The Invitation from Ryūchi Cave

Interesting...

Looking at the little snakes, Orochimaru smiled.

To prevent accidents during his experiments or interruptions from unrelated people, he had set up a perimeter barrier around the laboratory.

It was only the most basic type, serving mainly as an alarm. It offered no real defense.

But these little snakes... had managed to sneak in without triggering the barrier or alerting him?

Now that was interesting.

In this world, there was only one place he could think of that had snake summons capable of doing something like this...

Ryūchi Cave!

Just as he thought that, the little white snakes had already slithered to his feet.

They raised their heads and gazed silently at Orochimaru with their cold, vertical pupils.

The next moment, the little snakes somehow merged in midair, finally transforming into an ancient-looking scroll that lay quietly on the ground.

Giving life to inanimate objects...

Orochimaru bent down and picked up the scroll.

The instant his fingertips touched it, a stream of information surged into his mind.

The message was exceptionally concise:

"Those who seek the power of senjutsu may enter here."

"..."

Orochimaru held the scroll, his expression turning a little strange.

No way. What a coincidence.

He had only just started thinking about going to Mount Myoboku to "observe" Jiraiya's senjutsu training, gather some data, and maybe even make a contract or something.

And now an invitation from Ryūchi Cave had shown up right at his door?

Was it just a coincidence?

Or did the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave also possess some kind of precognitive ability, like the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku?

Or had his previous attempts to sense and absorb Natural Energy caught her attention?

Orochimaru stroked his chin, thinking quickly.

The timing was too convenient, which made him somewhat wary.

But this invitation... had come at exactly the right time.

He might not be able to visit Mount Myoboku, and even if he did, he might not learn senjutsu.

Ryūchi Cave was just as full of unknowns, but at least this was an invitation.

"Whatever happens, I'll go take a look first."

Orochimaru quickly made up his mind.

As far as he knew, there were only three ways to learn about and study senjutsu: the Three Great Sage Regions—Mount Myoboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest.

The only other possibility was to have a rare constitution like Jugo, one that naturally absorbed and used Natural Energy. Such a thing was impossible to seek out.

Now that Ryūchi Cave had reached out to him, its motives might be unclear, but this was certainly a rare opportunity.

If he missed it, he had no idea how long he would have to wait for another.

With that thought, he quickly formed Hand Seals.

"Poof!"

A cloud of smoke dispersed, and a Shadow Clone appeared where he had been.

"Stay here, just in case."

"If I run into danger or you don't hear from me for a long time, try to summon me back immediately."

Orochimaru gave the Shadow Clone his instructions as a precaution.

"Understood."

The Shadow Clone nodded and remained where it was.

Once he was ready, Orochimaru poured Chakra into the scroll in his hand.

Hum!

The symbols on the scroll lit up, and space began to twist.

It was a Reverse Summoning scroll. Its destination should be the legendary Ryūchi Cave.

A slight dizziness came over him.

When Orochimaru regained his footing, the scene before him had completely changed.

He found himself inside an enormous underground cavern.

Minerals embedded in the ceiling glowed a faint green, illuminating the surroundings.

The air was damp and cold, with a faintly fishy smell.

A short distance ahead stood a splendid palace, its style completely at odds with the surroundings.

A woman in a white court dress stood at the entrance.

She had long green hair and wore a golden crown. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and her narrow golden eyes, together with the red eyeshadow at their corners, made her look both beautiful and eerie.

When the woman saw Orochimaru appear, she smiled and bowed slightly.

"We have been expecting you, Lord Orochimaru."

"I am Tagorihime. I have been ordered by the White Snake Sage to receive you."

As she spoke, she stepped aside and made a gesture inviting him in.

"The White Snake Sage has prepared a banquet inside the palace. Please follow me."

Orochimaru discreetly sized her up, then glanced at the "palace."

He followed Tagorihime inside.

The hall was brightly lit, with a long banquet table covered in all kinds of "delicacies," their aroma filling the air.

Noticing Orochimaru's gaze linger on the food, Tagorihime covered her mouth and chuckled.

"These dishes were specially prepared for you, Lord Orochimaru. Please, help yourself."

"No need."

Orochimaru looked away, his tone flat.

"I have no interest in this rotting meat."

"Hm?"

The smile on Tagorihime's face froze for a moment.

She slowly turned her head, her neck stretching toward Orochimaru at an inhuman angle.

Her crimson tongue licked her lips, revealing sharp fangs. A trace of surprise and malice flashed in her golden, vertical pupils.

"Oh? How did you figure it out?"

Her voice had turned hoarse and low, with the distinctive hiss of a snake.

"Just a cheap trick. Take me to see the White Snake Sage."

Orochimaru sneered, completely ignoring her threat.

