"I didn't expect the first place you'd want to go would be Ryūchi Cave. Are you looking for that White Snake for some reason?"
"Nothing much, just paying a visit." Hyuga Mirai replied casually. At first, he thought his summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave had something to do with Koishi, but later the cave never made any requests. Even the three great Snake Priestesses had only demanded a Natural Eye from Mount Myoboku, and Ichikishimahime had even lost much of her internal organs and flesh to Hyuga Mirai.
Looking at it this way, Ryūchi Cave being approachable was probably because of the current time.
As Hyuga Mirai flew through the air, he tilted his head and said to Tsunade, "Tsunade, do you want to meet the Slug? It shouldn't affect anything. I remember the Slug's personality is more reclusive, right?"
Both he and Tsunade could fly. After Mirai checked her body, the Yang chakra she had received from the First Hokage was confirmed safe. Mirai then helped her fully absorb the Yang chakra, granting her mastery over the Six Paths Sage Techniques. Now, she and Hyuga Mirai were only missing the Ten-Tails.
As for Hyuga Hinata, she had to follow Mirai, riding the Truth Seeking Orb.
Hinata could briefly fly using natural energy, but she didn't control much of it yet. Even though the area was rich in natural energy, she couldn't sustain long flights.
Hyuga Mirai had visited Ryūchi Cave many times. First, he used the Yomi Birasaka to reach near the cave, then flew less than half a day to arrive at its entrance.
The reason the three great holy sites a thousand years later were increasingly distant was likely that the White Snake, Toad, and Slug weren't very powerful yet. Being far from humans would be dangerous.
The White Snake was only a few dozen meters long. Though it inherited Ryūchi Cave's lineage, it wasn't particularly strong in the world.
Snakes' poor reputation among humans meant few wanted to make a summoning contract with them.
"Damn humans, why look down on snakes? Are those warty, pus-filled toads more beautiful than us?"
The White Snake, not yet a sage, looked at its jade-like scales and shook its head, thinking humans were hopeless.
"And that damn Rabbit Goddess! Where did this monster come from, absorbing so much natural energy? Even Ryūchi Cave is affected! And they're asking me to attend some meeting—I won't go. Gathering that much natural energy is beyond even the gods."
The White Snake complained. It had just taken over Ryūchi Cave and had no human summoning contracts yet. Being dragged into the human world and suffering a big loss would leave it nowhere to vent.
Without an onmyoji protecting it, a summoned beast was easily controlled.
"No matter how they fight, Ryūchi Cave won't participate."
"Participate in what?"
Before the White Snake could answer, a voice echoed through the cave. Startled, it coiled into a defensive posture, turning its huge head toward the sound.
Three humans: two women and a man.
"You humans dare trespass into Ryūchi Cave? Even seeking a contract, this is extremely rude!"
The ability to fly indicated they were onmyoji. Yet the White Snake was curious—it sensed no natural energy from the two adults, but the little girl with strange white pupils radiated significant natural energy.
'Even in a contract, I won't yield like other summoned beasts. At least I demand equal status!'
The White Snake thought fiercely. With onmyoji so weak yet coming here to harness Ryūchi Cave's power, they would apologize for their disrespect—or no contract would be made.
"Who would contract with a weak White Snake like you!"
Tsunade exploded with chakra, like a surge from a deep sea, lifting the dozens-of-meters-long White Snake. Without the snake's quick creation of ground barriers, it might have been flung away entirely.
"Stop, humans!! Fine, I yield, I yield!"
The natural energy nearly threw it off completely. If they truly unleashed their power, it would be terrifying. The White Snake was shocked—when had humans ever had such strong onmyoji? The woman's energy felt strange yet familiar.
After yielding, Tsunade withdrew her chakra. To handle Ryūchi Cave's snakes, one had to assert dominance first. Hyuga Mirai hadn't made a contract with this era's cave either.
Once Tsunade stepped back, Mirai asked, "What did you mean by 'not participate'?"
"Don't you know?"
The White Snake looked surprised. Even Ryūchi Cave far away received word, and humans didn't know?
