When it came to sensing natural energy, Masashi believed he was among the most adept of his generation.
In the shinobi world, natural energy wasn't a force humans could directly harness. This external energy required perception, and the ability to perceive it came from mental or life energy surpassing the norm.
Regarding chakra, senjutsu chakra, and even the so-called Yin-Yang Release, Yin-Yang Power, and Six Paths Power, Masashi, after gathering insights from separate lifetimes, had his own understanding.
Chakra was composed of mental energy and physical energy, and every person in this world inherently possessed chakra.
For a ninja to use chakra, they must first draw upon their mental and physical energy, forming chakra in a process called condensation. Next came controlling the chakra to perform jutsu.
For an ordinary person to use chakra, both condensation and control were essential.
Chakra wasn't an alien force to this world, but it was first created by the God Tree. Through the God Tree, humanity came to recognize chakra and began to study and wield it.
The God Tree, during the formation of its chakra fruit, also absorbed natural energy from the earth, water, and air.
The first chakra of this world was thus composed of the God Tree's mental energy, life energy, and the natural energy of this world. This principle was identical to that of senjutsu chakra.
The original chakra was first wielded by Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. After giving birth to her two sons, Hagoromo and Hamura, Hagoromo inherited more of the God Tree's power, while Hamura inherited more of the Ōtsutsuki clan's original abilities.
Hagoromo's descendants further divided the God Tree's power. On this basis, Indra inherited more of Hagoromo's mental energy, while Asura inherited more of his physical energy.
When these two brothers condensed chakra, their chakra was inherently different, possessing extraordinary effects.
Indra's chakra, infused with an unusual level of mental energy, manifested as ocular power, giving rise to the Sharingan.
Asura, through arduous training, fully unlocked his physical potential. His chakra reserves rivaled those of the tailed beasts, he possessed exceptional regenerative abilities and endurance, and, most importantly, he could turn any ordinary jutsu into something extraordinary.
Neither was inherently superior; however, Indra's ocular power gave him a higher starting point, whereas Asura, beginning as an ordinary person, had to achieve greatness through relentless training.
This unique potential passed down through their bloodlines, creating the Uchiha and Senju clans.
The Uchiha saw power in the eyes, the Senju in the body.
Neither of these clans had seen anyone like Masashi, who could successfully harness the strengths of both.
In the past, circumstances simply didn't allow it. But the strength of Konoha and the unity of the Uchiha clan gave him the environment needed to build his power.
The result of harnessing both sides? His sensory abilities exceeded all normal limits. Without this advantage, mastering the Flying Thunder God would've been impossible.
Seated cross-legged on the ground, he began to perceive natural energy. The process required absolute focus.
One mistake with natural energy and I'll end up as garden decoration. Not exactly the legacy I'm aiming for.
There was no way to describe it precisely. He could sense it, but the 'flow' of natural energy seemed utterly chaotic, without pattern. It was simply there, moving wildly. Like trying to catch smoke with bare hands.
He even felt like he could absorb a bit—though whether that was an illusion or not, he wouldn't dare attempt it.
In Mount Myōboku, the consequences of failing to control absorbed natural energy were petrification. Ryūchi Cave likely wouldn't petrify someone, snakes probably weren't keen on eating stone—but it couldn't end well either.
Bold experimentation and reckless behavior were not the same thing.
The natural energy began to take shape under Masashi's awareness, arranging itself into distinct patterns.
He 'saw' it—an entrance. The energy converged into a clear pathway.
As long as he released his chakra, he could enter.
He ceased his sensory efforts and stood up, brushing the dirt off himself. His clothes were coated in dust.
After checking his gear and stretching a bit, he grabbed the dazed jonin standing nearby and released his chakra.
The environment began to distort, as if the world was flipping upside down. Such distortion didn't faze Masashi, who was accustomed to the Flying Thunder God's effects.
When the distortion reached its peak, the surroundings completely changed. Moisture and stone, weathering together over time, had formed a cavern.
Ryūchi Cave, true to its name, was an underground space—a massive cave.
Unfortunately, it wasn't like a well-developed tourist spot on Earth, fitted with lights for people to admire. Here, the inhabitants were snakes, and they had no interest in scenic cave views.
Still, there was light.
It emanated from some luminescent material embedded in the rocks, concentrated on the ceiling, resembling a starry sky.
Before Masashi could grumble, sounds came from all directions in the darkness. His three-tomoe Sharingan flared to life, illuminating multi-colored chakra trails before him.
