The Serpent Sage, Orochimaru

Shizune stopped in front of Tsunade, gasping for air, her hands braced against her knees as her face flushed a deep red.

She had run all the way from the gate of the Senju compound without pausing to catch her breath. Tonton jumped down from her arms and crouched to the side, tilting her head to watch them.

Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly. "What is it? Speak slowly, there's no rush."

Shizune took a few deep breaths and straightened up, her face still etched with shock that had yet to fade. "Orochimaru... Lord Orochimaru, he..."

"Orochimaru? What about him?" Tsunade's voice deepened. She had just returned to Konoha and had yet to set many things in motion; she did not want Orochimaru emerging now to stir up trouble and interfere with her plans.

"Lord Orochimaru has appeared in the ninja world in broad daylight!" Shizune finally blurted out. "And not as a ninja!"

Tsunade's brows knit even tighter. Appeared in broad daylight? And not as a ninja?

Orochimaru was an S-rank missing-nin from Konoha. While no one had gone out of their way to hunt him down, he had spent these years hiding in the shadows, never even showing his face. Now he was suddenly appearing in such a high-profile manner, and he was no longer a ninja? What kind of game was he playing?

"Is the information accurate?" Tsunade asked, finding it hard to believe.

"It is. People from the Kazamatsuri Clan received the news and came here specifically to report it; I happened to run into them. The entire ninja world is buzzing with it now," Shizune said, nodding firmly.

"Then what is his current status?" Tsunade pressed, her confusion mounting.

Shizune looked at Tsunade, her tone laced with worry as she revealed Orochimaru's new identity.

"What?" Tsunade's voice rose an octave, and she stared at Shizune in disbelief. "How is that possible? How could this be?!"

Shizune shook her head, indicating she knew no further details.

Tsunade paced back and forth a few times, then turned back to Shizune, her tone stern. "Continue notifying the people at the Konoha Hospital, then go straight to the Kazamatsuri Clan. Tell them to speed things up; I want to see them first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes." Sensing the gravity of the situation, Shizune quickly agreed and dashed off again, even resorting to the Body Flicker Technique.

Tsunade sat back down under the veranda of her home and looked at the old tree in the courtyard. Its bare branches in the morning light looked like an ink wash painting, unnervingly quiet.

"Orochimaru," she murmured to herself, "have you really gone this far?"

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Orochimaru's cultivation was going much more smoothly than Uchiha Naro had imagined—and much more smoothly than he himself had expected. He closed his eyes, feeling the state of having national fortune bestowed upon him.

It was a clarity he had never experienced before.

His thinking became exceptionally sharp, his reactions became incredibly swift, and inspiration gushed forth like a spring. Problems he couldn't solve before were now clear at a single thought; forbidden jutsus he couldn't comprehend before were now understood at a glance; knowledge he once thought unreachable was now within his grasp.

When the time comes, fortune and strength align. This was how the inheritance described this state. It meant that when one's national fortune was sufficiently profound, the entire world would stand on one's side, and all things would proceed with ease.

Orochimaru was only at the entry level, still far from the true degree of "fortune and strength aligning," but even this initial state made him feel a tremendous difference.

He sat in the secret chamber and began to plan his future.

Orochimaru's way of thinking differed from others: while others asked, "What do I want to do?", he asked, "What should I do?" He would list every option, analyze the pros and cons of each, and then select the optimal solution—not the one he liked best, but the one that was most effective.

Now, he was contemplating three issues.

First, the foundation of cultivating the Method of National Fortune—identity.

He was an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha, a status that meant being wanted, hunted, and ostracized in the ninja world. In the past, he hadn't cared, because he didn't care what others thought of him. But now that he was practicing the Method of National Fortune, what was the primary source of that 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, not a fugitive, but a legitimate identity that would allow others to approach him willingly.

Second, the guarantee for maintaining the Method of National Fortune—strength.

