Uehara Naraku didn't care about what Hoshigaki Kisame was thinking. After all, as a mastermind behind the scenes, why should he worry about his subordinates' complaints about him?
Uehara Naraku was more concerned with the actions of Konoha Village and The Hidden Rock Village.
Not surprisingly.
After two days of brewing, the destruction of Hidden Grass Village completely erupted. Konoha Ninja and Hidden Rock Ninja, like wolves catching a scent of blood, frantically operated within the Land of Grass, attempting to seize more territory.
With the loss of the buffer zone of Hidden Grass Village and the Land of Grass, the two superpowers, the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire, were now directly adjoining, poised for war at any moment.
Even though the Third Tsuchikage, Both Scales Onoki, and the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, desperately suppressed the atmosphere of war, they still inevitably had to insert and deploy ninja forces in the Land of Grass to seize a share of the interests for their respective countries.
In such a situation, the most suitable opportunity to infiltrate Konoha arrived.
A small town at the border of the Land of Rice Fields.
Uehara Naraku sat in the most prosperous restaurant in this small town, ordered a large table of dishes, and leisurely ate there, as if it was the last meal of his life.
After a while, having finished his juice and filled his belly, the restaurant owner nervously came over to collect payment.
Uehara Naraku held up three fingers and softly laughed, "Don't worry, someone will come to pay in three seconds...three, two, one!"
Uehara Naraku had already used his Destiny Skills to observe everything around him. The avatar of Orochimaru was approaching this restaurant, just in time to pay his bill.
After counting down, Uehara Naraku turned his head to look at a man wearing a straw hat walking in from outside the restaurant, and shouted, "Hey, pay for my meal!"
"..."
Disguised as an ordinary person, Orochimaru cursed a few times in his heart, roughly understanding that Uehara Naraku had recognized him, and he had no choice but to reluctantly pull out a few bills.
After the two of them met up, their first destination was Ryuchi Cave.
Orochimaru's idea was to let Uehara Naraku meet the White Snake Sage, hoping that with this brat's arrogant attitude, he'd be killed by the White Snake Sage, and then Orochimaru wouldn't need to accompany Uehara Naraku to Konoha for an adventure.
After all, Orochimaru had learned all the Konoha Kinjutsu he needed, and he personally had no need for the drops from the Konoha Kinjutsu Room.
Uehara Naraku didn't oppose it either.
"Lord Orochimaru, it seems you have great confidence in the White Snake Sage!"
Uehara Naraku, of course, saw through Orochimaru's intentions, only chuckling and saying, "Are you so confident that the White Snake Sage can kill me?"
Orochimaru tacitly acknowledged this, with a mysterious smile: "Naraku-kun, if you want to find a grave, of course, I'd give it my all."
These two partners seemed ready to turn against each other at any moment.
However, the location of Ryuchi Cave was indeed peculiar.
Uehara Naraku followed Orochimaru for a long time. After two or three days, they finally saw a peculiar little dilapidated temple.
This was a temple set up with Genjutsu.
When Uehara Naraku and Orochimaru entered it, the system panel notified Uehara Naraku that he had discovered Ryuchi Cave, one of the Three Great Holy Lands.
Side Task: Discover the location of Ryuchi Cave (1/1), Task completed, rewarded with 1000 Life Energy points, 1000 Chakra Energy points, and 1000 Natural Energy points.
As one of the three unknown sacred lands in the Ninja World, Ryuchi Cave has always been mysterious, and many people are probably curious about its location.
Such generous rewards are also quite normal.
Once Uehara Naraku entered, he suddenly received a new reward.
Side Task: Enter the Immortal Sacred Land Ryuchi Cave (1/1), Task completed, reward is a +100% Natural Energy Extraction recovery effect.
Uehara Naraku glanced at his Natural Energy Extraction speed, which had increased to 12 points per second, already surpassing his Life Energy recovery speed.
Interesting.
No wonder it's a treasure land.
Just coming here to check-in and get a reward already made him very satisfied. What rewards would he get after defeating the White Snake Sage?
Uehara Naraku watched as small snakes slithered around on the ground, then each of them dove into the cave, probably the animals warning the outer perimeter of Ryuchi Cave.
Uehara Naraku's curiosity was piqued: "Hey, Orochimaru, could there be a snake that suddenly turns into a traditional style singing beauty here?"
"Heh heh heh, you're thinking too much."
