Shedding the Snake Skin and Becoming a Dragon
At Chi Yu's home.
Orochimaru, disguised as a physician, was examining Uzumaki Kushina.
An hour passed before the examination concluded.
Glancing at the report, Orochimaru said in his usual calm tone,
"Kushina's body is very healthy. She's just a little over a month pregnant, so the child is still in the embryonic stage. For now, what she needs most is regular rest and proper nutrition. I'll prepare supplements back at the lab to ensure her condition remains stable. Kakashi, come by the base tomorrow to collect them."
Kakashi, ever attentive, listened more intently than Kushina herself.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru. I understand."
Orochimaru stood, brushing off his robes.
"That will be all for today. My research is at a critical stage, so I must return. From this point onward, I will examine Kushina once a month and adjust her regimen accordingly."
Kakashi quickly stood and bowed.
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru gave a faint smile, though his golden eyes betrayed little warmth.
"There's no need to thank me. Kushina is Chi Yu's wife, and as his master, I simply do what I must. Until Chi Yu returns, Kakashi, I leave her care in your hands."
Kakashi straightened, voice firm.
"I will look after my master's wife without fail."
After Orochimaru left, Kakashi turned to Kushina.
"Master's wife, it's getting late. I won't disturb your rest further. Please take care."
Kushina smiled faintly, though her pregnancy already made her weary.
"Alright. Thank you, Kakashi."
"It's my duty," he replied, before leaving quietly.
Yet Kakashi did not go far. Outside, he summoned several ninja hounds to patrol discreetly around the residence, ensuring nothing would disturb Kushina.
Orochimaru, of course, had taken his own measures—leaving behind hidden serpents within the house as silent guardians.
For now, Kushina was as secure as one could be.
---
Meanwhile, far from home, the soon-to-be father Chi Yu was still deep within Ryūchi Cave, locked in battle with the natural energy raging inside his body.
Fifteen days into his training, half of his body had already taken on serpentine features.
But Chi Yu was slowly mastering control. The wild tide of natural energy no longer threatened to consume him fully. This meant he had already overcome the most dangerous threshold—the stage where unchecked natural energy would turn the body into a snake, then petrify it into stone.
Now came the next step: producing Sage Art Chakra.
To create it, natural energy had to be drawn into the body and balanced perfectly with one's own physical and spiritual energy, forming the critical 1:1:1 ratio.
Chi Yu tried cautiously, weaving chakra and adding a trace of natural energy.
Failure. The amount was too little.
His second attempt went further, but he overshot—too much natural energy. At once, the snake transformation resumed, tiny scales creeping along his neck, his closed eyes revealing vertical snake pupils beneath the lids.
Chi Yu's heart tightened. Each attempt brought him closer to the brink. Too many failures, and he would lose his humanity entirely.
So he slowed down. More careful, more deliberate.
Seven more days passed.
At last, his training reached a breaking point. Only part of his face remained untouched by scales—his final window before no return.
If he failed again, he would be forced to abandon the process and rely on a dangerous contingency.
Suppressing his anxiety, Chi Yu steadied his mind, condensed his chakra, and slowly introduced natural energy.
At first, the mixture resisted violently. Chakra and natural energy clashed, threatening collapse.
But then—at the meeting point of the two forces—a spark appeared.
Not blue like chakra. Not white like natural energy.
Green.
A new, vibrant chakra bloomed within him.
Chi Yu's heart surged. This was it—Sage Art Chakra. His own unique fusion.
He maintained the balance carefully, producing more and more. The Sage Art Chakra swirled within him, filling every limb.
Suddenly, his forehead tingled.
From the White Snake Sage's perspective, two budding horns sprouted and grew, curling proudly like a young dragon's crown.
The sage inhaled deeply from her pipe, exhaling smoke in satisfaction.
"Ho… has he truly succeeded? Shedding the snake's skin… and ascending toward the dragon."
The small scales covering Chi Yu's body cracked and fell away, replaced by a stronger layer. Green markings—distinct sage eye shadow—formed around his eyes.
Chi Yu opened them.
His gaze revealed the three tomoe Sharingan—yet in their center now lay a vertical slit pupil, sharp as a serpent's.
Rising to his feet, green Sage Art Chakra surged around him, coalescing into the phantom shape of a dragon's tail.
He drew a breath. Despite twenty days of stillness, his body felt light—power brimming.
He clenched his fist and slammed it into the ground.
The earth caved in, leaving a massive crater. His physical strength had multiplied severalfold.
"Sage Art—Great Fireball Technique!"
He exhaled flames infused with Sage Art Chakra. The fireball swelled beyond anything he had conjured before, a blazing sphere that roared across the cavern and detonated, carving a blackened crater into the stone.
The destructive power was leagues beyond ordinary ninjutsu.
Chi Yu let out a low whistle.
"Incredible… so this is the power of Sage Mode."
But the transformation faded within minutes, his Sage Chakra dispersing.
The White Snake Sage observed calmly.
"You've only just stepped into Sage Mode. In time, you'll extend its duration, and the boost to your ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu will grow beyond measure.
Remember—Ryūchi Cave's Sage Mode is superior to that of Mount Myōboku. You need not remain motionless to draw in natural energy. Even in battle, you can produce Sage Chakra.
But know this… your training has only just begun. Next, I shall teach you the true arts of Ryūchi Cave. Are you ready?"
Chi Yu's lips curved into a confident smile.
"After all this? Of course I'm ready. Bring it on."
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