His strength was considered top-tier in the ninja world, but it still fell short of the true pinnacle. He had been researching forbidden jutsus, the Sharingan, and Hashirama Cells, but these things all carried side effects—

Excessive use of forbidden jutsus damaged the body, and the fusion of the Sharingan and Hashirama Cells brought unpredictable risks. He needed a safer, more stable path to power.

The Method of National Fortune was one such path, but ninjutsu was not a path he needed to abandon entirely. He could combine the Method of National Fortune with his existing research into forbidden jutsus to find a more efficient way to cultivate.

Third, the method to enhance the Method of National Fortune—an organization.

He needed to establish his own force to continuously gather more fortune onto himself, so that he could constantly and rapidly improve every aspect of his being.

Orochimaru opened his eyes, a glimmer flashing in his golden slit pupils as he cast his gaze toward the direction of Ryūchi Cave.

Ryūchi Cave, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, the place where the White Snake Sage resided. He had been there in his youth, and the White Snake Sage had promised him one chance to learn Sage Mode.

This opportunity... he had never used it—not because he didn't want to learn, but because he didn't dare.

The Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions were actually quite similar; the difference lay in the method of cultivation.

The practice of senjutsu was extremely dangerous. The practitioner needed to absorb natural energy, but the ratio between natural energy and chakra had to be precisely controlled. If the ratio was wrong, the person would petrify and turn into a stone statue.

Of course, the Three Great Sage Regions all had methods to intervene and interrupt this process. However, while Mount Myoboku was willing to continuously assist Jiraiya in mastering Sage Mode, Ryūchi Cave only gave Orochimaru one chance; whether he succeeded or not depended on his own luck.

Orochimaru had seen the stone statues of those who hadn't been so lucky. Deep within Ryūchi Cave stood dozens of stone statues, each one a ninja who had failed to cultivate Sage Mode. Some remained in a cross-legged sitting posture, some had their mouths open as if shouting something, and on some, one could still see the terror from before their death.

He did not want to become a stone statue.

But now, the time had come.

Orochimaru pondered the success rate in his heart. Under the state of being blessed by fortune, his perception and reactions were greatly enhanced, which should allow him to control the ratio of natural energy to chakra more precisely.

Moreover, with the blessing of fortune, he possessed the most critical element for cultivating the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode—luck.

"When the time comes, fortune and strength align," Orochimaru murmured to himself. "I hope so."

Within Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru had always maintained a reliable summoning partner—the Great Snake. Although he had to provide a certain "remuneration" every time he summoned it, in terms of credibility, the Great Snake was one of the few trustworthy serpents in Ryūchi Cave.

However, this time it was a reverse summoning to Ryūchi Cave, and Orochimaru did not seek out the Great Snake, but rather other partners to bring him into the depths of the cave.

With a "poof" of white smoke, Orochimaru appeared in a massive underground cavern.

The dome of the cave was so high it was invisible, and the walls were draped with countless stalactites, some resembling sharp swords, others like curtains, and some like twisted snakes. Water droplets fell from the stalactites, creating a "drip-drop" sound that echoed through the cavern, sounding like someone striking a wooden fish in the distance.

The air was filled with a damp, earthy scent. The ground beneath his feet was soft, as if he were stepping on a thick layer of moss.

Orochimaru walked deeper into the cave.

Although he had not been here many times, he was very familiar with the path. Passing through a narrow corridor and bypassing a massive stalagmite, the view suddenly opened up.

It was a cavern so vast it seemed boundless. In the center of the cave, a colossal white snake was coiled.

White Snake Sage—

Its size was greater than any summoning creature Orochimaru had ever seen. Its body was coiled in rings like a mountain; its scales were white, emitting a soft glow in the dim light; its eyes were golden, with the same golden slit pupils as Orochimaru; and on its head grew two horns, somewhat resembling those of a deer.

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

"Why have you come, Orochimaru?" Its voice was slow, as if it were coming from a great distance, or perhaps rising from deep beneath the earth, low and resonant.

