Snake

Between half-dream and half-wakefulness, Byakuya snapped his eyes open, instinctively gripping the hilt of his Explosive Tag Ninja Sword. He didn't even have time to extinguish the embers of the campfire before ducking into the corner of the cave.

He gently donned the Shuten-dōji Mask.

He heard a strange movement, a dull, low-frequency noise like a heavy truck crushing pavement, accompanied by a sharp, hissing rasp.

The echoes amplified within the narrow cave passage, pressing down on Byakuya with an intense sense of oppression.

Whatever was coming was definitely not human.

Outside this cave lay a gloomy, damp forest where branches intertwined into an airtight canopy. It was teeming with snakes and insects—especially snakes of every variety—which had given him a harsh lesson in the local wildlife.

The problem facing Byakuya now was how to escape the cave, but the "creepy thing" slowly approaching had already blocked his only path out.

Hiss, hiss...

Was that the sound of scales scraping against rock?

The strange noise grew closer. Byakuya subconsciously sniffed the air, and an indescribable, fishy sweetness drilled into his nasal cavity.

A wave of dizziness hit him instantly.

Damn it, it's poisonous.

He hurriedly held his breath and focused his mind.

Shadow Clone Technique.

He let the shadow clone take the lead to scout out the creature's true nature.

The battle erupted in an instant.

The shadow clone used Storm Release, illuminating the cave and clearly revealing the full appearance of the unwelcome visitor.

He dispelled the shadow clone.

Byakuya's expression turned extremely grave.

It was an Azure-Black Serpent that defied all common sense.

Its body was covered in palm-sized azure-black scales that emitted a cold, metallic luster as it crawled. Its triangular head was wrapped in wrinkled skin, and its vertical pupils were like red-hot branding irons. Its forked tongue flickered in and out, yet it made not a single sound.

It was obvious that it had sensed someone in the cave long ago, and this trip was aimed directly at him.

Beneath the Shuten-dōji Mask, Byakuya's expression grew even more solemn. He clearly sensed that the giant serpent contained a massive amount of chakra—not only far exceeding his own, but even rivaling the Kage-level strength of Pakura.

He absolutely could not face it head-on.

To face it head-on was to seek death.

What rotten luck. This mission had been full of twists and turns; if he managed to return to Konoha, he would have to take several hot baths to wash away this streak of bad luck.

The giant serpent launched a sudden attack, its head striking like a cannonball from a barrel, accurately finding the corner where Byakuya was hiding.

Substitution Technique.

Rocks fell like rain.

Fortunately, the depths of the cave were spacious enough to give him room to dodge and maneuver.

He triggered the mechanism at the end of his Explosive Tag Ninja Sword's hilt, and several explosive tags, guided by thin wires, flew toward the Azure-Black Serpent.

A deafening explosion erupted in the cave, the sound growing even more chaotic as the echoes overlapped, leaving Byakuya dizzy and disoriented.

But he knew in his heart that he couldn't waste a single second; the explosive tags were unlikely to do much to this giant serpent.

"Shadow Clone Technique."

Byakuya's hands moved at extreme speed, and two clones instantly appeared at his sides.

Almost the moment the clones formed, the triangular snake head rammed toward them again.

The main body retreated rapidly toward the cave exit, while the two shadow clones leaped left and right, throwing shuriken at the serpent's eyes.

Clang!

The serpent merely tilted its head. The shuriken struck its scales, producing the sound of clashing metal and sending sparks flying. The shuriken were deflected without leaving even a white mark.

However, it did cause the serpent pain, and it let out a harsh, strange hiss.

Byakuya didn't know how it did it, but he caught a blurred glimpse of the serpent coiling its body before a tail whipped toward him.

He dared not resist, instead using the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique repeatedly to maintain his balance as he dashed toward the cave entrance.

The two shadow clones were struck by the tail and instantly dissipated into chakra.

The serpent must have possessed incredible sensory abilities; it turned its head, its vertical pupils filled with violence and greed. It opened its massive maw, and two rows of fangs like curved blades tore toward him with lightning speed.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."

