Dragon Cave Entrance Check-In! Perfect White Snake Sage Mode and Cursed Seal

Kamizuki Yu stepped out of the meeting room, Hiruzen Sarutobi's silence pressing down on his back like something tangible.

The old man is still flaunting his "fatherly love." Orochimaru's probably having a hard time keeping his tail hidden by now.

He scoffed inwardly. He had long since given up any hope in Hiruzen Sarutobi's almost indulgent "trust."

Rather than rely on others, he might as well rely on himself.

Orochimaru's research base was no secret to him.

Based on fragments of memories from his previous life, combined with his detailed analysis of Orochimaru's movements over this period and his survey of the terrain around Hidden Leaf, he had already narrowed down a general location.

At the border of the Land of Fire lay a hidden valley that would not even appear on an ordinary map.

With several flickers, Kamizuki Yu vanished from Hidden Leaf's bustle.

Rather than barging in directly, he stopped several kilometers outside the valley.

A strange energy fluctuation wafted out from this place, faint yet discernible.

"Natural energy... and exceptionally pure at that. It carries a unique cold, slick sensation."

Kamizuki Yu closed his eyes, fully spreading out his Sage Body's perception of natural energy.

This energy closely matched the descriptions of Dragon Cave in his memories.

"Orochimaru really hasn't given up. He's actually set his sights on Sage Mode."

The Cursed Seal was nothing more than an incomplete, degraded version of senjutsu chakra.

It seemed he had already gotten in touch with that old white snake of Dragon Cave.

Still, with a body corroded by desire like Orochimaru's, trying to perfectly wield Sage Mode was nothing more than a fool's dream.

A faint curve lifted at Kamizuki Yu's lips.

"You want to enter Dragon Cave? I'm not going to let you have your way."

Purple ripples spread in circles through his eyes as his basic Rinnegan quietly activated.

His insight into spatial structures and his ability to track the flow of natural energy reached their peak at that moment.

Even if ordinary shinobi sensed Dragon Cave's existence, they would find it difficult to locate its true entrance.

Like Mount Myoboku and Wet Bone Forest, Dragon Cave was a summoning space independent of the main world.

Its entrances were usually nodes where the spatial barrier was weakest, exceedingly well-hidden and subject to subtle shifts over time.

But none of that was a problem before Kamizuki Yu's Rinnegan.

He reverse-traced the path of the leaking natural energy like an experienced hunter following the faintest traces of prey.

Before long, space showed a slight distortion before an enormous, seemingly unremarkable rock wall.

"Found it."

This was one of Dragon Cave's projection nodes in the main world.

Kamizuki Yu approached without hesitation.

He had no intention of immediately charging in and giving the White Snake Sage a "surprise."

That old fellow had lived for who knew how many years and possessed a cruel, eccentric temperament. Now was not the time to deal with him.

"System, check in here."

He murmured inwardly.

This was already the outer region of Dragon Cave's entrance, tainted by Dragon Cave's aura and meeting the conditions for a check-in.

Exploiting loopholes in the rules and abusing bugs for rewards—such was the basic cultivation of a modern office worker.

[Ding! Check-in successful at Dragon Cave Entrance (Outer Region)!]

[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: [White Snake Sage Mode (Perfect, No Side Effects, Instant Activation)]!]

[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: [Cursed Seal (Controllable Improved Version, Can Grant Others Power Without Risk of Corrosion, Can Be Recalled at Any Time)]!]

The system notifications were crisp and direct.

The next instant, vast natural energy like an ocean, along with the cultivation secrets and senjutsu knowledge of White Snake Sage Mode, surged wildly into Kamizuki Yu's mind and body like a breached flood.

His Sage Body was like a parched sponge meeting sweet rain, greedily absorbing it all.

His compatibility with Perfect White Snake Sage Mode was nearly one hundred percent.

Two long, narrow purple snake-like markings quietly appeared around Kamizuki Yu's eyes, demonic yet noble.

That cold natural energy circulated through his body without causing the slightest discomfort. Instead, it gave him a peculiar sense of control.

"So this is... perfect Sage Mode?"

He raised his hand, feeling the explosive increase of power within him.

It was completely different from the Sage Modes used by Juugo and Kabuto Yakushi in the original work, which required long periods of accumulating natural energy and came with enormous risks.

He could activate it instantly now!

With a thought, Sage Mode activated.

There was almost no delay as surging power filled every part of his body.

His perception and control of natural energy had risen by more than a whole level.

The wind, the chirping of insects, even the breathing of the grass and trees around him all became incomparably clear.

It was as though the entire world lay within his control.

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

Kamizuki Yu nodded in satisfaction.

At the same time, he completely mastered the method of creating and bestowing the [Cursed Seal (Controllable Improved Version)].

This Cursed Seal had eliminated the original version's flaws of corroding the mind and devouring life.

It could maximize the recipient's potential and increase their strength according to their aptitude.

Most importantly, the source of the Cursed Seal's power was entirely under Kamizuki Yu's control.

He could bestow it whenever he wished, and he could reclaim it whenever he wished.

"This is quite useful. It'll be a good way to strengthen my own people in the future."

For instance, those Uchiha Clan brats, as well as the future Akatsuki.

Kamizuki Yu slowly reined in the aura of Sage Mode, and the purple markings around his eyes faded away.

Everything returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.

Yet only he knew that he had gained another powerful trump card.

Orochimaru's defection?

Heh. It was only a matter of time.

When that day came, he would give one of the Three Sannin an "unexpected surprise" he would never forget.

Kamizuki Yu turned around, his figure melting into the shadows once more as he quietly departed.

The valley remained silent, with only the wind whimpering.