Bone-Binding Princess

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Bone-Binding Princess (缚骨姬)
Alias(es)	Azure-Black Serpent
Species/Race	Serpent of Ryūchi Cave
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Ryūchi Cave; a young subordinate of the White Snake Sage
Occupation/Role	Senkaku Byakuya's contracted Summoning Beast
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 47

Background / History

Bone-Binding Princess is a young serpent from Ryūchi Cave who left the holy land to undergo an independent survival trial in the ninja world. Her training required her to live alone for a set period without her sisters' help; she later states that 187 days remained before its completion. She settled in the miasma-filled forests of the Land of Rivers, intending to return to Ryūchi Cave once her training ended. 50 53

Before meeting Byakuya, she was repeatedly hunted by ninja seeking to sell her scales, flesh, blood, and organs. These experiences, along with Byakuya's earlier destruction of her cave, left her convinced that ninja were dangerous enemies. 47 50

Byakuya attacked and severely wounded her to prove his strength to Pakura, eventually forcing a negotiation after exhausting most of his own chakra. Bone-Binding Princess accepted a Summoning Contract after Byakuya promised to cook for her; she then gave him a Snake Fruit that protects him from her venom and most poisons. 50 51

Her initial hostility gradually became attachment and trust. Byakuya provides her with meals and a secluded canyon home in the Land of Fire, while she assists him as a mount, combat partner, and summoned ally. 54 65

Appearance

Bone-Binding Princess's true form is a massive, terrifying azure-black serpent. Despite this appearance, she speaks with a soft and sweet young girl's voice and can use Ryūchi Cave's Transformation Technique to take the form of a sweet-looking girl. 50 52

• Azure-black scales, each approximately palm-sized, with a cold metallic sheen. 51
• Triangular head covered in wrinkled skin and vertical pupils compared to red-hot branding irons. 51
• Emits toxic gas and venom potent enough to poison nearby people without protection. 51 63
• Human form appears as a young girl in a dark cyan or dark green dress. 52 62
• Her true form is large enough to carry Byakuya and multiple passengers. 74 92

Personality

Bone-Binding Princess is simple-minded, gluttonous, and direct about her likes and dislikes, but she is not unintelligent. She can understand implications in conversation and quickly recognizes political connections, such as Byakuya's uncertain relationship with Pakura. 53 54

She is deeply distrustful of ninja because of the hunters who pursued her, yet she is easily won over by food, kindness, and sincere-seeming companionship. She strongly identifies herself as a “good snake,” despite her intimidating nature and willingness to kill enemies in battle. 50 51 54

Her bond with Byakuya becomes possessive as well as affectionate. She calls herself his only good friend, dislikes carrying others unless it benefits him, and readily obeys him when he needs her help. 63 92 96

Abilities & Skills

Serpentine Combat

Bone-Binding Princess is stronger than an average jōnin and can contend with most elite jōnin, though Byakuya judges that she has not yet reached Kage-level strength. 75

• Uses her immense body, speed, fangs, and crushing force to overwhelm enemies. 50 74
• Can burrow beneath the ground and launch sudden attacks from below. 50
• Endured a Kirigakure jōnin's Water Release attack directly, allowing Byakuya to finish the opponent. 74
• Helped the Shuten-dōji Squad eliminate Kirigakure ninja along the eastern Land of Fire coast, contributing more than any individual squad member during the final stages. 79
• Her strength is limited by her lack of Ryūchi Cave senjutsu; Byakuya believes she could reach true Kage-level after learning it. 75

Natural Energy and Recovery

As a Ryūchi Cave serpent, Bone-Binding Princess possesses exceptionally dense Natural Energy. Her presence was sufficient for Byakuya to complete a task requiring comprehension of large-scale Natural Energy. 51 53

• Rapidly regenerates damaged scales after battle. 51
• Uses Natural Energy while moving and fighting, causing major fluctuations in the surrounding environment. 50
• Has not yet learned Sage Art; she must complete her training and pass three trials before the White Snake Sage will teach her. 52
• Warns that failure to withstand Natural Energy during Ryūchi Cave training can be fatal. 52

