Orochimaru guessed correctly.
The White Snake Sage possesses vast amounts of Sage Chakra within its body, and coupled with the thick Natural Energy of Ryuchi Cave, it can continuously construct its body with inorganic matter. This means Uehara Naraku has yet to strike the true form of the White Snake Sage.
Orochimaru chuckled softly and said, "The inorganic matter on the White Snake Sage is both material and pure life. Fire Release Ninjutsu won't work..."
"Understood, then let's destroy its body completely!"
Uehara Naraku took a deep breath, looking at the twisting body of the White Snake Sage. Even now, he couldn't see the end of the White Snake Sage's body. Could the length of Ryuchi Cave equal its length?
Life Form Energy Beam!
Uehara Naraku quickly clasped his palms together, a purple energy ray shooting from his eyes. This long-unused skill exhibited immense power this time!
Inorganic Reincarnation can imbue life into inorganic matter, but Uehara Naraku's energy ray can directly decompose all life!
When the purple energy pierced the White Snake Sage's body, it began decomposing the mist on it, making the White Snake Sage freeze!
"What an impressive brat!"
In the next moment, the White Snake Sage transformed into countless small white snakes, slithering into the depths of Ryuchi Cave. Even with the power of the purple energy ray, it couldn't kill all the snakes, let alone find the true body of the White Snake Sage.
Just as Uehara Naraku was about to use the Life Form Energy Beam to destroy the entire Ryuchi Cave and uncover the White Snake Sage's tracks, the cave's spikes suddenly retracted!
A scroll suddenly rolled out.
Evidently, that was the Ryuchi Cave Summoning Contract Scroll.
Uehara Naraku and Orochimaru's eyelids twitched at this scene.
What the hell is going on, just when there was a chance to defeat the White Snake Sage, it backed down? How can it back down!
We're all set here!
No, Uehara Naraku was ready for a long battle, and the White Snake Sage just gave up?
What about your dignity as one of the Three Great Holy Lands!
"Here's the Summoning Contract Scroll you wanted."
An old voice echoed from the cave.
After opening the Summoning Contract Scroll, Uehara Naraku raised his eyebrows and suddenly asked, "The summoning beast I want isn't trash like Manda!"
"I know."
The White Snake Sage hidden in the cave replied gruffly, "If it's your summon, I can come with my true form to help you fight."
Uehara Naraku: "..."
Orochimaru: "..."
This is too ridiculous!
One of the Three Great Sages of the Ninja World agreed to become Uehara Naraku's summoning beast just like that? What about your pride?
"Hehehe..."
The White Snake Sage's eerie laughter came through: "Don't snakes always seek to benefit and avoid harm? Since you have the means to harm me, there's no need for me to waste my energy fighting you."
Clearly, the White Snake Sage doesn't care about pride.
Since it couldn't defeat Uehara Naraku, and Uehara Naraku had means to counterattack, it chose to not resist anymore.
As long as its life isn't endangered, it doesn't mind becoming Uehara's summoning beast, something very similar to Orochimaru. Is it really a kin thing?
The most important reason is, the White Snake Sage spent a millennium enveloping its body in inorganic matter through cultivation; there's no need to waste its Sage Chakra just for a Summoning Contract.
If a crisis threatening the Ninja World's existence occurs one day, even a bit of power might help it survive.
This is the instinctual thought process of snakes.
"Interesting."
Uehara Naraku bit his fingertip and wrote his name on the Summoning Contract Scroll, chuckling as he continued, "Alright, when I need you in the future, don't refuse."
This matter, of course, refers to Yakushi Kabuto coming to Ryuchi Cave to learn Sage Mode.
Side mission: Obtain the Ryuchi Cave Summoning Contract (1/1), task complete, reward: Summoning Contract for an Ancient Giant Dragon.
Summoning Contract: Summon an Ancient Giant Dragon, consuming 10,000 points of Sage Chakra.
This reward made Uehara Naraku's eyebrows twitch; is this Ancient Giant Dragon the one he thinks it is? The kind with wings that can fly around?
It's the first time Uehara Naraku has seen a summoning beast that requires Sage Chakra to summon. Regardless, it's a summoning beast that looks even cooler than Gallio in the future!
The power surely must be unimaginably strong!
When capturing Tailed Beasts in the future, just bring along the Akatsuki members, everyone hop on the Ancient Giant Dragon, and directly destroy the Five Great Countries' Ninja Villages, right?
The only regret is, Uehara Naraku's Sage Mode hasn't advanced, but that's not urgent. Wait until Yakushi Kabuto successfully learns Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode.
Uehara Naraku, satisfied, turned to Orochimaru: "Orochimaru-san, now that everything's settled, shall we leave?"
"...Alright!"
Orochimaru gave an incomprehensible look towards the depths of Ryuchi Cave.
Though he previously worried the White Snake Sage might kill him, now that the White Snake Sage backed down, Orochimaru genuinely felt a bit uncomfortable.
Because he remembered the reason he brought Uehara Naraku to Ryuchi Cave was for the White Snake Sage to kill Uehara Naraku!
Why did the White Snake Sage back down!
You're a millennia-old giant snake, why not just charge?
Orochimaru felt uneasily out of place, why was the White Snake Sage more timid than him, at least he had thought of resisting...
Damn it, with such a cowardly Great Sage among the Ninja World's snake-like creatures, when will snakes be able to stand up!
Orochimaru trembled with cold fury!
Uehara Naraku noticed Orochimaru's odd expression and secretly chuckled, yet said, "Orochimaru-san, if you don't want to leave, why not stay and catch up with the White Snake Sage, you two probably haven't met in a while..."
"No need."
Orochimaru didn't look too pleased.
What was there to catch up about if he stayed? If he stayed, he'd probably be devoured whole by the White Snake Sage!
What a task.
Ending anticlimactically, a bit hard to bear.
Thinking about the White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave made Orochimaru feel stifled, if the White Snake Sage can't deal with Uehara Naraku, what can he do with this brat?
Will he always be threatened and extorted?
"What's wrong, Orochimaru-san?"
Uehara Naraku observed Orochimaru's alternating expressions and teasingly said, "Are you disappointed that the White Snake Sage didn't kill me?"
"How could that be?"
Orochimaru said something even he didn't believe, softly changing the topic, "Alright then, by this time, the ninjas Konoha sent to the Land of Grass should have arrived. We can head to Konoha, get you the Rashomon Summoning Contract, and be done with it, each minding our own business!"
Uehara Naraku smiled and curled the corner of his mouth, looking at Orochimaru's serious expression, gently nodding: "Whatever you say."
In any case, it's his decision how to proceed!
Orochimaru clearly understood Uehara Naraku's implication, his face darkened several shades, encountering such a pesky little brat; strong, cheeky, and clingy...
Was it because he committed too many sins in his previous years?
Is there really cause and effect in this Ninja World?