Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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Compared to the previous trial, which tested Muzan's strength and character, the next one would be a true battle.

Tianjin-hime hadn't needed to take action for many years; most intruders into Ryūchidō were devoured by the two guardians before her.

"Another boring day," she muttered, glancing at the swirling mist, damp and cold. She lounged lazily, doing nothing.

Suddenly, a distant sound caught her attention. She sat up, her expression shifting from boredom to anticipation.

"Someone passed the previous test? Finally, it's my turn to feast," she said, a predatory smile spreading across her face as her forked tongue flicked out. Her gleaming eyes betrayed her hunger.

The graceful woman moved like a water snake, blending seamlessly into the mist. Manipulating the vapor around her with ease, she prepared her ambush.

Muzan sensed the change instantly. The mist's distortion between light and shadow was no mere illusion—it felt like a mirage, bending reality itself.

"Impressive," Muzan remarked, narrowing his eyes as a figure emerged from the fog. The woman was beautiful, her calm face betraying nothing but confidence, yet he could sense her greed.

"Beautiful women are often the most dangerous," he mused, noting the predatory gleam in her eyes.

With a flick of his wrist, Muzan unsheathed his Thunder God Sword, summoning a storm of lightning that split the sky. The violent crack of thunder shattered the mist's illusions like fragile glass.

Tianjin-hime froze, her confidence faltering at the sight of him bathed in lightning. A primal fear crept into her as she realized this wasn't someone she could defeat, much less devour.

"I knew it wouldn't be simple. If this man were weak, the others would have already dealt with him. It wouldn't have fallen to me," she thought, retreating cautiously.

As she fled, she bumped into the other two guardians rushing over.

"What's this? You didn't even put up a fight?" Shiraen-hime sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Better cautious than dead," Tianjin-hime muttered, grateful she hadn't engaged Muzan directly.

Muzan watched the three guardians gather before him, his patience wearing thin. "Is this trial over?" he asked coldly.

Shiraen-hime, though unnerved by Muzan's presence, still maintained her composure. "Yes, it's over," she replied, though her voice betrayed a hint of unease.

For centuries, Muzan was the only one to survive encounters with all three guardians. His strength and unyielding character made him unparalleled. Such a person could certainly carry Ryūchidō's influence beyond its borders.

Ever since Mount Myōboku had started meddling in the ninja world, Ryūchidō had longed to make its presence known. But the White Snake Sage had forbidden them from leaving, binding them to the cavernous depths.

"Congratulations," Orochimaru said, stepping forward. He noted Muzan's growing impatience and glanced at the cave where the White Snake Sage resided, his unease masked by a smirk.

Guided by the guardians, Muzan entered the sacred stone chamber of Ryūchidō.

Seated atop a grand dais, the White Snake Sage regarded Muzan with an amused glint in her eyes. She exuded an aura of timeless authority.

Muzan, his arrogance unshakable, refused to bow. "White Snake Sage, I've completed your trial. Teach me the Snake Sage Technique."

Orochimaru observed the tension with intrigue. For beings as ancient and powerful as the White Snake Sage, humans were no more than fleeting shadows. Yet Muzan's presence—his arrogance, confidence, and overwhelming strength—was something else entirely.

"Bold," one guardian hissed.

"How dare you speak to the White Snake Sage that way!" another shouted.

The guardians surrounded Muzan, their illusions weaving around him in a desperate attempt to subdue him. Yet none of their tricks could pierce his indomitable will.

Caught between the guardians' outrage and Muzan's simmering fury, Orochimaru finally intervened. "Enough," he said sharply, stepping beside Muzan. "You've passed the trial, but Ryūchidō doesn't take kindly to disrespect. The real challenge is leaving alive."

Muzan smirked, his gaze locked on the White Snake Sage. "Is Orochimaru-sensei afraid?"

Before anyone could respond, the ground began to tremble.

"Crack!"

Thick vines burst from the earth, coiling around the guardians and pinning them in place. Muzan's power was undeniable.

"Youthful arrogance often leads to recklessness," the White Snake Sage said, her expression calm, though her curiosity was piqued. She made no effort to free the guardians, instead watching Muzan with interest.

"Interesting."

Muzan, unbothered by her words, stepped closer, ascending the dais.

"According to your rules, I've passed the trial. Teach me the Sage Technique," he demanded.

The White Snake Sage tilted her head, her serpentine smile revealing sharp teeth. "The Snake Sage Technique? Do you think passing the guardians' trial entitles you to such knowledge? As long as I don't teach you, you'll never learn it, no matter how many you defeat."

Her words ignited a fury within Muzan. For a moment, he lowered his head, his body still.

"No one talks to me like that," he muttered.

When he raised his head, the air seemed to shift. Bone spurs erupted from his body, forming a menacing whip of skeletal spikes.

"Blood Demon Art: Spine Stab!"

The cavern shook violently as Muzan's attack collided with the White Snake Sage's defenses. Cracks spread across the stone floor.

This was no negotiation—it was a declaration of dominance.

Orochimaru, watching the chaos unfold, sighed. "As expected of him. The guardians pushed too far. Now they'll pay the price."

The White Snake Sage, despite the destruction, appeared unfazed. She gazed at Muzan with something between admiration and caution.

"Very well," she said finally, her voice cutting through the chaos. "You've proven your worth. But mastering the Snake Sage Technique comes at a price. Are you prepared to pay it?"

Muzan's eyes glinted with determination. "I'll pay whatever it takes."

And so, the true battle for Ryūchidō's forbidden power began.

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The White Snake Sage displayed a peculiar smile, staring down at Muzan with a condescending gaze, as though silently promising to teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget.

