, I can have my own summoning beast?"
"That's right, sign it now."
Kiko quickly bit her finger, wrote her name on the scroll in blood, and pressed her fingerprint beside her name.
Seeing that Kiko had completed the summoning beast contract, Yuta put away the scroll.
"Don't use this original scroll anymore. Keep it safe and only bring it out when someone new signs a contract. I'll make a few copies in the next few days, and we'll use those from now on."
Yuta looked at Kiko, who was still standing there in a daze, and couldn't resist a touch of pride.
"Well, would you like to take a look at our summoning beasts' future home?"
Kiko, having recovered from her surprise, looked at the slightly boastful Yuta and couldn't help but give him a playful eye-roll. However, her curiosity about where her summoned beasts would reside was undeniable, and she nodded eagerly.
"Then come along."
Yuta turned and walked to the center of the training ground, waving for Kiko to join him.
Kiko hurried over. Yuta waved his right hand, and a hole as tall as a person materialized in the middle of the training ground.
"I established this seal so I can enter from here. If you want to come here in the future, you can only have the summoned beasts perform a reverse summoning. This place is now a small, self-contained space connected to our world."
Yuta explained this to prevent Kiko from simply entering through the opening in the future.
Hearing this, Kiko nodded and urged him to take her below to see.
The passage was initially pitch-black. After walking for a short distance, a faint light appeared ahead.
When they reached the end of the passage, a vast, cavernous space opened before them.
"It's incredible! I didn't expect it to be this large!"
Looking at the space with a radius of nearly twenty kilometers, Yuta was also genuinely surprised by its size.
Kiko gazed up and around the expansive space, exclaiming in amazement, "Your sealing barrier is no smaller than the village's own barrier! But it's strange; how can there be light underground?"
"Just look up, and you'll see."
Yuta pointed upwards.
Kiko looked up and saw a massive opening at the apex of the space, allowing natural light from the outside world to stream directly into the cavern.
"It's astonishing! How did you manage that?"
"Isolating space doesn't necessarily mean isolating light and energy! It's just a specific application of space-sealing ninjutsu" (TN: Not sure how else to explain it).
Seeing that Kiko seemed to have more questions, Yuta interrupted her. "If you have any more questions, save them for when we get back. Right now, we need to summon those earthworms. Otherwise, it will be troublesome if they are discovered."
"Oh! Yes, yes, yes, hurry up and send them over. I want to see what they look like."
Looking at Kiko's hopeful expression, Yuta couldn't help but feel a little apologetic. "You might be disappointed. They aren't very cute, and aside from their size, they aren't much different from ordinary earthworms."
Seeing Yuta unroll the scroll to perform the summoning, Kiko quickly snatched it away.
"I'll do it, I'll do it!"
Observing Kiko's excitement, as if she had just received a new toy, Yuta could only hand her the scroll and step back to watch her.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Kiko squeezed a drop of blood from her fingertip and performed the summoning technique for the very first time.
"Bang!"
Several large clouds of smoke appeared in the spacious cavern. As the smoke dissipated, several enormous earthworms materialized not far from Kiko.
"This… this is the earthworm you mentioned? It's too big!"
Kiko pointed at the colossal earthworms, her voice filled with disbelief.
"What's the use of being big? Right now, they are only slightly stronger than the average Chūnin. They will need significant training to become truly effective," Yuta said, deflating Kiko's initial excitement about showing them off.
Yuta had no intention of concealing the fact that he had summoned spirit beasts. After all, he would eventually have to fight alongside them, so he didn't plan to stop Kiko from showing them off eventually.
It was simply that the current strength of these earthworms didn't quite allow for it yet.