Inside Saitama, sensations clashed—first soothing coolness, as if merging with nature, followed by a blazing surge of uncontrollable impulse tearing through his meridians.
On the high platform, White Snake Sage silently observed Saitama lying below. A pipe dangled from the corner of her mouth. Her large eyes narrowed into slits, brimming with conflicting emotions.
Time drifted by in tranquil silence.
Tap-tap-tap!
Footsteps approached, though the question remained whether any other humans existed within Ryūchi Cave.
The rhythm was synchronized, but White Snake Sage knew exactly—three individuals, or rather, three snakes, were drawing near.
It sounded surreal, yet in Ryūchi Cave, there truly were snakes capable of transforming into human forms.
As the cave's founding master, White Snake Sage could also assume human form, although she disliked it.
Her human form resembled a kind and approachable elderly woman always draped in flowing white robes.
Soon, the footsteps halted. Three figures appeared before White Snake Sage.
Surprisingly, they were three seemingly youthful women, each possessing exceptional beauty.
Their attire was nearly identical—all clad in white garments resembling thin gauze. Each wore a crown-like headdress topped with a golden orb and bore *Tomoe*-shaped ornaments across their chests.
Their makeup was similarly styled—long eye shadow stretching all the way to the bridge of the nose—though differing slightly in hue.
These three were among White Snake Sage's earliest disciples, each an ancient being.
In terms of status, they ranked akin to Fukasaku and Shima of Mount Myōboku—second only to the holy site's founding master.
All wielded Sage Chakra as well, each one possessing power not to be underestimated.
"White Snake Lady," Tamatsukihime spoke, her gaze locked on Saitama while her blue tongue occasionally flicked across her lips, clearly intrigued.
The other two snakes were Ichikishimahime and Taketsunehime.
Their abilities varied, and in the past, they tested those foolish enough to pursue the [Snake Sage Art].
Tamatsukihime specialized in Genjutsu, capable of altering entire environments and trapping ninja in illusions.
Taketsunehime shared some similarities with Tamatsukihime, though her strength lay in immobilizing enemies while generating hallucinations.
As for Ichikishimahime, her talent was forcibly draining enemy chakra—anyone within range was vulnerable.
"He is this trial's candidate!" White Snake Sage exhaled a puff of white smoke, slowly declaring.
"He doesn't look like much... So young... He even smells delicious!" Taketsunehime murmured, crouching beside Saitama and staring directly at him.
"Indeed, so young... His flesh would be so tender when devoured!" Ichikishimahime stepped forward, bent down, and sniffed repeatedly, breathing in Saitama's scent.
"Enough. Take him down first and place him at the center of the serpent pool!"
"Alright, I got it!" the three Hebihime replied in unison. Among them, Tamatsukihime stepped forward, scooping up Saitama—who was struggling against natural energy—and carried him outside.
They weren't hostile to everyone; even when eating humans, they followed certain principles.
"Hmm…" Saitama reacted instantly upon being lifted, narrowing his eyes to scan his surroundings.
After confirming there was no danger, he closed his eyes again, focusing on resisting the Sage Chakra and toxins injected into him by the White Snake Sage.
The White Snake Sage had injected pure Sage Chakra—fully merged with normal chakra, blending both natural and spiritual energies.
This new form of chakra was far more powerful, greatly enhancing the strength of ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu performed using Sage Chakra were known as [Sage Arts]. Even a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki would suffer irreversible damage from such techniques.
Therefore, learning a [Sage Art] was imperative!
The first step of Mount Myoboku's [Frog Sage Art] was perceiving natural energy in nature itself, then drawing it into the body.
To aid in sensing this natural energy, frog oil was used.
However, the [Snake Sage Art] omitted the perception phase entirely, favoring a much more direct and aggressive approach—injection!
Like the [Frog Sage Art], the [Snake Sage Art] was dangerous. During training, if one lost focus even slightly, they could transform completely into a real snake, becoming nothing more than a beast.
Human chakra, born from the fusion of physical cells and spiritual energy, flows through countless meridians—the pathways used to channel chakra during ninjutsu.
Learning Sage Arts required natural energy to become familiar with these internal pathways.
As she carried Saitama, Tamatsukihime looked genuinely amused.
Over millennia, countless seekers had come to Ryuchi Cave hoping to master Sage Arts—but none had adapted to Sage Chakra as swiftly as Saitama.
According to her perception, natural energy around them was converging toward Saitama at an incredible rate, yet his face showed no sign of pain or discomfort from the immense pressure.
In fact, he seemed quite relaxed?
That was exactly what the three Hebihime saw on his face!
It seemed impossible—but somehow, it was absolutely true.
Soon enough, the three snakes and Saitama arrived at a large water pool—the "Serpent Pool," mentioned earlier by the White Snake Sage.
The Serpent Pool was vast, and in its center stood a stone platform roughly a few square meters wide.
Tamatsukihime crouched low at the water's edge and sprang straight onto the central platform.
After laying Saitama down, she naturally returned to the pool's edge.
The moment Saitama lay down on the platform, the already intense natural energy surrounding him surged like it had finally found a target, flooding toward him at breakneck speed.
If there was a Byakugan Ninja here, he would notice an indescribable yet real energy spiraling from Saitama's body and drilling into him, the essence of [Sage Art]!
"Hmph..."
Saitama clearly hadn't expected such a situation either. As a surge of nature chakra slammed into his body, he let out a low growl, his jaw tightening.
"Haha, I thought he could keep his cool forever! Guess even he has his limits!"
Three Hebihime didn't leave, sitting cross-legged by the pool and watching Saitama in the center. It was Taketsunehime who spoke, flicking her snake tongue while strange lights flickered in her eyes.
"In these past hundred years, it seems no one has truly mastered the [Snake Sage Art]. I hope he fails, but at the same time wish he succeeds. Such a contradiction!"
Tamatsukihime swallowed hard, her mind racing with uneasy thoughts.
"That's right! The last one, named Orochimaru, failed at first but somehow twisted fate in the end!"
Ichikishimahime crossed her arms, remembering the last trial participant.
"He was quite a strange fellow. When I was with him, I actually felt like he was one of our kind! What a pity I couldn't eat him though!"
Tamatsukihime swallowed again. Every failed ninja in the trial would become their food - this was a rule all participants understood thoroughly.
Every defeated ninja would gradually shed their humanity, transforming into serpentine forms against their will.
And when he began to lose control, slipping into madness, Three Hebihime would feast on him bit by bit.
"Let's see how this one turns out—will he become our meal or successfully master the [Snake Sage Art]."
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