Tagitsuhime and Ichikishimahime were both ready to continue fighting.
Clearly, they were not very convinced, as in the previous battle, they indeed had no chance to fully demonstrate their abilities.
They had been temporarily repelled by Sasuke's unexpected power in quick succession.
If they were serious, they wouldn't let Sasuke get away so easily.
"Enough!"
Tagorihime raised her voice, causing the other two snake princesses to stop.
"Although we were careless, this human boy has indeed proven his strength!"
First, despite being shrouded in mist, he could still accurately sense the three of them, indicating that Sasuke possessed some special sensory abilities.
He might even be able to perceive their every move clearly.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to predict Tagorihime is attack in advance.
As for the series of subsequent moves, thinking back, it was likely this kid had planned them all in an instant.
If he had harbored killing intent, the hidden weapon would not have missed but would have directly hit Tagorihime, and he wouldn't have given a verbal warning.
The unexpected explosion was enough to seriously injure Tagorihime.
Using the explosion's shockwave to disperse the mist and then directly attacking herself, that single slash if aimed at her heart would have killed her.
Finally, as for Ichikishimahime, she seemed to have been immobilized by a genjutsu, giving Sasuke enough time to approach.
After capturing her, Sasuke could have paralyzed her body with a lightning technique of that level, taking her out in an instant.
In other words, if he had harbored killing intent, within those mere two seconds, he could have instantly killed the two of them.
As for the remaining Tagorihime, alone, she wouldn't pose any threat to Sasuke.
It was hard to imagine that the opponent had devised such a plan in just a moment.
Agile thinking, combined with formidable strength and lightning techniques far exceeding those of ordinary humans.
This human boy was indeed, as Orochimaru had said, a rare genius.
And the three of them had indeed lost.
As for the trial, it was no longer necessary.
Sasuke's performance earlier could already be described as flawless, making any further trials redundant.
"Bring this boy... to meet me!"
Suddenly, the voice of the White Snake Sage resounded.
The other two snake princesses still wanted to argue, but now they had no choice but to obey the White Snake Sage's command.
However, their gazes toward Sasuke were far from friendly.
Sasuke slowly sheathed the Kusanagi Sword. "Lead the way!"
Although the three snake princesses were displeased with Sasuke, they internally acknowledged his strength.
At such a young age, with such power.
He might be a one-of-a-kind existence among humans!
The three snake princesses moved ahead to guide Sasuke.
They traversed winding and rugged underground tunnels, walking for an unknown distance. In this labyrinth-like underground cave, Sasuke finally encountered the legendary White Snake Sage.
A being comparable to the Toad Sage.
Perched on its throne, the White Snake Sage even had a pipe in its mouth.
At the first glance at the White Snake Sage, Sasuke's expression changed.
If the senjutsu chakra within the three snake princesses had already amazed Sasuke, the senjutsu chakra within this white snake was almost inconceivable, even for him.
It was like a massive whirlpool, slowly rotating and frantically devouring the surrounding natural energy.
A significant portion of the natural energy in the vast Ryūchi Cave was likely being consumed by this White Snake.
It might appear harmless, but the White Snake Sage was far from simple.
As Sasuke observed the White Snake Sage, the White Snake Sage was also examining Sasuke.
"Incredible!"
"You possess an innate Sage Body, but unfortunately... it hasn't fully matured yet. At best, it can barely be considered a semi-finished product."
The White Snake Sage's voice echoed.
At this moment, the three snake princesses looked at Sasuke in shock.
"This human boy... actually has an innate Sage Body?"
Sasuke frowned. Did an innate Sage Body refer to Sage Transformation?
"But what does it mean by 'semi-finished product'?"
"Semi-finished product? Why do you say my Sage Transformation is incomplete?" Sasuke asked directly.
"Mind your tone when speaking to the White Snake Sage, human!"
The White Snake Sage lazily flicked its tail. "It's fine. Since you possess an innate Sage Body, naturally, you can't be compared to ordinary people."
"Kid, your Sage Transformation is called a semi-finished product because a true Sage Body can quickly and effortlessly absorb and release natural energy at any time."
"Activating Sage Mode doesn't require any preparation this is the hallmark of a Sage Body!"
"But your Sage Transformation doesn't meet these standards. The speed at which you convert natural energy isn't sufficient, and entering Sage Mode still requires preparation, doesn't it?"
Hearing this, Sasuke frowned. So Sage Transformation is like a low-end version, and only the high-end version can truly be called a Sage Body.
However, it seemed to be just a matter of speed or the quantity of senjutsu chakra.
Both forms involve absorbing natural energy to create chakra, so the power of the chakra shouldn't differ significantly.
"What a pity!"
"I watched the previous battle. You're indeed a rare genius, and you managed to deal with them in an instant!"
With a light sigh, the White Snake Sage turned its head.
"You can leave now, kid. While you're highly talented and the strongest human I've ever seen, you can't learn the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave."
"However, if you want a summoning beast, that's fine. You can choose one yourself."
What did it mean by saying he couldn't learn the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave?
Sasuke had come here specifically for Sage Mode.
He wanted to master the method of creating senjutsu chakra actively, rather than solely relying on the Curse Mark or Sage Transformation's power.
"Why can't I learn it? Because my physique is a semi-finished product?"
"Exactly!"
The White Snake Sage nodded.
"Your physique is the primary reason you can't learn Sage Mode!"
"Because your body automatically absorbs natural energy and refines it into senjutsu chakra, even if the refined product has some differences."
"But the result is the same it's still senjutsu chakra."
"And since learning Sage Mode also requires absorbing natural energy, you can't actively refine senjutsu chakra while your body is already doing so automatically!"
"Your subjective will cannot suppress your body's instinct!"
"In other words, you don't need to learn Sage Mode, and at the same time, you're incapable of learning it."
Don't need to learn… and can't learn…
Sasuke gazed calmly at the White Snake Sage.
Perhaps this theory applied to others, but he refused to believe he couldn't learn it himself.
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