Snake Sage Orochimaru

Shizune stopped in front of Tsunade, panting hard. She braced her hands on her knees, her face flushed red.

She had run all the way from the entrance of the Senju Compound without even catching her breath. Tonton hopped down from her arms and crouched to one side, tilting her head as she watched them.

Tsunade frowned slightly. "What is it? Take your time. There's no rush."

Shizune took several deep breaths and straightened up. Her face still showed traces of shock. "Orochimaru... Lord Orochimaru, he..."

"Orochimaru? What happened to him?" Tsunade's voice grew stern. She had only just returned to Konoha, and there was still a lot she hadn't done. She didn't want Orochimaru showing up now to cause trouble and interfere with her plans.

"Lord Orochimaru has appeared openly in the Ninja World!" Shizune finally managed to say. "And not as a shinobi!"

Tsunade's frown deepened. Appeared openly? Not as a shinobi?

Orochimaru was an S-rank missing-nin from Konoha. No one had made a particular effort to hunt him down, but he had spent all these years hiding and keeping out of sight. Now he had suddenly made a conspicuous appearance—and he wasn't a shinobi anymore? What was he up to?

"Is the information reliable?" Tsunade asked, somewhat incredulous.

"It is. Someone from the Kazamatsuri Clan came here to report it after they received the news. I happened to run into them, and now the whole Ninja World is talking about it." Shizune nodded emphatically.

"So what's his status now?" Tsunade pressed, baffled.

Shizune looked at Tsunade and told her what Orochimaru's new status was, her voice tinged with worry.

"What?" Tsunade's voice shot up several octaves. She stared at Shizune in disbelief. "How is that possible? How?!"

Shizune shook her head, indicating she didn't know any more specific details.

Tsunade paced around a few times, then turned back to Shizune, her expression grave. "Go notify the people at Konoha Hospital. After that, go straight to the Kazamatsuri Clan and tell them to hurry up. I want to see the person first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes." Shizune realized the situation was serious. She hurriedly agreed, then ran outside again, even using the Body Flicker Technique.

Tsunade sat back down on the veranda of her home and looked at the old tree in the courtyard. Its bare branches against the morning light resembled an ink painting, quiet beyond belief.

"Orochimaru," she murmured to herself. "You've really gone this far?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the story...

Orochimaru's training went far more smoothly than Uchiha Naro had imagined—and even more smoothly than Orochimaru himself had expected. He closed his eyes and felt what it was like to have Fortune at his back.

It was a clarity unlike anything he had ever experienced.

His thoughts became exceptionally sharp, his reactions exceptionally quick, and inspiration bubbled up like a spring. Problems that had once stumped him now made sense at a glance. Forbidden techniques he had once struggled to understand now clicked as soon as he looked at them. Knowledge that had once seemed out of reach now felt close enough to grasp.

"When fortune comes, all things work in your favor"—that was how the inheritance described this state. It meant that when one's Fortune grew deep enough, the whole world would stand on one's side, and everything would go smoothly.

Orochimaru had only just begun. He was still far from truly reaching the state where fortune came and all things worked in his favor. But even at this introductory level, he could already feel a tremendous difference.

Sitting in a secret chamber, he began planning his future.

Orochimaru approached problems differently from other people. Others asked, "What do I want to do?" He asked, "What should I do?" He would list every option, weigh the pros and cons of each, and then choose the best one—not the one he liked most, but the optimal one.

At present, he was considering three questions.

First, the foundation for practicing the Method of National Fortune: his identity.

He was an S-rank missing-nin from Konoha. In the Ninja World, that meant being wanted, hunted, and shunned. He hadn't cared before, because he didn't care what people thought of him. But now that he was practicing the Method of National Fortune, what was the main source of Fortune?

People.

If everyone feared him, hated him, and avoided him, his Fortune would be greatly diminished.

He needed a new identity. Not a missing-nin or a fugitive, but someone respectable whom others would willingly approach.

