Orochimaru sensed the White Snake Sage's desire to retreat. He didn't respond right away—just floated in the air, frowning as he watched the "Little Yellow Snake" continue inching forward.
The creature's offensive ability wasn't impressive; even the toads could leap across its body without trouble. But its resilience… that was the real problem.
Having secured a nearly limitless energy source through the Breath of the Sun, the Little Yellow Snake had abandoned its predatory instincts and focused entirely on growth and regeneration.
Only extremes can reach perfection.
And if Orochimaru was right, its current massive size was still far from its limit. It was simply being held back by the limited organic matter it had absorbed along the way.
Thinking this through, Orochimaru felt a chill of relief. Thank goodness the western desert is lifeless. If it had absorbed real life forms, this thing might already be unstoppable.
"We can't let it reach Mount Myoboku," Orochimaru concluded.
He landed on the White Snake Sage's head and shared his deductions.
"So what?" she scoffed, still trading blows lazily with the creature. Her face twisted into a sardonic smile. "Even if Mount Myoboku is destroyed, what's it to me? You think I care about that old toad?"
"You might not lose anything... but you gain nothing either, right?"
Orochimaru licked his lips. "Help me restrain it for a little while. I've found a weakness. Once I confirm it, I'll tell you."
"You're bluffing. You want me to work for free?" Her slitted eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Me? Bluff you?" Orochimaru smiled darkly. "Never. But the trust between us? That's not exactly cheap either…"
The White Snake Sage hissed in anger at his implication.
"If you're going to sell me out, at least do it for a good price!"
BOOM.
Another massive whip strike slammed into the Little Yellow Snake, shaking the ground and nearly tossing the toads from their perches.
The White Snake Sage glared at Orochimaru. "I can't hold it back alone."
She could, technically, but it was far too exhausting—and she wasn't about to break her back just to help this smug bastard.
"Then I'll help you."
Orochimaru didn't wait for permission. He suddenly dispelled his transformation technique, revealing a small, pale face—then his lower body dissolved and merged into hers.
"What the hell are you doing!?" she roared, feeling him invade her body.
"Helping you… completely," Orochimaru's voice echoed inside her. "Let me handle the grunt work. Think of it as a chance to experience a higher form of power."
It benefited him, too. The so-called power of the Six Paths wasn't just about strength—it was about transformation on the level of body and information. The Lamp God had used that word—information state. Even if body and soul were destroyed, one could be reborn by imprinting onto a deeper level of existence.
Orochimaru had long studied this phenomenon. And right now, through their shared physiology—similar enough thanks to past experiments—the erosion was swift.
In the past, the White Snake Sage had tried to absorb him. Now he was turning the tables.
He didn't push too far—just enough to familiarize himself with the process. But a thought crept in: Maybe I should create some descendants. Just in case.
"GET OUT OF MY BODY!" the White Snake Sage shrieked.
"You know me. I don't change my mind easily." Orochimaru's voice was maddeningly smug. "But if you cooperate, I'll give control back after this. I'll only be support."
He withdrew slightly, reducing his control.
The White Snake Sage seethed but knew the truth. Power ruled the world. She couldn't claim injustice—she had lived by the same law. Still, it stung. Orochimaru, her junior, now literally living inside her like a parasite.
But survival came first. Growth came first. So she swallowed her pride.
"…Fine."
And just like that, the real battle began.
---
A titanic clash erupted.
The earth trembled, sand burst into the sky, and toads were flung like ragdolls.
"Back off!" Orochimaru's voice boomed. "You're not needed right now—recover your strength!"
Below, a swirling vortex of energy formed in the desert as the two massive serpents tangled, dragging each other down into the earth. This was no ordinary battle—this was a struggle of natural forces, each one representing a powerful embodiment of chakra and life.
Though less experienced, the Little Yellow Snake had raw potential and regenerative instinct. It wasn't a one-sided fight.
As they fought, the White Snake Sage began to notice something odd. Her opponent was… floating. Giving up ground, even damaging itself to stay above.
"What's it doing?"
"Probably to keep absorbing sunlight," Orochimaru said calmly. "That's the source of its regeneration. If it loses that, its recovery slows."
"So the weakness is… nightfall?" she asked, catching on.
"Exactly. Right now, it has unlimited energy. But come night? That's when it becomes vulnerable."
"Then why not just wait until night?" she snapped. "Let it come. Let Mount Myoboku fall if it wants."
"Too long to explain," Orochimaru said dryly. "But if you don't hold it back, I'll send you back myself—and you won't get a bite of this pie."
That made her furious—but also focused. She lashed out with her tail, wrapping around the Yellow Snake and dragging it downward.
"If sunlight is the issue, then I'll bury it."
"You'd have to sink it a thousand meters deep to make a difference," Orochimaru pointed out. "And that's not going to be easy."
Right on cue, the Yellow Snake split, detaching part of its body to escape the trap.
Every creature has its boundaries—its survival instincts. And for this one, sunlight was sacred. Block that, and it would resist with everything it had.
White Snake Sage could take a beating, but wasting her energy now would ruin the real fight later.
---
From this point on, she fought smart.
She grew in size, covered herself in dense stone armor, and clashed with the Yellow Snake—no longer trying to injure it, just keeping it on the ground. Her attacks became strategic, aimed solely at buying time.
The Yellow Snake, recognizing her new tactic, stopped fighting back aggressively. It simply focused on absorbing sunlight. And in turn, the White Snake Sage's job became easier.
"It's really just a plant, isn't it…" she muttered.
"And you're pretty easy to figure out too," Orochimaru teased.
She glared at him but said nothing more.
Time passed—painfully slow for the toads watching from afar, but quick for those locked in combat.
And finally… the sun set.
The stars came out. The Yellow Snake stilled.
It had entered its dormant state.
"Now," Orochimaru whispered.
The White Snake Sage didn't hesitate. She slammed her tail into the creature with full force.
BOOM.
The desert shook.
That was the signal. The toads rushed in from the outskirts, swarming the body to attack its weaker parts.
A hiss echoed across the desert.
Suddenly, the White Snake Sage froze. A presence—dozens of eyes—were watching her.
They hadn't been there during the day. But now... now they were awake.
"What is that!?" she snapped.
"The original host," Orochimaru said. "The little white snake from before. Looks like she's awake—and angry."
The Yellow Snake's body swelled. In the middle, a massive snake head emerged, formed from sand and spores, eyes dark with rage.
It lunged.
BOOM.
The earth cratered beneath the impact. Rocks shattered. The desert trembled.
"What the hell is going on!?" White Snake sage screamed.
"Simple," Orochimaru shrugged. "The part of her that was hibernating to avoid the pain of sunlight just woke up. So much for stealing a free win…"
He looked up at the massive, furious serpent.
"Looks like we'll have to earn this the hard way."
The sandstorm that began in Roran had reached Mount Myoboku—and the final battle was about to begin.
_____________________
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