Sage Mode

The Third Hokage wanted to strip the Uchiha of their rights.

But he failed. So, using the excuse that "the Konoha Police Force rests from midnight to two," he forcibly assigned those two hours of Konoha patrol duty to the Anbu.

The Anbu members were dumbfounded.

They cursed the Third Hokage furiously in their hearts. Why was he snatching the hardest, most exhausting, most sleep-inducing time slot for them to handle?

Carrying out missions and gathering intelligence was already exhausting enough.

Why had they suddenly been given guard duty as well?

However, the Anbu members only dared to be angry without speaking out. After all, the Third Hokage was their direct superior.

If he kicked them out of the Anbu, they would not even have any money.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

In an empty forest clearing, Sasuke bit his finger.

He slammed his hand against the ground. "Summoning Jutsu: Manda!"

With a bang, white smoke erupted, and the enormous Manda appeared. The moment he arrived, he started swearing. "Orochimaru, you summoned your grandpa again—"

Before Manda could finish.

He saw Sasuke's sinister grin. Manda's scalp went numb. Even when facing Orochimaru, he would rather not face Sasuke.

Sasuke said to Manda, "Manda, take me to Ryuchi Cave!"

Manda said quietly, "But that would violate the rules..."

Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo appeared in his eyes as he said to Manda, "Don't get this wrong. This is an order, not a request!"

Manda took a frightened step back.

He did not know whether it was just his imagination, but he always felt that Sasuke had become stronger.

But no matter how strong he was, how strong could a child like this possibly be?

Manda swallowed and said to Sasuke, "Fine! But—"

Before Manda could finish, black flames appeared in Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke said, "No buts!"

Ryuchi Cave, Manda's den.

With a thud, Manda appeared on the spot.

Sasuke walked out of Manda's mouth, his body covered in Manda's sticky saliva, leaving him reeking of fish and stench.

Sasuke complained, "Manda, how long has it been since you brushed your teeth?"

Manda said, "I'm a snake. Why would I brush my teeth?"

Among the giant snakes in Manda's den, Manda's strength ranked above average.

Sasuke left Manda behind and headed toward the heart of Ryuchi Cave.

The surrounding snakes caught the scent of a "living human," and each of them drooled greedily.

Faced with the covetous gazes of those giant snakes.

Sasuke acted unconcerned. Black flames blazed around his body. They looked harmless, yet contained incomparably terrifying power!

A green giant snake.

Could no longer restrain itself. It opened its blood-red maw and lunged at Sasuke.

Sasuke's ocular technique activated. "Amenotejikara!"

At once, within five meters of Sasuke, the flow of time slowed. When the green snake charged into the area around him, the flow of time in its upper and lower body differed. The lower half of its body was immediately flung away.

The green snake's head touched the black flames on Sasuke's body. In only a moment, the black flames burned the green snake to ashes.

Seeing this, Manda offered a prayer for the green snake.

Little Green, Little Green, of all people, why did you have to provoke this living king of hell...

As Sasuke left Manda's den.

A beautiful woman appeared before him.

She smiled sweetly and was exceptionally beautiful, but her lower body was a snake's tail.

The snake woman introduced herself. "Hello, human. I am an envoy of Ryuchi Cave. Pass the trials of the three of us, and you may meet the White Snake Sage. But if you fail the trials, we will eat you~"

Tagorihime said, "The first trial is sincerity, the second is patience, and the third is true heart!"

Sasuke asked, "Is there a way to meet the White Snake Sage without taking the trials?"

Tagorihime said, "Nope. Do you want me to eat you?"

Sasuke smiled faintly. "I think there is!"

Then Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan appeared. He locked onto the largest mass of chakra in all of Ryuchi Cave, and purple chakra covered his body.

A half-bodied Susanoo appeared. Sasuke's Susanoo chakra condensed into an arrow, aimed in the direction of the White Snake Sage.

He drew the bow and nocked the arrow. A powerful chakra storm erupted, and Sasuke's chakra arrow blasted straight through the wall between him and the White Snake Sage.

In the distance, at the end of the hole.

Sasuke saw an enormous patch of white.

Sasuke turned back and smiled at Tagorihime. "See, Snake Lady, didn't I just meet the White Snake Sage?

Goodbye, Snake Lady~"

Sasuke walked toward the White Snake Sage. Only when he arrived before her did he truly sense how enormous she was!

The White Snake Sage was at least three times Manda's size!

She still had a huge pipe in her mouth, and she was currently puffing out clouds of smoke.

The White Snake Sage glanced sideways at Sasuke. Seeing his eyes, she said, "A member of the Uchiha clan? Back then, there was a little fellow named Uchiha Madara who dominated the ninja world."

Sasuke had not expected even the White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave to know Madara's name.

Sasuke said, "I am Uchiha Sasuke. My strength will surpass Madara's!"

The White Snake Sage burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Brat, if you want to become stronger, words alone won't do."

Sasuke said, "That is why I came to Ryuchi Cave. I want to learn Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode!"

The White Snake Sage suddenly bit down at Sasuke!

Crystalline venom dripped from the tips of her enormous fangs. A purple skeletal frame appeared around Sasuke's body and blocked the bite.

The White Snake Sage said with a grin, "Don't be nervous. The essence of Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode is adaptation."

"I have lived for who knows how many years. My body is filled with natural energy. If I inject my venom into your body and you can endure it, that means you can awaken Sage Mode. If you fail, then I can only eat you."

"Over all these years, only one person failed before me twice and still left alive."

"Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode is different from Mount Myoboku's. Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode is very stable because they cultivate 'superior' natural energy. But Ryuchi Cave is different. Ryuchi Cave absorbs all natural energy, so Ryuchi Cave's Sage Mode far surpasses Mount Myoboku's Sage Mode in strength—because power and risk coexist!"

Hearing that, Sasuke lowered his body's defenses.

If I really can't endure it, then I'll have to trouble you—Matatabi!