"White Snake Sage… we have brought the one who passed the trial."
Before the gates of the White Snake Sage's temple, Tainoshin-jō called out respectfully into the darkness beyond.
Then, without another word, she took the hands of the other two sages and faded from Ren's sight as if they'd been swallowed by the cave itself.
Ren watched them go, analyzing with amused interest how the technique worked.
Then he pushed open the temple doors himself and stepped inside.
"Unexpected," a slow, ancient voice said.
Coiled upon a throne, a massive white serpent held a finely crafted pipe between her jaws. Smoke drifted lazily as she spoke to Ren.
"I thought Tainoshin-jō and the others would try to keep you stalled for a while."
"Maybe they felt the trials were unnecessary for me," Ren replied mildly.
He walked forward until he stood before the throne.
Facing the white serpent who had existed since the era of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, Ren bowed with genuine respect.
"An honor to meet you, White Snake Sage."
"Though rumors say you know everything that happens in the shinobi world… if one visits in person, it would be discourteous not to introduce oneself."
"My name is Kaguya Ren. A descendant of the Kaguya Clan of Kirigakure in the Land of Water."
"I have come seeking Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu, and I hope you will not begrudge me your guidance—granting me the knowledge of this place."
"Kaguya…" the White Snake Sage murmured, chewing on the name as if tasting old memories. "A surname with a long history."
She let out a soft, nostalgic hiss.
"But compared to the more prominent Uchiha and Senju… you and the Hyūga have become rather mediocre."
Ren didn't speak.
But inside, his brow tightened.
Uchiha. Senju. Hyūga. Kaguya.
Why mention those bloodlines here?
What exactly were you implying?
Perhaps sensing the subtle shift in Ren's aura, the White Snake Sage quickly pulled herself out of her nostalgia. She shook her head, amused at herself.
"Old. Old."
"To be drawn into memories over such trivial things…"
She leaned forward slightly, voice warm with strange affection.
"But you understand, don't you?"
"We old ones… when a young man with the potential to change the world stands before us, we can't help but feel a little sentimental."
"I'll accept that as praise," Ren replied evenly.
"No need to pretend humility before me," the White Snake Sage said, her voice sharpening. "Those who seek Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu are generally lunatics willing to discard everything for power."
"You walked here without condition, passing the trials with no effort."
"That alone proves your madness."
She set her pipe aside and shifted her enormous body. Her head lowered toward Ren like a mountain coming down.
"This might hurt a little, boy."
"Don't think that just because you learned a scrap of the old toad's senjutsu, you'll breeze through Ryūchi Cave's inheritance."
"If possible," Ren said, tilting his head and exposing the side of his neck without the curse mark, "could you bite this side?"
The White Snake Sage paused, confused.
"Why?" she asked. "That thing on your other side is merely a degraded imitation—created by mimicking the special constitution of those influenced by Ryūchi Cave."
"Once you receive my inheritance, it won't help you anymore."
"Even a degraded product isn't completely useless," Ren replied calmly. He pressed a hand lightly over the curse mark, speaking with clear logic.
"Curse marks have a low ceiling, harsh side effects, and a low success rate. I don't deny that."
"But to shinobi who can't train in senjutsu, it's a rare key—one that opens the door between them and natural energy."
He looked up, gaze steady.
"Studying Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu to gradually reduce the curse mark's side effects, increase its success rate, and improve its general usability…"
"That's one of my major goals for coming here."
"You want to make the constitution that absorbs natural energy… universal?" The White Snake Sage immediately understood. Her tone shifted, intrigued. "That won't be easy, boy."
"Can't help it." Ren shrugged lightly. "I intend to become the village's Kage."
"If I don't offer something big enough that people can't refuse, how do you think those elders—who've lived far longer than me—will support someone not even sixteen yet?"
"Hehehe…" The White Snake Sage laughed softly, delighted. "The more you speak, the more I look forward to seeing how you'll stir this world."
She opened her jaws.
And bit down hard on Ren's neck.
Fangs pierced flesh.
But what she injected was not venom.
It was highly condensed natural energy and senjutsu chakra—so dense it felt like molten power pouring into his body.
In an instant, Ren's body began showing the symptoms of excessive natural energy intake.
But Ren had already entered Sage Mode before.
He sat down cross-legged on the spot, calm as if settling into meditation, and began balancing the three energies—spiritual, physical, and natural—with practiced ease.
At the same time, he summoned his system panel, watching the messages scroll.
[Receiving Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu Inheritance. Convert Sage Mode: Myōboku LV1 into corresponding proficiency?]
[Converting Sage Mode: Myōboku LV1 into Sage Mode: Ryūchi Cave proficiency…]
With the system's push, and Ren's talent and strength working in tandem, the natural energy the White Snake Sage poured into him stabilized quickly.
The senjutsu chakra she had given him merged smoothly into his own, acting like a catalyst—helping him convert the remaining normal chakra in his body into senjutsu chakra.
Hiss—
Ren opened his eyes.
Purple markings—shaped like enlarged snake fangs—spread across his forehead and cheeks. His pupils narrowed into vertical slits.
The face of Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode.
A sign he now possessed the qualification to use senjutsu independently.
And aside from those markings…
No other serpent traits appeared on his body.
[Sage Mode: Ryūchi Cave LV4 Acquired]
"…How surprising," the White Snake Sage murmured as she re-coiled atop her throne, pipe returning to her mouth. Her eyes glittered. "You only just received my inheritance, yet you can immediately use Sage Mode at this level."
"Even among Ryūchi Cave's past practitioners… you would be among the finest few."
Ren flexed his fingers, feeling the vast surge of senjutsu chakra coursing within him. He tested his body lightly, gauging the boost full Sage Mode granted.
Then he turned to the White Snake Sage and bowed again, voice sincere.
"I will repay this kindness many times over in the future, White Snake Sage."
"Heh. Having that intention is enough," she said lazily, smoke curling.
"But understand—your ability to gather senjutsu chakra so quickly is largely because I assisted you, and because Ryūchi Cave's natural energy is excessively abundant."
"Outside Ryūchi Cave, if you gather that much by yourself… you'll need at least an hour."
She chuckled softly.
"So stay here for a while and train, Kaguya Ren."
"Ryūchi Cave's time flow differs from the outside… but as long as you complete your goal quickly, that difference won't disrupt your plans."
Ren nodded, then asked simply,
"Will Ryūchi Cave provide food? Or do I need to hunt for myself?"
"Have you ever seen snakes feed their prey to other snakes?" The White Snake Sage laughed scornfully, then spoke with a meaning that made the air colder.
"Hunt what you like."
"You're one of Ryūchi Cave's snakes now."
"As long as you don't treat Tainoshin-jō and the others… or the few summon snakes living deepest within… as prey…"
"I won't care how large your appetite is, Kaguya Ren."
Ren licked his lips and smiled back—equally meaningful.
"Then I'll thank you in advance for the meal, White Snake Sage."
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