Yakushi Kabuto nodded.
"According to Orochimaru's research, Jūgo's clan should be located somewhere to the east."
Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully.
"Based on the changes in the density of natural energy, I can also confirm the location of Ryūchi Cave."
"Let's go."
Sasuke remained silent.
He took one last look at the ruins of his devastated clan before shaking his head and following Jiraiya and the others.
As expected, Ryūchi Cave wasn't very far away.
A little over an hour later, the group arrived at the entrance.
Ryūchi Cave
Jiraiya looked up at the three stern figures carved above the enormous cave entrance and couldn't help but sigh.
Ryūchi Cave was one of the three great Sage Regions, alongside Mount Myōboku.
His relationship with Ryūchi Cave was rather complicated.
Originally, all three of the Legendary Sannin had connections to the Three Great Sage Regions.
However, in the end, only one of them had successfully mastered Senjutsu.
Before Jiraiya could say anything else, the entrance to Ryūchi Cave suddenly opened.
An overwhelming aura of natural energy surged outward.
Then—
A massive swarm of snakes poured out of the cave like a tidal wave.
Everyone's expressions changed slightly, and they instinctively retreated several steps.
Within moments, the entire area in front of the cave entrance was covered by countless snakes.
They writhed and slithered over one another, creating an eerie and terrifying scene.
Then, behind the countless ordinary snakes, several enormous serpents slowly emerged.
Among them was Manda.
Manda was Jiraiya's old acquaintance and Orochimaru's most prized summon.
Its enormous yellow-green eyes swept across the group before finally settling on Jiraiya.
"That..."
Manda's enormous tongue flicked out.
"It's that brat who hangs around with those filthy frogs from Mount Myōboku!"
Despite facing such a terrifying creature, Jiraiya remained calm.
He even smiled as though he had encountered an old friend.
"Manda, it's been a long time."
"Shut up!"
Manda's voice was filled with anger.
"What are you, you useless brat, doing in Ryūchi Cave?"
"Are you looking for death?"
At Manda's roar, the other giant serpents also began to coil their enormous bodies.
Among them were Aoda, the Two-Headed Serpent, the Three-Headed Serpent, and several other terrifying creatures.
Each one possessed frightening power.
Just as the snakes were preparing to attack—
"Stop!"
"This is the White Snake Sage's order!"
Several figures suddenly leaped into the air.
They floated above the ground, revealing human heads and serpentine bodies.
Clearly, they weren't ordinary snakes.
They were powerful beings who had mastered Senjutsu and acquired special abilities such as flight and transformation.
Although Manda was wild and merciless, it didn't dare to disobey these three beings.
It immediately lowered its head.
"Yes, Three Elders."
Jiraiya's heart stirred.
"Elders?"
He suddenly remembered something.
The Great Toad Sage had once told him that these three were the elders of Ryūchi Cave, beings whose status was comparable to Fukasaku and Shima of Mount Myōboku.
Their names were...
"Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, and Takirihime."
The three elders looked at Jiraiya.
Their long snake-like tongues flicked in and out as they spoke.
"You certainly know quite a lot."
"The White Snake Sage said that anyone who comes to Ryūchi Cave may undergo the test, even someone like you."
Jiraiya chuckled.
"You've misunderstood."
"I'm not the one who wants to learn Ryūchi Cave's Senjutsu."
"It's him."
He stepped aside.
Uchiha Sasuke appeared before the snakes.
The three elders were immediately surprised.
"This brat?"
Jiraiya smiled.
"Rumor has it that the White Snake Sage can hear everything that happens throughout the Ninja World."
"So, didn't he tell you?"
The three elders grumbled.
"You really do know too much."
"Brat, follow us. The White Snake Sage wants to see you personally."
Sasuke stepped forward without hesitation.
The enormous mass of snakes automatically parted to make way for him.
Even so, being surrounded by countless writhing serpents was an unsettling experience.
Sasuke showed no fear.
The three elders nodded slightly.
"The White Snake Sage once said that everyone who comes to Ryūchi Cave seeking Senjutsu is a power-hungry madman."
"It seems you, brat, are no different."
Sasuke replied coldly.
"Enough nonsense. Let's go."
The three elders became furious.
However, bringing Sasuke inside was an order from the White Snake Sage himself.
They ultimately didn't dare disobey.
"Arrogant and rude brat! Do you really think you'll be able to come back alive?"
Jiraiya immediately followed them.
However, the three elders stopped him.
"Only this brat can enter."
Jiraiya's expression immediately darkened.
"No."
But Sasuke suddenly turned around.
A rare smile appeared on his face.
"Master, don't worry."
"I won't die before I kill Uchiha Itachi."
After saying those words, Sasuke turned around and walked into the darkness of Ryūchi Cave.
His figure quickly disappeared, as though he had entered the belly of a gigantic serpent.
Jiraiya watched Sasuke's disappearing back.
A wave of sadness rose in his heart.
In truth, the main reason Jiraiya had accepted Sasuke as his student was because of Naruto's request.
But once Sasuke had become his disciple, Jiraiya naturally felt responsible for him until the very end.
Just as Naruto had said, Jiraiya actually cared about Sasuke more than Naruto in some ways.
Naruto's talent and effort had already far exceeded Jiraiya's expectations.
Sasuke was equally talented, but his obsession ran too deep.
Everything revolved around one goal:
Killing Uchiha Itachi.
Because of this, Sasuke needed specialized guidance even more than Naruto did.
