NOVEL NEXT Chapter 67: The Three Great Snake Princesses!
Kaede closed his eyes, sensing Ryuchi Cave.
At this moment, he was no longer in the shinobi world. To be precise, he had entered a separate dimension attached to it.
So that's how it is… he thought to himself.
It seems the so-called Three Great Sacred Lands are actually three separate dimensions saturated with natural energy.
That's fine. Even if I let the God Tree destroy this place, it won't affect the survival of the shinobi world.
Beside him, Orochimaru, having overheard Kaede's earlier murmur, was startled.
"Kaede-dono… are you planning to target Ryuchi Cave?"
Kaede gave him a sidelong glance. "What? You can't bear to part with it?"
"No, not at all." Orochimaru quickly shook his head.
"It's just… the White Snake Sage here has lived since the era of the Sage of Six Paths."
"It possesses incredibly strong natural energy and is skilled in soul-based attacks. They say it's close to becoming a true dragon."
"Even when I hadn't yet mastered the Reincarnation Technique, I wanted to capture and study it — but I ended up being completely overpowered by its control."
Kaede gave a short, derisive laugh. "A dragon? It dares call itself that?"
"It's nothing more than an old beast that's lived too long. And that natural energy in its body will make perfect nourishment for my God Tree."
Orochimaru opened his mouth but said nothing.
To him, both Kaede and the White Snake Sage were beings far beyond his reach.
Still… the thought of witnessing a battle between two such powerful entities filled him with anticipation.
"I'll introduce the creatures of Ryuchi Cave to you, Kaede-dono," Orochimaru said at once.
"This place is home to many giant snakes — most can threaten only a jōnin at best."
"Including my own summon, Manda, there are only two or so that can threaten a Kage."
"But under the White Snake Sage's command, there are three snake princesses — Tagorihime, Ichikishimahime, and Tagitsuhime. They're in charge of screening humans who enter the cave. Their strength surpasses mine, and all can take human form."
Kaede smirked. "So aside from the White Snake Sage, the rest are small fry?"
Orochimaru had no reply.
"Let's go see this so-called Sacred Land," Kaede said flatly.
He could already sense three presences up ahead, each steeped in natural energy.
Those must be the three snake princesses.
With a single step, Kaede flickered forward toward the depths of the cave. Orochimaru and Kabuto couldn't even keep up.
Before long, the passageway turned a corner, where dazzling light spilled into view.
As he rounded the bend, Kaede saw a grand and ornate palace ahead. The scent of delicious food drifted toward him.
"Kaede-dono, this is—" Orochimaru began, but Kaede cut him off.
The corners of his mouth lifted, his eyes glinting coldly.
"Trying to use genjutsu on me?"
His Mangekyō Sharingan snapped open, his left eye glaring as the Amaterasu he'd inherited from Fugaku erupted.
In an instant, the palace ahead was swallowed in black flames.
Those delectable-looking dishes instantly turned into heaps of rotting snake flesh.
"Ahhh! Damn human!"
A pained scream rang out, and a figure burst from the black flames. But Amaterasu had already clung to her body; no matter how she slapped at it, it wouldn't go out.
Helpless, she shed her skin to escape the burning.
A split opened from her brow to her feet, and she emerged with a new body, leaving her old skin to be devoured by the flames.
She floated in the air, glaring coldly at Kaede. "You're a thoroughly unpleasant man."
Kaede smiled pleasantly. "You must be Tagorihime."
"Hmph!" She snorted without answering. "You've passed this trial."
She turned to leave, intending to report to the White Snake Sage.
Kaede narrowed his eyes. "Did I say you could go?"
In a flash, he appeared before her.
His hand shot out, gripping her throat before she could react.
"Your strength isn't bad, and you're fairly easy on the eyes. From now on, you'll serve as my attendant."
"How dare you!" Tagorihime's eyes widened in fury.
She was the White Snake Sage's attendant — a mere human thought to have her serve him?
Realizing she couldn't break free, she glared, her immense spiritual power flooding into Kaede's mind.
"Too weak." Kaede shook his head.
His Mangekyō's power flared, devouring her spiritual energy in an instant.
Watching her face contort in pain, Kaede chuckled. "I'll deal with the White Snake first, then I'll teach you properly."
A sealing formula spread from his palm, binding her entire body. She instantly lost control of her movements and fell to the ground.
"Next."
Without another glance, Kaede moved on to the next trial.
Orochimaru, following behind, looked at the immobilized Tagorihime and swallowed hard before hurrying to catch up.
Kaede entered another cavern, flying down to its base, where massive, pitted boulders blocked the path.
One glance was all it took for him to understand their purpose.
"So I just have to fill the holes with chakra?"
Naturally, he wouldn't play by the rules. He lightly placed his hand on the boulder.
Cracks spread rapidly from his palm, crawling across the stone.
With a boom, the boulder shattered into rubble.
"That's possible?!" gasped Ichikishimahime from behind the rock.
She'd created that boulder with Ryuchi Cave's Sage Art — it was as hard as steel. And yet this man had destroyed it in an instant.
Only now did she understand the White Snake Sage's definition of "strong."
Before she could react further, Kaede appeared before her.
"You can join your sister," he said.
Grabbing her throat, he bound her with the same sealing technique.
"Last one."
He shot upward, heading for the final trial.
Only long after he left did Orochimaru and Kabuto arrive.
Seeing the bound Ichikishimahime, Orochimaru's mouth twitched.
Was Kaede just going to bulldoze through all of Ryuchi Cave?
By now, Kaede had reached Tagitsuhime's domain.
"You got past the other two so quickly?" she said, surprised.
In all her thousand years, she'd never seen someone clear the trials so fast.
"But my trial's not like theirs," she added with a smile.
"They tested willpower and chakra reserves. I test real strength."
With that, she lunged at Kaede, mouth opening wide to swallow him whole.
"No need to rush."
Kaede's lips curled upward. His hand shot out, clamping around her body.
"I'd love to play with you… but I'll deal with the White Snake first."
The sealing formula spread across her as well.
With the last shred of control over her body, Tagitsuhime looked at him in alarm. "You… you came for the White Snake Sage?"
Kaede's tone was calm. "It's lived over a thousand years, wasting too many resources."
"It'll make perfect nourishment for me."
(End of Chapter)
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