Compared to Naruto's experience in Mount Myōboku, Masashi's treatment in Ryūchi Cave was anything but ordinary.
It was downright absurd in many aspects.
However, his preparation for training in the Sage Mode of the Three Great Secret Realms was probably the most thorough of all Sage Mode novices.
Otherwise, when the Hannya Black Ops confirmed the existence of Ryūchi Cave, they wouldn't have immediately changed plans and allowed him to enter Ryūchi Cave for sage training.
To put it bluntly, in the absence of Indra's chakra, Sage Mode was the best channel for the Uchiha clan to develop their physical energy.
Especially since Masashi had been relentlessly stimulating his body's potential for over a decade, his capacity to bear natural energy far exceeded that of most people.
When he perceived the natural energy infused into him by the White Snake Sage using sufficient chakra, their energies quickly merged.
This far surpassed Ryūchi Cave's traditional 'exam' requirements.
Traditionally, the trial required the practitioner to merely endure the natural energy—or more precisely, to withstand the refined natural energy imbued with Ryūchi Cave's unique characteristics by the White Snake Sage—without being eroded and transforming from human to snake.
Successfully doing so qualified one to train in Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode.
In the realm of the cave, as days passed, tremendous changes began to occur within his body.
At some point, hundreds or thousands of snakes had gathered in the square, all fixated on Masashi, who was seated cross-legged under the White Snake Sage.
Whether he would be food or a comrade would be decided upon his awakening.
Without the sage's permission, not a single snake dared to act rashly, even though another person, paralyzed by genjutsu, stood frozen nearby like an appetizer.
The White Snake Sage had shed her usual lazy demeanor, sensing the changes taking place within Masashi.
These changes were beyond its expectations.
Logically, without her guidance, a human who had never been exposed to natural energy should not have been able to reach this stage.
Moreover, his appearance had remained completely unchanged—even lacking the eye markings—indicating that he had perfectly mastered the natural energy within him, becoming the most flawless practitioner to ever enter Ryūchi Cave.
Erosion was no longer a possibility.
Once he awakened, he would have succeeded completely. The White Snake Sage's only remaining task would be to teach him how to actively absorb natural energy and the techniques of Ryūchi Cave.
Though the process seemed simple, the sage couldn't help but feel an odd emptiness.
Past inheritors had been different—their ignorance and clumsy struggles had brought her a great sense of accomplishment.
But that was all there was to it.
The benefit of living for so long was that unless the heavens themselves collapse, nothing could significantly shake your emotions.
She leaned her head back against the armrest.
At the same moment, Masashi opened his eyes.
"You woke up quickly, descendant of Indra," said the White Snake Sage, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Since you're awake, get down."
Masashi nodded and jumped down.
"How do you feel now?" the White Snake Sage asked.
"Quite good." Masashi assessed the changes in his body. "Coming here was the right choice."
"It seems you came prepared." Behind the sage, a dragon-head carving opened its mouth, and a scroll dropped from it, unfurling before Masashi.
"Since you've entered Ryūchi Cave, before formally studying the sage arts, you must first become a contractor," said the White Snake Sage. "Write your name."
Without hesitation, Masashi bit his finger and wrote his name on the scroll.
The name above his was none other than Orochimaru.
"Now, choose. Among the snakes here, when you summon with sufficient chakra, which one would you prefer to prioritize as your battle partner?"
Turning around, Masashi was greeted by the sight of countless snakes bowing their heads, with Manda standing out prominently.
As Masashi's gaze swept over him, Manda felt both annoyed and resigned.
I knew he'd choose me. He was the flashiest snake in the cave. Even Orochimaru had chosen him at first glance.
Flicking his tongue arrogantly, he said, "Although I don't like being disturbed by too many people, if you sincerely beg, I might consider accepting you."
Having delivered his smug speech, another thought crossed his mind.
"That human over there—is he for me? In that case, I won't hold back."
"What's your name?" Masashi suddenly asked, his eyes fixed on a different snake.
Is he an idiot? Didn't he say my name earlier? Manda was puzzled.
"Kuro," came a voice from beside him.
Manda's eyes widened. Damn it! He's after my mate!
