The Inorganic Reincarnation lasted for a full hour before the White Snake Sage finally gave up. The scattered clods of earth turned into a liquid and re-fused together, then returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.
Only the panting White Snake Sage remained, staring incredulously at the unharmed Ainz: "You! Who are you?! When did someone like you appear in the Shinobi World?!"
"Bang!"
Ainz's clone vanished in smoke, while his main body and more than ten giant snakes landed on the ground.
"Tsk, he's supposed to be a sage, living for so long, yet he has no vision at all. Look how cool I am, how can that Orochimaru guy compare?"
The giant snakes had fully recovered from their injuries and had witnessed what had just happened. They were impressed by Ainz's strength and dared not act rashly again. They crawled to the White Snake Sage's side. " White Snake Sage, this guy is too powerful, and it's just Shadow Clone."
The White Snake Sage roared, "Damn it! I refuse to believe I can't even break through one of your Shadow Clone! Again! Immortal Technique: Dragon Transformation..."
As it finished speaking, its white scales seemed to come alive and began to vibrate. However, just as it was about to fight to the death, the giant snakes coiled around its body, stopping it. " White Snake Sage! He doesn't seem hostile. Besides, we can't defeat him. What you just attacked was only his clone! If he wanted to kill us, how could we possibly survive!"
Ainz gave a thumbs up. "That's right, you have good taste. White Snake Sage... From now on, I'll call you Little Haku. Little Haku, your junior has good judgment, so you should listen to his opinion, otherwise... I'll kill you!"
The White Snake Sage finally calmed down. Having exhausted all his Chakra, he still couldn't inflict even the slightest damage on the Nuclear-Powered Susanoo. He ultimately accepted this fact and abandoned the idea of fighting. "You bastard, I've been here longer than you. Show some respect!"
The Katsuyu added insult to injury at the opportune moment, "() I've never heard you call me 'Katsuyu ' either."
" Katsuyu Sage!"
"Oh, Ainz- kun, he's actually very gentle, just listen to what he has to say."
Ainz slowly walked towards the White Snake Sage: "My purpose in coming to Ryūchi Cave is to learn your Senjutsu and how to enter Sage Mode. So, for the sake of my lovely little apprentice, you have to teach her whether you like it or not."
Upon hearing Ainz's arrogance, the White Snake Sage was about to erupt again, but was then restrained. The Manda spoke, "Human, do you really only want to learn Sage Mode?"
"That's right."
"Why? You're so powerful, why would you need the Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu?"
"Didn't I already say it? It's for my lovely little apprentice, and she's already given me my reward—a seashell bracelet! I picked it up myself on the beach! A seashell bracelet!"
The snakes stared at the Hongshi as if it were a fool, and remained silent.
The Katsuyu quickly smoothed things over. "For a powerful figure like Hongshi, any gift imbued with emotion is the best. Without emotion, even mountains of gold and silver wouldn't be enough to move him! That's the mindset of a strong person! Do you understand?"
Ainz coughed twice. "Mountains of gold and silver are acceptable too."
"Shut up."
The White Snake Sage finally calmed down and carefully sensed. "So that's how it is. You've successfully mastered the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest and Mount Myōboku, haven't you? Do you know what will happen once you successfully master all three Senjutsu?"
Ainz had never heard of such a thing. "Hmm? What will happen?"
The White Sage sneered, " The Senjutsu of Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave —it's fine if you learn two, but once you fully master them, the Senjutsu Chakra will tear and devour each other within your body, ultimately splitting you into three pieces."
Toad, Katsuyu, and snakes are known as the Three Fears," as they are creatures that restrain each other.
Ainz exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Is it that scary? That's terrifying! (ε)"
The Katsuyu said, "Actually, you don't need to worry too much, Ainz. With your strength, even if you master all three Sage Mode, nothing will happen to you."
"Oh? Why is that?" asked Ainz.
The Katsuyu chuckled, "It's true that the three schools of immortal Senjutsu counter and devour each other, but as long as another Senjutsu is added as the dominant one to break the balance of mutual devouring, that will solve the problem. Besides, didn't you say before that Hongshi has already researched a new school of Senjutsu?"
White Snake Sage: "In this world, there are actually beings who have created their own schools of immortal Senjutsu?"
Ainz nodded and said, "That's right, that person is my true form, the strongest ♂ in the Shinobi World, Hongshi."
"Huh? You're just a clone too? Are you kidding me?"
The White Snake Sage was starting to get a little scared.
The Katsuyu chimed in, "That's right, I can assure you, Lord Ainz is just an avatar."
So the White Snake Sage obediently began teaching the Red Stone Dragon Cave's cultivation methods. A piece of soil floated up in front of him. "Like the toad oil of Mount Myōboku and the ancient leaves of Shikkotsu Forest, the soil of Dragon Cave is the key to unlocking the door to cultivating sage techniques."
Ainz looked at the dark, sticky mass of Ryūchi Cave mud in front of him. "(°ー°)... Is this mud even ripe?"
Three hours later
To make the soil more palatable, Ainz built a fire in front of him and boiled a large pot of it... no one knew what it was.
"Gurgle, gurgle..."
A lot of bubbles rose from the soil in the pot.
Katsuyu, sweating profusely, said, "Mr. Ainz, it seems even more disgusting now, but you know what, it smells quite nice."
Strangely, the soil from Ryūchi Cave emits a peculiar fragrance after being boiled.
The Lord God: "Indeed, the fresh scent of earth."
Before Ainz could speak, he saw the White Snake Sage drooling like a waterfall in front of him. " Little Haku, you can't be serious, can you?"
The White Snake Sage said, "Well, if you're not going to eat, I'll have a bowl first."
Manda also said, "I never imagined that the soil from Ryūchi Cave could be eaten like this! It smells so good! I want a bowl too."
Ignoring the ravenous giant snakes, Ainz made up his mind, scooped up a bowl from the cauldron, symbolically blew on it, took a sip, and after a few seconds of silence, drank the bowl of black, sticky mud in one gulp.
"It smells so good! The fresh scent of earth, and the aroma of sesame paste! It's heavenly! glug glug"
The White Snake Sage quickly asked, "Lord Ainz, I also want to drink the soil."
Manda also said, "I want to drink too."
Katsuyu: "Me too."
Ainz said, "Drink, drink from a big bowl, is one bowl enough?"
Lord God: "You're insane!"
To ease tensions with the White Snake Sage, Ainz used Earth Release: Earth Release - Super Cauldron Technique! Fire Style: Ignition Technique!
Three more hours passed, and all the giant snakes in Ryūchi Cave were enjoying the thick mud soup, their faces full of contentment. "I've been eating mud for over a thousand years, I'm so tired of it! I've never tasted anything this delicious. Mr. Ainz, your special brew is truly something special."
Ainz raised his bowl high. "Let's drink this cup of dirt, and from today onwards, we're brothers."
White Snake Sage: "Big Brother!"
Ainz: "Second brother!"
"Big brother!"
"Third brother!"
"Big brother!"
"Fifteenth brother!"
A Katsuyu, having eaten its fill of mud and about to fall asleep, said, "Alright, now that you're full, let's get down to business!"
The Lord God: "This familiar scene is one thing, but what's wrong? Are you so obsessed with eating dirt?"