Second, the guarantee that would sustain the Method of National Fortune: strength.

His strength ranked among the best in the Ninja World, but he still had a way to go before reaching the very top. He had spent years researching forbidden techniques, the Sharingan, and Hashirama Cells, but all of them came with side effects—

Overusing forbidden techniques would damage his body, while combining the Sharingan with Hashirama Cells carried unpredictable risks. He needed a safer, more reliable path to greater strength.

The Method of National Fortune was one path, but that didn't mean he needed to abandon ninjutsu altogether. He could combine the Method of National Fortune with his existing research into forbidden techniques and find a more efficient way to train.

Third, the means of improving the Method of National Fortune: an organization.

He needed to establish his own power and continually gather more Fortune around himself. Only then could he keep improving every aspect of himself at a rapid pace.

Orochimaru opened his eyes. A glint flashed in his golden, vertical pupils as his gaze settled in the direction of Ryūchi Cave.

Ryūchi Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, was where the White Snake Sage lived. He had visited when he was young, and the White Snake Sage had promised him a chance to learn Sage Mode.

He had never taken that opportunity—not because he didn't want to learn, but because he hadn't dared.

The Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions were much the same; what differed was how they were practiced.

Senjutsu training was extremely dangerous. Practitioners had to absorb Natural Energy, but the ratio of Natural Energy to chakra had to be controlled with precision. If the balance was off, they would petrify and turn into statues.

Of course, the Three Great Sage Regions all had ways to intervene and stop the process. Mount Myoboku was willing to keep helping Jiraiya master Sage Mode, but Ryūchi Cave had given Orochimaru only one chance. Whether he succeeded or not was up to his luck.

Orochimaru had seen the stone statues of those who had been unlucky enough to fail. Deep within Ryūchi Cave stood dozens of statues, packed close together. Each was a shinobi who had failed to master Sage Mode. Some still sat cross-legged, others had their mouths open as if shouting something, and some still bore the terror they had felt before dying.

He didn't want to become a statue.

But now the time had come.

Orochimaru weighed his chances of success. With Fortune bolstering him, his perception and reactions had improved considerably. He should be able to control the ratio of Natural Energy to chakra more precisely.

And with Fortune behind him, he also had the most crucial thing needed to train in Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode: luck.

"When fortune comes, all things work in your favor." Orochimaru murmured to himself. "Let's hope that's true."

Orochimaru had a regular summoning partner in Ryūchi Cave: the Great Snake. Every time he summoned it, he had to pay it a certain "fee," but in terms of trustworthiness, it was one of the few snakes in Ryūchi Cave that kept its word.

But this time he was reverse-summoning himself to Ryūchi Cave. He didn't seek out the Great Snake, instead choosing a different partner to summon him there.

With a puff of white smoke, Orochimaru appeared in a vast underground cavern.

The cavern ceiling was so high he couldn't see the top. Countless stalactites hung from the walls. Some resembled swords, others curtains, and still others twisted snakes. Water dripped from their tips with a "drip, drip" that echoed through the cavern, like someone tapping a wooden fish in the distance.

The air was damp and smelled of earth. The ground beneath his feet was soft, as if he were walking on a thick layer of moss.

Orochimaru made his way deeper into the cavern.

He hadn't been here many times, but he knew the route well. He passed through a narrow passage and rounded a massive stalagmite. The space ahead opened up abruptly.

It was a cavern so vast he couldn't see the other end. At its center lay an enormous white snake.

The White Snake Sage—

It was larger than any summoning beast Orochimaru had ever seen. Its body was coiled round and round like a mountain. Its scales were white and gave off a soft glow in the dim light. Its eyes were golden, with the same vertical pupils as Orochimaru's. Two horns grew from its head, somewhat like a deer's.

The White Snake Sage opened her eyes and looked at Orochimaru.

"What brings you here, Orochimaru?" Her voice was slow, as if coming from far away—or rising from deep underground. It was low and resonant.