"Hello Kuro, I'm Masashi," he said with satisfaction.
Despite being female, this snake's strength far surpassed Manda's. And Manda was a sycophant. Orochimaru hadn't defected yet, but if he did, there might be a confrontation. That wasn't out of the question.
If you summon Manda, I'll summon his wife, he thought while smirking.
The time for Obito to target the Nine Tails was likely imminent. He needed to act, ensuring that when the Nine Tails attacked, the Uchiha clan wouldn't be relegated to protecting civilians in the rear.
The Uchiha clan had to be on the frontlines. Let the Hokage's office try to relegate them; he wouldn't comply.
"Understood, Masashi," Kuro replied calmly.
"Kuro will stay. The rest, disperse," the White Snake Sage commanded.
The snakes obediently dispersed, including Manda, none daring to defy the sage's order.
"Now then, I shall teach you the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave," the White Snake Sage said, swaying its head.
"Please guide me," Masashi humbly requested.
"Sage Modes have commonalities but also differences. Ryūchi Cave represents the form of all things," the White Snake Sage began its lecture. "All things in the world can exist in the shape of life. By harnessing the power of the earth, you merge natural energy into yourself. This is the essence of Ryūchi Cave's practice…"
Masashi sat cross-legged, listening attentively, while Kuro coiled nearby.
Under the personal guidance of the White Snake Sage, Masashi began learning the Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode.
The sage's teachings were comprehensive but concise.
Sage Mode involved using the body's spiritual energy, physical energy, and external natural energy to create chakra, which was then employed to execute techniques or jutsu categorized as Sage Art.
The process felt like drawing water from three different wells simultaneously, each with its own current and depth.
Sage Mode has universal principles, and the Ryūchi Cave also possessed its own Sage Mode.
In Sage Mode, the power of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and even genjutsu increased significantly. Although the physical transformations during Sage Mode varied across the three sacred lands, they shared commonalities such as significantly enhanced sensory perception.
The first time entering Sage Mode was always disorienting.
It was akin to how Superman in DC Comics might have felt upon first awakening his powers—everything felt off.
"So this is how Clark Kent must've felt…" Masashi muttered as he stood back up, already in Sage Mode.
"Ku-ra-ku... Ken-to? Who's that?" The White Snake Sage frowned in concentration, trying to recall the name but drawing a blank.
Unlike the Great Toad Sage, the White Snake Sage prided itself on its memory, confident it wouldn't forget someone it had seen through its crystal orb.
"A saint," Masashi explained. "Kind of tragic."
"Oh…" The White Snake Sage lost interest immediately. "I don't know about saints, only the benefits of being a sage."
Dropping the topic, Masashi drew his short blade and examined his reflection on its polished surface.
His eyes had faint eyeliner-like marks at the corners, resembling Orochimaru's but much subtler. His skin had not turned ghostly pale.
Opening his mouth and sticking out his tongue, he checked—everything was normal.
Good. No disfigurement, and no freakishly long tongue either.
In the original timeline, Kabuto was probably the only person in recent decades to have successfully mastered Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode. But since he had transplanted Orochimaru's cells into himself, he had transformed into a quasi-biological experiment from the start.
In reality, normal Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode didn't result in such extreme changes.
If overt snake-like features appeared, the White Snake Sage would deem the person a failure and promptly devour them in one bite.
Masashi had half-expected exaggerated eyeliner, ghostly pale skin, and a ridiculously long tongue. With that appearance, he wouldn't even need a Transformation Jutsu to pass as Orochimaru—he'd just need to grow his hair long.
That wouldn't have been ideal.
"By the way, Great Sage," Masashi suddenly asked, recalling something, "Did Orochimaru also train in Sage Mode here?"
He had never seen him use it.
"Oh, Orochimaru..." The White Snake Sage shifted its coiled body to a more comfortable position before responding. "Due to his unique body, he managed to integrate Sage Mode into himself but couldn't fully enter Sage Mode. I'd consider that a success, though."
"I see." Masashi nodded in understanding.
No wonder Orochimaru's physique was so extraordinary. Prolonged use of Sage Mode to enhance his body, combined with his own research, must have led to his later immortality.
