There were three great sacred lands in the Shinobi World: Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave. They were home to the Toad Sage, the Slug Sage, and the White Snake Sage, respectively.
The original story gave the most detailed depiction of Mount Myōboku and the Toad Sage.
The Toad Sage's real name was Gamamaru. He had lived in the same era as the Sage of Six Paths and possessed the power of prophecy. He was also the one who discovered the Divine Tree's destruction of the earth and guided the brothers Hagoromo and Hamura in sealing their own mother.
As for the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave, her true form was a giant white-scaled serpent, and she could take on the appearance of an old woman. Compared to the Toad Sage, this White Snake Sage was clearly no benevolent being. She would set trials for those seeking power in Ryūchi Cave, and anyone who failed would become her meal.
That White Snake Sage in the Land of Hot Water might also have been a serpent from Ryūchi Cave.
Although the Eight Branches Technique was one of Orochimaru's forbidden techniques, he should not have been able to maintain that form indefinitely... If it really was Orochimaru, why had he assumed the name of the White Snake Sage?
What was the point of gathering believers? Could it be that he was short on test subjects? With Orochimaru's methods, he should not have needed to go to such trouble.
The incident in the Land of Hot Water was still shrouded in mystery. Mana could not put his mind at ease, so he dispatched an Anbu squad to continue investigating within the Land of Hot Water and see if they could uncover anything else.
That evening, Mana went to see Kushina.
After