"A spiritual weapon, huh? Maybe it's time for you to visit Ryūchi Cave." Orochimaru looked at Kagetsu and said softly.
Such things, existing only in legends, had always been elusive.
Perhaps only Ryūchi Cave, which recorded the history of the ninja world, might possess information about spiritual weapons and the techniques to forge them.
Besides that, only clans with nearly a thousand years of heritage—like the Hyūga, Senju, and Uchiha—might have some scattered information.
"Ryūchi Cave?"
Kagetsu nodded in thought. He believed that the method of forging spiritual weapons wouldn't be an obstacle for him, but if he could obtain some information about them in the ninja world, it would still be worthwhile.
"It seems you've made your decision. So? If you want to go, I can take you with me. It's been a long time since I last saw the White Snake Sage."
Orochimaru licked the corner of his lips. The last time he met the White Snake Sage, he had only felt overwhelming pressure and deep envy.
That power, the accumulation of knowledge and lifespan over a thousand years—these were things he longed for.
Or rather, it was because of the White Snake Sage that Orochimaru, who had come to understand the fragility of life, found a reference point!
Turning his soul into that of a snake—was that really so difficult?
If not for Kagetsu's appearance, he would have inevitably continued his pursuit of sagehood, eventually transforming himself—body and soul—toward the form of the White Snake Sage.
The pursuit of power.
The pursuit of immense strength alongside immortality!
This was the transformation of Orochimaru's mindset from childhood to adulthood.
In the past, he would never have considered meeting the White Snake Sage again, as training in senjutsu had once cost him dearly.
"Then let's go." Kagetsu nodded again.
Neither of them was one to hesitate. After leaving a few words of advice for Shisui, they both bit their fingers, formed hand seals, and used Reverse Summoning to transport themselves to Ryūchi Cave.
This kind of subspace, existing outside the ninja world, could only be entered in three ways: by being summoned by a powerful being inside, by sheer luck, or through a contract—using one's summoned beast as a spatial coordinate to transport oneself there.
Poof!
Poof!
Two clouds of smoke erupted as two figures suddenly appeared in a misty location.
"Orochimaru!"
Before Orochimaru and Kagetsu could even steady themselves and take in their surroundings, a voice filled with shock rang out behind them like a thunderclap.
They turned toward the source of the voice and saw a massive serpent coiled around a lush tree. The snake was entirely purple, covered in black markings, and had a distinct V-shaped horn on its head.
At that moment, the enormous snake extended its head from within the branches, its golden, ferocious eyes locking onto Orochimaru and Kagetsu below.
"So you were nearby all along, Manda!"
Seeing the massive purple serpent coiled around the tree and stretching far into the misty depths, Orochimaru raised a hand in greeting.
"What nonsense are you spouting?! This is my territory!" Manda roared in displeasure. Suddenly, its forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air. When its gaze returned to Orochimaru and Kagetsu, there was a strange, unreadable expression in its eyes.
"It seems like you're thinking of something sinister. That overwhelming malice… It's far beyond what I've felt from you before, Manda."
Orochimaru met Manda's gaze with clear dissatisfaction.
"The scent! It's irresistible!" Manda drooled greedily. "What did you do to yourself? And that brat beside you! The two of you have an incredible, mouth-watering power radiating from you!
If I devour you both, I might be able to evolve once more!"
"So… You're planning to turn on your own master?" Orochimaru stepped forward, motioning for Kagetsu to stand aside as he confronted Manda's undisguised hostility.
"Don't make me laugh! Don't forget the terms of our contract! You needed my power! And I only agreed to obey the contract because you could provide me with sacrifices and fresh blood!
Don't start thinking I'm your servant, you bastard!"
Manda let out an angry roar and opened its mouth, spraying a rain of venom toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's figure vanished instantly from where he stood.
Manda's pupils instinctively looked upward, only to see Orochimaru above its head, holding a Kusanagi sword that had appeared from who knows where, stabbing straight down at it.
With its tough scales, Manda wasn't afraid of ninja weapons like kunai and shuriken. However, after fighting side by side in dozens, even hundreds of battles, just as Orochimaru understood it, it also understood Orochimaru.
The only weapon Orochimaru wielded that Manda absolutely didn't want to take head-on was the Kusanagi sword.
Even without any chakra enhancement or nature transformation, the sword's sharpness alone was enough to wound it.
Among the different types of Kusanagi swords, some could extend their blade and increase their durability when infused with chakra.
During large-scale battles, Orochimaru particularly liked using this kind of Kusanagi sword while fighting alongside Manda.
Manda's neck suddenly shrank back, and its massive body moved with unexpected agility and speed, forming a crescent-shaped arc in midair.
As expected, the moment Manda dodged, Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword abruptly extended, grazing Manda's lower jaw and almost slicing its belly open.
At the same time, Manda's head lunged forward, its mouth opening wide to avoid the Kusanagi sword before viciously biting toward the airborne Orochimaru.
Boom!
A substitution log exploded in Manda's jaws, shattering into splinters that it angrily spat out.
Bang!
Manda suddenly swung its tail and slammed it heavily onto a section of the dense forest. Orochimaru's figure quickly darted out from the impact zone.
"Wind Release: Infinite Wind Blade Breakthrough!"
Orochimaru's hands rapidly formed seals in midair. The moment he completed them, his chest expanded, and he exhaled a powerful blast of wind toward Manda.
Tiny wind blades were mixed within the raging storm, spreading out in all directions with Orochimaru at the center.
Manda, with its massive body, was the first to bear the brunt. The violent winds struck head-on, and the chakra-infused wind blades instantly cut into its scales, leaving deep, bloody gashes all over its body.
****
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