Venom

Her body emits poisonous gas, and she can use venom at close range. 51 52

• Her unintentional toxic exhalation can poison people who remain close to her. 51 63
• She cannot yet control her poison well and is limited to close-range venom use. 52
• Her Snake Fruit grants Byakuya immunity to her venom and resistance to the vast majority of poisons in the ninja world. 51

Ryūchi Cave Transformation Technique

Bone-Binding Princess can transform from her true serpentine body into a human girl. 52

• Uses this form to eat, assist with cooking, and stay in the house Byakuya built for her. 62 65
• Her transformed scales become soft and resilient rather than retaining the harsh texture of her true form. 63
• Can travel openly in human form when Byakuya considers her true form impractical or conspicuous. 96

Mobility and Sensory Support

Bone-Binding Princess serves as rapid transport over terrain difficult for ordinary ninja to cross. 59 65

• Carried Byakuya while fleeing Sasori of the Red Sands across the desert. 59
• Traversed miasma-filled canyons, forests, and the Land of Wind with ease. 65 92
• Catches ocean fish and other seafood, including tuna, scallops, clams, octopuses, crabs, and shrimp. 62
• Detects approaching enemies and warns Byakuya of their presence. 96
• Memorized the chakra of Shuten-dōji Squad members to avoid harming them in combat. 74

Items

• Snake Fruit — A rare black fruit from Ryūchi Cave, given to Byakuya after their contract. It grants immunity to Bone-Binding Princess's venom and resistance to most poisons. 51

Relationships

• Senkaku Byakuya — Contractor, combat partner, cook, and the person she considers her only good friend. Their relationship develops from attempted mutual killing into deep loyalty and companionship. 51 54 63
• White Snake Sage — Her superior at Ryūchi Cave. The Sage requires Bone-Binding Princess to finish her independent training and pass trials before learning Sage Art. 47 52
• Her sisters — Fellow Ryūchi Cave snakes whom she worries about and hopes to help after returning from her training. 50
• Pakura — A cautious ally of Byakuya whom Bone-Binding Princess recognizes as separate from his closer bond with her. 54 92
• Shuten-dōji Squad — Byakuya's teammates, whose chakra signatures she memorized; she later regards herself as a squad companion. 74 96
• Sasori of the Red Sands — Enemy who pursued her and Byakuya and considered her valuable for research. 59

Story Role / Major Arcs

Subjugation in the Land of Rivers

Pakura identifies the Azure-Black Serpent as Bone-Binding Princess, a Ryūchi Cave subordinate whose body is valuable enough to attract hunters. Byakuya uses the proposed subjugation as proof of his strength during his negotiations with Pakura. 47 48

Bone-Binding Princess attacks Byakuya after he enters her territory and awakens her. Byakuya defeats her with Storm Release, Shadow Clones, Water Formation Wall, and Flying Thunder God, then signs a Summoning Contract with her instead of killing her. 50 51

Formation of the Contract

After learning that Byakuya can cook, Bone-Binding Princess becomes enthusiastic about their contract. She agrees to become his Summoning Beast, discusses eventually taking him to Ryūchi Cave, and begins treating him as a friend. 52 54

Escape from Sasori

Bone-Binding Princess carries Byakuya during his escape from Sasori of the Red Sands. She remains with him through the pursuit and expresses fear that he may die, while he relies on her speed and mobility to survive. 57 59

Shuten-dōji Squad Support

Byakuya summons Bone-Binding Princess against a Kirigakure jōnin, using her durability and charging power to create an opening for a killing strike. She later helps the squad eradicate Kirigakure forces along the eastern Land of Fire coastline. 74 79

Hidden Residence and Future Return

Byakuya establishes a concealed home for her in a miasma-filled canyon in the Land of Fire. As her training period nears its end, she plans to return to Ryūchi Cave, consult the White Snake Sage, and—if allowed—bring Byakuya there to study senjutsu with her. 65 109

Notable Quotes

“I am a good snake, a one-of-a-kind good snake!” 51

“You and I are the best of friends in the whole wide world!” 63

Trivia

• Bone-Binding Princess considers her true serpentine form beautiful by snake standards, even after realizing that humans find it frightening. 52
• She initially believed Byakuya wore the Shuten-dōji Mask because he was afraid of frightening others with his face. 52
• Her fondness for food was decisive in securing her contract with Byakuya. 51 52