White Snake Sage's Misjudgment

The bar was neither so low that any random nobody could enter Ryūchi Cave and sign a contract, nor so high that only extraordinarily powerful people could do so.

All one needed was the basic inner qualities of a strong person, or to already possess some of a strong person's abilities. Either gave one a decent chance of passing Ryūchi Cave's trials.

In the original timeline, four people formally became Ryūchi Cave's contractors in Shippuden alone. Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Uchiha Sasuke were all exceptionally powerful ninja without exception. Even the weakest, Mitarashi Anko, was at least a Special Jonin. She had merely encountered Orochimaru's defection during the most crucial stage of her growth.

She had neither been willing to follow Orochimaru nor able to receive training due to political suppression from Konoha's upper ranks because of her identity as Orochimaru's disciple. That was why her potential had ultimately gone to waste, leaving her an ordinary ninja who was better than some but worse than others.

The three great sacred lands were actually the same in this regard. Ryūchi Cave's methods were simply far more brutal and direct.

A dozen or so seconds later, Utsuki Ruri opened her eyes, her gaze unfocused for a moment.

"Gen? That really was an illusion just now?"

"Yeah. Now we just wait for Enju."

No sooner had he spoken than Sarutobi Enju opened his eyes, a few seconds later than Utsuki Ruri.

His resistance to illusions was slightly worse than Utsuki Ruri's, but he was still qualified overall. At the very least, he could withstand this trial.

"Then this should be the final trial, right?"

Uchiha Gen raised his head and looked at Tagitsuhime.

"Tch, boring. Your trial probably won't work either. You'd be better off using that puzzle game of yours. It might at least throw them off a little—it's worked before, after all."

She looked into the mist and called out loudly.

"Oh my, you won't know until you try."

A snake princess in the form of a little girl drifted out of the mist.

The last of Ryūchi Cave's Three Divine Princesses, Ichikishimahime.

The childlike snake princess floated through the air with her hands behind her head as though backstroking, pointing into the mist.

"There's a maze I carefully designed over there. As long as you can find your way out, you'll get to meet the White Snake Sage and complete the final trial!"

"A maze? Isn't that easy? I remember a trick—if you just keep going right, you can get out of any maze!"

Sarutobi Enju said excitedly.

"Hehe, I've heard that one too. Go ahead and give it a try!"

The childlike snake princess giggled.

Uchiha Gen took a compass from his ninja tool pouch and found that the magnetic field here was in chaos, making the needle spin wildly in all directions. He raised his head and carefully confirmed their direction before speaking.

"Let's go in. Follow my directions."

The group hurried into the maze and reached the exit in less than two minutes.

"See? I told you it was useless. If you'd used your puzzle game, it might've confused them a little. At least it's worked before."

Tagitsuhime spread her hands.

"How could this happen?!"

The childlike snake princess was visibly dejected.

While using Ryūchi Cave's Sage Art, she could freely alter these inorganic objects and create a maze with ease. But having it solved so quickly still left her rather frustrated.

"Gen, how did you do that? You got out so fast!"

Sarutobi Enju exclaimed in amazement to his companion.

"It's simple. It's actually an upgraded version of your left- and right-hand rule. After choosing a direction, head as far in that direction as possible. When you encounter a dead end, use your left- and right-hand rule, turn right, and follow the wall on your left. Once you turn until you're facing the same direction you originally chose, resume what you were doing before.

This method might not solve every maze, but it should be more than enough for most similar situations."

Uchiha Gen folded up the map he had just drawn and looked at the pavilion appearing in the distance as he spoke to Sarutobi Enju.

In his previous life, he had happened to come across a maze algorithm called Pledge. It could solve most mazes, but required the user to possess powerful spatial memory and a strong sense of direction.

The first issue could be compensated for by drawing a map, while his sensory abilities happened to make up for the latter.

At that moment, the Three Divine Princesses also gathered before the pavilion.

This was the core residence of Ryūchi Cave. Though it was not as magnificent as the palace Tagorihime had created with illusions, it possessed a rather ancient elegance.

"Creaaak..."

The pavilion doors slowly opened. The three snake princesses stood in a row and invited Uchiha Gen's group inside, leading them up to the second floor.

At the center of the room, a thick white snake lay curled up on a stone bed, dozing as it leisurely flicked its forked tongue.

Upon seeing the visitors, it slowly raised its upper body and transformed into an aged old woman.

"You three are Orochimaru's students? Come closer and let this old woman have a look."

Uchiha Gen and the other two exchanged glances before slowly stepping forward.

"Greetings, White Snake Sage." ×3

"Hmm... This little girl's skin is tender and fair. She should taste quite good. This little monkey is a bit lacking, but he must be springy and chewy. And you... Tch, this generation's Descendant of Indra... Hm? No, it seems this old woman has misjudged you."

The White Snake Sage wriggled down from the stone bed, flicking her tongue as she circled Uchiha Gen again and again, muttering something under her breath.

Uchiha Gen tried hard to listen, but could not make out what she was saying.

"Forget it. This old woman can't be bothered with you. Do whatever you want. If you're not afraid of dying, you can come find this old woman someday to learn Sage Art. Now get lost."

The White Snake Sage muttered as she returned to her bed, waving impatiently at Uchiha Gen's group.

The three of them felt a powerful gust sweep over them. It did not hurt them, but sent them flying out of Ryūchi Cave.

Bang!

The doors slammed shut.

"White Snake Sage, this..."

Tagorihime asked hesitantly.

"This old woman understands less and less about that family's affairs. I don't want to meddle too much like that toad does, either. Just treat them like Orochimaru's summoning contractors. Be careful not to get that Descendant of Indra killed."

The Three Divine Princesses looked at one another, speechless for a moment.

Outside the pavilion, Uchiha Gen felt himself about to land on his backside, so he nimbly flipped sideways in midair and landed steadily in a half-crouch.

"Gen, why did the White Snake Sage suddenly change her attitude? And who is Indra?"

Utsuki Ruri asked Uchiha Gen curiously.

"Maybe it's because I'm from the Uchiha Clan. Teacher Orochimaru said the White Snake Sage has lived for over a thousand years, and Indra God was the Progenitor recorded in our clan's history as having been active a thousand years ago. Perhaps this sage has some old grudge with the Indra God from the myths and legends."

Uchiha Gen casually came up with an explanation that sounded fairly reasonable.