In Ryūchi Cave, Naruto faced the formidable snake, Manda II.
For Naruto, mastering Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation was not particularly difficult. As long as he could extract a sufficient amount of senjutsu chakra, even a skilled jōnin would struggle to resist his control over the terrain.
Watching Manda II clash with the shifting earth in the distance, Naruto summoned jagged stone spikes from the ground, aiming to ensnare the colossal serpent and conclude this battle swiftly.
However, Manda II suddenly leaped high, spewing a stream of corrosive purple venom from its mouth.
The moment the acid touched the terrain, the summoned spikes instinctively retracted, abandoning their attack on Manda II.
Naruto sighed, a wry smile forming on his lips. While Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation could grant life to non-living matter, it also gave them the natural instinct to avoid destruction, making them react unpredictably to danger.
Was this trait a blessing or a flaw?
Setting the thought aside, Naruto exerted his will, forcing the terrain to trap Manda II. The massive snake was soon ensnared in layers of rock and soil, leaving only its head exposed.
Unperturbed, Manda II merely thrashed playfully against its restraints.
After securing victory, Naruto deactivated Sage Mode and turned toward the entrance of Ryūchi Cave.
By his calculations, he had remained there for nearly two months—far exceeding the agreement he had made with the White Snake Sage. However, since Edo Tensei users could maintain telepathic links with their summoned bodies, he was unconcerned about urgent matters outside.
This trip had yielded immense rewards.
Not only had he mastered the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode, but Kurama had also refined his ability to gather senjutsu chakra. Furthermore, he had obtained valuable insights into immortality and the Pure Land from the White Snake Sage.
Now, it was time to leave.
Calling forth Ruijinji, Naruto instructed, "Tell the White Snake Sage that I'm leaving Ryūchi Cave."
Ruijinji nodded and replied, "The White Snake Sage is in seclusion. However, before retreating, she instructed me to inform Lord Menma that he is free to leave at any time."
Naruto scoffed. He didn't buy the claim that the White Snake Sage was truly in seclusion. More likely, she was avoiding him, wary that he would press for more information about the deeper mysteries of the shinobi world.
These Great Sages of the sacred lands were all the same—the more they knew, the more guarded they became.
Were they protecting themselves from the Sage of Six Paths, or perhaps from some other powerful force lurking in the shadows?
Shaking off the thought, Naruto strode toward the cave entrance. After half an hour of traversing the dimly lit tunnel, he finally saw sunlight filtering through.
As he stepped out, he instinctively narrowed his eyes against the brightness.
The landscape before him was entirely different from what he had seen before entering Ryūchi Cave.
This confirmed his suspicion—Ryūchi Cave existed as a separate dimension, disconnected from the rest of the shinobi world.
After adjusting to the sunlight, Naruto did not rush ahead but instead sat beneath a nearby tree, cross-legged.
The outside world was different from a sacred land like Ryūchi Cave. Here, the concentration of natural energy was significantly lower, which meant his ability to absorb and refine senjutsu chakra would be far less efficient.
A few minutes later, he successfully gathered enough chakra and unleashed a Wind Release technique enhanced by Sage Mode.
The results were underwhelming—the cutting force dissipated after slicing through just a few dozen trees.
Still, Naruto wasn't surprised. The disparity in natural energy levels between the shinobi world and Ryūchi Cave was massive—over tenfold. Unless his shadow clones continuously supplied senjutsu chakra, his attacks would suffer from reduced power and duration.
Of course, he could always use Kurama's power to compensate.
With Kurama's assistance, he could instantly harness the natural energy within the surrounding terrain and unleash devastating techniques without delay.
But that wasn't his goal.
Naruto aimed to surpass the Five Kage on his own, without relying on Kurama's chakra. He had to keep improving.
Finishing his training, Naruto cast a transformation jutsu and stopped a passing traveler.
From their conversation, he learned that he had already crossed into the Land of Grass. About ten kilometers ahead lay the ninja village of Kusagakure—one of the smaller hidden villages of the shinobi world.
Naruto was no stranger to the Land of Grass.
Once a formidable power, the country had nearly dominated the continent in its prime. But now, it was a minor nation struggling to survive, eyed greedily by the surrounding great nations.
Had it not been for its strategic position as a buffer zone during the Shinobi World Wars, the Land of Grass might have vanished long ago.
Kusagakure's situation was even worse.
Due to its weak military and lack of prestige, Kusagakure had to accept mission contracts at absurdly low prices, just to stay competitive with larger villages.
But operating at such low costs had severe consequences.
While being a ninja offered high pay, expenses for weapons and medical treatment were exorbitant. Most ordinary ninja barely scraped by, teetering on the edge of poverty.
However, Kusagakure had found a way to shift the financial burden elsewhere—onto the remnants of the Uzumaki clan residing in the village.
Shaking off his thoughts, Naruto proceeded toward Kusagakure.
Reaching the village's outskirts, he gazed down upon it.
Unlike major villages like Konohagakure or Kirigakure—whose scale rivaled that of towns—Kusagakure truly lived up to its name as a "village."
Its ninja population was sparse, and its buildings scattered, with only a handful of notable high-rises.
As Naruto walked through the streets, he was promptly stopped by Kusagakure guards. However, after revealing his identity as a noble, their attitudes shifted to one of respect. After all, Kusagakure's primary clientele consisted of aristocrats and wealthy merchants.
Following a guided tour, Naruto purchased several local handicrafts before making his way to the mission center.
This four-story structure, second in height only to Kusagakure's central administration building, embodied the village's service-oriented nature.
Standing within its walls, Naruto activated Kagura's Mind Eye, expanding his sensory field to encompass the entire village.
Almost immediately, he detected several anomalies. A knowing smile crept across his face as he deactivated his perception.
It was no surprise to find foreign ninja operating in Kusagakure.
With the exception of the Five Great Villages, Amegakure, and Uzushiogakure, most minor villages were infiltrated to the point of being practically transparent.
But what truly caught Naruto's attention wasn't the presence of enemy spies.
It was the unusually high number of White Zetsu hidden beneath the village.
Although White Zetsu clones could be found scattered throughout the world, the sheer density of them here was alarming.
This could only mean one thing—Akatsuki was planning something.
But why Kusagakure?
The village had no tailed beasts and no noteworthy rogue shinobi. It wasn't worth Akatsuki's time.
That left only one explanation: Nagato had taken his advice to heart and was exploring alternative paths beyond the Tailed Beast Plan.
Naruto's expression darkened.
If Nagato was truly shifting his approach, then the shinobi world's future had just become even more unpredictable.
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