Without a moment's hesitation, he formed the seals.

A waterfall-like torrent of water surged from thin air, swirling around Byakuya to form a dense barrier.

The force of the swirling water even stirred the air in the cave, causing loose rocks on the ground to tumble.

BOOM!

The serpent's head slammed into the water wall. The unimaginable impact caused the Water Formation Wall to tremble violently, and Byakuya felt his blood surge, a fishy sweetness rising in his throat.

The Water Formation Wall, in the style of Senju Tobirama, utilized the rotating flow of water to dissipate force, forcefully blocking the serpent's attack.

Its head was swept off course by the water current, slamming into the adjacent rock wall and causing the entire cave to tremble as if struck by a minor earthquake.

Now was the time.

Byakuya dispelled the Water Formation Wall and once again activated the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique, finally rushing to the cave entrance.

Yet, the hissing sound of scales scraping against rock behind him felt like the whisper of death.

The serpent was massive, yet its speed was unimaginably fast.

Byakuya half-turned his body, hurling every single Explosive Tag from his ninja sword toward the serpent in hot pursuit.

Boom! Boom!!

The sound of explosions was incessant.

Byakuya was sent flying by the shockwave, crashing into the forest.

He tried to scramble up to flee, but instead coughed up two large mouthfuls of blood.

From the cave came the serpent's increasingly violent hissing; the entire mountain was vibrating slightly, clearly enraged by the explosions.

Byakuya took a moment to recover, relying on the vitality that far exceeded a normal person's after several Fate Grid upgrades to force himself to stand, immediately activating the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique to dart rapidly through the dense forest.

At this very moment, he dared not look back, focusing only on sprinting forward; the serpent was not only enormous but also incredibly swift. If he were caught, given his current physical state, death would be certain.

He deliberately chose areas with dense trees, using the crisscrossing branches to obstruct the serpent's pursuit.

Soon, he could hear the commotion of the serpent recklessly smashing through the trees.

Fortunately, he eventually managed to run out of that forest.

The serpent's hissing and the sounds of impact grew more and more distant.

Byakuya dared not relax in the slightest, continuing to run at his maximum speed and using the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique from time to time.

It was only after crossing a mountain and a river, arriving at the plains within the Land of Rivers and catching a faint glimpse of a village in the distance, that he finally slowed his pace.

Beneath the Shuten-dōji Mask, his face was drenched in cold sweat, and his heart was pounding uncontrollably.

In that life-or-death moment just now, the slightest mistake would have turned him into a meal for the Azure-Black Serpent.

His chakra had been heavily depleted.

Fortunately, his injuries were not severe; thanks to the several upgrades to his Fate Grid, Byakuya's vitality was naturally tenacious.

He removed his mask, entered the village, and spent four hundred ryō to buy a hot meal from the local residents.

Only after he was full and satisfied did the feeling of palpitations finally begin to subside.

He spent another four hundred ryō to stay the night.

During this time, he inquired with the family and learned that there was indeed an Azure-Black Serpent in that forest, though it wouldn't harm people as long as they didn't get too close.

They also mentioned that the serpent wasn't native to the area, having only appeared there a dozen years ago.

Lying on the wooden bed, Byakuya pondered: could that Azure-Black Serpent be from Ryūchi Cave?

If he could defeat it and sign a Blood Contract to make it his Summoning Beast, it would certainly be a good choice.

However, given the strength the Azure-Black Serpent had displayed, he was truly no match for it at the moment.

Forget it, I'll return to Konoha first. Once my strength increases, I'll come back, beat it into submission, and sign a Summoning Contract. If it really does come from Ryūchi Cave, I'll also have the opportunity to learn Sage Art.

The Fate Grid had upgraded his Sage Art Talent; in a sense, it was something he had to learn.

Furthermore...

Byakuya pulled up his Fate Grid Panel.

Heaven Rewards Diligence, Perseverance Leads to Success

Time Limit 3 days: Successfully perceive Natural Energy for a cumulative total of one hour in a natural environment (Incomplete)

Reward: Small increase in Sage Art Affinity