Orochimaru walked up to the White Snake Sage and stood still. "I have come to ask you to fulfill your promise."

"A promise?" The White Snake Sage's gaze fell upon him, lingering for a few seconds. "Are you not afraid of becoming a stone statue?"

The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled upward. "How could I not be afraid? You even specifically showed me those who failed before!"

"And yet you still dare to attempt it?" The White Snake Sage's voice held little emotion. "Do you think I will step in to help you?"

"If you could offer your assistance, that would be for the best." Orochimaru made a small joke.

The White Snake Sage's golden slit pupils narrowed slightly, watching Orochimaru with a hint of danger, while internally feeling a touch of surprise that Orochimaru dared to speak to it in such a manner.

"Do you no longer wish to leave Ryūchi Cave?"

"I would not dare." While speaking, Orochimaru had been secretly using his Fortune Cloud Canopy to absorb the fortune of Ryūchi Cave, attempting to see if the White Snake Sage would notice anything. The result was obvious...

"I simply decided to try again after seeing the Sage Mode of the successor from Mount Myoboku. That state is far too magnificent!"

The White Snake Sage fell silent for a moment.

"Those stinking toads from Mount Myoboku are out deceiving people again... Prophecies... Heh." Upon hearing about the Sage Mode of Mount Myoboku, the White Snake Sage uttered a few ominous words and said no more.

"Sit."

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

The White Snake Sage straightened its body and began to teach Orochimaru the Sage Mode. Its voice was slow, and every word was crystal clear.

"Senjutsu does not consume chakra; it absorbs natural energy from the outside and fuses it with one's own chakra to create a brand-new power—Sage Chakra. Natural energy is everywhere: in the air, in the water, in the earth, and even within your own body. Ordinary people cannot perceive it because their chakra is not strong enough and their perception is not sharp enough."

Orochimaru listened quietly. In truth, he had not abandoned his research into Sage Mode over the years, and the Earth Curse Mark was one of the results of his studies.

"The ratio of natural energy to chakra must be precisely controlled. Too much natural energy, and one will be backlashed and turn into a stone statue. Too little natural energy, and the Senjutsu will not activate. This ratio varies from person to person and must be explored by oneself. I will inject natural energy into your body in a moment; you must feel it yourself and find the fusion ratio."

"If the fusion is successful, you will have mastered Sage Mode; if you fail... I will arrange a good spot for you in the Stone Statue Forest."

The White Snake Sage extended its tail and tapped Orochimaru on the forehead.

A stream of icy energy flowed from the White Snake Sage's tail, surged into Orochimaru's forehead, and in the blink of an eye, coursed through his meridians throughout his entire body.

Orochimaru kept his eyes closed, his Fortune-enhanced state active, and began to perceive with all his might.

He had tried to perceive natural energy before, but his perception had always been blurry and chaotic, like looking at something through frosted glass.

Now, with the energy directly injected by the White Snake Sage, he truly felt, for the first time, the legendary natural energy!

That energy was surging into his body from all directions—from the air, from the cave walls, from the stalactites, and from the White Snake Sage itself.

That was natural energy.

They were very quiet, as quiet as if they were asleep. They were very gentle, as gentle as a spring breeze. But they were also wild; once natural energy lost control, it became violent and dangerous, like a startled beast that could tear a person to shreds in an instant.

As the White Snake Sage introduced natural energy into Orochimaru's body, it spoke at length: how to absorb natural energy, how to fuse it with chakra, and how to maintain the balance of the ratio.

Orochimaru listened while constructing a model in his mind. He was not the type to believe blindly; he needed to understand the underlying principles and verify every conclusion.

"Very well, I am going to disconnect my control." The White Snake Sage had fulfilled its promise to teach Orochimaru the Sage Mode. As for whether he could truly master that natural energy, that was up to Orochimaru. "The rest depends on your luck."