Orochimaru glanced at Uehara Naraku with disdain, laughed, and said: "If you regret it now, it's still not too late. After you meet the White Snake Sage, it'll be too late!"
"Tsk…"
Uehara Naraku shook his head.
Now that it's come to this, he won't back down.
If it turns out to be as terrifying as Orochimaru claimed, he could just activate invincibility and leave!
However, Ryuchi Cave seemed to be endlessly long. After walking for a long time, they saw another dilapidated temple!
Uehara Naraku slowly turned his head to look at Orochimaru, "What's going on? Or is it just an illusion disguise?"
"I'm not sure either."
Orochimaru shook his head in confusion.
It shouldn't have been like this in the past!
Before, when he came, he would enter that broken temple to see the White Snake Sage, and sometimes pass through the long Ryuchi Cave.
However, based on the current situation, it seems they have arrived at the next level of the cave in Ryuchi Cave. Is the White Snake Sage unwilling to see them?
Thinking of this, Orochimaru softly explained, "The White Snake Sage might think that Naraku-kun doesn't have the qualifications to sign the contract, so it refuses to meet you..."
After saying this, Orochimaru gently shook his head and said, "The qualification for the Summoning Contract of the Immortal Sacred Land is not that easy to obtain, Naraku-kun, let's go!"
"Are you serious?"
Uehara Naraku stared closely at Orochimaru, raising his eyebrow, "This is what you promised me, and if I don't get the Summoning Contract of Ryuchi Cave, and if you always owe a debt, you'll pay high interest for this issue!"
"..."
Orochimaru almost wanted to curse.
The White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave doesn't want to see you, it's obvious it doesn't want to sign a Summoning Blood Contract with you, why make trouble for me?
Is it just because he's easy to bully?
Damn it, picking on someone relentlessly, don't you have some sense?
Even a rabbit bites when it's cornered!
Not to mention he's originally a sinister and vicious serpent!
Orochimaru's body stiffened for a while, inwardly complaining a bit to the White Snake Sage: I've brought the person here, why don't you make a move on your side!
If Uehara Naraku is unqualified, then send a powerful Orochi to swallow the person. Perhaps the sent Orochi might be a bit weak and could be killed by Uehara Naraku, but at least show Ryuchi Cave's stance!
"Let's go, we'll head deeper underground!"
Uehara Naraku wasn't idle either; he quietly activated his Destiny Skills, checking the whereabouts of the White Snake Sage. A massive white snake's head seemed to be close at hand, yet there were no snakes present here!
"Fire Release: Flame Storm!"
Uehara Naraku waved his hand, summoning a Flame Storm, intending to destroy the peculiar and rundown temple before him. However, the Flame Storm turned into a puff of smoke and dissipated after passing through the temple.
"I didn't expect Naraku-kun to be adept at Fire Release Ninjutsu!"
Orochimaru's eye froze for a second; it was his first time seeing such a powerful Fire Release Ninjutsu, even stronger than Jiraiya's and Sarutobi Hiruzen's.
In the Ninja World, the Fire Release is typically at most a B-rank Ninjutsu.
No one has seen a Kinjutsu level of Fire Release.
Even Jiraiya relies on the combination of fire, oil, and wind to make his Fire Release far more powerful than others.
"Let's go!"
Uehara Naraku didn't offer any further explanation.
Ryuchi Cave.
A temple deep within.
A thick giant snake coiled in the main hall of the temple, with a Summoning Blood Contract Scroll hanging above it. A variety of thick and thin snakes slithered on the floor, occasionally flicking a snake tongue.
A cloud of smoke hovered above the temple's main hall, showing the movements of Uehara Naraku and Orochimaru.
It was evident that the White Snake Sage had been monitoring everything here.
"Why haven't they left yet?"
The White Snake Sage slowly curled up its body, hesitantly looking at the image of Uehara Naraku in the smoke and said in a low voice, "With such strong Natural Energy of other characteristics in his body, why would he want a Summoning Contract with Ryuchi Cave?"
That young ninja is a bit odd.
The White Snake Sage felt somewhat reluctant to see him.
Moreover, as an Immortal active for thousands of years, it could foresee some unknown possibilities from current events.
That young ninja is also very dangerous.
Meeting him rashly would be very dangerous.
This is the White Snake Sage's sharp intuition over the millennia!
The White Snake Sage hissed, flicking its tongue coldly, "What's Orochimaru up to, bringing this person here? Doesn't he know the rules of the Three Great Holy Lands?"