After taking control of everything Orochimaru left behind, Hyuga Gakuya returned to the Land of Rain to hand over the second Sky Ring to Pain. He also informed him that Orochimaru had escaped.
As soon as Gakuya got home, he was greeted by a group he hadn't seen in a while. Among them was Uchiha Hikari, who clearly missed him and clung to him the moment he walked through the door. Seeing that, Karin pouted with jealousy and hugged him tightly from behind.
Gakuya felt like he was caught in a loli sandwich. Not exactly his ideal welcome home.
Thankfully, it was Izumi and Yukari who stepped in to pull the two girls off him, finally freeing him from their overly enthusiastic greetings.
After urging Hikari and Karin to go upstairs and focus on their homework, Gakuya sat down and asked the two older girls if anything important had happened at home lately.
Apparently, Uchiha Izumi had officially recognized Hikari as her little sister, stepping into the role of her guardian. And just earlier, Hikari and Karin had made a bet to see who could win Gakuya's heart first.
Hearing this, Gakuya broke into a cold sweat.
Do they think I'm into little girls or something? He sighed. Even if I were going to entertain that kind of idea, at least wait until you're all grown up, okay?
Besides, he had more important things to worry about—his training wasn't finished, and his plans were still in motion. He decided not to get involved and just let things play out naturally.
Once again, he reminded them to train seriously. He would be leaving home for a while, so they needed to take care of each other.
Under the reluctant gazes of Izumi and Karin, Gakuya performed a Reverse Summoning.
Poof!
A cloud of smoke enveloped him, and when it cleared, he was gone.
...
The world spun as he teleported, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a different place altogether.
In front of him was a dazzling palace gleaming with gold. Above its entrance hung a plaque inscribed with three large gilded characters: Ryūchi.
An illusion? Gakuya activated his Tenseigan without hesitation. The illusion shattered in an instant.
The magnificent palace vanished, revealing a field littered with bones and rotting remains.
Still calm, Gakuya walked up to the palace and knocked on its door. It opened with a creak. Standing there was an impossibly beautiful woman wearing a golden crown and dressed in a white shrine maiden outfit. She bowed gracefully to him.
Her voice was like the ringing of silver bells, sweet and melodic.
"You must be the new contract holder of Ryūchi. We've been expecting you. My name is Tagorihime."
"The White Snake Sage is currently inside the sanctum. Please, rest here for a while and have something to eat. I'll take you to meet her shortly."
She gestured to a lavish table full of food.
When Gakuya showed no intention of moving, Tagorihime's smile wavered just a little.
"Not hungry? Then how about a bath first? It'll help you relax before meeting the White Snake Sage."
She slowly reached for her sash and began to undo her clothing, revealing smooth, porcelain-like shoulders.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Allow me to help you with the bath…"
What she didn't know was that her illusions had long since been seen through.
To Gakuya, the feast was nothing but rotting meat and moldy vegetables. The bath? A bubbling pool of blood.
"No need," Gakuya said coldly, shaking his head. "This is the test, right? I've already passed."
Tagorihime's expression barely changed, but inwardly, she was rattled.
He saw through my illusions that quickly? How interesting…
She tilted her head, voice coy again. "Oh no, it's not that simple—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Gakuya vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of her. He grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ground.
Boom!
The ground cracked beneath her, and the illusion shattered entirely. They were now in a stone cavern, thick mist swirling all around.
Gakuya crouched beside her. "Can we go now?"
Tagorihime licked the blood from the corner of her lips, smiling faintly. "Of course."
She stood, dusted herself off, and put her clothes back in order. Then she pointed into the mist.
"That way. The second trial awaits."
"Thanks." Gakuya nodded and walked in that direction.
Tagorihime watched him go, eyes glowing with a dangerous light.
"What a man… It's been so long since I met someone this fun. I want to pin him beneath me and break him… slowly…"
She bit her lip, clearly getting excited. "Or maybe I should be the one getting broken…"
Fortunately, the thick mist obscured her twisted expression. If Gakuya had seen it, he might have gotten chills.
...
The path ahead was filled with countless stalactites and stalagmites, creating a natural maze. A single wrong turn could lead one astray.
Just as Gakuya was considering how to navigate, a white figure floated through the mist ahead.
Without hesitation, he picked up his pace and chased after it.
Soon, the tunnel opened up into a stone chamber.
As soon as Gakuya stepped inside, a stone door slammed shut behind him.
The white figure turned around—it was a young girl in a white shrine maiden robe, hovering gently in the air. She floated behind him, leaned close, and whispered into his ear:
"I'm Ichikishimahime. So you're the new contractor?"
"Come play a game with me," she said, her voice playful as she perched on a stone wall, tracing a hollow in the surface with her fingers. "The rules are simple. All you have to do is fill the holes in the wall with those stones on the ground."
She twirled in mid-air. "But while you play, this room will slowly drain your chakra. I don't like active chakra… In the end, I'll consume you."
Her smile twisted, revealing her true form—mouth stretching wide, eyes elongating, and a forked snake tongue slipping out.
But Gakuya only smiled in return.
"That game sounds boring. How about we play something else?"
"Ooh? What kind of game?" she asked, suddenly in front of him again, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Gakuya created a dice cup and three dice from wood release. He dropped the dice inside and gave it a casual shake.
"Simple. High score wins. If I win, after I master Sage Mode, you'll teach me a technique."
"And if I win?" Ichikishimahime asked, eyes shining.
"If you win, I'll let you take a bite of my chakra. Drink as much as you want."
Ichikishimahime lit up. "Yes! Yes! Let's play that!"
Hook, line, and sinker, Gakuya thought. No matter how long they live, they're still kids who haven't seen the real world.
She took the dice and shook the cup energetically, then threw it open.
"Four, five, six!" Gakuya raised a brow.
Ichikishimahime cheered. "Looks like I'm going to win! Your turn!"
Gakuya took the cup, gave it a casual shake, and rolled the dice.
She leaned in excitedly. "One, three, six! I win! You have to let me taste your chakra!"
"You came up with this game, no backing out!" she said, eyes gleaming.
"Of course not," Gakuya replied calmly, arms spread.
She floated closer, pulled his shirt aside, and bit into his shoulder without hesitation.
He felt his chakra being drained rapidly, but didn't resist. She finally pulled away, licking her lips in satisfaction.
"Wanna keep going?" she asked.
Gakuya checked his reserves. She'd taken about a chunin's worth of chakra. But with his Sage Body, that was nothing—he could recover it in no time.
"Of course. Let's keep playing," he said with a smile.
Gotta let her taste a little sweetness first... only then will she take the bait willingly. Time to show her what real manipulation looks like—what a proper con job feels like.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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