As the 'starlight' from above illuminated more of the space, the figures of the newcomers became clear.
Snakes.
Big ones.
Small ones.
They crawled in different ways—some slithered horizontally, while others, astonishingly, seemed to crawl upside down. Judging by the crowd, the latter wasn't moving by its own power.
This sight was definitely not for anyone with ophidiophobia.
Suppressing his impulse to strike first, he calmly said, "I've come to seek an audience with the White Snake Sage." Let's see if diplomacy works before we resort to force.
The serpentine horde advanced. It seemed these smaller snakes had no intelligence. Just chakra-infused snakes. No value in keeping them alive.
His attempt to call out had failed, so Masashi decided not to hold back. Besides, it was too dim in here for his liking.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A jet of fire from his mouth morphed into a mighty dragon with powerful claws. The fiery beast spiraled through the air above the snake swarm.
The dragon's massive frame incinerated those it touched. Snakes nearby were desiccated instantly, their water evaporating, leaving lifeless husks behind.
In an instant, the horde, like a tide crashing onto the shore only to be pulled back by the waves, retreated in panic, scrambling to escape their natural predator.
Masashi showed no mercy.
Snakes incapable of understanding human words were of no value. Even if they were infused with chakra, this world's basic rule was simple: everyone had chakra; not everyone could use it.
The same principle likely applied to Ryūchi Cave. These snakes were raised on natural energy, but that didn't guarantee much.
Snakes probably birthed large clutches at a time. He didn't know how many, but certainly more than humans.
With his Sharingan, the entire cave was laid bare before him.
No snake could approach without his notice. The distant ones were burned, and those that came closer were sliced into pieces by wind, resembling neatly diced snake meat.
Eventually, the juvenile snakes disappeared entirely, replaced by a colossal figure. Towering high enough to nearly reach the cave ceiling, it was massive even at a distance.
Masashi could feel the undisguised killing intent radiating from the other side.
Soon enough, similar figures emerged at other entrances of the cavern.
The serpents had finally shown themselves.
The killing intent was overwhelming, thick enough to make lesser shinobi freeze in their tracks.
"You're finally out?" Masashi grinned as he observed. Through his Sharingan, he studied every detail of their movements, calculating distances and angles.
The body of the fire dragon faded slowly in the air, leaving behind only its searing heat.
"Which one of you is taking me to the White Snake Sage?" His crimson Sharingan reflected the ferocious forms of the serpents.
Their killing intent crashed against his casual demeanor, but he didn't flinch.
"This human is mine," hissed one serpent, speaking in human language.
"Manda?" Masashi smirked at the familiar snake. "Did Orochimaru not feed you enough? Then again, if I accidentally kill you, I doubt he would mind."
As the signature summon of Orochimaru, Manda was unmistakable to Masashi. After all, he was a shinobi of Konoha.
But Manda did not consider himself allied with any Konoha ninja.
Swinging his massive body, he lunged forward with an open maw, moving with ferocious speed, showing just how famished he was.
And then, he bit into solid rock. The impact sent cracks spider-webbing across the cavern floor.
As rubble scattered everywhere, Masashi, carrying the jonin, landed atop Manda's head.
"Damn brat! Stop jumping around!" he roared, shaking his head furiously, but Masashi stood firm, as if rooted to the spot.
"You want to eat me? I am hungry too, wondering if snakes tasted like chicken like I heard." Masashi chuckled, further inciting Manda's fury.
Other serpents had already surrounded them. One among them was particularly massive.
The big snake shoved aside the others, hissing loudly, prompting the rest to withdraw. The golden pupils of the colossal serpent locked onto Masashi.
Under him, Manda's body seemed to freeze momentarily.
"You are a Konoha ninja, huh? Fine, I won't eat you," Manda sneered. "My wife seems to fancy you."
"You snakes live in a matriarchal society, don't you?"
"Wife?" Masashi glanced at the colossal female serpent. "Manda, I didn't take you for such a sucker for love. Ma'am, you don't mind me bullying your backup husband, do you?"
The enormous female serpent, uninterested in banter, stared greedily, her golden eyes fixated on Masashi. Her tongue flicked out, tasting his chakra in the air.
This one would do, he nodded approvingly. Time to show them why the Uchiha are feared.
