This involved Shuoye Uchiha's life and death. Hiruzen Sarutobi had been forced down by Shuoye before—if he went and caused trouble, Fugaku might not be able to keep it under control.
Everyone exchanged looks and understood Fugaku's resolve.
They chose to move with the mindset of walking into death if they had to—so long as they brought Shuoye back.
Orochimaru focused, formed hand seals, and murmured, "Reverse Summoning Technique!"
A flash of light.
They arrived at the outer edge of Ryūchi Cave.
There, they saw a massive sword scar—left by Shuoye's single slash.
Their hearts jolted.
Shuoye's strength had risen again… by a frightening margin.
"Where is Shuoye's limit?"
Uchiha Xuanjing's blood ran hot. He knew Shuoye's swordsmanship had reached a realm almost no one could touch.
If he made it back alive this time, he would ask Shuoye for guidance.
Only someone like him—a true blade specialist—could understand just how terrifying that one cut had been.
They didn't linger.
They rushed deeper into Ryūchi Cave.
They knew Shuoye was battling the White Snake Sage, and every second could be fatal.
Deeper inside, they began to sense a violent surge of chakra. Tsunade's face changed immediately.
"Move! Shuoye could be in danger!"
Along the way, they saw traces of battle everywhere—snake corpses nearly the size of Manda, lying broken in the passages.
The sights only deepened their worry.
They arrived at the temple where the White Snake Sage had once been—only to find a massive pool of blood.
"Where is Shuoye?" Tsunade demanded, voice tight.
At that moment, something stirred in a corner.
They turned—
The three Snake Princesses were huddled together, shaking, as if they'd seen something that shattered their souls.
"Where is Lord Shuoye?"
Uchiha Xuanjing didn't hesitate. Killing intent flashed in his eyes as he barked the words.
The Snake Princesses pointed toward the depths, indicating Shuoye was there.
Tsunade and the others erupted with chakra and shot off at once.
There was only one thought in their minds—
Shuoye could not be allowed to fall.
"This…"
When they reached the location, the scene hit them like a hammer.
A gigantic Susanoo had a massive white serpent pinned to the ground.
Inside the Susanoo, Shuoye stood coldly, looking down at the White Snake Sage.
"Shuoye!" Tsunade and the others shouted in unison.
Shuoye turned, surprised.
"Why are you here?"
Tsunade answered by smacking the top of his head.
"You're reckless! Orochimaru said you came here—I almost killed him!"
Shuoye rubbed his head and grinned.
"Tsunade, I'm fine. I had my own plan."
After hearing his explanation, even Tsunade felt a chill.
Who in the world would dare set their sights on Ryūchi Cave?
Ryūchi Cave might be the least "glamorous" of the three great sage lands, but its strength was still no joke.
Shuoye nudged the White Snake Sage beneath him.
"So—have you decided? Submit, or die?"
The White Snake Sage felt humiliation burn through her.
She had survived since Kaguya's era. When had she ever suffered such disgrace?
But she also knew one thing clearly—
This human wasn't someone she could handle.
"Hmph! You think this is enough to make me submit? I am the White Snake Sa—"
Shuoye narrowed his eyes, danger rolling off him.
"Oh? Then what do you want?"
"I…"
The White Snake Sage met Shuoye's unwavering gaze and understood there was no point arguing.
Especially when she saw the killing intent in his Rinnegan.
This young man would not be swayed.
"You truly won't give me any chance…?" she asked, testing him.
Shuoye shook his head slightly, a cold smile tugging at his mouth.
"A chance? You don't have one anymore."
Bitterness rose in the White Snake Sage's chest.
In the shinobi world, her strength was near the top.
Yet this youth felt like something that didn't belong here at all—wielding power she couldn't comprehend.
"You know about the Ōtsutsuki," Shuoye continued. "If I have no other choice, I'll kill you here. I won't allow anything in the shadows to keep watching the Hidden Leaf."
A chill crawled through the White Snake Sage.
