Before his soul was damaged by the Reanimation Jutsu, Orochimaru's genjutsu prowess had been formidable.
He wasn't at Uchiha Gen's level, but his senses were sharp enough to notice the subtle wrongness in the illusions around them. And given his deep familiarity with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave, he knew they would never go out of their way to prepare food that suited human taste.
So when Tagorihime, the snake princess, tried to lure them with her feast, both Orochimaru and Gen turned her down flat.
Her smile faltered instantly.
The beautiful illusionary maiden melted away, revealing her true form; sharp teeth, a forked blue tongue, and eyes rimmed with black-red markings.
Yet the master and disciple didn't so much as flinch. Their faces remained calm, unreadable.
Tagorihime huffed and crossed her arms. "You've passed the trial. Hmph. The two of you are dreadfully boring."
Gen gave her a faint smile. "A clever genjutsu, though. Frankly, indistinguishable from reality. I'm impressed. If you're interested, once I master Sage Mode, perhaps we can exchange insights in genjutsu." He tilted his head. "Though if possible, could you shift back to your previous form? This one doesn't appeal much to human aesthetics."
Orochimaru's lips curved in amusement. "I disagree. I find her current appearance rather… compelling."
Gen's eye twitched. Of course my teacher's taste is twisted. No wonder he did all those grotesque things in the original history.
Tagorihime leaned closer, studying Gen. "Confident, aren't you? Since the founding of Ryūchi Cave, only a handful of humans have ever succeeded in Sage Arts. In the past century, not a single one."
Still, perhaps charmed by his face, she shifted back into her beautiful form, green hair, pale skin, and flowing robes once more.
"That's only because my master and I hadn't come yet," Gen replied evenly. "Now that we're here, you'll soon see two succeed at once."
His confidence wasn't an act. His soul was powerful, his chakra immense, perfect for Sage training.
Orochimaru, unburdened by the spiritual damage that had marred him in the original timeline, had just as high a chance. Jiraiya and Kabuto had managed it. Was Orochimaru's genius any less than theirs? Hardly.
Orochimaru himself smiled faintly, clearly thinking the same. He had always succeeded in mastering whatever ninjutsu he put his mind to. Why should this be any different?
"Hmph. We'll see," Tagorihime said. "Even if you succeed, you may not yet be worthy of exchanging genjutsu with me."
Her pride bristled at their self-assurance.
Gen chuckled softly. "Then, Hime… allow me to offer a demonstration."
He flashed through hand seals, pouring chakra and will into a single illusion.
Phantom Dragon: Nine Realms!
The damp cave around them dissolved. In its place spread a world of impossible majesty...
Beneath their feet, the rocky ground flowed into an endless azure ocean, turbulent and alive. Above, the cavern ceiling split and dissolved into a sky of brilliant white clouds rolling like waves.
And then came the sound.
Roars. Deep, thunderous dragon calls, overlapping in different tones, reverberating across heaven and earth until the air itself quivered.
The ocean convulsed.
In the eight directions...north, south, east, west, and every diagonal, massive whirlpools burst open, with each a thousand feet across. Towering waves crashed upward, smashing the cloud-sea above.
From each breach rose a colossal dragon.
Nine titanic forms ascended together, scales glittering in every hue, bodies ten thousand feet long, a thousand wide. Flame-clouds of nine colors billowed beneath them, and seven-colored light haloed their ascent.
Azure Dragon, Fire Dragon, Black Dragon, Rain Dragon, Cloud Dragon, Horned Dragon, Mirage Dragon, Winged Dragon and Yellow Dragon.
They soared higher and higher, their might pressing down on everything below.
Tagorihime froze. Her snake's body trembled instinctively. Orochimaru's golden eyes widened in uncharacteristic awe.
Dragons.
Tagorihime had never seen so many, never felt that crushing majesty, the aura of beings so far beyond snakes it was almost unbearable. Illusion or not, it felt real. The weight of it pressed into her soul.
Ryūchi Cave called itself 'Dragon Ground,' but in truth, it was a snake's den. Snakes dreamed of becoming dragons. But real dragons would never stoop to live in a cold, dark cave.
To snakes, dragons were the unreachable ideal.
And here, nine of them towered above her, dominating the skies.
Gen snapped his fingers, and the vision shattered. The waves, the light, the dragons, all vanished. They were back in the dark cave, littered with bones.
Gen's Sharingan glowed faintly as he asked, "So, Hime... am I now qualified to exchange insights with you?"
Tagorihime's composure cracked. Her illusion faltered, and she reverted to her snake-demon form. Her voice shook with disbelief. "Where… where did you see those dragons?"
"I've never seen them," Gen replied smoothly. "I imagined them."
And it was true. In his previous life, he had seen countless images of mythical dragons. He had stitched those impressions together, given them flesh through genjutsu.
"Impossible," she whispered. "I felt it. A faint trace of dragon's might…"
Gen tilted his head. "Then you've experienced true dragon's might before?"
"Uh…" Tagorihime faltered. Of course she hadn't. No snake in this cave had. But what she'd felt...the oppressive nobility, the domineering ancient power; it was unlike anything she'd known.
It couldn't be snake's might. It had to be something greater.
"You really haven't seen them?" she pressed.
"I truly haven't. Just imagination, inspired by pictures of dragons from the outside world."
No way I can admit the truth about my other life.
Tagorihime's eyes narrowed. "Then it must be true. Dragons do exist. Or at least… they once did."
Her voice swelled with passion. "The toads of Mount Myōboku, Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest, those are nothing. Ryūchi Cave is heir to the dragons. We are noble beings, second only to them!"
Gen and Orochimaru exchanged a glance, but wisely nodded in agreement. They were here to learn, not to antagonize.
Tagorihime, pleased, folded her arms. "Very well. If you truly master Sage Arts, I will exchange genjutsu with you and even teach you deeper Sage secrets. But don't die in training. Now, proceed to the next trial."
Gen gave a faint bow. "Until we meet again, Hime."
They moved deeper into the cave, the air growing thicker, until they reached another chamber. Waiting there was Ichikishimahime.
She welcomed them in with a sweet smile, then sealed the exit with a massive boulder.
Normally, disciples trapped here would be forced to fill holes in the rock with crystal shards to escape. All the while, Ichikishimahime's Sage power would leech their chakra. Once their reserves dwindled, she would devour their flesh and chakra whole.
She presented herself as a young girl with a long dark-blue hair, golden crown topped with an orb, golden slit-pupils, red markings trailing down her nose, pale skin, blue-green magatama earrings, and a flowing white gown.
Her sharp teeth and pink tongue betrayed the predator beneath, but compared to Tagorihime, her form was far more charming.
This was her trial.
But Gen and Orochimaru were not ordinary ninjas.
When the boulder sealed them in, they didn't even hesitate. Orochimaru's hands blurred, Wind Release swirling into cutting gales. Gen followed with Fire Release, his flames roaring into the gusts. The combined force slammed into the rock, detonating it into fragments.
BOOM!
The chamber filled with smoke and rubble.
Ichikishimahime's expression twisted with fury. Hovering in midair, she dropped her disguise and pointed at them, shrieking:
"That doesn't count! You're cheating!"