At Ryuchi Cave, Saitama's Sage Art training progressed methodically while the Three Hebihime guarded beside him without any unnecessary movement.
Although they hadn't seen such fresh human flesh in a long time, they still maintained basic decorum.
As time passed, they realized their snack was gradually slipping away unnoticed.
The intense discomfort Saitama felt earlier from the sudden surge of Natural Energy had finally subsided.
However, with the training progressing, strange-colored auras began appearing on his pale cheeks like spilled paint palettes.
At the corners of his eyes, a faint golden shimmer began to appear — much like the markings of the Three Hebihime, stretching toward the sides of his nose.
Yet Saitama's eye markings felt completely different — they lacked their feminine softness, instead adding an air of sacredness to him, reminiscent of the halo surrounding an enlightened Buddha.
When the golden glow appeared, the Three Hebihime watching nearby sensed it immediately. However, since Saitama showed no sign of awakening after half a day, they remained silent, continuing to observe him intently.
In their understanding, when a ninja developed snake-patterned eye markings and serpent pupils during cultivation, it generally indicated successful mastery of Sage Arts!
Next would come improving the quality and quantity of Sage Chakra, as well as increasing speed entering [Sage Mode].
After completing this initial successful cultivation step, practitioners should awaken naturally. The physical exhaustion from first entering that state usually caused pain throughout cells and meridians due to newly generated Sage Chakra.
But Saitama didn't awaken at all. In fact, to the Three Hebihime, his absorption rate of Natural Energy just kept accelerating!
The Serpent Pool was a miraculous location within Ryuchi Cave.
Equivalent to Frog Oil from Mount Myoboku, it served the same purpose of aiding cultivation.
Here, Natural Energy concentration was many times greater than elsewhere, continuously replenishing itself from external sources to maintain extremely high levels.
Yet according to the Three Hebihime's perception, the Natural Energy level at the Serpent Pool was steadily declining — seemingly unable to balance intake and consumption!
And the source of this dramatic change was naturally Saitama at the pool's center!
"This kid is definitely no ordinary one!"
Taketsunehime widened her eyes in disbelief, as if witnessing the Sage of Six Paths himself. She opened her mouth wide, revealing sharp teeth.
The other two snakes reacted similarly, immersed in astonishment.
Over these past hours, they'd witnessed Saitama progressing from a complete novice to someone seemingly capable of entering [Sage Mode].
Moreover, something unusual seemed to be happening to Saitama's body that even they couldn't comprehend!
This was... beyond unreasonable... even unnatural for a Sage!
This was the genuine thought running through the Three Hebihime's minds — this incomprehensible phenomenon defied their expectations.
When did learning the [Sage Art] become this easy?
They looked at one another, and in each other's eyes, they saw the same thought: "monster."
Saitama tightly shut his eyes, placing his hands on his crossed thighs in a lotus position, forming a mudra resembling the shape of orchid petals to refine chakra within his body.
His trench coat had already swollen to a certain degree due to the influx of natural energy beforehand, creating many torn openings. A thin layer of chakra membrane—mostly transparent with streaks of white—clung tightly just a few millimeters away from Saitama's skin.
This resulted from accumulated Sage Chakra. Bubbles continuously emerged from his body before gathering on its surface and crystallizing into a membrane.
While external changes were happening, even more transformations were occurring inside Saitama himself.
The influx of natural energy and formation of Sage Chakra constantly improved Saitama's physical body.
However, his body primarily consisted of [Hashirama Cells] and Ten-Tails' byproducts, so numerous other changes happened during this process.
Certainly, his physical power became denser and his limbs nimbler and better coordinated.
A golden hue deepened around his eyes and eyelids.
At the spot on his neck where the White Sage had bitten him, something seemed to be brewing, intertwining with Saitama's own being.
After quite some time, three light golden Tomoe started to take shape slowly there.
These Tomoe looked very similar to the Cursed Seal Orochimaru researched, yet their nature was both connected and entirely different.
In the Shinobi World, countless mysterious and unexplainable phenomena are symbolized through Tomoe—this instance was no different.
"Hu!" he exhaled deeply; white vapor sprayed out of Saitama's mouth as heat waves rippled outward from between his lips in all directions.
After another long wait, even Three Hebihime started feeling drowsy. Already numb to the speed and quantity of Saitama's absorption of natural energy, they no longer cared whether he would emerge. Instead, they speculated about what kind of transformation Saitama—who had absorbed so much natural energy during his first attempt at cultivating Sage Arts—might undergo.
Under their watchful gaze, the transparent yet partially white chakra membrane covering Saitama's body began undulating continuously while becoming increasingly solidified, seemingly preparing for even greater changes.
"Zizi!" A pore-like feature began protruding from the chakra membrane on the left side of Saitama's forehead, letting hot air escape through this opening.
This hole appeared precisely a little above the left eyebrow on the left side of his forehead.
Soon, light golden patterns emerged there, continually intensifying until supported by chakra they gradually transformed into a horn!
"That is...Dragon Transformation!"
Ichikishimahime covered her mouth, her chest heaving up and down repeatedly—clearly unable to remain calm.
Three Hebihime swiftly stood upright, her expression revealing unmistakable shock.
"I believe I'm right... I once saw the White Snake Sage use it—it looks very similar!"
Tamatsukihime said grimly, having followed the White Snake Sage earliest among them, thus possessing more knowledge than others.
"How come I feel this brat's transformation resembles that statue above the White Snake Sage's Stone Throne?!"
Taketsunehime murmured thoughtfully, furrowing her brow slightly. For Saitama to grow a horn on his forehead was no result of ordinary [Snake Sage Art].
Only the White Snake Sage's version of the [Snake Sage Art] could produce such an effect!
In other words, this technique can no longer simply be called the [Snake Sage Art].
When this transformation occurred, the White Snake Sage gave it an even more unusual name—the [Dragon Transformation Technique]!
"Truly astonishing—that young human ninja!"
Ichikishimahime returned to her usual expression, murmuring softly to herself.
"That's right… this is something even *we* Sages have never mastered!"
...
Meanwhile, as subtle changes appeared on Saitama's forehead, the White Snake Sage ceased its actions, wrapping its tail around the pipe and gently setting it aside.
"Indeed… I must say…"
It narrowed its eyes, as though events were proceeding precisely as foreseen.
Upon the stone throne, the statue that had been holding the [Ryuchi Cave Scroll] between its teeth seemed to come alive.
Under the surge of surrounding natural energy, two gemstone-like eyes radiated a mesmerizing green light.
Fine white scales softly brushed against the stone throne as the White Snake Sage shifted position, resting its head upon the throne and closing its eyes in peace.
The [Dragon Transformation Technique], a secret honed over a thousand years—now being slowly awakened by a novice, on his very first attempt.
This stirred within the White Snake Sage, whose heart had long been as still as a dead pond, a rare flicker of emotion.
Although the [Dragon Transformation Technique] is also part of the [Snake Sage Art], it represents an even greater evolution beyond its original form!
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