For the first time since entering Ryūchi Cave, Chiba released the true might of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Genjutsu, Release (Kai)."
"Disperse."
The moment his words fell, an overwhelming surge of ocular power burst forth from his eyes, silent yet tyrannical. It swept across the surroundings like an invisible storm, colliding head-on with the senjutsu-enhanced illusion that enveloped the cave. For a brief heartbeat, the fabricated world trembled,then fine cracks began to spread across it, spiderwebbing through the false sky, the lavish halls, and the enticing banquet as though reality itself were shattering.
Crack.
Crack,!
The sound rang sharp and brittle.
In the next instant, the illusion collapsed completely. The splendid castle, the warm candlelight, and the intoxicating aroma of food all vanished like fragments of broken glass, dissolving into nothingness. Darkness rushed back in, cold and heavy, restoring the true face of Ryūchi Cave,its narrow, twisting tunnels steeped in damp shadows and ancient malice.
Tagitsuhime's eyes widened in disbelief.
She had witnessed challengers resist the illusion before, forcing themselves to turn away from temptation through sheer willpower. Most, however, never made it that far, falling the moment their guard slipped. But this was different. This was not endurance or resistance.
Her senjutsu genjutsu had been forcibly destroyed.
An outcome she had never seen,not once in all her years.
Yet to Chiba, it was nothing more than the expected result.
Using genjutsu against him was no different from baring one's throat.
At this moment, Chiba bore within his eyes the fused power of five Mangekyō Sharingan. Among them were Itachi Uchiha's Tsukuyomi and Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami,illusions that stood at the very apex of genjutsu, feared and revered throughout shinobi history. Across generations, Itachi and Shisui were acknowledged as unparalleled masters of illusion, figures so dominant that scarcely anyone could be mentioned in the same breath.
And now, their ocular power flowed through Chiba as one.
His understanding of genjutsu, his control over perception and reality, had long transcended conventional limits. Against eyes like his, the illusion woven by Tagitsuhime never stood a chance.
Chiba's voice cut through the lingering silence, calm and unhurried.
"So… does that mean the first trial is over?"
Tagitsuhime stared at him, her lips parting slightly as words failed her. "You… you…"
Beside her, Ichikishimahime's expression finally changed. The faint amusement she had worn until now vanished, replaced by open caution.
"This is the first time I've ever seen Tagitsuhime's illusion shattered head-on," she said slowly, her gaze fixed on Chiba. "Just who… are you?"
Before the tension could thicken further, a voice echoed from deep within Ryūchi Cave.
It was ancient, layered with time, carrying an authority that seemed to press down on the very stone walls.
"He is the most prominent figure in the shinobi world at present," the voice intoned. "The Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure. A man who rose abruptly, overturned expectations, and made his name resound across the Five Great Nations."
"The one you face now… is Chiba of the Yuki clan."
A murmur rippled through the surrounding serpents, their vertical pupils narrowing as understanding dawned. The air itself seemed to grow heavier with recognition.
Even Chiba felt a subtle stir within his chest,not pride, but awareness,as his name settled into the depths of this ancient sacred land.
It was said in legend that the White Snake Sage, relying on his unparalleled senjutsu chakra, could listen to everything that transpired across the shinobi world, as though nothing could escape his perception. Judging from the situation now, those rumors were far from groundless.
The White Snake Sage's voice echoed once more through Ryūchi Cave, ancient and weighty. "You must never underestimate this man."
The surrounding serpents nodded in unison, clearly understanding his intent. The meaning was obvious,the remaining two trials were to be raised in difficulty.
Chiba merely smiled, unconcerned.
At his indifference, Ichikishimahime gave a slight nod and swiftly activated her senjutsu. The interior of Ryūchi Cave shifted once again, the environment transforming in a way that immediately caught Chiba's attention. This time, however, it was not an illusion. These were genuine mechanisms and formations, meticulously arranged.
In an instant, Chiba and Mei Terumi were separated.
The ground beneath their feet guided them onto two diverging paths, one to the left and one to the right, each leading deeper into the cave. Before either could react, the stone entrance behind them slammed shut once more with a thunderous crash.
Chiba immediately recognized Ichikishimahime's ability,chakra absorption. In the era of Boruto, she relied on crystalline structures to achieve this effect. Yet here, no crystals were visible at all. Instead, the tunnel itself stretched on endlessly, unnaturally long, as though it had no true end.
As he walked forward, Chiba could clearly feel it,his chakra was being drained continuously, little by little, simply by remaining within the passage.
He understood at once. This was Ichikishimahime's trap.
By combining an elongated tunnel with a formation that devoured chakra throughout its domain, the trial was designed to exhaust challengers completely, leaving them empty shells to be devoured by the serpents of Ryūchi Cave.
Such a mechanism, however, was hardly worth mentioning to Chiba.
Not only had he perfectly fused Hashirama's cells, granting him an overwhelming reserve of chakra, but even without relying on that, he could simply shift into the Logia-like elemental form of the Ice Fruit. In that state, chakra could not even be sensed, let alone absorbed.
Chiba advanced steadily, unaffected. Ichikishimahime's chakra-draining technique proved utterly meaningless against him.