Below, the four observers felt the oppressive chill of murderous intent radiating through the chamber. Even Orochimaru, witnessing Muzan stand alone before the White Snake Sage, couldn't help but admire the audacity it took to maintain such composure.

Reflecting on his own mastery of snake-related techniques, Orochimaru knew he would have already bent to the White Snake Sage's will. Achieving such power came with a price not easily negotiated.

"Perhaps that is the greatest difference between Muzan and me," Orochimaru thought.

Taking a deliberate breath, Muzan drew the surging natural energy around him into his body, activating Sage Mode.

What happened next stunned everyone in the room.

"How does he know the Sage Arts of Mount Myōboku!?" one of the attendants hissed in disbelief.

"Impossible! He must be a spy sent by those detestable toads!" another snarled, her voice sharp with anger.

Among the three priestesses of Ryūchi Cave, Mishinji turned her fiery gaze on Orochimaru. "Orochimaru! Explain this betrayal! Why has someone from Mount Myōboku infiltrated Ryūchi Cave!?"

The hostility in her voice carried a palpable weight. Should Orochimaru fail to provide a satisfactory explanation, even a member of the legendary Sannin might not leave unscathed.

Mount Myōboku had long been Ryūchi Cave's rival, their opposing philosophies ensuring a history of animosity. To see someone who had passed Ryūchi Cave's trials wielding Mount Myōboku's power was a personal insult to their pride.

"An explanation?" Orochimaru's voice was cold, his golden eyes narrowing at the priestesses. "What explanation do you desire?"

He dismissed their accusations as irrelevant, focusing instead on the tension between Muzan and the White Snake Sage. His true concern was the Sage herself. Ancient and boundless in power, she was a creature beyond mortal comprehension, her strength honed over millennia.

If things escalated, Orochimaru was ready to flee.

Muzan's crimson eyes met the White Snake Sage's unyielding gaze. Calm and composed within his Sage Mode, he acknowledged the vast gulf between their powers. But the demon within him whispered promises of dominion, even over her.

"A rather impressive young man," the White Snake Sage mused, her tone devoid of hostility. Instead, curiosity and admiration colored her words as she noted traces of Mount Myōboku's influence in Muzan's transformation.

Years ago, the Great Toad Sage had prophesied that a man with crimson eyes would bring ruin to the shinobi world. Seeing Muzan now, the White Snake Sage recognized the prophecy's potential fulfillment.

"Crimson eyes, vast power, and unyielding ambition," she remarked with a sardonic smile. "Not even Hashirama Senju, the so-called God of Shinobi, reached such heights at your age."

Though the White Snake Sage despised the people of Mount Myōboku, she was wise enough to value talent. Muzan was a tool capable of reshaping the balance of power between the three great holy lands.

"You've proven your strength and ambition," the White Snake Sage declared. "You are worthy of learning Ryūchi Cave's true Snake Sage Arts."

With those words, her humanoid form expanded, transforming into a colossal serpent. Her fangs glistened with venom, a single drop falling to the stone floor below.

"Unlike the toads who absorb natural energy, we inject immortal venom," she explained, her voice echoing through the cavern. "Survive its effects, and our power will be yours. Fail, and you will perish."

The drop of venom shimmered with latent energy, its danger evident to all.

Muzan gazed at it, unflinching. He could sense the immense natural energy contained within the venom, its potency unlike anything he'd encountered. Though different from the energy of Mount Myōboku, it was no less dangerous.

"Interesting," Muzan murmured.

Without hesitation, he extended his arm, allowing the venom to seep into his veins.

The effect was instantaneous. Agony unlike anything Muzan had endured tore through his body, threatening to shatter even his iron will.

For a moment, even his vast self-healing abilities seemed insufficient against the venom's assault. But Muzan clenched his teeth, refusing to yield. He forced the venom to merge with his body, using his regenerative powers to counter its lethal effects.

Minutes passed like hours as Muzan fought a silent battle for survival. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he opened his eyes.

The transformation was unmistakable.

Fine, white scales now adorned Muzan's skin, their sheen giving him an ethereal yet deadly appearance. Behind him, a massive, spectral serpent loomed, radiating a cold, lethal energy that sent chills through the room.

The onlookers recoiled, their instincts screaming at them to flee from the overwhelming danger.

Even the White Snake Sage's eyes widened slightly, her amusement tempered by genuine surprise.

"What terrifying talent," she muttered, her voice low.

Having lived for millennia, she had witnessed the rise and fall of countless prodigies, including Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Yet Muzan's potential surpassed them all.

"A monster like you could truly bring destruction to the shinobi world," she said, her voice tinged with both awe and caution.

Returning to her human form, the White Snake Sage regarded Muzan with a satisfied expression. "Ryūchi Cave's Snake Sage Arts suit you well, Muzan."

The natural energy coursing through his veins was cold and dark, perfectly aligned with the demonic power he wielded.

"Indeed," Muzan replied, his voice calm but laced with menace. He could feel the icy energy settling within him, transforming him into a predator among predators.

"I trust you'll use Ryūchi Cave's power to reshape the shinobi world," the White Snake Sage said. "Ensure our name echoes throughout history, and even the great serpent that guards our land will answer your summons."

Muzan's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Ryūchi Cave has proven... valuable."

With Ryūchi Cave's backing, Muzan was now poised to challenge not just the shinobi world but also the other holy lands.

Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest wouldn't sit idly by as Muzan sought domination. His crimson eyes gleamed as he imagined the Great Toad Sage and the enigmatic Slug Sage bowing before him.

"Congratulations, Muzan," Orochimaru said, stepping forward to break the tense silence. "I never imagined you would master the Snake Sage Arts so quickly."

Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Muzan's transformation, his excitement barely contained. The potential experiments this would inspire were limitless.

The war for supremacy among the holy lands had begun, and Muzan would be at its center.

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