Snake Sage Mode

After Uchiha Toko saw through Ryūchi Cave's Genjutsu, Tagorihime simply stopped maintaining it and walked deeper into the cave.

Before long, two girls dressed similarly to Tagorihime hurried over as well.

The youngest-looking of them, the Ryūchi Cave Sage Princess named Ichikishimahime, glanced at Uchiha Toko with slight dissatisfaction and muttered, "After all that trouble, we finally get a trial participant, and it turns out like this. What a bore."

Unfazed by Ichikishimahime's complaint, Uchiha Toko merely continued onward behind the three of them.

As they drew closer and closer to the White Snake Sage's residence, petrified human limbs began appearing along both sides of the cave.

Yet Uchiha Toko's expression did not change in the slightest.

At that moment, Ichikishimahime could not help asking, "Aren't you curious what these are?"

"They're nothing more than failures who did not pass the Sage Trial before," Uchiha Toko said with a smile. "If you seek power, you naturally have to be prepared to fail."

"Mr. Douhuan certainly has a clear mind," the last Sage Princess, Tagitsuhime, said. "I hope you can pass the final trial. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to reluctantly savor your flavor, Mr. Douhuan."

Soon, the three brought Uchiha Toko to the deepest part of Ryūchi Cave. Dim, uncertain lights flickered. Upon a throne deep within the cave coiled a massive white snake. Several golden rings encircled its body, each engraved with all manner of inscriptions. The two enormous dragon horns atop its head also showed that this white snake had already embarked upon the path of becoming a dragon.

The three before Uchiha Toko bowed in salute.

"All right, you three may leave. Let me have a proper chat with this Mr. Uchiha Toko," said the white snake upon the throne, shifting her body as her scales rasped together with soft hissing sounds.

"Yes." The Three Sage Princesses nodded and withdrew.

After the three Sage Princesses left, the White Snake Sage finally spoke at an unhurried pace. "After all these years, you are the first descendant of Indra to come here."

"Indra?" Uchiha Toko asked knowingly. "Was he one of our Uchiha ancestors?"

"That would not be wrong, but this Indra was the original source of your Uchiha Clan's bloodline," the White Snake Sage said.

"The Uchiha's earliest ancestor?" Uchiha Toko nodded. "It seems the White Snake Sage met him. No wonder people outside always say that the sages of the Three Great Sage Locations possess long lifespans."

"No, I did not have much interaction with Indra. I merely know of his experiences. After all, he was one of the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths, the founder of Ninshu," the White Snake Sage said.

"So the Uchiha are descendants of the legendary Sage of Six Paths?" Uchiha Toko said.

"That would not be wrong." The White Snake Sage nodded.

"I never expected that one day, I would become a sage's descendant." A teasing look appeared on Uchiha Toko's face. "Then why is the White Snake Sage telling me these secrets? Has Ryūchi Cave lain dormant for too long and grown restless, wishing to influence the human world as Mount Myoboku does? Let me make this clear first: unlike Jiraiya, the Ninja World's unprecedented man controlled by his Summoned Beast, I will not spend my life running about for some vague prophecy."

"No, Ryūchi Cave has never concerned itself with the human world. I was merely speaking on a whim," the White Snake Sage said. "But are you truly not at all curious about your ancestor's story?"

"What is there to be curious about? Human history is always the same old tale. Is there really any essential difference between humans from ten thousand years ago and humans today?" Uchiha Toko said.

"Hahaha." The White Snake Sage laughed upon hearing Uchiha Toko's words. "Over the years, though I spent most of my time asleep, when awake, I witnessed the descendants of Asura and Indra slaughtering one another year after year. There were quite a few outstanding talents among them, but you are the most unusual of all."

"Asura? The ancestor of the Senju Clan?" Uchiha Toko raised a brow.

"Yes. The Uzumaki Clan are his descendants as well," the White Snake Sage added.

"It seems our two families have been blood enemies since our ancestors beat each other's brains out," Uchiha Toko said with a smile.

"Over the years, I have seen many who came seeking the power of sages. But you are the only one whom even I hope will succeed. What kind of path the Ninja World will take under your influence has made this old woman curious as well." The White Snake Sage looked at Uchiha Toko. "Hold out your hand."

At her words, Uchiha Toko extended his left hand and removed his wrist guard.

The White Snake Sage slowly lowered her head from the throne and opened her mouth to bite Uchiha Toko's wrist.

Slightly violent Natural Energy entered Uchiha Toko's body through the White Snake Sage's venomous fangs.

Uchiha Toko gave a muffled groan. In moments, snake scales emerged across the surface of his body, and his body began transforming in the direction of a snake. The tops of his feet began to petrify as well.

After returning to her throne, the White Snake Sage quietly watched. Ryūchi Cave was unlike Mount Myoboku. They did not care about the character or will of those who came seeking Sage Mode, but neither did they have protective measures like Mount Myoboku's Black Receivers, which could force Natural Energy out. Everyone who came seeking the power of sages had only one fair chance, and that remained true even though the White Snake Sage thought highly of Uchiha Toko.

Just as the White Snake Sage thought Uchiha Toko would become another member of the countless bones in Ryūchi Cave, his tightly shut eyes suddenly opened. The lightning tomoe in his left eye spun rapidly as bloody tears poured forth.

Within Uchiha Toko's body, the Sage Chakra that had been rampaging wildly only a moment ago stabilized in an instant, merging with the physical energy and spiritual energy that formed Chakra. The three became perfectly harmonious as one.

His petrified legs rapidly recovered, the snake scales across his body receded, and the serpentine traces on his face gradually vanished. Only at the center of the three lightning tomoe within his Mangekyō Sharingan appeared a narrow vertical pupil, while a ring of purple eyeshadow emerged around his eyes.

Uchiha Toko raised a hand to wipe away the blood from the corner of his eye. Feeling the power Sage Chakra brought him, as well as the nourishment Natural Energy gave to the Eye Power that had been excessively depleted in that brief instant, he could not help throwing back his head and laughing loudly.