Three Great Evil Places
Under the guidance of Tian Xin Shen Ji, one of the three priestesses of Ryūchi Cave, Naruto arrived at the infamous Dragon Earth Cave (Ryūchi Cave), one of the Three Great Sage Regions.
Although he had already developed the ability to perceive natural energy, mastering Senjutsu still required formal training under the White Snake Sage, the ruler of Ryūchi Cave. Naruto, eager to gain this power, naturally accepted the guidance of the cave's mysterious beings.
Moreover, Tian Xin Shen Ji looked somewhat approachable—at least as long as she wasn't revealing her fangs.
After leading Naruto to an ancient stone altar in the heart of the cave, Tian Xin Shen Ji began explaining the intricacies of Senjutsu. Mastering this power was perilous—losing control of natural energy could transform the practitioner into stone, just as Jiraiya had once warned him.
However, the White Snake Sage was not particularly concerned about Naruto's potential demise. Her primary worry was that he might lose control and go berserk due to the immense power of the Nine-Tails within him. If that happened, even she might not be able to stop him. Instead of personally intervening, she assigned Tian Xin Shen Ji and the other snake priestesses to oversee his training.
The foundation of Senjutsu required three key conditions:
1. The ability to perceive natural energy.
2. Precise chakra control.
3. A massive chakra reserve to balance the potent nature energy.
For Naruto, these conditions were easily met.
After Tian Xin Shen Ji's explanation, Naruto focused on absorbing natural energy. In an environment rich with it, gathering it wasn't difficult—the challenge lay in achieving harmony between it and his own chakra.
Forming a hand seal, he summoned over a dozen shadow clones, positioning them at different points around the altar. This method, devised by Fukasaku of Mount Myōboku, was crucial for rapidly accumulating Senjutsu experience.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One by one, clones exploded into bursts of white smoke. The reason was clear: improper chakra balance caused their bodies to reject the energy violently.
Seeing this unfold, Naruto quickly adjusted his approach. Instead of dividing his attention among multiple clones, he focused on stabilizing his own body first. By exerting his natural chakra dominance, he minimized the backlash from excessive natural energy.
It didn't take long before he successfully refined Senjutsu chakra for the first time.
Unlike regular chakra, Senjutsu chakra was purer, denser, and far more volatile. To fully master it, one required either a naturally compatible physique—like Hashirama Senju's—or physical modifications, such as Kabuto Yakushi's Sage Transformation.
Kabuto, utilizing Orochimaru's Cursed Seal as a foundation, had transformed himself into a dragon, far surpassing a normal human body's limitations.
Clearing his mind of distractions, Naruto stood and gazed toward a massive rock formation in the distance.
With a single motion, he clasped his hands together, gathering Senjutsu-enhanced Wind Release chakra. Upon releasing his attack, an expanding cyclone of wind blades tore through the cavern, reducing the enormous boulder to rubble.
Seeing this display, Tian Xin Shen Ji involuntarily retracted her tongue. She was relieved she had not attempted to challenge Naruto directly. Even the legendary serpents of Ryūchi Cave struggled with absorbing natural energy, and only three had successfully attained true Sage status over the centuries.
Yet Naruto had refined Senjutsu in mere moments. At this rate, he could potentially reach the level of a Sage within a month.
While Tian Xin Shen Ji was deep in thought, Naruto continued refining chakra, evaluating his newfound power.
With Senjutsu chakra infused, the strength of ordinary jutsu doubled.
Even his Rasenshuriken, already one of the deadliest techniques in existence, gained a terrifying boost. However, its mechanics—derived from the Tailed Beast Bomb—meant that the increase was not as dramatic as with other jutsu, since it already used high-quality chakra.
But something else caught Naruto's attention.
Senjutsu chakra interacted uniquely with the Rinnegan. Though the Rinnegan could absorb most chakra types, it struggled to fully absorb Senjutsu chakra. This meant that in a future confrontation—perhaps against Ōtsutsuki enemies—Senjutsu could be a crucial counter to even the most powerful bloodlines.
However, Naruto had little interest in Ryūchi Cave's Snake Sage Mode. Even Kabuto, who had refined it to its peak, failed to match the raw power of Kurama Sage Mode, which fused his own chakra with the Nine-Tails'.
Still, he considered the possibility of combining different Sage arts. If he could integrate techniques from all three Sage Regions—Ryūchi Cave, Mount Myōboku, and Shikkotsu Forest—his power would be unparalleled.
For instance, Ryūchi Cave's Inorganic Reincarnation and Mount Myōboku's Frog Kumite were immensely powerful. The White Snake Sage had also hinted that all Sage arts might share a common origin, simply interpreted differently by each region.
If true, that original Sage lineage would be something extraordinary—perhaps even explaining the legendary abilities of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi.
As Naruto pondered these possibilities, the ground trembled.
Moments later, countless massive serpents slithered into the chamber, their eyes locking onto him.
Naruto remained silent, shifting his gaze toward Tian Xin Shen Ji and asking, "What's going on?"
With a respectful tone, Tian Xin Shen Ji answered, "Lord Mianma, today marks Ryūchi Cave's hunting festival. On this day, the great serpents fight to establish dominance. The altar you stand on happens to be their battleground."
Naruto smirked. "So they see me as an enemy?"
Tian Xin Shen Ji nodded. "If you desire, you may also participate. Slaying these serpents would serve as excellent combat training for your newly acquired Senjutsu."
Naruto sighed, realizing once again how cruel Ryūchi Cave truly was. "Orochimaru must have participated in this, right?"
Tian Xin Shen Ji chuckled. "Indeed. Lord Orochimaru joined the hunt long ago, but he was thoroughly humiliated. In the end, he managed to sign a contract with Manda, the strongest serpent. However, unlike you, Lord Orochimaru lacked the talent for Senjutsu."
She then added with admiration, "But Lord Mianma, you are different. You are the most gifted ninja I've ever seen. It's no wonder Lord Orochimaru entrusted you with the Ryūchi Cave token."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Yet despite knowing this, you still tested me at the start?"
Tian Xin Shen Ji sighed. "I had no choice. If I ignored protocol, the White Snake Sage would have devoured us. To her, we are both subordinates and food sources."
Naruto scoffed. "So Ryūchi Cave truly follows the law of the jungle…"
Tian Xin Shen Ji nodded. "At least the White Snake Sage allows us to live. Unlike Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest is entirely dominated by the Great Slug Sage—every other creature there has been assimilated into a singular being."
Curious, Naruto asked, "What about Mount Myōboku?"
Tian Xin Shen Ji smirked. "The toads? They're tasty, but irritating. If left alone, they petrify themselves into stone. The giant toads are formidable, often causing trouble for our kind. The White Snake Sage calls them delusional hermits, lost in their prophecies."
Hearing this, Naruto laughed to himself. The Three Great Sage Regions were far from holy—if anything, they were The Three Great Evil Lands.
Compared to them, even Kirigakure, infamous for its brutality, seemed tame. If not for the necessity of abundant natural energy, these creatures might have turned the entire Shinobi world into chaos.
Shaking off his wandering thoughts, Naruto turned to face the approaching serpents.
If he was here, he might as well experience Ryūchi Cave's customs firsthand.
And what better way than to test his new power?
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