In the dark dungeon, ten chains adorned with sealing formula talismans tightly bound a great white serpent.
Black patterns spread across her body, suppressing her ability to absorb external energy and hindering her own chakra extraction.
"Hissss roar!"
Opening her eyes and finding herself trussed up like a snake sausage, the great white serpent immediately began to struggle.
Her thick tail slammed against the iron bars of the dungeon cell, creating a tremendous noise that startled the guarding ninja, who hurried out to report.
Soon after, four or five figures descended the damp stone steps of the dungeon and approached the cell.
"Don't even try. Those chains were specially arranged by Fukasaku-sama based on the flow of Natural Energy within your body." Seeing the serpent still attempting to break the seals, Jiraiya chuckled.
"Hateful toads!"
The massive snake head lunged toward them, raising a cloud of dust. "Bastards, release us now, or Ryuchi Cave will not let you off!"
"So, what business does a Sage from Ryuchi Cave have in Konoha?"
Tsunade stepped forward, speaking on behalf of the village. "Attacking our Ninja. Konoha can decide whether or not to declare war on Ryuchi Cave based on the circumstances!"
Even if Ryuchi Cave holds itself high as one of the Holy Lands, so what?
This is now the era of humanity. No matter how powerful a Holy Land is, facing any one of the Five Great Nations would only lead to their swift and complete slaughter.
This is precisely why the three great Holy Lands, despite holding the methods of Natural Energy training and possessing powerful Sages, still had to hold their noses, obediently offer summoning contracts, and recruit talented humans to share their Sage Art powers.
"Tch..." The serpent's imposing aura instantly deflated. "I am Ichikishimahime. This abrupt visit was truly due to my eagerness to pay respects to the Dragon. I ask for your understanding!"
"Oh? So you can speak properly?"
Sakura reached her hand into the cell to tease the serpent. Enraged, the snake constantly clashed its fangs against the girl's arm.
Sparks flew in the dimly lit dungeon, leaving Tsunade and Jiraiya dumbfounded.
"Dragon??"
Sasuke, who had just processed the words, shuddered. He mechanically turned his head toward the serpent, raising a finger to point at himself.
'Who is the dragon? Me?'
"Yes, yes, it is you, sir!"
Ichikishimahime's massive snake head nodded repeatedly, her ferocious maw straining to form a smile.
"But I'm not a dragon, just someone lucky enough to obtain this power."
Sasuke was already turning dead-fish eyes toward Sakura, his resentful gaze repeatedly stabbing at the girl.
'Sure enough, the things provided by this pink-haired, black-hearted girl always came with a price. The only difference was whether it was paid sooner or later.'
"The White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave heard of your deeds and very much wishes to meet you. I implore you to grace Ryuchi Cave with your presence!"
Ichikishimahime earnestly pressed her head against the cell bars, her enormous eyes fixed intently on Sasuke.
"What a realistic snake. That wasn't your attitude when you first arrived."
Sakura pretended not to see Sasuke's gaze, withdrawing her hand from the cell.
Ichikishimahime showed not a shred of psychological burden, snorting two plumes of white vapor from her nostrils. "The strong devouring the weak is the nature of living beings, and the creed of Ryuchi Cave."
Before them, Tsunade, who had been deep in thought for a while, gestured for them to follow.
She led the group out of the dungeon and up to the sunlit surface.
The moment Sakura stepped onto the ground, the soft flesh of her cheek was caught in Tsunade's iron grip.
"I usually don't bother with your little secrets, but this time it involves the village and a Sage Art Sanctuary. You must give an explanation!"
The matter of the 'Dragon' appearing in Sunagakure was something Team 7's trio hadn't even tried to hide. With the information leaking out, Konoha's various departments naturally obtained it immediately.
There were certainly people in the village who wanted to use this to interrogate Team 7, but such political ugliness had been forcefully suppressed by Tsunade alone. She had even quarreled with the two old geezers in the political department several times over it.
But given the special circumstances, Tsunade, as Hokage, still needed to understand some details to judge whether this matter would pose a threat to the village.
