Time passed quickly. Itachi had unknowingly spent an entire year in Ryūchi Cave.
During the first stage of learning Sage Techniques, he started with no understanding. By relying on the theories from the original lore, he gradually found the knack for it. He adjusted the balance of physical energy, natural energy, and mental energy to the optimal ratio of 1:1:1, finally stepping into the beginner's level of Sage Mode.
This process took him about three months.
The main challenge was his young age. Practicing Sage Techniques required an inherently strong chakra reserve, turning his efforts into a grueling tug-of-war.
At the same time, as his Mangekyō Sharingan advanced toward the Eternal Mangekyō, his chakra not only evolved but also continuously strengthened his body.
This significantly accelerated his progress.
However, the second stage—gathering natural energy independently without relying on any tools to create Sage Chakra—left him somewhat baffled at first.
Through practice and familiarity, he eventually overcame this hurdle.
Now, he had entered the third stage: the ability to gather natural energy and refine it into Sage Chakra during combat. Though this ability was still unstable, it marked the completion of his training. From here, further breakthroughs would require inspiration drawn from real battles rather than meditative practice.
After a year of seclusion in Ryūchi Cave, absorbing its abundant natural energy and benefiting from Shikijima-hime's constant provision of food, Itachi's height had grown to nearly match his peak from his original timeline—176 cm (5'9").
Although he still appeared somewhat lean, his overall demeanor resembled that of an elegant nobleman in his late teens.
Even the faint wrinkles that once defined his expression had shifted slightly, transforming into shallower tear troughs, similar to those of his father, Fugaku.
Fortunately, perhaps due to his serene mindset, these lines were not too pronounced and still left room for improvement.
"Itachi, are you leaving?"
Noticing the silver streaks around Itachi's eyes and the fading glimmer in his pupils, Shikijima-hime seemed to sense his intention. She asked softly, as if intuitively aware of his thoughts.
"Yes, Shikijima-hime."
Looking at her clad in a simple white qipao, resembling a housewife with a small bamboo basket hanging from her wrist, Itachi responded gently.
Without a word, Shikijima-hime removed the basket from her wrist. She carefully laid out a hearty lunch on the table, waiting for Itachi to eat.
"You're becoming more human…"
Seeing the faint sorrow in her expression, Itachi sat down and remarked softly. Then, he picked up the chopsticks and began eating the meal she had prepared.
"Isn't being human a good thing?"
Watching Itachi chew slowly, Shikijima-hime's gaze grew distant. Her hands, unsure of where to rest, ended up gently stroking the feathers of a white serpent beside her.
"No, it's not. You'll find that humans are complicated creatures, far less carefree than snakes."
Itachi placed a piece of meat in his mouth and continued eating.
"But I feel happy. Especially during the days I've spent with you, I've felt truly fulfilled…"
Shikijima-hime gazed at Itachi's face with a hint of longing and spoke softly.
Itachi paused mid-motion, as if about to set down his chopsticks to have a proper conversation with her.
However, upon seeing the look in her eyes, he hesitated, slightly turning his face away and averting his gaze.
Picking up his chopsticks again, he resumed eating.
After a brief silence, he spoke casually:
"Shikijima-hime, today's meal is excellent."
Itachi shifted the topic.
"Little White will stay here to keep you company. But remember, its lifespan is limited. When its time comes, I hope you won't be too saddened…"
This meal left Itachi feeling emotionally drained.
After finishing, he looked at Shikijima-hime's slightly pale face and spoke softly.
"Alright, thank you…"
Shikijima-hime suppressed the sorrow in her heart, forcing a smile.
But to Itachi, her smile seemed faintly bitter, even piercing.
"You'll understand someday…"
Itachi wanted to say more but didn't know how to express it.
In the end, he could only mutter something vague.
"Will you… please not forget me?"
As Itachi prepared to leave, Shikijima-hime stopped cleaning the dishes. Her voice was soft yet resolute.
She understood that once Itachi left, their chances of meeting again would become slim.
Rather than making the unreasonable request for him to stay, she could only plead for him not to forget her.
Looking at Shikijima-hime's face, Itachi froze.
Itachi gazed deeply at Ichikishima Hime before firmly nodding his head.
"I won't forget you..."
...
Itachi replied seriously.
After saying this, he walked toward the door, showing no intention of reverse summoning himself back to Orochimaru.
"I'll walk you out..."
Seeing that Itachi didn't leave immediately, Ichikishima Hime put down her bowl and chopsticks and softly spoke.
"No need. I'm planning to visit Garaga," Itachi said without turning back, lightly waving his hand.
"Garaga? Why would you want to find that annoying creature? Are you trying to take its reverse scale? No way! It's so aggressive—don't let it hurt you!"
Hearing Itachi's words, Ichikishima Hime was initially puzzled. Then, remembering something, she quickly objected.
Deep within the lair of the most ferocious serpents in Ryūchi Cave resides Garaga, a one-eyed crimson serpent with a reverse scale. Garaga had lost one of its eyes in battle long ago, which turned it into a destructive and troublesome creature. Its extremely violent temperament left even the White Snake Sage helpless. All the other serpents in Ryūchi Cave detested it, and none dared to approach it. However, according to its nature, if its reverse scale were removed, it would become docile.
...
"It's fine. I'll be careful," Itachi said softly, his heart warmed by Ichikishima Hime's concern.
Garaga possesses an extraordinarily strong reserve of senjutsu chakra. Its massive body, combined with incredible agility, makes it a formidable force. It boasts overwhelming attack power, astonishing speed, and even the ability to instantly turn its enemies into stone.
Itachi was planning to see if he could retrieve Garaga's reverse scale, curious about the infamous serpent.
Compared to summoning the troublesome, purple-scaled Manda or the three snake goddesses with a summoning jutsu, Itachi found Garaga's rugged, imposing appearance and commanding presence far more appealing.
After all, if a fight broke out and he suddenly summoned a seductive snake woman, how would that look?
People might take one look at his slender frame and think he had been completely drained of energy.
Or worse, summoning Manda, who would start yelling about wanting to eat children or demand sacrifices—it would undoubtedly ruin his image.
With his strikingly handsome appearance, he simply couldn't tolerate such blemishes on his reputation...
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