Trials in Ryūchi Cave

After regrouping, Sarutobi Enju and Utsuki Ruri naturally placed Uchiha Gen at the head, making him the core of the team as they advanced deeper step by step.

With the Sharingan and Sensory Ninjutsu, Uchiha Gen was naturally the first in the team to detect danger and the most capable of blocking it. Sarutobi Enju and Utsuki Ruri were slightly weaker, so they naturally stayed behind, ready to provide support and cover the flanks.

Without anyone noticing, Uchiha Gen had truly become the core of this team.

They had not gone far when a hazy glow of lights appeared ahead.

As they drew closer, they discovered it was a lavishly decorated palace.

On the plaque above the entrance, three large gilded characters were engraved against a black background: [Ryūchi Cave].

Uchiha Gen glanced at the plaque, then looked around him as the tomoe in his Sharingan slowly turned.

He had found no flaws, but that did not mean it was not genjutsu.

After all, his Sharingan was still only a Single-Tomoe. Though it granted him an advantage against genjutsu, it was nowhere near enough to let him instantly bridge such a vast gap and see through an enemy far stronger than himself.

Orochimaru had just warned them not to trust anything they saw here.

If it had been another Uchiha, they would definitely have placed complete faith in what their Sharingan showed them. Once they believed they had seen through everything, they might even mutter something like, "Hate the fate of those without the Sharingan."

Throughout history, quite a few Uchiha had fallen flat because of that, including many exceptionally powerful ones.

The fact that Orochimaru had given such a warning despite knowing Uchiha Gen had awakened the Sharingan already explained everything.

Perhaps because he was already suspicious, Uchiha Gen scrutinized the place as though deliberately looking for faults and spotted a few subtle inconsistencies, though he could not say exactly what was wrong.

Sensing the three-person team's approach, the broad palace doors swung open with a boom. A green-haired woman in court robes stepped out, her features dignified and her temperament cool.

"This humble one is Tagorihime. Greetings, the three of you. Please."

Tagorihime smiled gently at them, then turned gracefully and gestured toward the hall, leading them inside.

"You may rest here for a while. I have already reported your arrival to the White Snake Sage. As long as you pass the trials, you will soon be able to form a contract with Ryūchi Cave just like your teacher, Orochimaru, and obtain great power."

The long table in the hall was piled high with food, its fragrance tantalizing. It seemed to possess a peculiar quality that stirred one's desires.

Even someone who was not hungry would involuntarily begin to feel an appetite under its influence.

"Gen, we..."

Sarutobi Enju looked to Uchiha Gen for his opinion.

"Don't eat."

Uchiha Gen offered no explanation. He merely spoke those few words, then stood where he was and surveyed the hall with his Sharingan glowing red.

Both sight and smell could be manipulated. It seemed the genjutsu of Ryūchi Cave had some merit after all.

"Alright."

Sarutobi Enju nodded heavily.

He and Utsuki Ruri had thought Uchiha Gen's Sharingan had spotted some flaw.

Tagorihime seemed to think so as well.

"Hm? At your stage, your Sharingan should not possess such insight."

Tagorihime voiced her confusion, and the magnificent golden splendor of the hall immediately vanished, turning into a cavernous chamber strewn with the dried bones of countless creatures.

"Forget it. I can't eat this one. What a pity. I'll leave him to you, Tagitsuhime."

Tagorihime waved her hand with a bored expression and vanished from where she stood.

Another snake princess, dressed similarly to Tagorihime, floated over from the distance. She had purple hair.

Thicker mist came with her.

Everything before his eyes, including the two teammates beside him, vanished in an instant.

Uchiha Gen's heart stirred as a figure emerged from the dense fog ahead—both familiar and unfamiliar.

He was tall and slender, with handsome features. Yet a scar across his forehead ruined the overall impression, giving him an added air of ferocity.

This was the original owner's father, Uchiha Taki.

"Gen, it's me. Come here."

[Uchiha Taki] smiled gently at Uchiha Gen and called to him softly.

Yet Uchiha Gen did not move. He simply stood there, resting his chin on his hand as he analyzed the situation.

"The snake princesses here should not know that Uchiha Taki is my father, yet I still saw him. That means this technique automatically generates illusions based on my memories. Its effect is similar to the Hell Viewing Technique, except that one directly makes people see what they fear or refuse to face."

Uchiha Gen rubbed his chin, then used his Sharingan to examine the path of his own Chakra flow.

Fortunately, breaking this technique would not be too difficult for him. Its purpose was much the same as Tagorihime's earlier test: to probe one's heart.

It seemed Orochimaru had arranged for Jiraiya to train his two teammates' Genjutsu Resistance precisely for this moment.

With that realization, Uchiha Gen relaxed somewhat.

If everything was within Orochimaru's calculations, then his two teammates should be safe for now.

The Three-Way Deadlock restrained and complemented one another, and the relationship between the three great sacred lands was even more delicate. Since the snakes of Ryūchi Cave could restrain the toads of Mount Myōboku, the toads would surely have sought ways to resist that restraint. Perhaps the training they had received from Gamabō would prove especially effective against Ryūchi Cave's genjutsu.

With that thought, Uchiha Gen immediately formed hand seals. Using the Sharingan's ability to see through Chakra flow, he forcibly disrupted his Chakra and broke free from the genjutsu's restraints.

When he opened his eyes again, he was still within the mist, and his two teammates were still behind him. Their eyes remained shut, while the state of their Chakra fluctuated wildly. They had clearly realized it was genjutsu and were trying to break free.

They would probably awaken before long—on a battlefield, that would be enough time for an enemy to kill them dozens of times, but here, it was certainly enough to pass the trial.

"Tch, so you woke up after all. I wanted to see whether an Uchiha with the Sharingan tasted any different from other ninja."

Tagitsuhime floated in the air, and the moment she saw Uchiha Gen awaken, her head drooped.

Uchiha Gen raised his head and looked at the snake princess, who appeared dignified but whose eyes were filled with cruelty.

"Is there another trial?"

"Of course. Tagorihime tests greed and temptation. I test willpower and reason. Ichikishimahime tests thought and wisdom. If you fail the trials, you become our snack. Hey, you don't look stupid. Don't tell me you'll get eaten by that idiot Ichikishimahime."

"Greed and temptation, willpower and reason, thought and wisdom..."

Uchiha Gen nodded slowly.

Judging from the first two trials, the difficulty was still acceptable.