Journey to Ryūchi Cave
Although Uzumaki Ashina appeared indifferent to life and death, deep down, he considered it a sacred taboo.
Living for centuries was not a blessing but a curse. He had watched his clan perish one by one, seen Uzushiogakure—once a thriving village of fuinjutsu masters—reduced to ruins, its remnants nothing more than a lawless haven for rogue shinobi and refugees.
Few could endure such loss without breaking. More than once, Ashina had felt his spirit teeter on the edge of collapse.
That was why he didn't want Naruto to follow a reckless path, to become an undying existence shackled to eternity, enduring endless sorrow and isolation.
Naruto, however, had no time for such concerns. If he failed to grow stronger, immortality wouldn't be his choice to make.
The Ōtsutsuki clan and Kaguya's will sought eternal life through the Divine Tree, turning all chakra-wielders into nourishment for its growth. If he were to fall into their hands, he wouldn't reincarnate as himself—he'd become another mindless White Zetsu.
Shaking off the grim thoughts, Naruto grinned. "Don't worry, I have no one I need to bring back from the dead right now, and I'm not worried about how long I live. Will you continue your research, old patriarch?"
Ashina sighed and shook his head. "For now, I'll slow down. I still have mountains of data to analyze before I can conduct further experiments."
At that moment, Naruto seemed to recall something. "By the way, old patriarch, I'll be heading out soon. I need you to manage Uzushio in my absence. If all goes well, I should be back within a month."
"Where exactly are you going this time?"
Ashina's expression darkened. "Don't tell me you're raiding another village. Hōmon already complained that we're expanding too fast—he says we can barely govern the territory we have."
Naruto smirked. "I'm going to train in senjutsu, so I can crush Nagato next time…"
At the mention of Nagato, Ashina's face hardened. "You young ones are strange. You share the same Uzumaki blood, yet instead of coming together, you build rival factions and fight."
Naruto's expression grew serious. "This is a battle of ideologies. Bloodline has nothing to do with it."
Ashina could only sigh in resignation. Decades ago, the Uzumaki had wanted nothing more than to live peacefully, yet Konoha's allies viewed their fuinjutsu as a threat and wiped them out in a joint assault.
Now, the new generation sought war instead, flipping the clan's philosophy on its head. It was difficult for the elderly to keep up with such a drastic change.
Leaving the Uzumaki shrine behind, Naruto returned to Uzushio's main hall, briefing his subordinates on his departure and warning them to stay vigilant. Then, without delay, he set sail from the Land of Whirlpools.
Aboard the ship, Naruto unfolded a map obtained through dealings with Orochimaru. His first destination: Ryūchi Cave, then Mount Myōboku.
According to the map, Ryūchi Cave lay near the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind. Even Orochimaru himself had never pinpointed its exact location.
Naruto was confident, however, that Orochimaru hadn't deceived him.
After all, neither Orochimaru nor Jiraiya had discovered the Sage Lands on their own. The creatures of these realms had sought them out first, offering summoning contracts.
Even Minato Namikaze had reached Mount Myōboku only through reverse summoning.
As far as Naruto knew, the only shinobi in history to reach a Sage Land through conventional means was Jiraiya when he personally guided Naruto to Mount Myōboku—a journey that took over a month.
This led Naruto to a crucial hypothesis: The three Sage Lands—Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest—weren't bound to the physical world. They existed as separate dimensions.
A week into his travels, Naruto crossed the Land of Fire's borders, weaving through various small nations caught between the Five Great Shinobi Countries. He encountered wandering ninjas and mercenaries, all of whom sold their blades to the highest bidder.
For civilians, life was even harsher. These small nations existed in a constant state of fear, crushed by the ever-present threat of war. Ironically, the Land of Rain, under Nagato's rule, was the most stable among them.
In this sense, Nagato wasn't wrong—small nations bore the worst of the shinobi world's suffering.
However, Akatsuki itself had become one of the very forces that perpetuated that suffering.
A mercenary syndicate made up of missing-nin and criminals, Akatsuki thrived on assassination and war profiteering. Even if Nagato seized all the Tailed Beasts to enforce peace, the organization's very foundation was flawed.
Nagato's ideology was his weakness. True peace wasn't found in shared suffering—it came from surpassing the cycle of hatred, not deepening it.
After days of searching, Naruto finally located the entrance to Ryūchi Cave—or rather, it found him.
A small viper, radiating a faint aura of natural energy, slithered toward him. Unlike Orochimaru's snakes, this one bore an unmistakable presence—it was a messenger of Ryūchi Cave itself.
Naruto wasn't surprised.
Mount Myōboku's toads could foresee the future. It was only logical that Ryūchi Cave's serpents possessed similar abilities. The Three Great Sage Lands stood as equals—while they competed, their fundamental powers were not vastly different.
Led by the viper, Naruto stepped into the cave's darkness.
The air was eerily still—no wind, no sound, just an oppressive silence. As he ventured deeper, his vision widened, revealing an enormous underground chamber.
A deep, musky scent filled the cavern.
"The stench here is repulsive," rumbled Kurama, his voice laced with distaste.
Naruto glanced at the usually silent fox, smirking. "Kurama, what do you know about Ryūchi Cave? Think you could take on its Great White Snake?"
Kurama scoffed. "I've never fought that old hag, but her brood is pathetic. They might be decent in hand-to-hand combat, but a single Tailed Beast Bomb would obliterate them."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. Kurama hadn't denied fearing the White Snake Sage. Even the strongest Tailed Beast hesitated to engage it directly—proof of its terrifying power.
Continuing forward, Naruto soon reached a shrine bearing the engraved characters of Ryūchi Cave. This had to be the White Snake Sage's dwelling.
To confirm his theory, Naruto activated his sensory abilities, detecting a faint Flying Thunder God seal just outside the cave.
This dimension was separate from the real world, just as he suspected.
Still, with Kurama beside him, he wasn't particularly worried. Even if the White Snake Sage proved hostile, together, they would force her to reconsider.
As Naruto approached the temple, several serpentine women emerged from the shadows.
Their bodies radiated natural energy—clearly, these were the famed Sage Apprentices of Ryūchi Cave.
One of them, draped in an elegant kimono, slithered closer, a sly smile on her lips. "If you wish to meet the White Snake Sage, you must pass our trials. Fail, and we will devour you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, summoning a Rasengan in his palm. "You sure about that?"
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