"Orochimaru, is there something there?"
At some point, Tagorihime had silently approached, now standing beside Orochimaru and following his gaze into the shadows.
"Nothing. Just lost in thought," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile. His expression returned to calm.
Now that he saw the White Snake Sage as nothing more than a villain, the pressure he'd felt before had vanished. A sense of freedom filled him—villains, after all, were his specialty.
"That makes me curious," Tagorihime said, eyeing him up and down. He seemed noticeably more relaxed than he had been just moments ago.
The change was so stark that she couldn't help but glance sideways and quietly wonder what had caused it.
"Anyway, the White Snake Sage is still waiting. We shouldn't delay any longer—we need to move."
Orochimaru said nothing more and followed behind her. The two of them moved quickly through the winding cave passage, eventually arriving at their destination: the chamber of the White Snake Sage.
According to the map provided by the Djinn, this place was located at the top of the 'Zhi' character—the snake's head in the shape of the white-scaled serpent.
In the dim glow of the chamber, the White Snake Sage had taken on the appearance of an elderly woman, curled atop a crimson cushion, leaning against her throne. A long, thin pipe rested in her hand, sending out lazy puffs of smoke.
She looked like a harmless old woman—kind and fragile. Nothing about her appearance hinted at the fact that she once used her entire species as a living experiment.
As Tagorihime floated over to take her place beside the throne, Orochimaru stepped forward and bowed politely. "It's been a long time, Sage."
"Ten years is a long time… for a human," the White Snake Sage murmured, exhaling another stream of smoke. Her half-lidded eyes opened, gaze fixed on him. "You've become… smoother, Orochimaru."
He smiled in silence, but his attention drifted beyond the illusion on the seat, into the darkness behind it. His golden pupils glimmered, trying to trace the outline of her true body.
Though the White Snake Sage coiled around the entirety of Ryūchi Cave, her body's thickness didn't match its vast reach. In fact, by Orochimaru's estimation, it was thinner than it should be—almost like thread wound into a ball.
Clearly, she had shed her skin countless times.
But such a process becomes increasingly dangerous with each attempt. One wrong step, and the backlash from natural energy could destroy her.
Orochimaru didn't know the exact risk she now faced, but he understood one thing: if there was a safer, more effective method, she would seize it immediately.
He didn't have that solution—not yet—but he had hints. Possibilities. And that was enough to test the waters.
Sensing Orochimaru's piercing gaze, the White Snake Sage narrowed her eyes. Though she couldn't read his thoughts, she instinctively disliked the feeling of being observed.
Her illusion dissolved like mist. Her true form rose—a massive white serpent with four gleaming fangs. Her voice rang out cold and sharp:
"Human lives are short. Don't waste time. Step forward. I will teach you Sage Arts."
"I'm not in a rush," Orochimaru replied, still smiling. "I didn't come here empty-handed. You can tell, can't you? I've changed."
The Sage lifted her head slightly, unimpressed. "And what of it?"
"I want to exchange the method I've developed for strengthening the body with natural energy," Orochimaru said slowly, "for the accumulated experience of all the shinobi throughout Ryūchi Cave's history who trained in Sage Arts."
"That's impossible," the White Snake Sage replied without hesitation.
The breathing technique developed by Orochimaru was of no use to the White Snake Sage. While it worked on human physiology, it held no real benefit for her. She could already absorb natural energy on her own to strengthen her body—there was no need for his technique.
The White Snake Sage stared at Orochimaru and said coldly, "You'll have to pass the trial."
"Is that so…"
But instead of stepping forward, Orochimaru calmly took a few steps back under her gaze.
Her eyes narrowed. "Orochimaru, what do you mean by this?"
"Your trial is too dangerous," he said with a faint smile, pressing two fingers to the side of his neck where four lingering wounds still throbbed from his last attempt. "I'm not confident I'd survive it."
He then added, "I'd like to stay here in Ryūchi Cave a while longer to refine and experiment with my breathing technique for natural energy. Surely the Sage wouldn't drive me away for that?"
His response caught her slightly off guard. She reclined onto her soft cushion and shifted back into the form of a kindly old woman, nodding once.
"As you wish."
"Thank you, Sage, for your generosity."
Orochimaru bowed politely, turned, and began walking toward Manda's dwelling. But after a few steps, he paused, as if recalling something. He glanced back over his shoulder.
"Sage… in exchange for this breathing technique, may I leave my name on the summoning scroll?"
His eyes drifted toward the massive stone beast-head behind her throne. Carved from a single slab, it held a thick scroll clenched in its jaws.
It didn't matter if the carving was of a dragon or some other beast—what mattered was the scroll. It was much like the one Jiraiya held for Mt. Myōboku, granting access to summon all the snakes of Ryūchi Cave.
It sounded powerful, but in truth, it was a contract of equal terms. The summoned could refuse. Worst case? The user might summon nothing at all.
But Orochimaru wasn't interested in the raw combat strength of the Ryūchi Cave snakes. What he wanted was a connection—a way to reach the other three Snake Princesses who lived outside the direct reach of the White Snake Sage.
The Sage raised an eyebrow at his request, a smile playing on her lips, equal parts amused and skeptical.
"Orochimaru, you haven't mastered Sage Mode, and you lack the courage to face the trial. Why should I allow you to sign the scroll? You must be quite confident in your research."
She gave a short laugh. "But confidence and arrogance are only a letter apart."
"Then I suppose I've overstepped." Orochimaru's smile didn't waver, but his pace quickened, and he vanished into the shadows beyond.
The White Snake Sage watched him disappear, frowning slightly.
Behind her throne, Tagorihime's eyes shimmered quietly. She said nothing, but her thoughts were clearly racing.
…
As he walked through the dark corridor, Orochimaru spoke silently to his companion.
"You really think the three Serpent Princesses will respond to me?"
The Djinn chuckled. "Of course. The White Snake Sage doesn't allow any of the Ryūchi Cave snakes to leave on their own. That summoning scroll is their only ticket out. You really think they'll pass up a chance to escape to the surface?"
Orochimaru was skeptical. "Snakes enjoy cold, dark, damp places. They might not care for the world above."
"You know snakes," the Djinn said, smirking. "But you don't know women."
He wagged a finger teasingly. "Even in a dark underground world, a beautiful woman still wants to be seen. To be admired."
Orochimaru frowned, surprised. "They're not women. At most, they're female snakes."
The Djinn sighed, shaking his head with a hint of melancholy.
"Truly… the development of civilization determines how open a mind can be."
Back in his own world—before he became a Djinn—men had already moved on from fox spirits to catgirls, ship girls, sword elves… even beastfolk had a cult following.
And here, in this shinobi world, a poorly written smut series like Make-Out Paradise could top the charts. A true cultural desert.
Even someone as morally fluid as Orochimaru hadn't spared a single lustful thought for a Serpent Princess who looked nearly indistinguishable from a real woman.
"Tsk, tsk... I suppose it'd be too much trouble to explain it to you."
The Djinn stroked his chin. "Just know this—if even a man like you felt the need to come say hello… then they must be very lonely. Desperately lonely."
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