This development left Ichikishimahime and the surrounding serpents stunned once again.
Chiba himself felt little concern, but Mei Terumi's situation weighed briefly on his mind. Activating his sensory abilities, he quickly located her presence within the opposite tunnel.
She, too, had noticed the chakra-devouring mechanism, though dismantling it required a certain amount of effort. Fortunately, Mei had also fused Hashirama's cells. While her fusion was not as perfect as Chiba's, her chakra reserves had still increased dramatically,far beyond what this mechanism could drain in a short time.
More importantly, as the former Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure, Mei possessed a keen and formidable intellect. Before long, she identified the flaw within the formation, pinpointing its weakest point with precision.
Then, without hesitation, she unleashed her monstrous strength.
A single punch.
The weakest section of the tunnel detonated under her fist, collapsing the formation entirely. The passage crumbled, and in the settling dust, Mei caught sight of Chiba emerging from the adjacent tunnel.
Their eyes met, and both smiled.
"So this is all Ryūchi Cave's trials amount to?" Mei remarked lightly.
Ichikishimahime was both shocked and furious, yet utterly powerless. Her gaze shifted toward the last remaining figure.
Tagitsuhime.
As the one responsible for the final trial, Tagitsuhime possessed the ability to bind the body and distort the mind. Anyone bitten by her razor-sharp fangs would be instantly immobilized, their body overheating as hallucinations overwhelmed their senses. Within those illusions, she would torment her prey relentlessly, driving them into despair until they lost all will to resist,eventually becoming nourishment for Ryūchi Cave.
In that very instant, Tagitsuhime erupted with terrifying senjutsu chakra, launching the final trial without delay.
Her form twisted violently, transforming into a grotesque fusion of human head and serpentine body. She opened her gaping maw wide, fangs and tongue flashing as she shot forward with blinding speed, aiming straight for Chiba's neck.
But such an attack,
How could it possibly harm him?
Chiba let out a cold chuckle. In a single motion, his arm snapped upward, his hand clamping firmly around Tagitsuhime's throat mid-lunge.
Then, the power of the Ice Fruit erupted.
Boom,!
Boom,!
BOOM,!!!
Frost exploded outward in all directions. Tagitsuhime's human-serpent form was frozen solid in an instant, encased entirely in ice.
Thud!
Her frozen body slammed violently into the ground. The ice shattered on impact, and she suffered catastrophic internal injuries, blood pouring from her mouth as she spat out several large mouthfuls.
"Tagitsuhime!!!"
Ichikishimahime and Tainoshin no Kami rushed forward in alarm, checking her condition as rage flared in their eyes when they looked back at Chiba.
Chiba could not be bothered to spare them a glance.
He turned his gaze calmly toward the deepest reaches of Ryūchi Cave. "White Snake Sage," he said evenly, "have you had enough of these little tricks?"
"If you continue playing games like this, I won't be holding back anymore."
Silence fell instantly.
The entire cave went deathly still. The surrounding serpents were completely shaken, utterly intimidated by the sight of Chiba casually incapacitating a high-ranking elder of Ryūchi Cave in an instant. Not a single one dared to make a sound.
Only after a long pause did the White Snake Sage's voice finally emerge from the depths.
"Mizukage-dono… please, come inside."
Chiba snorted softly and motioned for Mei to follow as they proceeded deeper into Ryūchi Cave.
Tainoshin no Kami, Ichikishimahime, the heavily injured Tagitsuhime, and the rest of the serpents,including Manda,dared not interfere. They surrounded Chiba and Mei at a distance, escorting them cautiously toward the cave's innermost sanctum.
At last, they arrived at the deepest point of Ryūchi Cave.
Before them stood a structure resembling a vast and ancient temple, grand beyond imagination. Above its entrance hung a massive plaque bearing three bold, flowing characters:
Ryūchi Cave.
The characters were inscribed upon a colossal scroll, clenched firmly in the jaws of an enormous dragon head. It symbolized the ultimate truth of Ryūchi Cave,through the cultivation of senjutsu, a serpent could transcend its nature and become a true dragon.
Beneath the dragon's head, upon a massive stone throne, coiled an incomparably huge white-scaled serpent. His pupils fixed steadily upon Chiba and Mei.
The White Snake Sage's scales were impossibly hard, yet polished to a lustrous sheen. As they shifted subtly, a faint, chilling sound accompanied the movement. Around his neck hung a cat's-eye gemstone necklace, radiating extraordinary power. Orange hair cascaded from his head, framing golden serpent pupils, while a purple ribbon adorned his forehead, set with a luminous gem that gleamed like moonlight.
A pipe rested between his fangs as he studied them closely,particularly Chiba, whom he examined from head to toe with unmistakable scrutiny.
Mei's heart stirred slightly.
So this was the master of one of the Three Great Sage Regions… the White Snake Sage.
A monster rumored to have lived for over a thousand years.
Chiba felt the weight of that gaze and frowned faintly. "White Snake Sage, I followed Ryūchi Cave's rules and passed all three trials to reach this place," he said calmly. "You can hand over Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu now."
This was courtesy before force.
