As the thick fog dispersed, the temple doors slowly swung open. An old woman in a white robe, with a bright-red night pearl atop her head, narrowed her eyes. Wisps of smoke drifted from the long-stemmed pipe in her hand.
"What a disgrace. Every one of you has lived for nearly a thousand years, yet you've all been bewitched by some little fox brat. Even the Sharingan's genjutsu was useless."
"Hmm... The fox demon inside you really does look like the Nine-Tails. But the Nine-Tails is supposed to be sealed inside a woman right now. That ominous, loathsome aura... You really are hiding a secret."
The White Snake Sage puffed out clouds of smoke. The thick fog around her quietly dispersed, revealing her true form as the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave.
Her body was coiled high, and the stone bed, large enough to fit dozens of people, could barely hold her head, neck, and a small part of her front.
Her orange hair flowed loose around her head. The dark-green cat's-eye gem on her chest was dim and lusterless, its divine power concealed.
A purple silk Forehead Protector adorned her brow, and the red night pearl, as large as a millstone, emitted faint glimmers. Her body was far longer than those of Ryūchi Cave's Three Divine Princesses, yet her own presence was almost nonexistent.
"You're so annoying! You old hag, you went out of your way to bring me here. What do you want?"
In an instant, Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, and Tagitsuhime were at a loss. They hurriedly bowed their heads and apologized.
"We're so sorry! Lord White Snake, please forgive this rude child. Just give us a little time, and we'll teach him some manners."
"Never mind. It's been a long time since I've met a brat with such enormous chakra reserves and such an interesting personality. You interesting little Uchiha, make sure you hold on. Don't let Natural Energy corrupt you and turn you into a snake."
"Otherwise, you'll become food for every snake in Ryūchi Cave. Understand?"
A trace of teasing flashed in the vertical pupil of her orange eye. The White Snake Sage slowly opened her jaws, and droplets of saliva brimming with vitality fell from her thick, sharp fangs, corroding the stone floor.
"Now, let's see just how much Natural Energy you can withstand, little Uchiha."
Her fangs pierced his neck. Unlike chakra, the surging, powerful Natural Energy poured into him. Even Black Nine-Tails, who had been pretending to sleep in his inner world, couldn't help but look around.
"What a strange power. Is this the Natural Energy you mentioned? Little Uchiha, it can make this great one's chakra dozens of times stronger. This strange power..."
The Forest Courtyard suddenly vanished. Under the influence of that terrifying vitality, plants and trees grew wildly. Black Nine-Tails abruptly spread an invisible force, making all the vegetation disappear.
At that moment, ripples spread across Heart Lake. Vast amounts of Natural Energy surged into the lake and into Black Nine-Tails.
"Is that so? I'm not going to become snake droppings. I'll gladly accept all the Natural Energy you can give me. Here it comes!"
His vision shifted. The notification in the corner of his eye made Hua Yue's mouth twitch.
[All sign-ins for this month are complete. Daily Sign-in successful. Moon Sign activating...] [Character Sign-in: White Snake Sage] [Abilities: Invisibility, Shapeshifting, Thought Waves, Sage Mode (Ryūchi Cave)] [Random draw in progress... Sign-in successful. Today's reward: Invisibility!] [Special location triggered. You are currently at one of the Three Great Sage Regions, Ryūchi Cave. Location sign-in triggered...] [Location Sign-in: Ryūchi Cave] [Obtained exclusive trait: Sage (Snake)] [Sage (Snake): You can freely control Natural Energy and sense chakra and living beings. The white snake that slithers through the mountains and forests will one day shed its serpentine form and become a true dragon.]
The solemnity behind the mask abruptly turned to delight. The White Snake Sage, still pouring Natural Energy into Hua Yue, sensed his intense joy and was secretly surprised.
His emotions are changing so strongly, yet he can still absorb Natural Energy without trouble. Could this boy be a ninja born to practice Sage Mode?
But the White Snake Sage's inner turmoil had yet to settle. What happened next sent this thousand-year-old snake's emotions into even greater turmoil.
I thought character sign-ins were already peerless. I never imagined there could be something even more incredible. You can sign in at locations, too?
Ever since meeting so many exceptional geniuses, Uchiha Hanazuki had often become depressed over not being talented enough.
He hadn't started out invincible, punched the brat-loving yellow weasel, kicked the Konoha F4, claimed the Hokage's seat, or gotten sweet, airheaded Kaguya pregnant with quadruplets. He felt deeply ashamed.
Obtaining the Sage trait let Uchiha Hanazuki's senses perceive a world he had never experienced before. The chakra and Natural Energy within him could now enter into balance with ease.
Just as Uchiha Hanazuki was about to call it quits and calm himself down, a sudden notification instantly turned his delight into ecstasy.
[Consecutive sign-in successful. Time progression detected. All sign-ins for this year are complete. Yearly Sign-in activating...]
Huh? There are Daily Sign-ins and Moon Signs, and now there's a Yearly Sign-in, too? I wonder if they'll add a Wu... Surely not that last one.
In the blink of an eye, the water turned a clear blue. Inside Hua Yue's inner world, Black Nine-Tails felt so comfortable that he couldn't help stretching luxuriously.
"Kid... No, Uchiha Hanazuki. I didn't know there was a power in this world that could make it react. Is this so-called Natural Energy?"
"Listen up. We can't let this opportunity pass us by. It'll be hard to find another one like it. This great one's going to suck hard."
Suddenly, the White Snake Sage, who had been pouring Natural Energy into him nonstop, felt an unprecedented suction pull her own Sage Energy into an endless black hole.
"You call yourself the White Snake Sage? Don't tell me this is all you've got. If you want me to enter Sage Mode, this little bit of chakra won't be enough. Looks like I'll be spending New Year's in Ryūchi Cave this year."
"What is this chakra? This terrifying amount... It feels as if I'm facing the entire world. The White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave won't be looked down on by some little Uchiha!"
The White Snake Sage shouted sternly. Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, and Tagitsuhime opened their jaws at once, and their sharp fangs pierced his limbs, channeling the Natural Energy inside them into him as well.
"Sorry, darling. I'll try to be as gentle as I can..."
"Just as I'd expect from the man I chose. I can't believe even Lord White Snake Sage is struggling to keep up. She actually had to call on us."
"The Natural Energy coming next might be beyond anything you can imagine. If you can't hold out, make sure you cry out so we'll know. Hehehe..."
His black-and-white eyes had transformed into intricate Mangekyo. Strange black and purple markings spread quietly around his eyes.
[Yearly Sign-in successful...]