If the Tailed Beasts were to rank their most disliked humans, the Uchiha would undoubtedly claim the top spot. Through generations of battle and dominance, they'd earned that hatred.
The Uchiha clan's ancestral technique was simple: dominate with their gaze. No fancy hand signs, no complex chakra manipulation.
No complex jutsu necessary—the Sharingan was the ultimate genjutsu.
Though Masashi's ocular power could not compare to Madara's, these summoned beasts lacked the willpower of a Tailed Beast.
As their eyes met, his Sharingan overwhelmed the female serpent's will. The greed in her pupils disappeared, leaving behind a pair of golden Sharingan.
With a light leap, he landed atop the female serpent's head.
Carrying the jonin was slightly inconvenient, but this man needed to die somewhere discreet—not out here, and certainly not in the bellies of the serpents.
Some secrets needed to stay buried.
The female serpent, now docile, lowered her head slightly, seemingly to make Masashi more comfortable. Her submission was absolute.
"Damn it! Damn it! What have you done?!" Seeing his goddess—or rather, her eyes—transformed into Masashi's shape, Manda was enraged beyond reason.
His massive body thrashed, sending tremors through the cavern. "I'll devour you! Devour you!"
"Annoying." Masashi clicked his tongue dismissively, watching the display.
Poor Manda. Love made fools of us all.
Even serpents found unreciprocated affection futile, though this one hadn't learned it yet. Though not human, these serpents were far from mere beasts. Every male faced this pain eventually, regardless of form.
The laws of love showed no mercy.
Through the Sharingan's power, Masashi sent a simple command to the female serpent.
She raised her head and hissed sharply at Manda.
Manda's heart shattered as the serpent he adored hissed at him with ferocity. Heartbroken, he couldn't even process the betrayal before his goddess swung her tail with stunning force.
The air whistled with the speed of her strike.
With a deafening crack, the tail slammed into Manda's head, flipping him over entirely.
The cavern trembled under Manda's sprawling body as it rolled away, saliva spraying, perhaps mixed with tears—if serpents could cry, that was.
His massive form disappeared into the shadows.
"Now that's more like it. Can't grow without a little tough love, huh, Manda?"
Masashi gave a thumbs-up to Manda's rolling form, then turned to the other serpents, who now looked unsure.
Grinning, he spread his fingers wide and gestured dramatically.
"Go, Seviper!"
"Hiss! Hiss!" The female serpent swayed eagerly.
She barreled through the group with unbridled force, ramming and lashing until the area was clear.
Then, she charged deeper into the cavern with Masashi aboard.
This enraged the remaining serpents. Their hisses turned savage, echoing off the walls.
Perhaps some among them had their own affections for the colossal female serpent. Regardless, they refused to let her off and surrounded her with aggression, snapping fiercely.
But such a challenge was no match for him.
Though the female serpent's reflexes couldn't evade all attacks, Masashi's response was faster. Under his control, she avoided every strike with slippery, unpredictable movements, retaliating with equal ferocity.
One by one, the other serpents were knocked away. They crashed into walls and each other.
Suddenly, two more serpents emerged from another entrance, closing in from both sides.
Before the female serpent could react, the serpent on the right was bitten by a larger one.
It was Manda. His return was as violent as his exit.
With cold, merciless eyes, he flung his unfortunate kin into the depths of the cavern.
The other serpent, seemingly shocked by Manda's betrayal of his own kind, hesitated briefly before slithering away with even more dexterity than the female serpent had shown earlier.
Now this is unexpected. Heartbreak makes monsters of us all.
He couldn't hold back and shouted, "Manda, you're the MVP of Ryūchi Cave!"
Manda wasn't amused. "Give me back my wife, you bastard!"
Suddenly, a shadow was over them. A serpent coiled on the ceiling lunged with its maw wide open.
The attack would crush both Masashi and the female serpent.
Manda roared in rage, preparing to attack. His body coiled like a spring, muscles tensing.
But before he could, Masashi leapt into the air and, to the attacking serpent's surprise, landed a punch on its jaw.
The movement was too fast to follow.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shook the cavern, sending shockwaves through the air.
With that single punch, he drove the serpent back into the ceiling. Its body lodged into the rock, blood pouring from its maw.
The serpent was dead. Its massive form went limp, suspended in the cratered ceiling.
Years of Yang Release training had given Masashi this monstrous physical strength. One good punch was all he needed.
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123/100: First bonus chapter reached!
123/200 reached for next bonus chapter.
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