Orochimaru walked up to the White Snake Sage and stopped. "I've come to claim the promise you made."

"A promise?" The White Snake Sage's gaze settled on him for a few seconds. "Aren't you afraid of turning into a stone statue?"

Orochimaru's lips curled. "How could I not be? You even went out of your way to show me those who failed!"

"And you still dare to try?" The White Snake Sage's voice held little emotion. "Do you think I'll step in and help you?"

"If you're willing to help, that would be best." Orochimaru cracked a little joke.

The White Snake Sage's golden vertical pupils narrowed slightly as she looked at Orochimaru with a hint of menace. At the same time, she was a little surprised that he dared speak to her like that.

"Are you saying you don't want to leave Ryūchi Cave?"

"Of course not." While speaking just now, Orochimaru had secretly been using the Fortune Cloud Canopy to absorb Ryūchi Cave's Fortune. He wanted to see whether the White Snake Sage would notice. The answer was obvious...

"After seeing the Sage Mode of one of Mount Myoboku's disciples, I thought it over for a long time and decided to give it a try. That state was incredible!"

The White Snake Sage fell silent for a moment.

"Those toads from Mount Myoboku are out deceiving people again... Prophecy... Heh." Hearing about Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode, the White Snake Sage spoke a few words in an inscrutable tone, then said no more.

"Sit."

Orochimaru obeyed the White Snake Sage and sat cross-legged.

The White Snake Sage straightened up and began teaching Orochimaru about Sage Mode. Her voice was slow, and every word was clear.

"Senjutsu doesn't consume chakra. Instead, it absorbs Natural Energy from the outside and combines it with your own chakra to produce an entirely new power—Senjutsu Chakra. Natural Energy is everywhere: in the air, in the water, in the earth, and even inside your body. Ordinary people can't sense it because their chakra isn't strong enough and their perception isn't sharp enough."

Orochimaru listened in silence. In truth, he hadn't abandoned his research into Sage Mode over the years. The Earth Curse Mark was one of the results of that research.

"The ratio of Natural Energy to chakra must be precisely controlled. If there's too much Natural Energy, you'll be overwhelmed and turn into a stone statue. If there's too little, Senjutsu won't activate. The right ratio differs from person to person, so you have to find it for yourself. In a moment, I'll inject Natural Energy into your body. Feel it for yourself and find the right balance."

"If you succeed in combining them, you'll have mastered Sage Mode. If you fail... I'll find you a nice spot in the Stone Statue Forest."

The White Snake Sage extended her tail and touched Orochimaru's forehead.

A cool energy flowed from the White Snake Sage's tail and into Orochimaru through his forehead. In an instant, it spread throughout his body along his meridians.

Orochimaru kept his eyes closed, Fortune bolstering him, and focused all his attention on sensing it.

He had tried to sense Natural Energy before, but his perception had always been vague and muddled, like looking at something through frosted glass.

Now, with the White Snake Sage directly injecting energy into him, he was finally able to feel the legendary Natural Energy for the first time!

The energy poured into his body from every direction—from the air, from the cavern walls, from the stalactites, and from the White Snake Sage.

That was Natural Energy.

It was very quiet, as quiet as if it were asleep. It was gentle, as gentle as a spring breeze. But it could also be violent. The moment Natural Energy went out of control, it became wild and dangerous, like a beast jolted awake, capable of tearing a person to pieces in an instant.

As she guided Natural Energy into Orochimaru's body, the White Snake Sage explained at length: how to absorb Natural Energy, how to combine it with chakra, and how to maintain a balanced ratio.

Orochimaru listened while building a model in his mind. He wasn't someone who simply believed whatever he heard. He needed to understand the principles behind it and verify every conclusion.

"All right, I'm going to release my control now." The White Snake Sage had kept her promise and taught Orochimaru Sage Mode. Whether he could truly master Natural Energy was up to him. "After this, it's all up to your luck."