If such strong onmyoji hadn't joined, Ryūchi Cave wouldn't go either.
"Spill it!"
Mirai pressed. The White Snake, foolish as it was, hurried to explain:
"Alright, it's nothing major. The Rabbit Goddess's threat is too great. Recently, an onmyoji approached Ryūchi Cave, asking for our involvement in eliminating her. They claimed it was a warning from the gods."
Spitting disdainfully, it said, "Ha! Everyone knows those gods are allied with onmyoji, priestesses, and damn rituals. They try to trick us as if we're idiots like toads."
"Was this onmyoji decision independent? How long has the Rabbit Goddess existed? How many onmyoji are involved?"
Mirai's questions stunned the White Snake. It swished its tail, then replied:
"Master Onmyoji, how would I know these things? Ryūchi Cave is far from humans; few onmyoji choose us snakes as summoned beasts. I only know the Rabbit Goddess is gathering immense natural energy, affecting even our surroundings. Haven't you sensed it?"
Mirai and Tsunade exchanged glances. Coming from a thousand years later, natural energy here was much denser than in their time. Ryūchi Cave's energy was indistinguishable to them.
Ignoring their glance, the White Snake continued:
"That damned Rabbit Goddess has amassed so much energy, threatening many onmyoji and summoned beasts. Our distance limits our exposure. I heard the Monitor Lizards are severely affected."
Mentioning the Monitor Lizards, the snake's massive face twisted into a strange smile. The lizards, uglier than them, were more popular among humans—grating on the White Snake for a long time.
Tsunade asked, puzzled: "If even you can sense her power, why would onmyoji dare this?"
Shaking its head, the White Snake replied: "Sense her power? My choice is correct. They claim her energy is unstable, causing surges over distances—so they saw an opportunity."
The snake rambled more about the Rabbit Goddess and humans. Having just inherited Ryūchi Cave, it had limited external information. Its knowledge was mostly from past cave records.
Meanwhile, some large snakes sensed the disturbance but were knocked out by Tsunade before entering.
"I've grasped the situation. Not much useful info from you, but it's enough."
Mirai nodded, then told the White Snake:
"We'll come with you. Hyuga Hinata—the Byakugan girl—will be your master. Let's see how the onmyoji handle the Rabbit Goddess."
Reluctantly, the White Snake coiled up, only its tail flicking outside.
"Ah? I don't want to confront the Rabbit Goddess—that much energy is terrifying. But contracting with this Byakugan girl? Fine. Her luck's decent."
Boom!
Tsunade stomped, cracking the ground meters away, glaring at the White Snake: "Don't want to? You just persuaded us! Were you lying? Do you know the consequences?!"
"I get it! I'll go! Contract it is!"
The White Snake lowered its head, yielding. Outside, even dozens of large snakes couldn't faze Tsunade; with such energy inside her, the White Snake dared not provoke her.
Fine, it could always escape later—few summoned beasts outrun a burrowing snake.
These humans were audacious. The Rabbit Goddess was formidable. According to cave records, her power exceeded any known god—she was the strongest deity.
Some gods summon onmyoji, priestesses, and beasts to attack other deities, leaving the weakest summoned beasts to suffer.
"Don't resist, White Snake. There's benefit in going," Mirai comforted.
"What benefit? You don't feel her power?"
Before the snake could finish, Mirai suddenly produced a massive Toad leg radiating natural energy, catching its attention.
"Consider this a gift. We met an annoying toad on the way; after killing it, this leg was left."
He tossed the leg to the White Snake. Hungry, it coiled its body, snagging the leg with its tail. Its eyes narrowed happily:
"Good, good! You three are good people. Anyone hating toads is a friend. Let me know when we leave, but I need a day to digest this."
The leg retained strong sage chakra, irresistible to the snake. Though part of it wanted to keep it as a trophy to taunt the Toad, it would eat later in batches.
"Eat slowly, but we want to see Ryūchi Cave's collection."
Before Mirai finished, the snake called out: "Blue Maru! Come in! Treat our guests well. Soon I'll contract with the Byakugan girl—Ryūchi Cave will have a master."
