Ichikishima-hime explained the trial details of Tachibana no Musume to Chinya.
Unfortunately for her, Tachibana no Musume had just been slammed to the ground by Chinya's Lightning Roar.
Chinya pointed at the fallen Tachibana no Musume and asked, "Guess that means I passed?"
"This…"
It was actually Ichikishima-hime's first time encountering such a situation, so she hesitated on how to respond.
"The trial can continue."
Tachibana no Musume stood up again.
Chinya looked toward her and noticed that although her skin still appeared blackened, all injuries had completely healed.
Chinya couldn't help but feel impressed — her recovery speed was truly out of this world!
Chinya hadn't held back during his previous Lightning Roar attack. Although Tachibana no Musume had sustained only several charred wounds from the direct impact without anything fatal, those wounds had already regenerated within just a short period of time.
Sage Chakra really was amazing.
Chinya extended his arm forward. "Then let's continue. I assume it doesn't have to be on the neck—just bite my arm instead."
Opening her mouth wide, Tachibana no Musume sank two sharp fangs into Chinya's arm.
As Tachibana no Musume injected Sage Chakra into Chinya's body, he felt his entire body warming up.
In the blink of an eye, both Tachibana no Musume and Ichikishima-hime vanished. In their place stood two individuals who felt both familiar yet somewhat distant.
His father and Eri's mother.
His father glared at Chinya with loathing, "It's all your fault! Because of you, we became rogue ninja and had to go into exile!"
His mother also condemned him bitterly, "If only you had never been born, none of this would've happened!"
Once again, two all-too-familiar voices reached Chinya's ears.
Kakashi accused angrily, "Why? You clearly had the chance to save my father back then! Why didn't you try to save him!"
Kushina Uzumaki gazed at Chinya coldly, "I always regretted it—how everything might've been different if I'd never met you."
Finally appearing was Orochimaru, looking down condescendingly at Chinya, "Seems like this wind never truly blew after all. I'm disappointed in you, Chinya."
Accusations and insults rained down on Chinya's ears — but he didn't even blink.
Suddenly Chinya chuckled, "Is this the final trial? It's way too weak. I've heard far worse insults than these. If you're hoping illusions like these can shake my heart, then you're seriously underestimating me!"
Chinya suddenly unsheathed his ninja sword and sliced through every single illusionary figure before him.
Tachibana no Musume stared at Chinya in shock, whispering to herself, "How did he break through so easily? That shouldn't even be possible."
Sheathing his sword, Chinya glared at Tachibana no Musume mockingly, "What shouldn't be possible? My wife, my teachers, my disciples, and my entire family—they all trust me completely. And I trust them, too. So how could illusions like this ever shake me?"
Tachibana no Musume frowned slightly.
Even Orochimaru—who once came closest to mastering Sage Mode—hadn't passed this trial nearly this easily—he barely made it through the first time.
Back then, Orochimaru was deeply obsessed with ninjutsu. And since his student Nawaki had died not long ago, he was going through a period of confusion.
It was precisely because of this confusion that Orochimaru came to Ryuchi Cave, seeking power—seeking Sage Mode.
As for the third trial, even Orochimaru barely passed it after great effort.
Right after Chinya completed the trial, the surrounding mist vanished, revealing before him a temple located within Ryuchi Cave.
Shinme Tamayu appeared and spoke to Chinya: "This is the entrance to the White Snake Temple. Now that you've passed all trials, you may meet the White Snake Sage."
Stepping past Shinme Tamayu, Ichikishima-hime, and Tachibana no Musume, Chinya walked toward the temple entrance, pushed open its heavy doors with both hands, and stepped inside.
Before him stretched an unusually long staircase.
Without hesitation, Chinya used the Shifting Body Technique and reached the very top of the stairs.
The first thing he saw was a dragon statue.
Below it, resting sideways on a couch-like platform, was an elderly man who appeared very aged.
Chinya asked cautiously: "White Snake Sage?"
The old man spoke slowly: "Yes… Finally, you've arrived, Chinya."
Chinya narrowed his eyes at the White Snake Sage: "You were waiting for me? They said I was special earlier—what did they mean?"
Suddenly chuckling darkly, the White Snake Sage replied: "Don't you already know exactly what I mean? Haven't you already changed many things?"
Chinya's pupils sharply contracted. Unconsciously, his right hand gripped the hilt of his ninja sword while murderous intent gradually filled his body.
Unbothered by Chinya's killing intent, the White Snake Sage continued on his own accord: "A harbinger of chaos has arrived. That old toad on Mount Myoboku must be in a real panic right now. Just picturing him flustered like that makes me laugh.
But you don't need to bear ill will toward me. With your current strength, you can't kill me anyway.
Long ago, that old toad glimpsed the future only once—a vision that revealed a fate capable of deciding the survival of the entire shinobi world. He planned to pass on the toad's power to a boy appearing at Mount Myoboku hundreds of years later—that boy was Jiraiya.
Now I wish to bestow my Dragon Power upon you instead, to prevent the shinobi world from following its predetermined destiny. I wonder how that old toad will respond!
However, there's one condition—you must endure natural energy and master Sage Mode."
Chinya's murderous aura faded as he said to the White Snake Sage: "I'm not interested in any of what you just said. My sole purpose coming to Ryuchi Cave was to obtain Sage Mode and Sage Art."
The White Snake Sage—who had kept his eyes closed the entire time—slowly opened them and looked at Chinya, saying leisurely: "People are born chasing desire, inevitably sinking deeper into darkness. Everyone who comes to me discards everything they once held dear, solely chasing their desires."
Chinya impatiently interrupted: "I haven't abandoned everything. It's precisely because I prepared myself thoroughly that I came here. No more wasting words—let's begin."
"Then so be it."
The White Snake Sage revealed his true form.
He had orange hair and yellow eyes, with a green cat's-eye gemstone resting on his chest. A purple silk ribbon acted as his Forehead Protector, adorned at the front with a dark green horn-shaped ornament. A red night pearl crowned the top of his head, while a pipe dangled from his lips. His serpentine body was unusually long, with two golden rings hanging from his tail, as he lounged lazily on his throne.
"You don't like getting bitten on the neck. Well then, extend your arm."
Chinya held out his arm, and the White Snake Sage clamped down on it fiercely.
[Natural Energy] poured into Chinya's body in great amounts. As the energy poured in, parts of his body had already begun transforming, sprouting snake scales.
After several minutes, the White Snake Sage released his bite and said to Chinya, "Let's get started. Orochimaru must've warned you—fail, and you'll turn into a snake completely and end up as a statue."
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