Boom!
A wooden giant rose from the ground, extended its two palms, and grabbed Garaga's snake head.
"Roar?! Human! What are you doing?!" Garaga was a mix of shock and rage, twisting its massive body frantically.
The muscles on the Wood Human's arms bulged. twisting its waist, it swung Garaga's mountain-like body completely into the air.
Then, like wielding a giant crimson leather whip, it smashed Garaga ruthlessly against the hard rock wall.
Bang! Boom! Crack!
"Urgh!!!"
"Human! Damn you!! I'm going to eat you!!"
Dizzied by the impact, Garaga became even more furious and crazed.
Unfortunately, the response it got was another, even more vicious slam.
The Wood Human grabbed its head and smashed it against the rock wall like a tattered sack, leaving deep snake-shaped indentations.
"Human! Let me go!!"
Bang! Rumble!
"Human! Are you done yet?!!" Garaga hissed.
Running rampant in Ryūchi Cave for so many years, when had it ever suffered such humiliation? Being swung around like a whip?!
The Wood Human didn't stop. It grabbed Garaga, slamming it left and right, swinging it up and smashing it down.
After an unknown number of slams, Garaga felt as if every bone in its body was about to fall apart, seeing stars.
"...Stop... Stop..."
"Human... spare me..."
"I... yield..."
"Yield?"
Yao stood on the shoulder of the Wood Human, looking down at Garaga from above:
"Wasn't your mouth pretty tough just now? How come you're giving in too?"
Garaga gasped for breath heavily. The golden light in its single eye had dimmed significantly, and its entire body was covered in crushed stone and magma ash, looking utterly wretched.
It barely had the strength to curse anymore, hissing feebly:
"I yield... I truly yield... spare my life!"
It had truly been beaten into submission!
Strength, speed, and that endless Wood Release... this human countered it in every aspect.
If it didn't yield, it feared it would be whipped to pieces alive.
"Very good!"
Yao nodded. The senjutsu vines and the Wood Human binding Garaga slowly loosened, dissipating into specks of green light.
The forest in the cavern also withered and decomposed rapidly, returning to natural energy, leaving behind only a battlefield scarred with devastation.
"Since you've yielded, when I summon you in the future, remember to be proactive, move fast, do you hear me?"
Yao walked up to Garaga's massive head, his tone brooking no argument.
"Heard... I heard you!"
Garaga hurriedly responded.
Pride was one thing, but it understood the principle that a wise man submits to circumstances—at least it understood it now.
Besides, they snakes knew best how to seek luck and avoid calamity; submitting to a powerful existence was nothing shameful!
"Not bad!"
Yao finally revealed a somewhat satisfied expression. "Rest well here; I'm leaving first!"
He said no more, activating the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanishing instantly.
The next moment.
He returned to the main cavern of Ryūchi Cave.
The White Snake Sage remained coiled on the high platform, seemingly unmoved since ancient times.
Yao stepped forward and bowed slightly to the White Snake Sage: "White Snake Sage, thank you for your care and guidance!"
"I have grasped the basics of Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu, and I am endlessly grateful!"
The White Snake Sage's amber eyes slowly opened, looking at Yao, her gaze lingering on him for a moment.
She slowly nodded, her aged voice echoing directly:
"The gates of Ryūchi Cave are always open to you. Come often."
This was an acknowledgment of Yao's status in Ryūchi Cave and his freedom to come and go.
At least in the White Snake Sage's eyes, Yao was a more excellent collaborator and representative than Orochimaru!
"When I have time in the future, I will visit you often!" Yao bowed again, his tone quite sincere.
In any case.
The Sage Mode granted by Ryūchi Cave was a tangible and massive improvement; he would remember this favor!
If possible.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Naruto : I'm an Uchiha Who Can Use Wood (Simulpub, Ongoing)
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Yao hoped to make Ryūchi Cave a backyard for the Uchiha clan, just like Jiraiya and Tsunade did with their summons.
In the future, when the Uchiha clan cultivated senjutsu or signed contracts with summons, they could come directly to Ryūchi Cave.
The White Snake Sage said no more and closed her eyes again.
...
Back in Konoha.
It was evening.
The air drifted with the familiar, smoky scent of hearth fires and the faint, inviting aroma of home-cooked meals.
"Finally back!"
Yao sniffed the savory scent lingering in the air, and his stomach let out a loud protest.
He headed straight for Training Ground Three, where he found Naruto and Sasuke still in the middle of their extra training.
"Oi, you two! That's enough training. My treat—we're going to Ichiraku Ramen!" Yao shouted over to them.
"Ichiraku Ramen?"
Upon hearing this, Naruto's exhaustion vanished instantly. He cheered and charged over.
"Awesome!" "I want the extra-large bowl! With extra chashu! And extra narutomaki!"
Sasuke wiped the sweat from his forehead, put away his kunai, and silently followed behind them.
The three of them stormed into the Ichiraku Ramen stand. Teuchi, the owner, greeted them warmly as soon as he saw the trio.
"Yao, Naruto, Sasuke! You're here. What can I get you?"
The three sat down.
Yao turned directly to Ayame, who was busy preparing orders. "Start me off with... hmm, ten bowls of Miso Chashu Ramen!"
"Ten bowls?!"
Naruto's jaw nearly hit the counter. "Yao, can you actually eat all that?"
"Just watch me."
Yao waved his hand dismissively.
For the last half-month in Ryuchi Cave, what on earth have I been eating?Rats, bird eggs, lizards... My mouth has forgotten what real food tastes like. Yao felt like he could devour a whole cow.
Before long, the steaming bowls of ramen were set before them.
Yao picked up his chopsticks and went to work. One bowl after another, the empty bowls stacked up rapidly. Five bowls, ten bowls, twenty bowls...
When the stack reached forty bowls, Yao finally put down his chopsticks and let out a satisfied burp.
"Burp! Now that's better."
Naruto stared, dumbfounded.
"Yao... you... just how long have you been starving?! That's way too much! You're even worse than me!"
Sasuke also glanced at the tower of empty bowls, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
Forty bowls of ramen!Is he even human?
"You don't understand!"
Yao leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach with a look of pure contentment. "The food at Ryuchi Cave is simply indescribable!"
"If you aren't swallowing weird insects or raw rats whole, you're eating lizards and birds with absolute bizarre flavors!"
"After half a month of that, I feel like I'm turning into a snake myself!"
"Is it really that bad?" Naruto asked, unconvinced.
"Just wait until you go to Mount Myoboku in the future and taste their special 'Insect Course Meal.' Then you'll understand!"
Yao rolled his eyes, too lazy to explain the details to this guy.
Sasuke suddenly asked, "Brother, during your half-month at Ryuchi Cave, did you master Sage Mode?"
Naruto immediately caught on, looking at Yao with anticipation.
Yao rarely kept secrets from them, so both Sasuke and Naruto knew that Yao had gone to Ryuchi Cave specifically to train for this.
"Of course!" Yao nodded.
A glint of light flashed in Sasuke's eyes. "Sage Mode... exactly what kind of power is it?"
Naruto leaned in close, his face full of curiosity. "Yeah, yeah! Does it make you super strong?"
Seeing the eager looks in their eyes, Yao smiled. "Want to see?"
"Yes!" said the two in unison.
"Well, too bad! I'll show you another time when there's a chance."
Yao kept them in suspense. He stood up and patted Naruto on the shoulder.
"Let's go. It's getting late. Tomorrow we'll head to the Mission Desk and see if there are any suitable B-rank missions!"
"According to the plan, it's time we took on a B-rank mission!"
"Tch!"