"You honor me."
Saitama looked at the Hebihime bowing before him. He thought they were well-mannered and respectful. But he didn't dwell on it for long.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he sensed the changes in his body. This feeling of enhancement was truly captivating — almost addictive. No wonder some people go against the world's wishes in pursuit of power.
Lowering his head, Saitama stretched out both hands, clenching and then relaxing his fingers, experiencing the immense power granted by [Sage Mode].
"The sensation is pretty good!"
After a while, Saitama's lips curled upward into a pleased smile.
"How does it feel, Saitama? Pretty intoxicating, right?"
Ichikishimahime looked at Saitama, her eyes carrying an inquiring expression. She knew about that exhilaration from first mastering [Sage Mode], one capable of easily making a person lose themselves.
"Not bad."
Saitama controlled the Sage Chakra within his body and slowly exited [Sage Mode]. That chakra membrane — resembling a soul — along with the golden eye shadow and the horn-like protrusions, all gradually vanished.
Some dispersed into the air as stray chakra, while others flowed back into his body like water.
The scene was amazing, but the Three Hebihime had become accustomed to whatever occurred around Saitama. Therefore, aside from a hint of surprise in their eyes, they showed no other external reactions, simply watching silently.
They were surprised because Saitama could consciously deactivate [Sage Mode]. Even for them, once entering [Sage Mode], they couldn't control their exit from it unless the supply of Sage Chakra ran out.
Soon, Saitama returned to normal — his trench coat was still torn, and his hair had grown slightly longer.
However, the Hebihime noticed that Saitama's eyes hadn't reverted entirely to their original black and white state; near his pupils remained traces of golden light, faintly showing the afterimage of [Sage Mode].
"Huff!" After finishing everything, Saitama exhaled. The breath was somewhat hot, forming mist above the Serpent Pool before slowly rising.
"The White Snake Sage said we should take you to see it after you mastered [Sage Mode]. I wonder, are you ready now?"
Tamatsukihime spoke gently to Saitama. She didn't use a demanding tone since Saitama, having mastered Sage Art, was clearly stronger than them.
"Okay. There are also some questions I want to ask the White Snake Sage."
Nodding, Saitama leapt up and landed beside the edge of the Serpent Pool, next to the Hebihime.
"Please lead the way!"
Saitama signaled to the snake goddesses and then glanced around the surroundings.
The location he was currently at wasn't the same place as before. Here, there were countless exits in every direction, with cool breezes blowing in through these openings.
"Alright!"
The Three Hebihime nodded, exchanged glances with each other, and then walked ahead, proceeding down one path.
These tunnel-like passageways were quite spacious — naturally so, since they were built for snakes of massive size to pass through comfortably. Smaller creatures would have still found them tight and constricting.
Serpent Pond was a place every adult ninja serpent in Ryuchi Cave had to visit. Here, they would bathe in the pond's waters rich in natural energy, improving their physical constitution and attempting to learn Sage Art and master [Sage Mode].
Though this was extremely difficult—only a few like Three Hebihime had succeeded even slightly throughout history—the Serpent Pond remained the most revered destination for all ninja serpents.
Walking behind Hebihime, Saitama moved slowly but steadily kept pace with Lady Hebihime's speed.
He was constantly observing his surroundings. Normally, an underground tunnel with no light should've been pitch black, but Saitama's eyes could clearly see everything through the heavy darkness.
This change came from a skill he gained after training in the [Snake Sage Art]—[Snake Eyes].
Snakes' eyes were naturally adapted to dark environments and possessed powerful dynamic vision.
According to Saitama's own guess, even in his normal state without activating his Sharingan, his motion tracking ability now rivaled what he'd had previously with the Three-Tomoe activated.
It might not be exactly the same as the Sharingan, but it definitely gave Saitama more techniques at his disposal.
Soon, Saitama sensed the familiar chakra signature of the White Snake Sage. The trio of snakes and one man returned to the stone platform they had visited before.
The White Snake Sage still maintained that relaxed, drowsy posture as always. Its pipe hung loosely from its mouth, and white smoke occasionally drifted upward from its slightly open lips in spiraling curls.
As soon as Saitama stepped onto the platform, the White Snake Sage opened its eyes. Its yellow snake pupils fixed on Saitama, its mouth curling faintly into an expression full of deeper meaning.
It was nearly impossible for humans to read expressions on a snake's face, but this time, Saitama genuinely saw happiness reflected in the White Snake Sage's slitted gaze.
"Hello, Great Sage of the White Snake," Saitama stopped about ten meters away from the ancient sage, slightly bowing his head before straightening up again, locking eyes with the White Snake Sage seated on the stone throne.
"Hello, Saitama Uchiha!" The White Snake Sage knew everything happening within Ryuchi Cave, so naturally already knew Saitama's name.
"I still need to thank you, Sage, for giving me the chance to learn Sage Art!"
A slight curve appeared at the corner of Saitama's mouth.
"This was destined from the beginning. There is no need for gratitude."
Slowly raising its head, the White Snake Sage coiled its tail around the pipe. Pure white in color and adorned in various sacred ornaments, the great sage looked majestic and untouchable.