Blue Maru, a slightly smaller blue snake, entered. Respectfully, it addressed Hinata: "Master, please stand on my head. Where to go, just tell me."
Tsunade commented, amused: "A polite snake—I'm not used to this."
Mirai followed, smiling: "Thanks to Hinata, the summoned beasts respect their master."
Once on Blue Maru, it slithered outside, explaining: "Groups with a master are safe. Without one, they're almost equal to monsters in the human world."
Through Blue Maru, they understood that in this era, Ryūchi Cave wasn't a holy site—just summoned beasts absorbing natural energy, fighting with tough bodies.
Absorbing energy strengthened them physically, but they were weaker than onmyoji. Some allied beasts could learn human techniques, but Ryūchi Cave could not; past generations' records were all it had. Even the White Snake fought physically.
Seeing Ryūchi Cave's collection, Mirai was disappointed. Ancient snakes' collections were crude. The carvings on walls were twisted; even the snake who carved them might not recognize them.
Blue Maru asked: "Is something wrong, guests?"
Mirai waved his hand: "Nothing. Wait outside, Blue Maru."
Blue Maru looked at Hinata for guidance. Seeing her nod, it slithered out but promised to stay nearby.
"These items aren't very useful, but back at the Ninja Academy, they enrich history lessons. Even a thousand years back, I uphold the federation's education."
Mirai glanced at Tsunade, silently saying: 'Learn from me.'
Tsunade ignored him, having grown smart enough to avoid work-related topics.
Mirai recorded the wall carvings on his wrist device and ran analyses, learning what past snakes had left. Many records were irrelevant and were discarded.
A day later, the White Snake arrived energetically: "Master, two onmyoji, when do we leave? If we meet any annoying toads, let me handle them."
"Do you have a meeting place?"
"In the human Holy Nation. Gods protect it, they say."
Mirai hadn't collected info on that nation. He said: "I'll take you to the human world first; then you can guide me."
"This isn't far from the human world. Is this Master Onmyoji's technique? Didn't expect even I, White Snake, to have it."
Mirai interrupted: "Enough. Remember my name: Hyuga Mirai."
He then opened a huge Yomi Birasaka portal, large enough for the White Snake. The other end led to where he came from.
Before Otsutsuki Kaguya quelled the wars, there were many countries here, more than during the Warring States period. Some ruled only a few villages but claimed kingship; others were powerful, with ancient traditions, onmyoji, priestesses, and many warriors.
They weren't unified. Even strong countries didn't seem to seek world domination—an era of extremes. Only the first to unify could demonstrate new possibilities: "You can unify all nations and reach the peak of power."
After emerging from Yomi Birasaka, Mirai asked: "White Snake, which way to the Holy Nation?"
"I don't know!"
First time leaving Ryūchi Cave, it had no idea; the name was told by an onmyoji.
"Snakes are irritating, far worse than slugs!" Tsunade scolded, shaking her fist; the White Snake ducked.
Still, it flicked its tongue: "Compared to that ugly Slug, I'm better. Stand on me, avoid villages, and we'll lure onmyoji—then we'll know the way."
Using itself as bait.
Mirai sighed, impressed. He deployed all reconnaissance robots, messaged Orochimaru, then leapt onto the White Snake.
"Let's go."
"No problem. First time outside, but entering the human world means no annoying toads, lizards, or lynxes."
The White Snake slithered along. It sometimes left tracks to attract humans, then onmyoji.
Perhaps because Mirai chose a remote area, no onmyoji came in two days.
"Strange. Did they go to Holy Nation ahead of time? I've made enough noise; why no one comes?"
The snake noticed Mirai's sharp gaze, then quickly said: "No worries. If needed, I'll stir up a human village and attract attention."
"Better keep quiet, White Snake. Rely on Orochimaru instead."
Mirai checked Orochimaru's reply: he didn't know Holy Nation's location but was near the other nation, gathering information.
He tried asking villagers, but ordinary people rarely knew. Only wandering onmyoji had full knowledge.
Passing a larger village, an elderly woman stopped them:
"Please wait a moment, travelers."
(End of Chapter)
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