The Trial Passed, Meeting the White Snake Sage

The Hokage's Office.

Iwagakure held the latest news from Iwagakure in Tsunade hand, and the more she read it, the angrier she became.

"That rascal Shinki, why did he have to sell them airplanes? And then he got into this mess! (′д`σ)σ"

Shizune, who was standing nearby, immediately spoke up for Shinki: "Lady Tsunade, Junior Brother wouldn't tamper with something like this, after all, it concerns the honor of the village."

Tsunade thought Shizune's words made some sense, but she still pointed towards the door and said, "Go and call that kid Shinki over here. I want to ask him myself."

Shizune immediately replied somewhat guiltily, "Junior Brother has already left."

Tsunade: "Huh? Where did he go? (‧_‧?)"

Shizune shook her head. "I don't know either. Raidō came over this morning to report on it, but you weren't here, Lady Tsunade. He said he saw the Shinki summon a giant snake outside the village, and then it disappeared."

Tsunade frowned. "Orochimaru..."

Recalling the discussion Shinki had with Kabuto yesterday, a guess formed in Tsunade mind. "That kid wouldn't have run off to Ryūchi Cave, would he?! (꒪⌓꒪)"

"He's already mastered the Senjutsu of Mount Myōboku, why is he still running off to that place?! What if something goes wrong..."

Seeing Tsunade's anxious expression, Shizune comforted her, saying, "Lady Tsunade, please don't worry, Junior Brother has his reasons..."

Ryūchi Cave.

Inside the illusionary cave.

Stone Ichikishimahime petite girl, who looked like a fifteen or sixteen-year-old, was wiping away tears as she picked up Crystal Blocks from the ground...

"That's outrageous! I was supposed to watch him pick up the stones from the ground! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)"

As she spoke, she inserted a triangular pyramid-shaped crystal into the groove on the door...

Shinki stood to the side, one hand maintaining the shape of the Vines.

Seeing that Ichikishimahime still had time to complain, he urged, "Hurry up! If you delay my search for the White Snake Sage, I'll make these Vines bind you for life!"

Ichikishimahime:(｡•́•̀｡)

She never expected that the Vines released by the red-haired boy would be so wicked, sealing off her ability to use Senjutsu!

This reversed her position from that of the supervisor to that of Shinki!

A dozen minutes later, Ichikishimahime inserted the last piece of crystal into the groove on the door!

The Stone Gate made a "click-click" sound and slowly opened.

Shinki was, after all, there to learn Senjutsu, so she respected the Divine Princess in charge of the Trials.

Upon seeing the door open, he released Ichikishimahime on her face.

"Don't be so arrogant, kid. You'll learn your lesson in the next Trial!"

After being untied, Ichikishimahime pointed at the Shinki with a resentful expression and said, "You might die in her mouth! (`･∧･´)"

Shinki: "Not enough ties, huh? ╰_╯"

Upon seeing Shinki raise his hand, Ichikishimahime immediately shrank back in fear and vanished in an instant!

With the disappearance of Ichikishimahime, the enormous cave behind the Shinki also vanished.

A few seconds later, a goddess dressed similarly to Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime appeared!

"So fast?" Shinki asked, somewhat surprised.

What will be tested this time? Where will it be held?

The goddess said calmly, "My name is Mizutsuhime, and I will test your heart."

"If you fail the Trial, I'll eat you up! (•̀⌄•́)"

After saying that, Mizutsuhime's tall, slender body, which had been floating in mid-air, suddenly disappeared!

"Call!"

Shinki frowned, feeling a sudden gust of wind behind him!

He didn't have time to think; he instinctively threw a punch!

"Bang!!"

A powerful punch landed squarely on Mizutsuhime's face as she attempted a sneak attack!

"Ugh!"

Mizutsuhime screamed and flew backward!

Shinki looked at his fist, then at Mizutsuhime lying on the ground, his face full of confusion. "Wasn't it supposed to be Trial of my heart? Why did it attack me? (￢‸￢)?"

Mizutsuhime lay on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes! _(´ཀ`" ∠)__

Shinki had practiced Tsunade's Yin Seal Strength of a Hundred Technique and had been training his body for many years, so his physical fitness was far superior to that of ordinary people!

His sudden punch knocked out half of Mizutsuhime's tooth!

Although lost teeth can grow back, they can be very painful!

Mizutsuhime touched her empty, still bleeding gums, and gasped as she said, "As long as I bite your neck, I can cast Senjutsu to trap you in an illusion. That will be your Trial..."

Upon hearing this, Shinki's expression turned guilty. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, it was just a conditioned Reflection. Why don't you take another bite? (||๐_๐)"

Mizutsuhime covered her swollen face, glanced warily at Shinki, and said, "Never mind, your Trial is over. I'll take you directly to see the White Snake Sage." ꒦ິ^꒦ິ

As Mizutsuhime finished speaking, the thick fog around them dissipated.

A huge Stone Tablet appeared in front of the Shinki, with the three characters ' Ryūchi Cave 'Stone Tablet still on it.

Mizutsuhime explained, "Once you pass this Stone Tablet, you'll officially enter the Ryūchi Cave area."

Shinki nodded as he followed behind.

Various snakes, large and small, darted past their feet; Ryūchi Cave was indeed a gathering place for snakes!

On the way, Shinki looked at Mizutsuhime's increasingly swollen left cheek and asked, "Um, do you want me to treat it?"

Mizutsuhime's eyes were full of wariness. "No, no, no, I cultivate Senjutsu, my self-healing is very fast!"

Another ten minutes or so passed, Mizutsuhime led the Shinki to a huge temple.

The temple gates were tightly closed, but the image of dragons could be seen everywhere on the gate and the decorations on the roof.

This shows that the snakes in Ryūchi Cave deeply revered the legendary creature, the dragon!

Suddenly, a hoarse voice, neither clearly male nor female, came from inside the temple. "Come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the temple gate opened automatically with a "whoosh."

Shinki finally met the White Snake Sage of Dragon Bottom Cave, who was as famous as the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku Toad and the Shikkotsu Forest Katsuyu Sage!

The White Snake Sage, as its name suggests, is a large white-scaled snake coiled on a large seat in the center of the temple.

Unlike the Toad Sage, the White Snake Sage has long Orange hair, sharp eyes, a purple ribbon tied around his head, and a giant pipe in his mouth, making him very imposing!

At this moment, standing on either side of the White Snake Sage were Tagorihime, her face bruised and swollen, and Ichikishimahime, her expression full of resentment.

Seeing that Mizutsuhime's situation was even worse than theirs, the two Divine Princess burst out laughing...

Tagorihime: "Hehehe... Mizutsuhime got beaten up even worse than me. ( ˝ᗢ̈˝ )"

Ichikishimahime: "With your face so swollen, you've probably knocked out a few teeth! (σ≧︎▽︎≦︎)σ."

Mizutsuhime's face immediately darkened!

"Quiet!"

The White Snake Sage's voice suddenly rose, startling the Three Divine Princesses bowed deeply in unison. "Sage, we were wrong!"

Then, the White Snake Sage looked at the Shinki, his eerie vertical pupils scrutinizing Shinki body from top to bottom...

Finally, it said, "You must be Shinki. You look much better than that brat who came last time."