"Truth…"
Saitama muttered the word, finding it oddly amusing.
"Don't you feel even a little curious about the history of the entire Shinobi World? The chaotic era before the founding of the ninja sect… All those myths about chakra… These are all truths I pursue!"
[You should know, I once spent some time in Root.] That place holds the most complete collection in the entire Shinobi World! It's also where countless inspirations came to me!"
Orochimaru explained, noticing Saitama didn't seem particularly interested.
"Hmm!" Saitama nodded slightly, just humoring Orochimaru.
As for these legends, he had heard them before but never studied deeply.
One thing he was certain about was that Kaguya otsutsuki was the ancestor of all chakra in the Shinobi World — basically the final boss.
But the real troublemaker was actually the Sage of Six Paths who merged himself into all chakra across the world.
Though Kaguya was strong, she had no real fighting experience — like a kid holding a cannon.
She possessed the greatest strength yet had no idea how to use it properly.
As for other secrets, Saitama figured they weren't worth the trouble — they didn't affect his goal of uniting the Shinobi World anyway.
"The origin of all [Bloodline Families], the birthplace of every chakra… From ancient ruins scattered throughout the Shinobi World, I've discovered many fascinating things! These are exactly what I've pursued all these years!"
"There is indeed such a thing as eternal life! Of course, this is merely a small surprise I encountered along my path toward truth!"
Orochimaru ran his tongue over his lips, eyes glinting with eerie excitement.
"What good are those things, really?"
"Hehehe…"
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle. Saitama could clearly hear mockery within it, as if ridiculing his ignorance.
"Haven't you ever heard the saying, Saitama-kun? Knowledge shapes fate!"
"Extensive knowledge can grant boundless power too!"
"My pursuit of history aims to chase after time itself, eventually acquiring power that matches such knowledge!"
Orochimaru turned around, his yellow vertical pupils fixated on Saitama.
"Come with me! I didn't just come here to find you — I've discovered something!"
"Some fragments of truth, some sources of power for you! Although they may not offer immediate value right now, when enough fragments accumulate, they'll bring endless benefits!"
A yellow snake about the thickness of an arm emerged from Orochimaru's sleeve, then slithered downward off the cliffside.
While crawling, its head constantly swayed as though searching for something, before continuing forward again.
"The truth buried a thousand years ago, bound by history and time — this is precisely what I'm seeking during this journey!"
"I've studied deeply. After investigating almost every [Kekkei Genkai] that exists in the Shinobi World, I found some hidden similarities deep within their roots!"
"One could be a coincidence, but all Kekkei Genkai share at least one or more common traits. That's one of the reasons why I find this interesting."
"Let's go take a look at what we've found this time..."
Finally, Orochimaru cast a sidelong glance at Saitama, a sly smile appearing on his face, before following the snake he had just released, heading downhill toward the barren mountain.
Saitama shrugged. A lot of what Orochimaru was saying lined up with Saitama's memories from his past life anyway.
Otsutsuki Kaguya, the matriarch of chakra in the Shinobi World, possessed the [Kekkei Mora], which encompassed every existing Kekkei Genkai.
She herself embodied all forms of ninjutsu. Every bloodline clan originated from her body and eventually split off on its own.
"Well enough..."
Saitama knew the outcome already, but even he would feel confused if he tried explaining all these details to Orochimaru.
Since there was nothing better to do, going with Orochimaru to check things out might as well be worth a shot!
This bare mountain wasn't particularly famous throughout the Land of Rain.
Some areas of the Land of Rain frequently experienced acid rain, leaving many mountains like this—barren and unsuitable for plant growth.
Clack!
Jumping down from the rocks, Saitama walked effortlessly along an extremely steep cliffside.
Orochimaru stayed about a meter ahead of him, never once glancing back at Saitama, keeping his eyes fixed on the scout snake slithering forward.
The Land of Rain should be the last stop on this journey of his.
What he needed to collect, as well as what he already possessed, was sufficient for testing his long-held suspicions.
The yellow python twisted its way downward, quickly reaching the foot of the mountain.
The hill itself wasn't tall, yet few people ever came here.
At the base of the mountain, hidden from sight, lay a small cave.
Located on the mountain's rear side, it became even less noticeable.
It wasn't big—about a meter wide. Scattered rocks surrounded the cave entrance, blending the naturally inconspicuous opening seamlessly into the mountainside.
The snake slipped right through the cracks between the rocks and directly into the cave.
"This must be the place then."
Standing side by side, Saitama looked around, noticing layers of paint smeared on the surrounding rock formations—paint that had been there for who knows how many years.
Time had worn away these painted markings near the cave entrance so badly that they'd faded to a level barely visible to the naked eye.
"Seems like this used to be some kind of sacred site?"
Saitama carefully observed the area before offering his opinion.
"Hmm, this was indeed one of the altars dedicated to Goddess Kaguya—the deity who lived on the moon and is said to be the progenitor of the shinobi world. She is deeply connected to the founder of the original ninja sect," Orochimaru explained impatiently, for scenes like this had become quite familiar to him lately during his relentless search.
"I wonder what we'll find inside this time..."
Approaching the cave mouth, mostly concealed by rubble, Orochimaru extended his sleeve, releasing countless snakes that slithered into the cavern below.
Soon, the snakes Orochimaru had sent inside began pushing the rocks aside one by one, clearing a path for him and Saitama.
"Come on, let's go in! There might be some surprises waiting."
Orochimaru nodded at Saitama, then crouched low and crawled in first.
The snake that had gone in earlier had already returned, signaling that everything inside was clear.
Without a word, Saitama followed closely behind.
The cave entrance was narrow at first but gradually widened as they moved deeper inside.
They had to duck at the beginning, but after walking about ten meters, they could finally stand upright.
Although it was dark inside, the air wasn't stuffy at all—quite the opposite. It felt remarkably fresh, with a hint of damp stone.
They kept walking for a while, and Saitama guessed they had gone at least two hundred meters into the mountain. Starting from the base and following the tunnel's upward slope, they must have reached halfway up by now.
"So, is this our destination?"
Orochimaru looked around at the suddenly vast chamber and the glowing stones embedded in the walls. His expression subtly shifted.
Slowly walking toward the center, both men began inspecting their surroundings.
The space was enormous—seemingly not entirely man-made.
Much of it appeared naturally formed, except for the tunnel leading here, which was clearly shaped by ancient hands.
The ceiling soared about twenty or thirty meters high, and in the center stood a massive stone pillar—so wide it would take several people holding hands to wrap around it.
Its rough, uneven surface was covered with paintings made from natural pigments.
All four walls of the chamber also held numerous murals, varying in depth and clarity.
Thanks to the stable environment, the artworks remained mostly intact, making it easy to follow the interconnected scenes painted across them.
"This is it—the last piece of the puzzle I needed to complete my theory!"
Orochimaru's gaze first fixed on the central pillar before sweeping around the chamber to take in the surrounding murals.
A grin spread across his face like a child who had just found their favorite candy.
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