She understood he meant every word.
If she resisted any longer, she would die.
"…Fine. I will submit to you."
In her heart, she calculated quietly—at most a hundred years. Then she would be free.
Human lifespans were short.
A sage's lifespan was long.
But the White Snake Sage was thinking too simply.
She didn't understand that Shuoye Uchiha was not an ordinary human.
His power, his mind, his secrets—none of them belonged to "normal."
To Shuoye, a hundred years might be nothing more than a brief stretch of time.
Watching it happen, Tsunade and the others were left stunned.
"The White Snake Sage… actually signed a summoning contract with Shuoye?"
It felt like they were watching a miracle.
"This… that's the White Snake Sage!" Tsunade said, still unable to believe it.
Even Orochimaru went slack-faced.
He remembered the day he came here for his own contract—those snakes had looked down on him like dirt.
And now Shuoye had forced the White Snake Sage to submit with casual ease.
"Shuoye… that's outrageous," Orochimaru muttered.
And so, with an almost mocking ease, Shuoye conquered this ancient sacred land.
"Alright," Shuoye said, smiling. "Next step."
"Start Reverse Summoning. Bring the Hidden Leaf's ninja here as well—let them sign contracts with Ryūchi Cave's great snakes."
His eyes held a confidence that was hard to describe—calm, absolute, domineering.
Taking the White Snake Sage had been one of his goals.
As for Ryūchi Cave's entire serpent fighting force—
He had no intention of wasting it.
Under Shuoye's arrangements, Hidden Leaf ninja entered Ryūchi Cave one after another, forming contracts with the snakes and turning them into combat partners.
For a time, it felt as if all of Ryūchi Cave had become the Hidden Leaf's workforce.
Every snake was given a new role—becoming a weapon in a shinobi's hands.
The Hidden Leaf's strength swelled dramatically, leaving everyone shaken.
Then, while the others were still basking in the victory, a cold system voice sounded in Shuoye's mind.
[System Notification]
Option 1: Special achievement complete — Conquer Ryūchi Cave
Option 2: Reward — "White Snake Becomes a Dragon" Sage Mode
Option 3: —
"A special Sage Mode?" Shuoye's mood lifted. "Didn't expect a bonus."
He knew how terrifying Sage Mode could be.
Even Kabuto—who had once been only average—had used it to overwhelm both Sasuke and Itachi together.
And the "White Snake Becomes a Dragon" Sage Mode he was about to obtain would clearly be more complete, more refined, and far stronger than Kabuto's.
Another system prompt followed.
[System Notification]
Option 1: Upgrade requirements met — begin system upgrade?
Option 2: Yes
Option 3: No
"Begin the upgrade."
Shuoye gave the order without hesitation.
He understood that every system upgrade brought new power and new opportunities—
And he was waiting for it.
As the upgrade proceeded, Shuoye stood quietly to the side, already thinking through his next move.
He knew that as the system evolved and his own strength rose, more unknown forces—and more hidden truths—would unfold before him.
A few days later, the daimyō of various nations gathered at Nara Shikaku's summons to witness the Hidden Leaf's astonishing changes.
The moment they stepped into Hidden Leaf territory, their jaws nearly hit the ground.
"Th-this… is the Hidden Leaf?"
One daimyō pointed into the distance, staring at a group of Hidden Leaf children riding atop gigantic snakes as if the terrifying creatures were nothing more than toys.
"What is this nonsense?" another daimyō blurted. "Even children can bear a summoning contract?"
They knew how heavy summoning contracts could be. Even adults might not endure them—let alone children who still looked so young.
Shuoye smiled and explained calmly.
"You're misunderstanding. These contracts were signed by snakes who offered submission. The burden is naturally small."
He continued, tone steady.
"And this is also a unique education method of the Hidden Leaf—allowing children to build deep bonds with summoning beasts from an early age."
"The Hidden Leaf… truly is unbelievable."
The daimyō felt their understanding shift.
