The Ryuchi Cave's depths were a realm of primal menace, its jagged walls alive with the slither of serpents and the pulse of raw, untamed energy. Torchlight flickered, casting eerie shadows as I followed Orochimaru deeper, his pale form gliding like a specter. My hood was low, concealing my four eyes—a trait I was born with—while my towering frame, over six feet and rippling with chakra-enhanced muscle, moved with predatory grace. My modified body thrummed with power: a second heart amplified my chakra flow; expanded lungs fueled endurance that let me endure the cave's suffocating air. Sculpted for dominance like Sukuna from Jujutsu Kaisen, my physique was a weapon forged for my goals—power, control, freedom. My skills—Dismantle, Cleave, Mirror Mirage Technique, genjutsu, and medical ninjutsu—had carried me through the Chunin Exams, Konoha's invasion, and Orochimaru's brutal training. Now, in the heart of the Ryuchi Cave, I faced the final trial for Snake Sage Mode, a power promising venomous chakra, viper-like agility, and regeneration. Tsunade's Yin Seal and medical ninjutsu remained a future goal, a path to perfect my body's resilience, but today, the serpent's power was my focus. This was a Baldur's Gate endgame quest, a make-or-break moment, and I'd conquer it with the cunning of my gamer past.
Orochimaru's lair had sharpened me, his lessons and the Sound Four's hostility forging my resolve. Sasuke trained elsewhere, his Curse Seal driving him toward his own goals, our alliance a fragile thread. The Sound Four—Kidomaru, Jirobo, Sakon, Tayuya—watched me with suspicion, their loyalty to Orochimaru a chain I'd never wear. Konoha's shadow—Danzo, Kakashi—loomed, but I was ready to break free, Snake Sage Mode the key to surpassing their reach.
Orochimaru stopped at a vast chamber, its floor a mosaic of scales, its ceiling lost in darkness. At the center coiled the Great White Serpent, its massive form dwarfing us, its eyes like molten embers. "You return, human," it hissed, its voice shaking the air. "The final trial awaits. Master natural energy, become a sage… or become stone."
Orochimaru's smile was predatory. "Succeed, Archon, and you'll wield power beyond Konoha's dreams. Fail, and you're nothing."
I met his gaze, my four eyes hidden but unyielding. "I don't fail."
The trial was threefold: endurance, combat, and mastery. The first test was a venomous miasma, thicker than before, its corrosive bite searing my skin. I channeled medical ninjutsu to neutralize the poison, my second heart keeping my chakra steady, my expanded lungs filtering the air. Natural energy surged, wild and chaotic, but my chakra control—honed through months of practice—balanced it. Scales flickered on my arms, my reflexes sharpening, a sign I was close to sage mode.
The second test was combat against three giant serpents, their fangs dripping venom, their speed blinding. I dodged, my body twisting with sage-enhanced agility, my towering frame moving like a viper. I wove a Mirror Mirage Technique, fifteen clones slithering around the serpents, their hypnotic movements—coiling, striking—disorienting. A Shadow-based genjutsu, inspired by Shikamaru, froze one serpent, while a Confusion-based genjutsu, drawn from Ino, sent another crashing into a stalactite. I struck with sage-infused Dismantle, its venomous chakra slicing through scales, and Cleave, its contact-based power cracking fangs. My regeneration kicked in, healing a grazed wound mid-fight, scales shimmering as my skin knit together. The serpents fell, and the Great White Serpent's eyes gleamed.
The final test was mastery. I sat before the Great White Serpent, channeling natural energy to its fullest, merging it with my chakra. The energy was a torrent, threatening to consume me, but my modified body—second heart, second heart, lungs, muscles—endured. My chakra's control was surgical, guided by Orochimaru's seals and my medical training. My body transformed: scales covered my forearms, my pupils slit, my chakra surged with a venomous bite. I stood, a proto-sage Sage, not fully formed, but the Great White Serpent nodded approvingly. "You are worthy," it hissed. "Return to complete your transformation. The Snake Sage Mode is yours."
Orochimaru clapped, his laughter echoing. "Magnificent, Archon. You're more than I'd hoped. Stay, and I'll make you a god."
I smirked, my voice steady. "I'm not here for worship. I'm here for power."
His eyes narrowed, but he gestured for me to leave. I knew his game—he'd try to bind me, use me as a tool or vessel. I'd learn what I needed, then break free. Snake Sage Mode was mine, its venomous chakra enhancing my techniques. I tested it in a nearby cavern, infusing Dismantle with sage chakra; it sliced through a stone wall like acid. Cleave, delivered with a touch, left a sizzling welt that burned stone. My Mirror Mirage clones moved with serpentine grace, disorienting a summoned snake until it fled. Regeneration healed a deep cut in seconds, my medical ninjutsu amplifying the effect.
Sasuke was waiting outside, his Curse Seal flaring, his eyes sharp. "You did it," he said, his voice tense. "What's next?"
"More," I replied, echoing his ambition. "We train, we grow, we leave when it's time."
He nodded, but I sensed his unease—Orochimaru's influence was tightening. The Sound Four lurked nearby, their chakra signatures cold. Kidomaru taunted me, his webs a constant test. I countered, outsmarting him with genjutsu, my towering frame intimidating. Tayuya's flute clashed with my illusions, but my sage-enhanced control prevailed. Jirobo and Sakon's brute force was no match for my speed and precision.
Orochimaru pushed us harder, teaching forbidden techniques that complemented my sage mode. I learned a venomous chakra cloak, a defensive shroud that burned attackers, its energy syncing with my second heart. My agility training let me to dodge sage-enhanced projectiles, my body twisting like a snake. I practiced in secret, refining my Yin Seal, the diamond pattern holding for ten minutes, storing a significant chakra reserve. My medical ninjutsu reached new heights—I could regenerate entire limbs, a synergy with sage mode's healing that would make me unstoppable.
Tsunade's path lingered. Her Yin Seal and medical ninjutsu were key to mastering my body, and I'd return to Konoha, claiming her knowledge. I visualized her strength, her precision, her chakra's reservoir fueling my Malevolent Shrine. My medical skills were a bridge—stabilizing Sasuke's Curse Seal, healing teammates' wounds, proving my worth.
One night, Orochimaru revealed his endgame. "Sasuke is my vessel," he said, his voice low. "But you, Archon, are a prize. Join me fully, or you'll regret it."
I met his gaze. "I'm no one's prize. Try to take me, and you'll burn."
His laughter was a warning, but I was ready. Snake Sage Mode was mine, and I was ready to break free. Konoha's pursuit—Danzo, Kakashi—would hunt me, but I was Archon, a gamer reborn, playing a long game. The Ryuchi Cave had forged me, and I'd emerge a sage, ready to carve my path through any foe.