Ryūchi Cave.
The White Snake Sage took a puff of old tobacco and then shuddered; everything that happened on the earth would reach her ears.
Thus, the White Snake Sage heard about Ryou's thoughts of lusting after the python through her Truth Listener ability.
"This kid is even more evil than Indra was back then!"
"However, his way of doing things really fits the style of my Ryūchi Cave—he just has absolutely no bottom line!"
After blowing out a cloud of smoke, the White Snake Sage spoke to the Three Great Snake Princesses serving below her: "You three, go and prepare for Uchiha Ryou's trial!"
"Uchiha Ryou?"
The Three Great Snake Princesses were somewhat puzzled; Ryūchi Cave was not completely closed off from the outside world, and the three of them would gather information about the Shinobi World when they went out to procure humans from the market.
The biggest hot topic in the current Shinobi World was Madara's plan to launch the Eye of the Moon Plan, and Madara had been released by Ryou.
Consequently, many people harbored an intense hatred for Ryou, saying he had opened Pandora's box.
Ichikishimahime said, "Lord Snake Sage, Uchiha Ryou is one of Uchiha Madara's men. Uchiha Madara wants to dominate the entire Shinobi World, and he might clash with you in the future."
"If you teach Uchiha Ryou Senjutsu, isn't that aiding the enemy?"
The White Snake Sage took a puff of smoke and said, "What if it is aiding the enemy? Everything is fate; his coming to Ryūchi Cave means he has an affinity with me."
"Furthermore, he still needs to pass the trial before he can receive my Senjutsu inheritance!"
"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since anyone from the Uchiha Clan has visited Ryūchi Cave!"
Ichikishimahime wondered, "Has anyone from the Uchiha Clan been to Ryūchi Cave before?"
The White Snake Sage nodded. "The last one was Indra. He came to my cave seeking Senjutsu, but his attitude was certainly not that of someone seeking a favor."
"He wanted to turn me into his Summoned Beast, and I had a great battle with him back then."
"That kid Indra had quite strong dōjutsu! He almost controlled me with genjutsu; luckily, I managed to bite him."
"But no matter how strong Indra was, he ultimately could not withstand the ravages of time."
The White Snake Sage said with a hint of pride.
Time is ruthless, yet also profound. It lets those who should die, die, and those who should live, live; it lets the cursed return to destruction and the praised flourish.
Although the White Snake Sage was not the strongest, she was the longest-lived, because the white snake represents longevity.
Those she couldn't beat, she would devour, and those who could beat her couldn't outlive her.
The Three Great Snake Princesses listened to the White Snake Sage recount the glorious years of the past.
The White Snake Sage took a puff of smoke and asked, "By the way, how is the trial of Orochimaru's two disciples going?"
Tagitsuhime bowed and reported, "Lord Snake Sage, Orochimaru's two disciples, Anko and Yamato, have both passed the two stages of Desire and Perseverance, but both are stalled at the third stage, the test of will."
The three trials of Ryūchi Cave are respectively managed by the Three Great Snake Princesses.
Tagorihime is responsible for the first stage, the trial of Desire and Composure.
She uses Sage Art to conjure delicacies in a magnificent castle, disguised as a beautiful young girl to entertain guests; if a trial-taker eats the food, they fail the trial and are eaten by Tagorihime.
Ichikishimahime is responsible for the second stage, the trial of Wisdom and Perseverance, where she sets up games and puzzles to test the trial-taker's thinking, patience, and stamina.
Tagitsuhime is responsible for the third stage, the trial of Will and Character, which is the most difficult.
Tagitsuhime bites the trial-taker's neck and uses super-strong genjutsu to create an illusion of their greatest fear, forcing them to face their inner demons.
In the past, many trial-takers have fallen at this stage.
Anko and Yamato are both sleeping within their respective inner demon illusions, unable to wake up.
What humans fear most is never the monsters and ghosts of the outside world, but the self deep within their hearts that they are unwilling to acknowledge.
Cowardice, regret!
In reality, one can still escape, but in an illusion, you must face your truest self.
That is destiny.
The more one tries to escape destiny, the more likely they are to run straight into it.
A person's thoughts are like pond water; with the slightest touch from the outside, it is difficult for them to remain clear and bright.
Tagitsuhime asked the White Snake Sage for instructions: "Lord Snake Sage, should we lower the requirements for Orochimaru's two disciples?"
The White Snake Sage said indifferently, "Why?"
