Thousands of years ago, Ryūchi Cave wasn't known by that name.
Beneath the earth lay a dense network of life-giving roots, part of what was called the "God Tree." Compared to other locations on the planet, it seemed unremarkable—just another node in the vast system of the sacred tree. However, its roots were saturated with natural energy, making the insects that thrived there particularly plump and rich in vitality.
The early ecosystem was simple: tree roots fed the insects, which were eaten by rats, which in turn were hunted by snakes and other creatures. This was the primitive beginning of what would later become Ryūchi Cave.
Then came war—one that engulfed the world. The brothers, Hagoromo and Hamura, turned against their mother. The God Tree, once a passive force, transformed back into the monstrous Ten Tails. And because this location had been a key node of the tree, its roots were uprooted and ripped away, leaving behind a vast chasm.
The insects, once fat and abundant, disappeared with the roots. But after the war ended and the earth's ley lines stabilized, this place—though stripped of its divine roots—remained a hotspot of natural energy. In fact, it may have been this energy that had originally drawn the God Tree's roots here.
With the Ten Tails sealed and the God Tree's will no longer active, its remaining roots scattered across the world began to fall into dormancy.
In the short term, this was catastrophic for the local ecosystem. The insects dwindled, and over time, so did the rest of the food web.
But this was not the end—just a painful transition. With the sacred tree's energy-draining gone, the natural world had a chance to grow strong again. Given time, life would flourish even more than before.
Yet this planet held more than just natural forces. In the chaotic interlude between old and new orders, other powers emerged.
Among them was the White Snake Immortal.
Perhaps "emerged" is the wrong word. It had been waiting, lurking, for a very long time. When the time was right, it climbed to the top of the food chain. Following its serpent instincts, it consumed everything: insects, rodents—any creature not a snake. Soon, only snakes remained.
Still unsatisfied, the White Snake sage turned its gaze toward the ley lines, seeking to replace the roots of the sacred tree itself.
And in a way, it succeeded. By filling the earth's veins with its own body, it became a living conduit for natural energy. Over time, it grew to such size and power that its body practically became a ley line.
But in another sense, it failed—because no matter how vast it grew, it was still only a snake. And snakes have limits.
The name "Ryūchi Cave" represents the White Snake Immortal's new ambition—born from realizing those limits.
In a sense, the White Snake Sage was the previous era's version of the Owl Snake—a being whose rise to power was legendary.
But for all the other snakes that followed? Their story was far from glorious.
In the beginning, the White Snake Sage nearly sealed off the natural energy source of what would later be known as Ryūchi Cave. After wiping out all other species, some starving snakes began devouring one another, while others escaped to the surface.
The latter group faded into obscurity. It was a chaotic time—the era when the Ninja sects were just forming, heroes rising from all corners. Whether the Sage of Six Paths was alive then or not is unclear, but in such a tumultuous age, the White Snake Sage was far from the strongest being, and its descendants even less so.
Those snakes that stayed underground and turned on each other managed to survive the White Snake Sage's period of growth. Eventually, as the White Snake's body became saturated with natural energy, a turning point arrived.
Plants were the first to recover—mosses, fungi, and similar low-life flora began to sprout.
Under normal circumstances, insects like ants, cockroaches, and soil worms should have followed. But the snakes had been starving for far too long. Driven mad with hunger, they began using their tongues—not just to sense scent, but to lick insect eggs and larvae from the soil. Some even swallowed dirt out of desperation.
But when the plants began to flourish, a shift occurred. Some of the snakes adapted, turning to a vegetarian diet.
These plant-eating snakes, together with the carrion-feeding survivors of the famine, established a new, self-sustaining ecosystem. A unique food chain emerged, based entirely on plants and different kinds of snakes.
And so, the new ecosystem of Ryūchi Cave was born—one that endures to this day.
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"…Impressive. You've constructed the history of Ryūchi Cave so quickly—and it actually makes sense."
Orochimaru's gaze toward the lamp spirit was filled with complicated emotions—somewhere between admiration and disbelief.
Ryūchi Cave had no historical records. The White Snake Sage never bothered to pass down tales of its own rise. Even Manda, the giant serpent, only knew fragments—and that was simply because it had lived long enough to remember.
Manda could confirm two things. First, Ryūchi Cave is inhabited solely by snakes. Big snakes eat small snakes. Small snakes eat plants.
In fact, young snakes are born with molars for chewing plants. As they grow and shed their skin, the molars fall out and are replaced by sharp fangs for tearing flesh. Manda himself once started as prey, surviving by devouring his siblings and climbing his way up the food chain.
Second, the White Snake Sage is indeed like a great horned dragon. Its colossal body coils through the entire cave system, motionless for years.
The natural energy within Ryūchi Cave is nothing more than the residual energy that leaks from the White Snake Sage's body. That fact alone is terrifying—the cave isn't just influenced by the White Snake's will; it is the White Snake's will. Every snake within has been transformed by the energy of the White Snake Sage Art.
After realizing this, Orochimaru found himself hesitating. Should he really train in such a place?
He knew well that physical changes affect the mind. His research on the Uchiha clan's Sharingan had provided irrefutable proof: transformation of the body leads to transformation of the soul.
So, if one accepts the White Snake's power—its so-called "sage art"—can they truly remain unchanged?
Still, Orochimaru licked his lips, intrigued.
He had already tried channeling natural energy on his own—using the breathing technique called "stripes." The first attempt was forced by the lamp spirit. The second occurred during his battle with Yin Yin, when the lamp spirit used a wish to shield him.
In the second case, the power of desire protected his spirit, and he only suffered physical injury. But in the first attempt, he faced raw natural energy alone—and lost his will entirely. If the lamp spirit hadn't intervened, his soul would have been destroyed.
Humans have limits. That's why he pursued sage techniques, why he transplanted First Hokage cells—everything was for the sake of transcending humanity.
Orochimaru inhaled deeply, his eyes gleaming with a calm, yet mad resolve.
He would master the White Snake's Sage Art. The only question was: how to make the White Snake Sage cooperate—truly cooperate—and not just go through the motions?
Turning to the lamp spirit, Orochimaru asked, "You're telling me the White Snake Sage is seeking transformation? Just how confident are you in this theory of yours?"
"The word theory is so rude," the lamp spirit smirked. "I prefer to call it a logical deduction based on the current situation."
"As for how sure I am? Eighty percent. The White Snake Sage wants to become a dragon."
"Power isn't about having more—it's about becoming stronger. Didn't the First Hokage's cells teach you that?"
"How could a white snake that's lived for millennia not understand that truth?"
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