Arriving at another location within the base.
Here, too, there was a spacious area.
However, the lighting was still dim as always.
Not far away, on the ground, lay a scroll. The scroll was spread out, with two candles lit beside it.
By the candlelight, Sasuke could clearly see the characters on the scroll.
It was filled with names, and below each name was a bloody handprint.
"This is the contract scroll of Ryūchi Cave."
"I went through quite an ordeal to obtain it!"
Orochimaru glanced at Sasuke by his side and said, "Go ahead! Write your name, and leave a blood handprint!"
"Even signing a contract requires a formal signature and stamp, huh!"
While muttering, Sasuke stepped forward. The process was almost identical to when Naruto signed the contract with Mount Myōboku.
Sasuke also wrote his name and pressed down his blood handprint.
Orochimaru then stepped forward to inspect it. "No problem."
"But this doesn't mean the contract with Ryūchi Cave is complete."
"Writing your name on the contract scroll only grants you the opportunity to enter Ryūchi Cave. Whether or not you gain Ryūchi Cave's recognition!"
"To become a true contractor, you'll have to prove yourself through your efforts ahead!"
Orochimaru signaled for Sasuke to stand up.
"Next, you'll need to learn the summoning technique. But the first time you perform the summoning technique, it won't be to summon a familiar spirit here!"
"Instead, you'll be summoned into Ryūchi Cave."
"Only by truly earning Ryūchi Cave's recognition can you return. If you fail, you will die!"
"Have you thought it through, Sasuke-kun?"
Hearing Orochimaru's question, Sasuke stared at him expressionlessly.
"Just tell me the hand seal sequence for the summoning technique!"
Seeing this, Orochimaru didn't ask further questions and directly explained the sequence of seals for the summoning technique to Sasuke.
For most ninjas, it would require a demonstration.
But Sasuke, after merely hearing it, immediately performed the hand seals with astonishing speed, as if he'd mastered the summoning technique long ago.
Suddenly, Sasuke slapped his hand onto the ground!
Bang!!!
In the next second, Sasuke instantly vanished, dissolving into a puff of white smoke.
Looking at the now-empty room, Orochimaru chuckled. "Good luck... Sasuke-kun!"
Ryūchi Cave.
One of the three great sacred grounds, countless ninjas had come here in pursuit of power.
Yet, most of these ninjas met one of two fates.
One, they were devoured; the other, they were transformed into snakes.
Becoming part of Ryūchi Cave.
If fortunate enough, those transformed into snakes could train using their new forms and potentially become powerful summoning creatures infused with formidable Sage Chakra.
But most of these transformed snakes were untalented, destined to die as ordinary serpents in Ryūchi Cave.
Sometimes, they were even devoured by other snakes in Ryūchi Cave.
When Sasuke arrived,
Upon opening his eyes for the first time, he almost lost control.
The Cursed Seal stirred, as if it could activate on its own at any moment.
This was unavoidable; Ryūchi Cave's natural energy was too dense, causing Sasuke's body to instinctively attempt to absorb it.
Fortunately, the Cursed Seal acted as a restriction, allowing Sasuke to suppress the urge to enter Sage Mode.
At the moment Sasuke reached Ryūchi Cave,
Deep within,
The White Snake Sage slowly opened her eyes.
"The genius brat Orochimaru mentioned has arrived. Go and test him! Let's see how much of a 'genius' he really is!"
As she spoke, three figures before her slowly retreated and disappeared!
Sasuke could feel the overwhelming natural energy permeating Ryūchi Cave.
'No wonder a bunch of snakes managed to master Sage Arts. With such dense natural energy, any creature living here long enough would...'
'Unconsciously grow incredibly powerful.'
'If they had some talent, sensing and utilizing this natural energy to become a powerful summoning creature would be entirely plausible.'
Sasuke glanced toward the depths of the cave.
Though there were many paths, twisting and branching,
It resembled a massive underground labyrinth.
With a slight activation of his Sharingan, Sasuke immediately noticed one particular pathway showing faint traces of human footprints, albeit from long ago.
Most of the footprints seemed to lead toward this path.
Among them, one set of fresh footprints matched Orochimaru's perfectly.
This should be the correct route.
Sasuke began heading in that direction.
However, before he could travel far, he suddenly sensed three auras rapidly closing in.
Each aura emanated an extraordinarily powerful chakra presence.
This chakra wasn't ordinary; it gave Sasuke an even more shocking sensation.
'Are these... the Sages of Ryūchi Cave?'
After standing still for a few minutes, a dense fog quickly began to rise around him.
Sasuke frowned.
This was clearly a trick by the opponent.
He looked around, but the thick fog limited his vision to about a meter.
'Do they really think this will stop me from assessing my surroundings?'
A faint smirk appeared at the corner of Sasuke's lips.
The sensory ninjutsu he had developed earlier, Web of the Mind, was now proving to be invaluable.
Even though he wasn't in his Endless Thunder Pool state, in his normal state,
Sasuke's Web of the Mind could still sense everything within a radius of about fifteen meters.
That range was more than sufficient.
Forming hand seals, he raised his hand!
Lightning began to gather in his palm.
The next second
"Lightning Style: Web of the Mind!"
Zzzz!
A faint crackle of electricity burst from Sasuke's hand.
This 360-degree scanning technique caused minimal disturbance.
Only a faint sound of static electricity could be heard, and then it fell silent.
The Web of the Mind spread out as Sasuke maintained his single-hand seal. While scanning a wide area would consume more chakra,
A range of about fifteen meters was well within Sasuke's chakra capacity, allowing him to continuously maintain the sensory state.
The next moment
Just as expected, Sasuke immediately detected three enemies in three distinct directions.
They were floating in the air, circling him.
It seemed they could see through the fog, clearly locking onto his position.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, through his sensing, roughly grasped the height and physique of the three figures, along with the massive reserves of Sage Chakra within their bodies.
'The White Snake Sage's Three Snake Princesses, huh.'
'A trial from Ryūchi Cave?'
'Sorry, but I don't have the time to play games with each of you one by one.'
'Let's make this quick and direct.'
Sasuke thought to himself,
Deactivating the Web of the Mind.
Immediately, lightning erupted around his body.
"I'm in a hurry, so… all three of you, come at me together!"
The Three Snake Princesses were still observing Sasuke, but the next second, upon hearing his words, they were visibly stunned.
This brat had actually sensed their presence!!!
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