Konohagakure's nights were alive with the hum of cicadas and the flicker of lanterns, but my shack on the village's outskirts was a world apart, cloaked in silence and shadow. I sat cross-legged on the floor, a stolen scroll on forbidden techniques spread before me, its edges worn from my relentless study. My hood was down, my four eyes—born with me in this world—glinting in the candlelight as I pored over notes on Snake Sage Mode, a power whispered about in Orochimaru's circles. My body, towering over six feet and rippling with chakra-enhanced muscle, was a testament to my modifications: a second heart, fully formed, pulsed in sync with the first, amplifying my chakra flow; my expanded lungs drew deep, steady breaths, fueling endurance that let me train through the night. My frame, sculpted to mirror the muscular dominance of Ryomen Sukuna from Jujutsu Kaisen, was a weapon forged for my goals—power, control, freedom. The Land of Waves had tested me, but Sasuke's impending defection to Orochimaru offered a new path: Snake Sage Mode, a transformative power that could elevate my chakra and physical prowess to unparalleled heights. Yet, Tsunade's Yin Seal and medical ninjutsu remained a parallel goal, a way to perfect my body's resilience and control. Tonight, my focus was the serpent's power, a puzzle I'd unravel like a quest in my past life's RPGs—Baldur's Gate or Warhammer 40,000.
The scroll, smuggled from a black-market contact I'd bribed with mission earnings, detailed Snake Sage Mode's origins in the Ryuchi Cave, a hidden realm where serpents taught humans to harness natural energy. Unlike the Toad Sage Mode Naruto would later pursue, Snake Sage Mode was primal, predatory, its practitioners gaining serpentine traits—enhanced agility, venomous chakra, and a body that could twist and regenerate like a snake shedding its skin. In Jujutsu Kaisen, Sukuna's physical dominance amplified his cursed energy; here, Snake Sage Mode could do the same for my chakra, making Dismantle's invisible blades sharper, Cleave's contact-based cuts deadlier, and my Mirror Mirage Technique even more disorienting. My gamer instincts saw it as a prestige class, a high-risk, high-reward upgrade that required sacrifice and cunning.
Snake Sage Mode wasn't just about power—it was about transformation. The scroll described how practitioners absorbed natural energy, balancing it with their physical and spiritual chakra to achieve a sage state. Failure meant petrification, a fate for those too weak to handle the cave's trials. I wasn't deterred. My modified body—second heart, expanded lungs, dense muscles—was built for endurance, and my chakra control, honed through medical ninjutsu, was precise. I'd already begun experimenting, sitting in the forest at dawn to sense the natural energy around me. It was faint, like a current beneath the earth, but I could feel it, a tingling pulse that made my chakra hum. I visualized it flowing into me, merging with my reserves, but stopped short of full absorption—without the Ryuchi Cave's serpents, I risked imbalance.
The mode's physical benefits were tantalizing. The scroll mentioned enhanced reflexes, letting sages move like striking vipers, and a body that could stretch or compress, evading attacks with unnatural flexibility. In combat, this would pair perfectly with my techniques. Dismantle could be launched mid-twist, Cleave delivered with a whip-like strike. My genjutsu, like the Mirror Mirage Technique, could exploit the sage's serpentine aura, making my clones appear to slither, their movements hypnotic. The scroll also hinted at venomous chakra, a trait that could infuse my attacks with corrosive energy, dissolving defenses or paralyzing foes. I tested the concept, channeling chakra into a kunai and willing it to carry a stinging bite. When I threw it at a tree, the bark sizzled faintly—not true venom, but a promising start.
Regeneration was another draw. Snake Sage Mode allowed users to heal wounds rapidly, shedding damaged tissue like a snake's skin. My medical ninjutsu already let me close deep cuts and boost stamina, but sage-level regeneration could make me near-unkillable, letting me push my body to its limits without fear. I practiced, slicing my forearm and channeling chakra to accelerate healing, visualizing a snake's scales knitting together. The wound closed in seconds, leaving no scar—a step toward sage-level resilience.
Sasuke's defection was the key. Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin, was the gatekeeper to the Ryuchi Cave, his knowledge of sage arts unmatched. During a late-night mission, I caught Sasuke alone, his eyes burning with resolve. "It's soon," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "You in?"
I nodded, my tone steady. "I'm in. But I'm not your follower, Uchiha. We're after the same thing—power."
He smirked, a rare glint of respect in his eyes. "Good. Don't slow me down."
I didn't trust him, but I didn't need to. In Baldur's Gate, I'd allied with rogues for mutual gain, betraying them when the time came. Orochimaru was a means to an end—Snake Sage Mode, forbidden techniques, a chance to push my chakra beyond Konoha's limits. But I hadn't forgotten Tsunade. Her Yin Seal, storing chakra for massive bursts, was a perfect complement to sage mode's natural energy. Her medical ninjutsu could refine my modifications, letting me stabilize my second heart and lungs under sage-level strain. I'd been visiting the hospital, assisting with tasks to gain her favor. Yesterday, she'd watched me heal a fractured bone, her eyes narrowing. "You're not half-bad, kid," she said. "But you're too secretive. What's driving you?"
"Knowledge," I replied, half-true. "I want to master everything you can teach."
She snorted but didn't dismiss me. I was close—close to earning her mentorship, close to unlocking the Yin Seal's secrets. I practiced in secret, channeling chakra to my forehead, forming a faint diamond pattern. It flickered, unstable, but it was progress. My medical ninjutsu deepened, too—I could now regenerate muscle tissue, a skill that would synergize with sage mode's healing.
Team Seven's missions grew tense, Sasuke's restlessness a ticking clock. Naruto's optimism grated, Kakashi's lessons on teamwork a reminder of Konoha's leash. I trained relentlessly, pushing my body and techniques. My Mirror Mirage Technique summoned eight clones, their illusions so lifelike they fooled a pack of wolves, their footsteps and gestures hypnotic. My shadow genjutsu, inspired by Shikamaru, paralyzed a boar, while my confusion genjutsu, drawn from Ino, disoriented a hawk mid-flight. Dismantle sliced through stone, Cleave shattered it with a touch. My body, a towering weapon, amplified every move, my second heart and lungs sustaining hours of effort.
I prepared for the Ryuchi Cave's trials, meditating to sense natural energy, strengthening my chakra control. Snake Sage Mode was a gamble, but I was no stranger to risk. Orochimaru's knowledge would give me the edge to dominate battles, while Tsunade's teachings would make me unbreakable. Konoha—Hiruzen, Danzo, Kakashi—could watch, but I was Archon, a gamer reborn, playing a game where power was the only currency. Sasuke's defection was my next move, and the serpent's call would lead me to greatness.