NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66: Ryuchi Cave!
Orochimaru's secret base.
At this moment, under his unparalleled technology, Orochimaru had already reattached his severed arm.
"Hurry and collect all the useful data, burn the rest," Orochimaru ordered with anticipation on his face. "I can't wait to visit the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls…"
Kabuto nodded, then asked, "What about the test subjects?"
Orochimaru gave a cold smile.
"A bunch of failures who couldn't even survive the first stage of experiments. Kill them."
Then, as if remembering something, he added,
"Oh, and make sure to bring Jūgo. He still has tremendous research value."
At that moment, a voice echoed.
"So, your arm is already reattached? As expected of you."
After dealing with the Hidden Cloud, Kaede returned to Orochimaru's place holding his little 'pet.'
"Kaede-kun," Orochimaru greeted with a smile.
"After seeing that information, my anticipation is killing me—it's like a cat scratching at my heart!" he said, his gaze burning as he looked at Kaede.
The next moment, his pupils shrank.
"This is… the Two-Tails?"
Kaede stroked the little cat's head. "Yeah, just a little pet I picked up."
Orochimaru licked his lips. "It hasn't been long at all… Kaede-kun, your strength is even more astonishing than I expected. Even the most defiant of Tailed Beasts becomes so tame in your hands."
Kabuto, standing nearby, also looked on in awe. That was a Tailed Beast—something considered a natural disaster—yet in Kaede's arms, it behaved like a docile housecat.
"Enough talk," Kaede said indifferently. "I heard you mention Jūgo just now?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Kaede-kun knows of him?"
Kaede didn't answer, instead ordering directly, "Take me to see him."
Still intimidated by Kaede, Orochimaru obediently gestured, "Please."
Jūgo was currently held in this very place.
Led by Orochimaru, Kaede soon arrived at the cage where Jūgo was kept.
"Roar…!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Low growls echoed down the corridor, mixed with heavy thuds, as if some giant beast were assaulting the cage.
Kaede was unaffected.
Sensing the familiar energy, his eyes lit up.
"Such dense natural energy."
Quickening his pace, Jūgo came into view—completely berserk, savagely grinding against everything around him, the cage barely holding together. Dense natural energy poured out of his body.
"I'll kill you!"
The instant he saw intruders, Jūgo charged at Kaede and the others.
Kaede shook his head.
"A pity—you have no idea how to control that power."
Holding the little cat in one arm, he extended two fingers on the other hand.
The next second, it was as if Jūgo had thrown himself onto Kaede's hand.
Then—
Bang!
With a flick of Kaede's finger, Jūgo was sent flying, crashing into the wall and leaving a deep human-shaped dent.
"Ugh…"
Jūgo let out a pained groan, then stared at them in confusion.
"Orochimaru-sama?"
Looking around, he muttered, "Where is this? Looks like I lost control again."
Orochimaru licked his lips, unable to hide his shock. Kaede had dispersed Jūgo's rampaging natural energy with a single flick.
Recovering quickly, Orochimaru introduced, "This is Uchiha Kaede—your future leader. He's the one who stopped your rampage just now."
Although surprised, Jūgo politely bowed to Kaede.
"Thank you… leader."
Kaede glanced at Orochimaru. "You've found quite the treasure."
If Jūgo could master the natural energy within him, his future achievements could be terrifying—at least greater than Tsunade's in the original timeline.
Unfortunately, even by the end of the Fourth War, he never achieved that, transforming into a monster every time he used sage power.
Still, in the uninspired Boruto era, Orochimaru had seemingly developed a method for Jūgo to use Sage Mode without losing control—something Kaede found very interesting.
Although Kaede had mastered a perfect Sage Mode himself, if he wanted to pass it on to all his clansmen, he would have to personally supervise their training at all times.
If Orochimaru could develop Jūgo's Sage Mode earlier with his help, it would be invaluable.
"Take him to the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls for research," Kaede said, then turned away from Jūgo.
Looking back at Orochimaru, he continued, "Where's Ryūchi Cave? Take me there."
Recently, Kaede had been feeling a strange sense of urgency.
Even though no one in the current shinobi world could challenge him head-on, there were still hidden threats—like the Ōtsutsuki, and…
The true mastermind in the shadows—the Sage of Six Paths.
Against such enemies, Kaede was still lacking.
Right now, the fastest way to increase his power was through the God Tree.
Without destroying the shinobi world, the three great holy lands were the key targets.
He intended to start with them.
Though puzzled, Orochimaru quickly summoned a large snake.
"Enter its mouth—it will take us there."
Kaede looked at the snake with disgust. No way was he doing something that gross.
"No need."
As Orochimaru summoned the snake, Kaede locked onto Ryūchi Cave's location through spatial fluctuations.
Opening his Mangekyō, he used Kamui to create a space portal.
Then he stepped inside.
"Space-time ability, huh…" Orochimaru said enviously, glancing at the portal.
Turning to Kabuto, he ordered, "Take Jūgo and the research to the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls—don't wait for us."
With that, he followed Kaede into the portal.
…
"Hm?"
In Ryūchi Cave, the White Snake Sage slowly opened its eyes.
"What is it, Sage?" asked a nearby Snake Princess.
"It's Orochimaru—and he's brought along someone… I can't quite read," the White Snake Sage replied.
The three Snake Princesses were shocked. "Even you can't see through him?"
The White Snake Sage shook its head. "Set up the trials. No matter who comes here, they must follow my rules."
Then it closed its eyes again.
A man it couldn't read?
So what?
It had lived for over a thousand years. What strange ninjutsu had it not seen?
Even the Sage of Six Paths had merely been trained by its contemporary, the Great Toad Sage, and would still call it "senior" upon meeting.
The three Snake Princesses obeyed, flying to their respective stations.
In an instant, thick mist began to rise from three locations, quickly spreading throughout Ryūchi Cave.
Meanwhile, Kaede arrived at the cave and nodded in satisfaction.
"Heh… this is indeed a fine place for training."
"White Snake Sage… you should make a fine offering to the God Tree."
(End of Chapter)
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