Orochimaru heard the White Snake Sage's words and felt that as the tail withdrew, the previously quiet and gentle natural energy, no longer suppressed by the White Snake Sage's external force, began to grow gradually violent. They sought to assimilate—to assimilate Orochimaru, a body already saturated with chakra energy.

Orochimaru began to follow the method taught by the White Snake Sage, using his chakra to suppress the natural energy to keep it quiet, while slowly allowing his body to absorb and adapt to it.

At first, it went smoothly. Under the suppression of his chakra, the natural energy entered his body through his meridians and fused bit by bit with his own chakra. He could feel his chakra changing: becoming denser, more powerful, and more...

Suddenly, the sensation felt wrong.

The speed at which the natural energy surged in accelerated, faster than he could control. It was like a breached dam, flooding into his body in a swarm, ignoring his commands and refusing to be suppressed.

The ratio between chakra and natural energy was falling out of balance, and the proportion of natural energy was climbing higher and higher...

Orochimaru's skin began to stiffen.

His hand began to be assimilated by the natural energy—his fingers were turning a grayish-white, the color of stone. The stiffness spread upward from his fingertips; it was not fast, but he could feel it clearly.

Turning into a stone statue!

He was about to turn into a stone statue!!

Orochimaru remained calm at this moment. The cloud canopy above his head was still rotating, and inexplicable auras kept falling onto his body, as if draping a thin veil over him.

When the time comes, fortune and strength work in tandem.

The more critical the moment, the more exceptionally clear his thinking became.

In the dark, he perceived the natural energy within his body, sensing the ratio between it and his chakra. It was currently six to four; natural energy accounted for sixty percent. It was too much and needed to be reduced; his body required a four-to-six ratio.

He took the initiative to guide the fusion of chakra and natural energy. Instead of suppressing the natural energy, he increased his chakra output. As the chakra increased, the proportion of natural energy naturally dropped.

Five to five.

Steady.

The grayish-white hue on Orochimaru's skin began to recede slightly.

Four to six.

The grayish-white color returned to normal, the stiffness vanished, and his fingers became flexible once again. Orochimaru slowly opened his eyes, looked at his hands, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into an arc.

"You are very lucky." The voice of the White Snake Sage came from above, carrying a hint of imperceptible curiosity. "You are the fifth ninja to master the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode."

"Indeed." Orochimaru nodded, agreeing with the White Snake Sage's words. "My luck has always been very good."

Orochimaru leaned over the small pool in front of the White Snake Sage, looking at his Sage Mode reflection in the water: his body radiated a cyan-white light; his eyes had turned into golden slit pupils, deeper, brighter, and sharper than usual, with snake-like eyeshadow appearing around them; snake-scale patterns had emerged on his skin, though they were faint and barely noticeable without close inspection.

The White Snake Sage's mouth twitched. "You have made me look at you in a new light."

The cyan-white light on Orochimaru's body gradually dissipated, and the snake-scale patterns on his skin vanished as well. He opened his eyes, his golden slit pupils filled with excitement.

"So this is Sage Mode... It is truly different. Many thanks to the White Snake Sage for making this possible."

Strength, speed, perception, recovery... every aspect had been significantly enhanced. Ninjutsu that previously required hand seals could now be cast instantly; opponents he once couldn't defeat could now be easily crushed; attacks he once couldn't dodge could now be effortlessly evaded.

"You may go." The White Snake Sage said. "You have already learned Sage Mode; you can seek out Ichikishimahime to learn other senjutsu."

Orochimaru did not move; instead, an even brighter light shone in his eyes as he looked at the White Snake Sage.

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

"I would like to ask the White Snake Sage one question." Orochimaru licked his lips, his voice carrying a hint of temptation. "I wonder, where exactly is the 'Dragon' of this Ryūchi Cave?"

"Orochimaru! Do you wish to die!" The White Snake Sage's furious voice echoed throughout the entire Ryūchi Cave...