Chiba had respected their rules, expecting the same in return. Of course, if the White Snake Sage chose to renege, Chiba had no qualms about resolving the matter through strength.
The White Snake Sage exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his golden pupils locking onto Chiba. "So you are the new Mizukage of Kirigakure," he said slowly. "I've heard quite a lot about you."
"Is that so?" Chiba replied evenly. "Then you should also know this has nothing to do with Ryūchi Cave."
"I came here for the same reason as all others,to seek senjutsu as an adventurer."
The White Snake Sage chuckled softly. "You did follow Ryūchi Cave's rules."
"But ultimately," he continued, "those rules were created by me."
"If I decide to change them… who could stop me?"
Chiba's expression shifted slightly.
So he intended to go back on his word.
"Rules can change," Chiba replied calmly, "but only those with the strength to enforce them can do so."
"Otherwise, they're nothing but empty words."
The White Snake Sage laughed. "Well said. As expected of the Mizukage who has shaken the entire shinobi world."
"Are you suggesting your strength surpasses mine?"
"I've shown courtesy first," Chiba answered coolly. "I passed every trial according to your rules. If you break your promise now, you're simply toying with me."
"And if that's the case, then I'll just have to revise your rules myself."
Chiba's irritation was evident. If the White Snake Sage never intended to teach senjutsu, he could have said so from the start. Instead, he sent trial after trial, only to attempt to back out once Chiba succeeded.
The White Snake Sage burst into booming laughter. Vast, boundless natural energy surged around him, his laughter causing the entire Ryūchi Cave to tremble violently.
Mei's expression tightened slightly.
As expected of a monster that had lived for over a millennium,his power was truly extraordinary.
Yet Chiba unleashed his own aura without hesitation. The pressure of two supreme beings collided head-on, shaking the cave as rocks and debris rained down from the ceiling.
The lesser serpents scattered in terror, fleeing in all directions. Only beings of Manda's caliber, along with Ichikishimahime, Tainoshin no Kami, and Tagitsuhime, managed to withstand the pressure and remain nearby to witness the confrontation.
Even so, they could feel it,
An overwhelming, suffocating terror pressing down upon them.
One by one, the surrounding snakes retreated, no longer daring to approach too closely, instinctively withdrawing under the crushing pressure of the two opposing wills.
The White Snake Sage's voice thundered through the cavern, filled with arrogance and fury.
"Mizukage-dono, no matter how dazzling your sudden rise may be, you are still nothing more than a brat not yet twenty years old!"
"You think you can run wild in Ryūchi Cave, a sacred land that has existed for over a thousand years?!"
"The senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave has always been mine to give,or not to give. By what right do you think you can force me to hand over my power?!"
Chiba's gaze turned cold, his tone calm yet sharp.
"Very well. Since that's how it is, then we'll follow the simplest rule."
"Whoever has the stronger fist controls everything."
The White Snake Sage roared in response, his killing intent surging.
"Then allow me to properly teach you a lesson, you insolent, wet-behind-the-ears child!!!"
In that instant,
Boom!!!
Boom!!!
BOOM!!!!!
Even before the two truly clashed, the overwhelming pressure of their confrontation caused the entire Ryūchi Cave to tremble violently. The cavern shook as if on the brink of collapse, while vast, boundless natural energy began to surge madly from all directions, converging toward the White Snake Sage's massive body.
At that moment, it was as though he had become the master of nature itself, commanding the surrounding天地 to move at his will.
Suddenly, the White Snake Sage unleashed the true profundity of Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu.
"Senpō: Muki Tensei (Senjutsu: Inorganic Reincarnation)!!!"
In an instant, the entire Ryūchi Cave seemed to come alive. The cavern twisted and constricted like the belly of a colossal serpent, crushing down toward Chiba and Mei Terumi with terrifying force. From the ground, countless stone spikes burst forth violently, shooting upward to impale them. All around, razor-sharp stalactites formed and descended from the ceiling, sealing off every path of escape, threatening to crush and pierce them completely.
Chiba's eyes flickered with interest. He could clearly tell,this same Senjutsu: Inorganic Reincarnation, when used by the White Snake Sage, was more than ten times stronger than when Yakushi Kabuto wielded it in Sage Mode.
But even so,
Chiba was far from someone who could be easily overwhelmed.
Faced with the earth-shaking upheaval, with the cave transforming into a primeval beast that seemed ready to devour him whole, Chiba remained composed, his expression unchanging.
He slowly raised both hands.
"Ice Age."
The moment the words fell,
Boom!!!
Boom!!!
BOOM!!!!!
An unimaginably violent wave of extreme cold erupted outward, surging in all directions. The raging earth, the trembling cavern, and the berserk natural energy that had seemed alive only moments before were instantly engulfed by Chiba's Ice Age.
In a single breath, everything froze.
The ground, the stalactites, the stone spikes,along with the rampant senjutsu itself,were sealed in absolute zero, locked in place without the slightest ability to move.
The world that had been roaring just seconds earlier was suddenly frozen into deathly stillness.
All the snakes of Ryūchi Cave stared in shock, their minds going blank.
Even the White Snake Sage himself could not hide his astonishment.