With his quest for medicine concluded, Kabuto's journey to seek sagehood continued.
Sasuke and Itachi took their seats again, and the White Snake Sage brought up a live view of Kabuto's Trial on the Crystal Ball.
Kabuto was facing a cobra taller than a mountain!
Sasuke recognized him at a glance: the Cobra King, one of Ryūchi Cave's Third-Generation Snake Kings and Manda's father. Like the Gold-Ring Snake King and Silver-Ring Snake King, he was a monstrous snake who had lived for over a century, but his strength surpassed theirs. He was unquestionably the strongest of the Third-Generation Snake Kings!
Sasuke couldn't help worrying for Kabuto. Was this the Trial Kabuto faced in his previous life, too? Surely not?
Indeed, in his previous life, Kabuto had faced only White Phosphorus, one of the Fourth Snake Kings. Though it had been a hard-fought battle, he had passed the trial.
This time, however, the White Snake Sage had learned through Divination that someone would come seeking medicine that day, so the great snakes cultivating in the Ten Thousand Snake Caves had all emerged.
The Cobra King had been stationed at the left fork to test the seeker of sagehood, while the other Snake Kings had been sent to test the seekers of medicine!
Left behind alone, the proud Cobra King was thoroughly displeased and vented all his anger on Kabuto!
"They left me here to deal with a four-eyed brat like you!"
Boom! With a sweep of his tail, the Cobra King hurled a boulder the size of a small mountain at the spot where Kabuto stood!
Boom!! Kabuto Yakushi hastily dodged with the Body Flicker Technique, using his smaller body's agility to race along the cliff face!
The Cobra King's slit pupils locked onto him. A white torrent of wind burst