"Oh..." Saitama caught the implication behind those words and looked puzzled.
"Fate..." He lifted his head, staring at the White Snake Sage, hoping it would elaborate further.
"Yes, fate. As for what 'fate' truly is... even I don't fully understand."
Taking another puff from its pipe, the White Snake Sage's eyes flickered with profound contemplation before it fell silent, merely gazing at Saitama.
"Well then."
Nodding slightly, Saitama didn't push for answers. Beings like the White Snake Sage—the revered sages of sacred lands who had lived for countless centuries—often believed in things no one could truly understand.
The giant toads of Mount Myoboku were the same. Because of one dream, they had sent Jiraiya searching across the world for the so-called Prophesized Child.
In Saitama's eyes, placing all hopes on fate was extremely foolish.
Shouldn't the future be grasped in one's own hands, created through every word and action taken now?
That was exactly how Saitama saw things—and how he lived by them. Only that gave him real peace of mind.
"Oh right, this scroll contains several practical applications of [Snake Sage Art]—you can refer to them!"
The White Snake Sage somehow pulled out a scroll with its tail from somewhere, coiled around it briefly, then tossed it to Saitama while offering a brief explanation.
The White Snake Sage had no intention of personally teaching Saitama, as it believed he could understand on his own without needing anyone's guidance.
"If there's nothing further, you may return to the Shinobi World. Ryuchi Cave is willing to remain allied with you, and our Summoning Contract will always stand!"
Seeing Saitama catch the scroll, the White Snake Sage lifted the pipe with its tail and gestured toward the surroundings and Hebihime.
"Thank you!" Saitama pressed the scroll against his chest, holding it there firmly while staring intently at the White Snake Sage, showing his sincerity.
Turning around, Saitama noticed the Three Hebihime still standing in a line without leaving. He nodded to them in greeting.
Stepping forward, Saitama headed outside. This visit to Ryuchi Cave had already met his expectations—even exceeded them. It was time for him to return to the Shinobi World.
He now felt far more confident about countering the Akatsuki Organization's plan to gather the Tailed Beasts.
Click! Just after taking a few steps forward, Saitama abruptly stopped and turned back—he'd remembered something.
The White Snake Sage froze mid-motion, and the Three Hebihime also looked over in confusion, their eyes reflecting Saitama's figure.
"White Snake Sage, do you have a serpent named Shinta here? I want to make a contract with him!"
This was something Saitama suddenly recalled—a serpent named Shinta, a violent red python even older than Manda.
Years ago, he had lost an eye and since then had grown ferocious. Even other snakes within Ryuchi Cave greatly feared and loathed him, unwilling to associate with him.
Though lacking Sage Mode, Shinta possessed abundant **Sage Chakra** within, making his strength truly formidable. Without his personality issues, his status in Ryuchi Cave would definitely not be low.
"Yes, there is one named Shinta, but I've exiled him to the edge of Ryuchi Cave. If you wish to find him, you can ask Manda to carry you there! I cannot force him into making a contract with you either—the choice depends entirely on you!"
"Shinta's temper is even more volatile than Manda's. However, he has what's called an inverted scale—if you can remove it, his temperament might soften considerably."
Pausing for a moment, the White Snake Sage offered a hint to Saitama. Truthfully, it had long known how to deal with Shinta, yet never acted upon it.
As Ryuchi Cave's founding master, it essentially refused to interfere with subordinates' development. Letting things develop naturally had been its guiding principle for centuries.
As for revealing the solution to Saitama, it was simply hoping to reduce Shinta's suffering.
After all, considering Saitama's power level, taming Shinta was merely a matter of time. The ultimate outcome would always end in forming a contract with Saitama anyway—wouldn't it be better if he endured less pain along the way?
The White Snake Sage knew Saitama wasn't an ordinary man. After all, anyone daring enough to enter Ryuchi Cave was either mad or insanely powerful.
People like them had one thing in common—they'd stick to a mission no matter how extreme their methods seemed.
"Alright!" Saitama nodded, accepting The White Snake Sage's favor, then without looking back, he strode outside.
Manda, as a summoned boss-level beast, was acceptable, but since Orochimaru also summoned Manda, sharing the same serpent felt somewhat awkward.
Forming a personal contract with one's own ninja beast became quite necessary.
...
Since Saitama entered, Manda and the other two snakes had remained coiled, not moving an inch.
Days went by, but they didn't show any sign of getting restless.
[Sage Art] training takes time—this wasn't something you could master in a few days. The three snakes, having tried it before, understood this well.
So they didn't rush. They just stayed motionless in place, patiently waiting.
Dada dada! A familiar sound of footsteps rang out. Manda lifted his head first, his two huge eyes turning toward the depths of the main entrance.
This chakra fluctuation allowed Manda to confirm immediately—it belonged to that human called Saitama.
But he came out so quickly—did that mean he chose not to train, or his training had failed?
If his training indeed failed, wouldn't he have been eaten as dessert by the [Hebihime]?
Confused, Manda flared his nostrils again and again, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The two guardian snakes also heard the noise and raised their heads accordingly.
Meanwhile, the crimson giant snake turned its body around, glancing at the entrance while flicking its tongue out.
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