The woman's genjutsu was somewhat clever, but that was all.

Genjutsu worked by using Chakra to interfere with a target's five senses. At its core, it was an application of Yin Release Chakra.

He had been able to break it thanks to the Qimen Visualization Technique he had learned in the world of The Outcast.

It was a method that let practitioners look inward at themselves and outward at the world, rendering abstract Qimen Qi configurations as visual diagrams.

Seeing through illusion and looking directly at reality were among its basic functions...

This was a difference between the two worlds. In the Naruto world, you would need a Kekkei Genkai like the Sharingan or Byakugan to achieve something like this.

Unless it was a genjutsu on the level of Izanagi, Izanami, or Kotoamatsukami, it could not fool his "all-seeing eye."

"..."

Tagorihime stared at Orochimaru for several seconds. Her extended neck slowly retracted, and she returned to the form of a human woman.

The malice and surprise gradually faded from her face, replaced by a thoughtful scrutiny.

No wonder... No wonder the White Snake Sage had specifically instructed her to invite this human named Orochimaru.

He really did have some tricks up his sleeve.

"Hmph. What a boring man."

Tagorihime pursed her lips and casually waved a hand.

Crash!

The scene before them shattered piece by piece like a broken mirror.

The magnificent palace vanished, replaced by a vast, gloomy, damp cavern.

The so-called "delicacies" revealed their true nature too: heaps of foul-smelling rotting flesh and broken bones, with maggots even crawling over them.

Human bones were piled up in the corners around them, in astonishing quantities.

This was the real Ryūchi Cave.

Orochimaru paid it no mind, his expression unchanged.

"Come this way."

Tagorihime gave a cold snort at his reaction, then turned and headed deeper into the cavern.

Orochimaru followed.

The cavern was deep and winding. After walking for about ten minutes, the passage opened up.

An even larger underground space appeared before them.

At the far end stood a stone seat built from enormous rocks.

Coiled upon it was a gigantic white snake beyond imagining!

Its body was covered in snow-white scales, each one the size of a door and gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen.

Its enormous head was held high, and its golden, vertical pupils were like two Little Suns, radiating an ancient and imposing presence.

Its very existence there brought an overwhelming pressure that made it difficult to breathe.

There was no doubt: this was the master of Ryūchi Cave, the White Snake Sage, who had lived for over a thousand years and was one of the Three Sages!

"Lord White Snake Sage, Orochimaru is here."

Tagorihime bowed respectfully, then silently retreated to one side and disappeared into the shadows.

The enormous White Snake Sage lowered her head, her mountain-like gaze settling on Orochimaru.

It seemed capable of seeing right through his soul.

A moment later, a flash of white light passed.

The enormous snake vanished, replaced by a short, wrinkled old woman leaning on a cane, seated on the stone chair.

She looked like an ordinary human elderly woman, but her golden, vertical pupils still held an inhuman majesty.

"Hehehe..."

The old woman gave a raspy laugh, fixing her gaze on Orochimaru.

"I know you, Orochimaru."

"And I know you are seeking the power of senjutsu."

"I can teach you the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave."

Here it comes.

Orochimaru understood.

He was not surprised that the White Snake Sage knew what he was after.

The Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku could foresee the future in its dreams and come up with a whole story about a "Child of Prophecy."

It was hardly strange that the White Snake Sage, as the leader of one of the Three Great Sage Regions, had taken an interest in him—a "little fellow" who had recently made a name for himself in the Ninja World and begun exploring Natural Energy.

Something else was on his mind.

"If I'm not mistaken, the bones outside belong to people who came seeking senjutsu, right?

"If you're willing to teach me senjutsu so readily, you must have a reason, Sage."

Orochimaru looked directly at the old woman who was the White Snake Sage and asked the question on his mind.

He did not believe she simply liked the look of him...

"Hehehe, you're right. Those people outside all failed the test...

"As for why I'm giving you special treatment..."

The White Snake Sage laughed again, her wrinkles bunching together.

"There is no particular reason."

"But if I had to give one..."

"I simply saw the possibility of 'change' in you."

A strange glint passed through her golden, vertical pupils.

"So, are you willing to learn the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru?"

The possibility of change?

What kind of reason was that? It was far too vague.

Orochimaru furrowed his brow, feeling as though she was speaking in riddles.

Still...

He thought it over carefully.

There was bound to be some risk.

But he could not pass up a chance to learn senjutsu...

"All right. I'm willing to learn."

Orochimaru took a deep breath and nodded.

However.

The moment he finished speaking!

Everything changed!

The old woman before him—the White Snake Sage in disguise—wore a strange smile.

Her neck shot forward, stretching at incredible speed!

She gave Orochimaru no time to react!

Crack!

Her sharp fangs sank hard into Orochimaru's shoulder!