A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Ryūchi Cave, one of the three legendary sacred grounds for learning Sage Techniques.

It is a place that only those with the right destiny can reach, let alone survive its trials to practice its unique form of senjutsu.

But Orochimaru was clearly among the chosen few. After all, without a fated connection, he wouldn't have been able to sign a summoning contract with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave in the first place.

Unlike most people, Orochimaru had a deeper understanding of Ryūchi Cave.

Firstly, he was certain that Ryūchi Cave existed within the physical world, not in some separate dimension. His reasoning? His memories of Mount Myōboku, the petrified human statues found there. If Mount Myōboku, another sacred place, was accessible within the ninja world, then Ryūchi Cave must be as well.

Secondly, Orochimaru was confident Ryūchi Cave was located within the Land of Fire.

Why? The three legendary sannin—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and himself—had all come from Konoha, a village in the Land of Fire. If the sacred places were scattered across various lands, surely other countries would have had their own representatives inheriting their power.

With this analysis, combined with the clues provided by the snakes he summoned, Orochimaru had managed to pinpoint Ryūchi Cave's location in a relatively short time.

It took him just a month and a half after his encounter with Minato and the young team of Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.

And, ironically, the cave was only a few dozen kilometers away from Nono's orphanage.

Hidden near the border of Konoha, far off the beaten path, and buried deep within a dense jungle, the location was isolated enough to avoid detection.

Orochimaru's research even uncovered reports from nearby villages about giant pythons attacking humans, a further confirmation of Ryūchi Cave's proximity.

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Hissss, hissss!

As Orochimaru entered the jungle, the sound of countless snakes slithering filled the air. Their hissing came from the trees, bushes, and underfoot.

The ground itself was littered with human bones, a grim reminder that he was not the first ninja to attempt to reach Ryūchi Cave.

Just as Mount Myōboku had its petrified statues, Ryūchi Cave had its victims.

"Humans… prey…"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

The sinister whispers of the snakes echoed around him. But Orochimaru paid them no mind. His mental energy flared outward, and he continued forward at a leisurely pace.

"Master… Master…"

As the power of the summoning contract flowed through him, the once-threatening whispers transformed. The snakes now greeted him with deference, addressing him as their master.

For Orochimaru, walking through Ryūchi Cave felt like returning home.

The further he ventured, the thicker the fog became. It was denser than the Mist-Hiding Jutsu employed by Kirigakure shinobi. Visibility was reduced to less than two meters, but this didn't faze him.

With his heightened sensory abilities and Yamata leading the way, getting lost wasn't even a consideration.

As he walked, Orochimaru couldn't help but marvel at the obstacles surrounding Ryūchi Cave.

No wonder ordinary people couldn't make it this far.

The jungle itself was infested with venomous snakes, and the suffocating layers of fog would disorient even the most experienced ninja.

Getting past the snakes was hard enough, but navigating the fog without guidance? That was nearly impossible.

It wasn't long before the dense fog began to clear, and his surroundings became visible again.

Boom!

A thunderous sound erupted ahead.

From within the mountain, a massive purple-patterned python tore its way out, its colossal body sending clouds of dust and debris into the air as it barreled toward Orochimaru.

"Who dares trespass in Ryūchi Cave without permission?! Prepare to die—wait… Orochimaru?"

The aggressive voice halted mid-sentence as the python recognized him.

Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile.

"Manda? Did you come out to stop me personally? Isn't the strongest supposed to appear last? Or are you just Ryūchi Cave's glorified gatekeeper?"

"Idiot! Don't lump me in with gatekeepers! I just happened to be napping here!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Believe it or not, I don't care!" Manda growled in irritation.

Orochimaru chuckled softly, ignoring the python's indignation as he continued walking deeper into the cave.

His goal was clear: to meet the White Snake Sage and learn senjutsu.

According to Yamata, the White Snake Sage resided in a temple at the deepest part of Ryūchi Cave.

Manda slithered behind him, its massive body coiling and uncoiling as it followed.

"Hey, Orochimaru, do you still have any of that evolution serum?"

"After three uses, the serum loses its effectiveness for major enhancements. Beyond that, it only grants minor, specialized abilities. You wouldn't benefit from it," Orochimaru replied without looking back.

The evolution serum was designed to provide comprehensive genetic enhancements, boosting strength, speed, defense, and attack. However, it could only be used three times for maximum effect.

While Orochimaru had dabbled in creating specialized abilities, he found them impractical for Manda. The larger the creature, the more serum was required to create any meaningful change.

Trying to give Manda something like a chameleon's camouflage gene? Even with Orochimaru's ability to replicate genes, it would take an enormous amount of serum to affect a snake of that size.

It simply wasn't worth the effort.

Manda's strength lay in its sheer size and brute force. Fancy abilities would only dilute its natural combat potential.

"Hmph, fine! I don't need it, but other snakes might!" Manda huffed.

Orochimaru smirked. "I didn't realize you cared about other snakes, Manda. That's… uncharacteristic of you."

"This… this lord has to think about them sometimes! Anyway—huh? Someone's here."

Orochimaru stopped in his tracks, raising an eyebrow.

"Who?"

Before Manda could answer, three figures descended from the mist, landing gracefully in front of him.

The newcomers were women, each with pale, flawless skin and sharp, serpentine features.

The one in the center was striking—she had long green hair, golden slit pupils, and black-red markings that stretched from her eyes to her nose. A golden crown rested atop her head, adorned with a jade-like orb. She wore a flowing white robe, her chest adorned with a green magatama.

Behind her stood two others: one an elegant woman and the other a childlike figure resembling the leader.

"Humans in Ryūchi Cave?" Orochimaru mused aloud, studying them. "No… not humans. Snakes, I assume? Is this a form of transformation?"

The green-haired woman in the center smiled, her sharp teeth gleaming. "A contractor of Ryūchi Cave? Interesting."

"Sister, this one smells different," said one of the figures behind her.

"Yes, I feel it too," she replied.

"What business do you have here, contractor?"

"I've come to see the White Snake Sage," Orochimaru said bluntly.

Her golden pupils gleamed. "You're here for the Sage? Then follow me. I'll take you there. Manda, you're not needed."

Manda snorted but didn't protest as Orochimaru followed the woman deeper into Ryūchi Cave.