Not only of the Hidden Leaf's strength—
But of Shuoye's ambition.
And when they noticed Fugaku Uchiha seated beside Shuoye, the shock deepened.
Fugaku was the Hokage.
Yet he sat at Shuoye's side willingly.
That alone explained Shuoye's standing within the Hidden Leaf.
Once everyone had arrived, Shuoye gave Fugaku a look.
Fugaku nodded, cleared his throat twice, and began.
"Honored daimyō. In order to promote peace and development across the shinobi world, I propose a new policy—the Three-Tier Citizen System."
He continued after a brief pause.
"Third-class citizens are the lowest tier. They may learn up to C-rank ninjutsu."
"Second-class citizens may learn B-rank and A-rank ninjutsu."
"And first-class citizens may learn S-rank ninjutsu—even forbidden techniques."
He paused again, then pressed on.
"To encourage ninja from every nation to submit ninjutsu, we will determine contribution value according to the grade of techniques they hand over, and assign citizen rank accordingly."
"And as a form of benefit in return, we have arranged for the great snakes of Ryūchi Cave to serve as summoning beasts, available for ninja of various nations to learn and use."
"What?! A three-tier citizen system?!"
The room exploded into uproar.
"This is hegemony! You're trampling our dignity! We will never agree!"
Some daimyō refused outright, calling the policy overbearing and unfair.
Shuoye answered without the slightest politeness.
"In a world where strength decides everything, 'fairness' is just an excuse used by the weak."
His gaze was calm—too calm.
"I am the sky."
"You can accept my policy, or you can refuse."
"But the consequences of refusal… you understand them."
Nara Shikaku and the others watched Shuoye's cold, unwavering eyes, a deep shock settling into their hearts.
They understood his strength now—how far beyond their imagination it had become.
This policy didn't target civilians.
But it struck directly at the power structure of every major nation.
It was almost like tearing out the roots of their future elite forces.
Once implemented, the Hidden Leaf would naturally become the center of the shinobi world.
Want to become stronger?
Fine.
Go to the Hidden Leaf.
Everything was there—ninjutsu, summoning beasts, kekkei genkai…
As long as you could pay the contribution value.
And to earn contribution value, everyone would have to work for the Hidden Leaf.
In the end, the Hidden Leaf would rise above nations—a sacred land beyond borders.
Almost like the "Ninshū" of old, before the great villages split apart.
"The Hidden Leaf… if only that idiot Sarutobi were still in charge."
Before they left, more than one daimyō sighed toward the village.
They understood it now.
The shinobi world was truly heading toward unification.
And Shuoye would be the one who ruled it.
Then, another piece of good news arrived—
The Seven-Tails, Chōmei—the last remaining Tailed Beast—finally had a confirmed trail.
"Seven-Tails…"
Shuoye felt quiet joy rise in him, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Six Paths Mode… within reach."
He knew this step would be the key to his climb to the peak.
With that excitement, his presence shifted subtly—like something dormant was beginning to awaken.
Behind him, the White Snake Sage—ancient and mysterious—took the form of a beautiful snake woman, following closely.
Her scales shimmered silver beneath the moonlight, like a girl's skin with a serpent's sheen.
Shuoye chuckled softly.
"Stay like that. It's easier on the eyes—and the journey won't be so dull."
The White Snake Sage dipped her head slightly, a hint of teasing in her eyes.
"Shuoye… what are you truly chasing? Even I find that obsession curious."
Shuoye didn't slow his pace. His answer was calm.
"Power. To protect… and to prove."
He spoke inwardly as his eyes sharpened.
"Yang Release… I've mastered it. Enough to extract a Tailed Beast's power while keeping the Jinchūriki safe."
He understood the danger.
Pulling a Tailed Beast from a Jinchūriki required extreme precision. One mistake could mean failure—or worse, the Jinchūriki being harmed.
And Kushina Uzumaki being hurt…
That was something Shuoye would never accept.
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