Trial
Tianxin Shenji stared blankly at Chi Yu, utterly stunned by his actions.
Killing the examiner of a trial to pass it? That logic was unheard of—yet he carried it out without hesitation.
For the first time, her composure faltered.
Her face twisted as her true form surged forth: her pupils turned golden and slit-like, black markings spread from her nostrils with streaks of red extending outward like war paint, her skin paled, and her lips parted to reveal sharp teeth and a serpent's blue tongue.
"You dare attack me directly?!" she roared, glaring furiously. "Would it not have been better to simply eat the food obediently?!"
At once, the grand palace dissolved into darkness. Ash drifted into nothingness, replaced by heaps of scattered human bones.
Chi Yu narrowed his eyes. "A genjutsu that even the Sharingan cannot see through?" he murmured.
Tianxin Shenji's voice grew cold. "Of course. Since I know your identity, I anticipated that Sharingan of yours. This is my unique Sage Art illusion—mere dōjutsu cannot break it! How vexing. If only you had eaten the food I prepared, I could have consumed both your body and chakra."
Chi Yu scoffed. "So that was the trial? Such a shallow trick. Only a fool would eat food conjured in a place like this."
Her hair bristled, fury sparking in her golden eyes. "Shallow? Look around you! Every skull here belonged to someone who failed—those who ate my food and were devoured until nothing but bone remained!"
Chi Yu chuckled. "Then they were fools. Nothing more."
Her expression froze, his blunt words cutting sharper than a blade.
Before she could retort, a voice echoed from the depths of the forest:
"You have already lost. He was not deceived by you."
Tianxin Shenji turned, breathing heavily, before hissing, "I know. Our duty is to screen those who seek Ryūchi Cave."
"Indeed," the voice replied. "The White Snake Sage only permits us to devour those who fail. But he is… different. You cannot defeat him. Let him proceed."
With visible displeasure, she turned back to Chi Yu. "You have passed my trial. Continue forward."
With that, Tianxin Shenji vanished into the shadows.
Chi Yu's brows furrowed. Even his Observation Haki could no longer sense her. So Sage Arts can resist that too… And what did they mean by 'special'?
He could not find the answer. For now, he pressed onward.
---
Before long, smoke drifted through the forest, and a small, ethereal girl appeared—delicate and doll-like, floating weightlessly. She glanced at him before gliding ahead.
Chi Yu's hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword. "The second trial?"
The girl stopped in alarm, turning back. "Wait! You can only pass by completing the trial. Killing me does not count!"
Chi Yu clicked his tongue and released the hilt, though his eyes stayed sharp.
Relieved, the girl smiled faintly. Truly abnormal… Most think only of passing the trial. He thinks only of eliminating the examiner.
She led him into a cavern. The entrance sealed behind them with a thunderous crash, a massive stone slab dropping into place. The rock face was riddled with countless oddly-shaped holes.
"I am Ichikishimahime," she said formally. "This trial requires you to fill every hole with the matching stone. The pieces are scattered here in the cave. Only when every hole is filled will you leave this place. Try as many times as you wish… but each attempt will drain your chakra."
Chi Yu's eyes fell to the floor, where a mound of strangely-shaped stones lay. He picked one, slid it into a hole, and felt a tug at his chakra.
"So this is the trap," he muttered. "Drain them dry, then devour them once they collapse. How tedious."
With his Sharingan analyzing every contour, he quickly slotted most of the stones in place. Soon, only one hole remained. But no stone on the ground matched it.
"Perhaps you overlooked it," Ichikishimahime suggested smoothly. "There is no limit. Search again."
Chi Yu didn't even glance back at the stones. He was certain. The final piece did not exist.
In an instant, he vanished with a flicker of speed and seized Ichikishimahime by the throat.
Her eyes widened, her form warping as scales and fangs revealed her serpentine nature. "W-What are you doing?!"
"You said all the stones that fit the shapes are in this room," Chi Yu growled. "That includes you."
Ignoring her thrashing, he slammed her head against the wall, pressing her cheek against the hole. The flesh molded perfectly into place.
The cavern dissolved like a mirage, releasing her.
Ichikishimahime darted back, glaring with indignant fury. "You insolent human! To use me as a stone piece?! That's beyond disrespectful! The true solution was to carve a new stone from the others and match the shape. That was the correct path!"
Chi Yu smirked coldly. "Correct or not, it worked. That makes my way valid too."
Before she could retort, a presence lunged from behind, fangs snapping toward his neck.
Chi Yu stepped forward, blade flashing free.
"Lightning Breathing, Sixth Form: Electric Blast!"
A storm of lightning-shaped slashes erupted outward, searing everything around him.
A shriek tore through the cavern. The assailant collapsed, charred and smoking.
Chi Yu raised his sword to finish it—
"Wait!" Ichikishimahime cried, throwing out her hands. "Don't kill her! That's Tagitsuhime, the examiner of the next trial!"
Chi Yu frowned, staring down at the scorched woman on the ground. "A trial is one thing, but a sneak attack? Is that how you welcome every challenger?"
Ichikishimahime looked sheepish. "That… is simply her way. Tagitsuhime always does this."
"And her trial?" Chi Yu pressed.
"She tests your heart," Ichikishimahime explained. "She will flood you with her Sage Art chakra, dragging you into illusions. Only if your will endures will the trials be complete."
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