Tagitsuhime explained, "The current chaos in the Ninja World has already reached the Holy Lands. I feel our Ryūchi Cave should raise some useful humans."
The White Snake Sage blew out a puff of smoke. "Fate is fate. Since they cannot face their inner selves, they have no affinity with my Ryūchi Cave."
"If they haven't come out by tomorrow, then dispose of them!"
"Yes!"
"Alright, go down and prepare for Uchiha Ryou's trial!"
"Hmm?!"
"That fellow Orochimaru, why did he bring someone back? Senju Tobirama—though not strong, his talent for techniques is extremely rare."
The White Snake Sage sensed Orochimaru and Tobirama entering Ryūchi Cave.
The White Snake Sage's ability to eavesdrop on everything through the earth was not absolute; she could not eavesdrop on those with Sage Art or the Six Paths Power.
Orochimaru and Tobirama were previously in Shikkotsu Forest, and the Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest was the natural enemy of the White Snake Sage.
The White Snake Sage could not eavesdrop on what happened within the Slug Sage's Shikkotsu Forest.
"Ryūchi Cave has really become lively lately; all sorts of monsters and ghosts are rushing here!"
...
Land of Rain border, Konoha camp.
The entire Ninja camp was as vast as the earth extending, with no end in sight.
Each squad stood solemnly in phalanxes, with Jonin in the front and Chunin in the back; the uniforms and armor of each family, Ninja Clan, and division were distinct.
Anbu figures were hidden on both sides of the formation like a flock of crows.
Countless headbands glinted with a cold white light under the sky; they no longer bore Konoha's bird-print symbol, but the character for 'Shinobi'.
This was the Shinobi Allied Forces, formed by the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Land of Iron, and various small nations.
The Five Kage did not, as in the original work, assemble the alliance in advance into a dozen phalanxes to explain the reasons for going to war.
There was no need; the Five Great Ninja Villages set up their headquarters in Konoha, commanded by Nara Shikaku, the head of the Nara family.
The Shinobi Allied Forces was divided into three large divisions based on the directions of the major nations and the Land of Rain.
The First Division was the main force, composed of troops from the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, and Land of Iron.
Added to this were some small nations, such as the Land of Waterfalls, Land of Hot Springs, Land of Bears, Land of Artisans...
Looking at the map, these countries were all located on the right side of the Land of Rain, so their forces merged to form the First Division.
The Second Division was a Ninja force composed of the Land of Earth and some small nations.
The Third Division was a Ninja force composed of the Land of Wind and Land of Water combined with some small nations.
The Land of Rain was surrounded from three directions so tightly that not even water could leak through.
If a stray dog on the roadside wanted to enter the Land of Rain, it would be slapped twice and then caught by the Shinobi Allied Forces to serve as a Ninja dog filling trenches.
Only the Hidden Mist Village of the Land of Water was a bit strange; they were on the right side of the map but did not merge with Konoha's forces.
Instead, they took the water route to enter the Land of Rivers and merge with the Land of Wind.
Thinking that water transport was more convenient, the high-level officials of the Shinobi Allied Forces were not surprised.
At this time, the First Division.
The Shinobi Allied Forces set up phalanxes composed of Jonin and Chunin.
No one whispered; there was only the slight clinking of ninja tools and the sound of unified breathing.
Ninjas are elite troops; assembling in ranks like samurai was a first for them.
Furthermore, this war no longer emphasized individual or small-team operations, but large-scale army operations.
In large-scale operations, military discipline must be strict.
In terms of army operations, Iwagakure was the most experienced Village; when they fought, it was like a swarm of bees.
All Ninjas stood silently on standby, waiting for the orders from the headquarters to arrive.
With just one command, these tens of thousands of elites would turn into a storm sweeping across the battlefield, rushing into the Land of Rain to crush everything.
The high-level officials of Konoha were led by the Third Hokage.
This time, he did not stay within the Konoha headquarters, but led this group of elites—including Danzo, Jiraiya, Minato, Shinku Yuhi, and Shinnosuke Sarutobi—directly to the front lines.
There were also the elites of the Hidden Cloud Village, the Fourth Raikage, Killer Bee...
The Two Great Sages of Mount Myōboku led the giant toads of Mount Myōboku to the scene, and they were also incorporated into the Shinobi Allied Forces.
In addition, beside the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and others, there was also a representative from the Rogue Ninja world—Kakuzu; besides Kakuzu, there was also a mysterious person wearing a hood.