Come to think of it, his future Curse Marks were essentially imprinted through bites, paired with his exceptional shedding technique.
Currently, though, the only Ryūchi Cave technique Orochimaru openly displayed was his Snake Clone Jutsu.
A more fitting name would be Sacrificial Clone Jutsu—when struck down, each clone dissolved into snakes that could slither away and return to him with information about the enemy's techniques and fighting style. Every 'sacrifice' of a clone meant more data gathered.
True mastery came not from theory but practice—a lesson Orochimaru had mastered.
"Was his Snake Clone Jutsu something you taught him?" he inquired.
"Masashi, do you think this is Mount Myōboku?" The White Snake Sage sounded displeased.
She held certain resentments toward Mount Myōboku, which was far more renowned than Ryūchi Cave. While Mount Myōboku's toads freely wandered the world making contracts with ninja, Ryūchi Cave remained more selective and secluded.
"Let me explain the differences between Ryūchi Cave, Mount Myōboku, and Shikkotsu Forest," the White Snake Sage offered. "Unlike Mount Myōboku with their... accessibility, we focus on quality."
The three sages were familiar with one another's domains. While they wouldn't divulge secrets to outsiders, sharing them with a disciple of Ryūchi Cave was acceptable.
Just as chakra could have nature transformations, Sage Mode also possesses natures. These could be categorized into three forms: Shape, Spirit, and Essence.
Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode corresponded to the shape of life.
Externally, it enabled objects to behave like living beings, such as making rocks writhe and grow like organisms.
Internally, it granted heightened physical vitality. Common effects included traits unique to snakes, but the techniques depend on the user's existing ninja arts.
The advantage of Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode lay in its ability to integrate with the user's body, enhancing physical energy over time to its fullest extent. However, its critical flaw was a lack of resistance to genjutsu. For an Uchiha like Masashi, this drawback was negligible.
In contrast, Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode was versatile, with an extensive range of techniques. Its downside was that the energy cannot be permanently integrated, requiring preparation and temporary activation.
And it offered exceptional resistance to genjutsu.
These strengths and weaknesses perfectly complement each other.
The most mysterious domain, Shikkotsu Forest, embodied power and abundance, signifying sheer magnitude and infinity. Considering this, Hashirama's Sage Mode likely originated there, rather than from a fourth domain as Masashi had once speculated.
As for Orochimaru's Snake Clone Jutsu, it was evidently his own creation.
What a pity... He genuinely coveted the Snake Clone Jutsu.
Still, life's imperfections made it all the more authentic.
"With your explanation, everything makes sense now." he continued experimenting with Sage Mode. "But why does it feel so draining?"
He found himself constantly gathering chakra to maintain the mode while burning through the natural energy the White Snake Sage had infused earlier.
The process felt like trying to hold water in cupped hands—possible, but requiring constant attention.
"That brings us to the final lesson," the White Snake Sage said, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Learning to draw natural energy directly from the earth. Once you can do that, there's nothing more Ryūchi Cave can teach you."
The sage then paused. "Are you sure there have been no other changes? I don't believe it. Perhaps I should take a bite to find out."
"I haven't used my Sharingan yet," Masashi admitted, activating his dōjutsu.
The moment his pupils transformed, he stared at his reflection in the blade, stunned.
His Sharingan had changed color.
What the... Why does it look so gaudy now?
He had hoped his appearance would remain unscathed, but his Sage Mode had ultimately left its mark on his aesthetics.
Fortunately, it wasn't the garish yellow of the snakes. Instead, it matched the hue of his crow summons.
Should he call it Golden Sharingan?
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Thanks for all your suggestions! Some of them were quite nice in my opinion.
If you have more ideas, you can share them in chapter 33. The so-called "Golden Sharingan" is mostly visual when he is in Sage Mode while using his Sharingan. As for the Mangekyō Sharingan, it will take a while to develop, so feel free to keep suggesting ideas.
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123/100: First bonus chapter reached!
152/200 reached for next bonus chapter.
If we somehow reached the top 10, which is so unlikely: 3 chapters/day for 1 week.
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