Perfect Sage Mode

Hyuga Kei maintained a steady rhythm, neither letting Ichikishimahime lose every round nor allowing himself to win too many times.

After Ichikishimahime lost yet again, she angrily threw the dice cup onto the floor. "Mark down another one. I'm done playing. You pass this trial."

The stone door rose again, and Hyuga Kei put his clothes back on. "You lost a total of twelve times. Once I've learned senjutsu, remember to teach me twelve kinds of Sage Techniques."

Ichikishimahime waved impatiently. "Got it, got it. Talk about it after you survive learning Sage Mode."

She carefully picked up the overturned dice cup and dice, deciding to find Tagorihime and the others for a game later.

"See you later, then." Hyuga Kei waved and continued deeper into the mist.

Ichikishimahime watched his departing back. "That guy's chakra is as vast as the sea. What a terrifying fellow. Looks like Ryūchi Cave is about to gain someone powerful and interesting."

She shook the dice cup again. Could there really be some trick to this? Once this was over, she had to ask him for advice.

Hyuga Kei entered the mist and waited for the third trial. Then a chill ran down his back. He whirled around and saw a woman biting toward his neck.

Hyuga Kei had no intention of stopping her. After all, this was part of the trial.

The woman opened her mouth wide and bit down on Hyuga Kei's neck before springing backward.

She was a snake sage disguised as a gentle, understanding older sister, with long hair and blunt bangs, her voice brimming with tenderness.

"My name is Tagitsuhime. This trial tests your state of mind. Enjoy yourself!"

With that, she vanished back into the mist.

A figure appeared before Hyuga Kei.

It spoke in Hyuga Yun's voice. "Why couldn't you save me?"

Hizashi Hyuga appeared to his left. "You caused this! If not for you, I wouldn't have died!"

Neji's voice came from behind him. "Why did you destroy my Hyuga clan? I'll kill you!"

Hyuga Kei ignored those illusions and instead carefully sensed the senjutsu chakra contained in that bite.

The sensory systems of his body had been disrupted by the senjutsu chakra, which was why he was seeing hallucinations.

"So this is the legendary senjutsu chakra. It truly is wondrous."

After examining it, Hyuga Kei directly extinguished that mass of chakra within his body. All the illusions vanished, and even the mist dispersed completely.

A temple stood before him, bearing the words Ryūchi Cave.

Tagitsuhime appeared before Hyuga Kei again and gave him a graceful bow. "You have passed all the trials. The White Snake Sage is inside."

"Thank you."

Hyuga Kei walked toward the temple and pushed open its gates, entering directly.

"Someone even crazier than Orochimaru has appeared. Perhaps he really can master senjutsu," Tagitsuhime muttered to herself.

Orochimaru had already turned into a snake because of learning senjutsu, and now someone else had come.

Upon entering, Hyuga Kei saw an old woman reclining on her side with a smoking pipe in her mouth.

"This junior, Hyuga Kei, greets the White Snake Sage." Hyuga Kei did not dare act presumptuously. He bowed deeply; the being before him was a snake of the same generation as the Sage of Six Paths.

"Mhm, I know." The White Snake Sage nodded. "You wish to cultivate senjutsu, correct?"

"Yes."

The White Snake Sage explained, "Let me explain the principles of senjutsu. Chakra is the fusion of physical energy and spiritual energy. The core of senjutsu is drawing natural energy into the body, then balancing natural energy, physical energy, and spiritual energy in a one-to-one-to-one ratio."

This was more or less what Hyuga Kei had known in his previous life.

"In a moment, I will inject natural energy into your body through my fangs. What you need to do is continuously adjust their balance and proportions. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"You only have one chance. If you fail, you will become a snake. You may even die outright."

Hyuga Kei nodded and sat cross-legged. He had immense confidence in himself. With the chakra control of a Sage Body, along with the suppression of the Tenseigan and Sharingan's Dojutsu Power, even Senju Hashirama would be no match for this setup.

The White Snake Sage revealed her true form: a massive white serpent adorned with exquisite jewelry. She opened her jaws and bit down on Hyuga Kei's neck.

In an instant, Hyuga Kei felt natural energy continuously pouring into his body. He hurriedly controlled his chakra and fused it with the energy.

Outside, the three sisters—Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, and Tagitsuhime—watched as slight signs of snake transformation appeared on Hyuga Kei's body and scales began growing across his skin.

Tagorihime showed a trace of concern. "Don't let such a fun little brother die just like that."

Ichikishimahime nodded along, shaking her dice cup in hand. "Yeah, yeah. I still need him to teach me his dice-throwing tricks."

Tagitsuhime glanced at the two of them. "Wouldn't he be able to stay with you forever if he turned into a snake?"

"Yeah!" The two of them immediately began looking forward to Hyuga Kei becoming a snake.

Naturally, Hyuga Kei had no idea what those two snakes were thinking. He focused entirely on adjusting the ratio of his senjutsu chakra.

Looking inward, he saw that his snake transformation was becoming increasingly severe. Hyuga Kei abruptly activated the Tenseigan and used its Dojutsu Power, instantly suppressing the transformation.

When the three women outside saw those eyes, they were all startled. A feeling of being completely seen through welled up within them.

Tagorihime became lovestruck again, her fragrant tongue repeatedly sliding across the corners of her lips. "Such beautiful eyes. I want him to stare at me and curse me again."

Ten minutes later, Hyuga Kei gradually found the pattern for fusing natural energy. The White Snake Sage released her bite. "Sense the natural energy outside and guide it in."

Without the White Snake Sage serving as an external aid, Hyuga Kei could only try to absorb the natural energy around him himself.

He sensed the natural energy outside and attempted to draw it into his body.

Gradually, Hyuga Kei condensed his first strand of senjutsu chakra, eventually transforming a portion of the chakra within his body into senjutsu chakra.

A layer of azure senjutsu chakra wrapped around Hyuga Kei's body, while green chakra snakes coiled around him.

Blue, eyeshadow-like Sage markings appeared around his eyes, and delicate scales grew from the corners of his eyes.

"Perfect Sage Mode!" the three women cried out. It was also their first time seeing someone master Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode.

Hyuga Kei rose to his feet and felt the power surrounding his body. Right now, he felt as though he could punch Kaguya to death.

"Do you want to test your strength?" the White Snake Sage asked.

"Sure." Hyuga Kei knew she intended to find him an opponent, and he did not refuse.

"Deep within Ryūchi Cave lives a giant snake that has yet to have its reverse scale removed. Go and take its reverse scale."

Hyuga Kei rolled his wrists. "No problem. It can serve as a sparring opponent."

The White Snake Sage gave an order. "Which one of you three will take him there?"

Tagorihime immediately raised her hand. "Me, me, me!"

"Fine. You take him."

Tagorihime suppressed the excitement in her heart, came before Hyuga Kei, and bowed. "This way, please."

Hyuga Kei followed Tagorihime's steps, heading ever deeper into Ryūchi Cave.