Orochimaru heard the White Snake Sage. As her tail pulled away, the Natural Energy that had been quiet and gentle began to grow wild without her external restraint. It wanted to assimilate him—to assimilate Orochimaru's body, already filled with chakra.

Orochimaru began following the White Snake Sage's instructions. He used chakra to restrain the Natural Energy and keep it calm, while gradually letting his body absorb and adjust to it.

At first, everything went smoothly. Under the chakra's restraint, Natural Energy traveled along his meridians and entered his body, gradually merging with his own chakra. He could feel his chakra changing, becoming denser, more powerful, and more...

Then, all at once, something felt wrong.

Natural Energy began pouring in faster, too fast for him to control. Like floodwaters bursting through a dam, it surged into his body all at once, ignoring his commands and resisting his restraint.

The ratio of chakra to Natural Energy was slipping out of balance. The proportion of Natural Energy kept rising and rising...

Orochimaru's skin began to stiffen.

Natural Energy began assimilating his hand. His fingers were turning grayish white, the color of stone. The stiffness spread upward from his fingertips. It wasn't moving quickly, but he could feel it clearly.

He was turning into a stone statue!

He was about to become a stone statue!

Orochimaru remained calm. The Cloud Canopy above his head was still revolving, and a mysterious aura kept falling over him, like a thin veil draped across his body.

When fortune came, all things worked in your favor.

The more dangerous the situation became, the clearer his thoughts grew.

Somehow, he sensed the Natural Energy inside his body and the ratio between it and his chakra. It was six to four, with Natural Energy making up sixty percent—too much. He needed to lower it. His body needed a ratio of four to six.

He deliberately guided his chakra to fuse with the Natural Energy. Instead of restraining the Natural Energy, he increased his chakra output. With more chakra, the proportion of Natural Energy would naturally fall.

Five to five.

Hold steady.

The gray-white color of Orochimaru's skin began to recede slightly.

Four to six.

The gray-white color returned to normal. The stiffness disappeared, and his fingers became nimble again. Orochimaru slowly opened his eyes and looked at his hand, the corners of his mouth gradually curling upward.

"You're very lucky." The White Snake Sage's voice came from above, carrying a hint of curiosity that was difficult to detect. "You're the fifth shinobi to master Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode."

"Indeed." Orochimaru nodded in agreement. "I've always been lucky."

Orochimaru looked into the small pool in front of the White Snake Sage and saw his Sage Mode reflected in its surface. A pale blue-white glow radiated from his body. His eyes had turned golden, with vertical pupils deeper, brighter, and sharper than usual, and snake-like markings surrounded them. Snake-scale patterns had appeared on his skin, though they were faint and almost impossible to see unless one looked closely.

The White Snake Sage's mouth twitched. "You've surprised me."

The pale blue-white glow around Orochimaru gradually faded, and the scale-like patterns on his skin disappeared. He opened his eyes, excitement shining in his golden vertical pupils.

"So this is Sage Mode... It really is something else. Thank you, White Snake Sage, for making this possible."

His strength, speed, perception, and recovery had all improved tremendously. Ninjutsu that had once required Hand Seals could now be used instantly. Opponents he had once been unable to defeat could now be crushed with ease. Attacks he had once been unable to dodge could now be evaded effortlessly.

"You can leave now," the White Snake Sage said. "You've learned Sage Mode. If you want to learn other Senjutsu, you can ask Ichikishimahime."

Orochimaru didn't move. Instead, his eyes gleamed even brighter as he looked at the White Snake Sage.

"Is there something else?" the White Snake Sage asked.

"I'd like to ask you something, White Snake Sage." Orochimaru licked his lips and spoke in a seductive tone. "May I ask where the 'dragon' of your Ryūchi Cave is?"

"Orochimaru! Do you want to die?!" The White Snake Sage's enraged voice reverberated throughout Ryūchi Cave...