Dragon Going Uphill Meets Tiger Going Downhill

"Hehehe... You're lucky to have such a good companion!"

Hearing that seductive voice again, Orochimaru drew his sword and looked around in confusion.

"This is supposed to be a test for a leader?"

Before Orochimaru could start cursing, the voice vanished again without even a shadow appearing this time.

If this happened a few more times, Orochimaru would want to turn back and leave. To hell with senjutsu—couldn't they give him a proper trial?

Fortunately, Orochimaru encountered no more nonsense along the way, until...

"You two are here to test me too?"

Looking at the two colossal creatures blocking the path ahead, one red and one purple, roughly equal in size, he recognized Manda and the helper it had brought.

"Manda, is he the one who injured you?"

The one who spoke was a giant serpent with red reverse scales. Its vicious face was no less fearsome than Manda's, the only difference being that it had just one eye.

"Hmph! The outside world merely restricted my strength. Otherwise, it wouldn't be your turn, one-eyed Garaga!"

Listening to the two reptiles before him argue as though he did not exist, Orochimaru understood where Manda had found the confidence to oppose him again.

Ryūchi Cave was probably its lair, granting it considerable boosts to its strength. And the red serpent beside it was likely Garaga, Boruto's Summoning Beast in the future.

"Do you two think you have me cornered?"

Orochimaru looked at the two snakes eyeing him like prey, then turned his gaze to Manda.

"A dragon going uphill meets a tiger coming downhill. The Ninja World isn't yours to rule. The skies have cleared and the rain has stopped, so you think you're tough again?"

Meeting Orochimaru's orange-yellow snake eyes, Manda involuntarily shrank its neck back.

But it quickly came to its senses. This was its territory, and Garaga, a helper no weaker than itself, was here too.

At that thought, humiliation and rage surged through it, and its expression became savage once more.

"Enough nonsense! Die, Orochimaru!"

Before its words had even faded, fierce gusts struck Orochimaru from left and right, above and below. They were Manda and Garaga's steel-whip tails, poised to snap him in half at the waist.

The two coordinated quite well, but in Orochimaru's eyes, they were still too slow.

He did not dodge. Manda had not resisted him these past few days, and the energy in its body was nearly depleted. This was the perfect opportunity to absorb another wave.

Yet what happened next exceeded his expectations. Two immense forces swept down on him with the ferocity of dragons, and before Orochimaru could completely absorb the energy, his body was severed down the middle.

Seeing this, disdain filled Garaga's eye.

"That's it?"

Manda's eyes likewise shone with delight. Serves you right for being so arrogant. Now you know what we're capable of!

But before smiles could appear on either snake's face, Orochimaru's upper and lower halves were connected and pulled back together by countless densely packed snakes. At the same time, one hand and one foot braced against their tails.

"Looks like I underestimated you!"

He had not expected the two snakes to display such considerable strength within Ryūchi Cave. Judging from that strike just now, Manda's power had increased by at least half again.

"I can't be too careless. It would be a disgrace if I capsized in a gutter."

With that thought, Orochimaru's expression turned serious.

Meanwhile, not far from where the two sides were fighting.

"Do you think it'll be all right to let those two cause trouble like this?"

A beautiful woman asked another woman beside her, whose appearance was no less stunning and who wore courtly robes.

"Hehe... Didn't you see how badly Manda was beaten a few days ago? Don't worry, that fellow isn't so simple."

The woman in courtly robes paused, then continued with a slightly mischievous expression.

"Even though Grandmother told us to make our own decisions, she won't blame either of us no matter the outcome!"

Only after hearing her companion say that did the woman who had spoken first finally relax completely. She also recalled the figure she had seen during the first trial.

With such an enormous amount of Chakra, dealing with those two restless fellows should not be a problem.

These two were the Ryūchi Cave elders who had previously been responsible for testing Orochimaru.

Ichikishimahime had tested his Chakra reserves, while Tagorihime had naturally tested Orochimaru's willpower and conviction with genjutsu.

They had both known from the start that Orochimaru was Manda's contract master. After seeing Manda beaten so badly before, they had deliberately increased the difficulty of Orochimaru's trials.

As for Manda, it was the sort to seek revenge day and night. The moment it returned, it could not sit still, joining forces with the equally hot-tempered Garaga in preparation to win back its pride.

But their plans were destined to fail, because shortly after Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime finished speaking, a figure shrouded in darkness entered their sight.

After steadying his slightly labored breathing, Orochimaru stepped on Manda and Garaga's bodies and slowly walked out of the passage.

When narrow paths met, the brave won. Naturally, Orochimaru was the victor. The two snakes, already collapsed and unconscious, looked as though they had been scorched, steam rising from their bodies.

Although Orochimaru had hit them hard, he had not killed them outright.

What a joke. This was Ryūchi Cave, and the White Snake Sage was still watching. If not for the monk's sake, then for the Buddha's.

Besides, such injuries would take them at most ten days to half a month to recover from. A sacred place like Ryūchi Cave was abundant in Natural Energy. Resting for ten days to half a month would naturally heal them.

"Greetings, seniors. It has been a while!"

Looking at the two snake women waiting ahead, Orochimaru said in a somewhat hoarse voice.

He had met one of them during the first trial. The other was probably the examiner for the second trial. He had not expected her transformed appearance to be so seductive.

"Hehe... Orochimaru, since you have passed Ryūchi Cave's trial, come with us!"

It was Tagorihime who spoke, her smile somewhat eerie. She even tossed Orochimaru a flirtatious glance before turning and walking ahead.

Hmph, you gaudy slut! Trying to use Sexy Jutsu on me!

Naturally, Orochimaru could only curse her in his heart. If he foolishly showed her that attitude to her face, he would have nowhere to complain after getting beaten up.

Looking at the two women's backs, their slender, snake-like waists swaying beneath them, Orochimaru felt a little heated inside.

Naturally, it was not because of the two women before him, but because he would finally get to meet the legendary White Snake Sage.

An ancient existence that had lived from Kaguya's era to the present—even the Sage of Six Paths had not outlasted it. He wondered just how powerful it had become.

Before long, Orochimaru reached the end of the passage. In the next instant, his vision suddenly opened up, revealing an incomparably vast cavern.

Looking at the cave, which was as large as more than a dozen football fields, Orochimaru could not help admiring the White Snake Sage's grand display.

At the end of his vision, an enormous White Snake Sage Mode coiled and wound through the cavern, leaving Orochimaru utterly stunned.

Its body, hundreds or perhaps thousands of meters long, circled all around and seemed connected to the place where it was worshipped. It was several times larger than Manda.

Before it, Manda was probably like a child standing beside an adult. No wonder it could suppress all the demons and monsters here.

"Are you the one taking the trial this time?"

A tremendous booming voice rang beside Orochimaru's ears, instantly snapping him back to his senses.

The White Snake Sage's lantern-sized snake eyes took in every detail of Orochimaru's reaction, seemingly quite pleased with his expression!