Over time, Jiraiya had gradually begun to regard Sasuke as part of his own family.
That was precisely why watching Sasuke enter the snake's den alone made him so worried.
In his mind, several figures began to overlap with Sasuke's disappearing back.
Orochimaru.
Yahiko.
Nagato.
Konan.
Minato.
Jiraiya clenched his fists.
I've already lost so many people in this life.
I can't bear to lose anyone else.
Ryūchi Cave?
The White Snake Sage?
The Three Great Sage Regions?
What did any of that matter?
If something happened to Sasuke, then even if it meant throwing away his own life, Jiraiya would charge into this cave and tear the entire place apart.
Yakushi Kabuto and Jūgo, who were standing nearby, could both feel the murderous intent radiating from Jiraiya.
They exchanged glances.
Both of them sighed emotionally.
There was even a trace of envy in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Sasuke continued walking deeper into Ryūchi Cave.
Countless snakes surrounded him.
Terrifying giant serpents, including Manda, watched him closely.
The three elders' yellow-green eyes remained fixed on him.
Yet Sasuke remained completely calm.
He continued forward without hesitation.
Along the way, he saw numerous human skeletons scattered throughout the cave.
Some of the bones were so old that they had turned completely white.
They had probably been there for countless years.
But none of it affected Sasuke in the slightest.
How could the bones of strangers compare to the blood feud that had destroyed his own family?
A bloody moon once again appeared in Sasuke's mind.
He saw the streets covered in corpses.
A sea of blood.
Screams.
Cries of despair.
His fists unconsciously tightened.
A surge of hot blood seemed to spread through his entire body.
At that moment, the terrifying snakes surrounding him suddenly seemed insignificant.
His hatred was far stronger than his fear.
"We've arrived."
The voice of one of the three elders interrupted his thoughts.
"That is the temple where the White Snake Sage resides."
"Only you can enter."
The three elders looked at Sasuke's cold and determined expression.
Even they couldn't help feeling somewhat surprised.
Sasuke didn't look back.
He walked directly into the temple.
The instant he stepped inside—
An incredibly powerful aura crashed toward him.
It was as though thousands of years of accumulated resentment had suddenly erupted in fury.
Yet Sasuke didn't hesitate even for a moment.
Before him stood an enormous ancient temple.
Its architecture was old and magnificent, with elaborate roof eaves and a vast, open interior.
At the deepest part of the temple was a large stone platform.
A massive white snake lay coiled upon it like a human being.
Its tongue flicked in and out.
A strange light shimmered within its eyes.
That gaze seemed capable of hypnotizing and disorienting anyone who looked directly into it.
Sasuke couldn't help feeling a chill run through his heart.
He immediately understood.
This had to be the legendary White Snake Sage.
"Uchiha... Sasuke..."
The White Snake Sage spoke immediately, calmly calling Sasuke by name.
Sasuke's eyebrows tightened slightly.
He wasn't particularly surprised.
Jiraiya had already told him that the White Snake Sage could hear and perceive everything in the world.
Nothing, no matter how insignificant, could escape the Sage's awareness.
Sasuke stared directly at the enormous white snake.
"You're the White Snake Sage."
"I've heard that anyone who seeks to learn Senjutsu at Ryūchi Cave must first receive Senjutsu Chakra through your venomous fangs."
"If they can't withstand it, they die."
"But if they survive, you teach them Senjutsu."
The White Snake Sage grinned.
"Correct."
Sasuke didn't hesitate.
"So what are you waiting for?"
The White Snake Sage nodded approvingly.
"Very good."
"You really are a brave and determined young man."
"However, your courage and determination don't truly originate from within yourself."
"They come from the deep blood feud created by the destruction of your clan."
Sasuke frowned.
"What's the difference?"
"Of course there's a difference."
The White Snake Sage slowly flicked its tongue.
"Some people are born ambitious."
"Others spend their entire lives seeking nothing more than a stable and peaceful existence."
"Yet, ironically, I've seen countless people with ambitions reaching the heavens accomplish absolutely nothing."
"Meanwhile, those who only seek stability often encounter endless misfortune and are tossed from one place to another."
Sasuke listened silently.
He had no interest in the old snake's philosophical ramblings.
"Give me strength."
"Immediately."
The White Snake Sage touched the corner of its mouth with its tongue.
"Heh."
"What an impatient brat."
Without any warning, its enormous body suddenly lunged forward.
The snake's head rapidly expanded in Sasuke's vision.
Before Sasuke could react—
Two enormous, razor-sharp fangs sank deeply into his back.
"Ahhh!"
Sasuke could no longer suppress his scream.
The pain was far more intense than what he had experienced years ago when Orochimaru had implanted the Cursed Seal into his body.
Then—
An enormous torrent of Senjutsu Chakra from Ryūchi Cave surged through his body.
It was like boiling oil being poured directly into his bloodstream.
The terrifying energy spread rapidly throughout every part of his body.
The pain was unbearable.
Sasuke's body convulsed violently before he collapsed onto the ground.
He rolled uncontrollably as waves of agony tore through him.
It felt as though every single cell in his body was being corroded by deadly poison while simultaneously being burned by boiling oil.
The sensation was beyond description.
Even the deepest level of hell probably couldn't compare to this agony.
At that moment, Sasuke finally understood how all those people before him had died.
Faced with such unbearable suffering...
Death was almost a form of relief.
________________________________________
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