"Alright, alright!" Sakura grabbed Tsunade's hand, freeing her cheek from the grip.
"I fed them a kind of secret treasure. Consuming it allows one to gain an additional ability without side effects. You can simply understand it as a non-hereditary Kekkei Genkai."
"Hisss!"
Jiraiya and Tsunade both widened their eyes, sucking in sharp breaths simultaneously.
'Obtain a Kekkei Genkai... no side effects...'
These terms separately might not mean much, but combined, they would drive any organization in the Ninja World to madness.
"You absolutely must not reveal anything about this secret treasure!"
Tsunade, having recovered from her shock, scanned the three present, her gaze finally settling on Sakura. "You come up with an excuse to fool those old bastards!"
"Simple, just say it's a further development of Orochimaru's technique, right?"
Sakura spread her hands, showing a mischievous smile. "Tell them the prerequisite is the Eight Branches Technique. Anyone willing can go learn it~"
Konoha wasn't without techniques that could turn people into phantasmal beasts. The most classic one was completely recorded in Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
Reading permissions for that thing were available to practically every higher-up, but in all these years, no second White Scale Great Serpent besides Orochimaru had been seen.
Surely it couldn't be that none of these people wanted to learn it.
"True, those life-preserving guys don't have that kind of guts." Tsunade nodded in agreement.
"What about me? The people from Ryuchi Cave came for me, right?"
Finding himself nearly forgotten, Sasuke raised his hand to assert his presence.
"Ryuchi Cave is a gathering place for power-seeking maniacs. If possible, I suggest you stay away from them." Jiraiya solemnly advised Sasuke.
As a Senjutsu user from one of the three great Holy Lands, Jiraiya had obviously learned a great deal about Ryuchi Cave from Mount Myoboku.
Not to mention that one of his missions during his ten years of wandering was to hunt down Orochimaru, another contractor of the three Holy Lands.
"But, becoming their contractor also means I can utilize their power, doesn't it?" The boy lowered his head, gazing at the Uchiha symbol on his wrist guard, lost in thought.
"More than that. With good luck, you might even learn Sage Art."
Sakura teased cheerfully, but was promptly silenced by Tsunade's claw clamping down on her head.
She then adopted a more serious expression. "But what Jiraiya-sensei says also makes sense. Those snakes covet your power. Who knows, someday they might produce a few little snakes with the Uchiha surname!"
"I've decided. I will go with her to Ryuchi Cave!"
Sasuke looked up, the confusion gone from his eyes.
Too many changes had occurred in the past few days. From obtaining the fruit's power, to Sakura getting injured for his sake, to learning the truth about the Uchiha back then...
Chaos, anger, grief, disappointment... Complex emotions swirled in his heart, making Sasuke unsure of how to face the village, his clan, and his mother.
So, perhaps it was better to accept Ryuchi Cave's invitation and leave the village for a while to cool off properly.
"No, no, no, let's think about this some more!"
Tsunade and Jiraiya were shocked upon hearing this, forgetting Sakura for a moment as they launched into incessant attempts to dissuade him.
This only strengthened Sasuke's resolve. He turned and walked toward the dungeon.
Over the next two days, Sasuke packed his belongings, bid farewell to Sakura and Naruto, entered the dungeon to sign a summoning contract with Ichikishimahime, and was reverse-summoned to Ryuchi Cave.
Team 7, finally reunited, was once again paralyzed due to a missing member.
Sakura, as a Jonin, was fine. She could independently take on missions, and even if not on missions, she could work at Konoha Hospital.
But Naruto, whose rank was still Genin, had it rough.
Unable to form the three-person team required for Genin missions, he was temporarily stuffed into a team of freshly graduated Academy's students by Tsunade.
He came to complain to Sakura about this for a long time.
Time passed day by day. Sakura, returning to Konoha Hospital, received various patients daily, honing her medical skills.
When the summer breeze began to blow through the village streets, a blonde figure sought her out at the hospital.
They covered Sakura's eyes with their hands, blowing into her ear.
"Hehehe, guess who~"