After Sailing with the Pirate King, I Returned to Konoha - 242

Chapter 242: Orochimaru’s Unlucky Day

The score for the tailed beast capture race was now 6:1:0.

Naruto’s team was far ahead.

Obito had only extracted one tailed beast so far, but Black Zetsu seemed to have found some “cheat” method, waiting for Obito to try it out.

As for the big zero, that was naturally Orochimaru.

Orochimaru had been having a terrible run lately.

According to his original plan, capturing a tailed beast would let him join the game between Akatsuki and Naruto.

With a Jinchūriki as leverage, he could negotiate with Naruto.

Even if Naruto refused, Akatsuki would surely be interested.

As long as he had a Jinchūriki, he would not lack for options.

But ever since he had, on a whim, implanted the cursed seal on that Sand Village kid, everything had started to change.

Orochimaru had never known that the cursed seal could react with tailed beast chakra.

He had never considered Jinchūriki before.

When the Sand Village boy entered an uncontrollable sage state, Orochimaru quickly used Reverse Summoning to escape to Ryūchi Cave.

Ryūchi Cave.

Unlike the saturated, vibrant scenery of Mount Myōboku, this place was perpetually shrouded in thick fog.

Countless snakes coiled silently in the mist.

Orochimaru did not feel much discomfort stepping onto this cold land. Perhaps his frequent experiments had given his body some “snake” traits.

This environment was more comfortable for cold-blooded creatures.

Hiss, hiss, hiss—countless rustling sounds echoed in the fog, the sound of snake scales rubbing together.

Orochimaru had been walking here for a long time.

Ryūchi Cave might be even larger than Mount Myōboku. Even as a contract holder, it was not easy to enter directly without a guide.

Finally, he seemed to find his target, his slit pupils scanning the area before locking onto a direction.

"Come out."

The figure hidden in the mist did not doubt Orochimaru was bluffing. With little hesitation, it revealed itself.

A woman in pure white formal attire, a sash draped over her back.

Her hair was tied up, giving her a dignified appearance.

When she appeared, the magnificent palace of Ryūchi Cave materialized from the fog.

"Tamayorihime?"

Orochimaru recognized her.

In fact, she was not really human.

Tamayorihime was actually a large snake, one who had mastered the art of transforming into human form.

"Orochimaru? It’s been a long time—"

Seeing who had come, Tamayorihime’s dignified expression vanished instantly. Her face showed the scales and fangs of a snake.

Many years ago, Orochimaru tried to learn senjutsu from Ryūchi Cave.

But by then, his body was already riddled with holes from various experiments and Reincarnation Jutsu, far from meeting the requirements for Ryūchi Cave’s sage mode.

Even so, he had not given up.

That was how he later developed the cursed seal.

"Take me to see White Snake Sage."

Orochimaru gave a cold smile to Tamayorihime.

Tamayorihime did not mind, instead leading the way obediently.

For anyone else, entering the cave to see White Snake Sage required passing trials set by her and the other two goddesses, Ichikishimahime and Tagorihime. Failure meant being eaten.

But Orochimaru had already passed their trials, so there was no need for that now.

"Though I don’t know why you seek White Snake Sage, I still advise you not to waste your effort."

Tamayorihime’s head turned 180 degrees, looking at Orochimaru like prey.

"After all, your body is not qualified—why not just stay and become our food?"

"Heh—heh. That’s not your concern."

As a veteran contract holder of Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru, though unable to master sage mode, still held a certain status here.

This was the reputation he had built over the years.

Among all Ryūchi Cave’s summoners, Orochimaru was the most generous with his payments.

He always gave exactly as many sacrifices as promised.

With Tamayorihime leading, the surrounding snakes dared not act up, only occasionally casting cold stares at Orochimaru before slithering back into the shadows.

Ryūchi Cave’s true appearance was not as grand as the illusion, nor as cold and damp as outsiders imagined.

As a sage, the residence needed to be impressive.

Just like the Great Toad Sage’s temple, White Snake Sage’s dwelling was quite imposing.

Candles and oil lamps lined the walls, and in the flickering light, White Snake Sage, transformed into an old woman, lay on her stone bed, squinting at Orochimaru and Tamayorihime at the entrance.

"Orochimaru, what do you want this time?"

White Snake Sage’s tone was gentle and slow, seemingly easy to talk to.

But in truth, only those who dared to resist her knew how cruel this sage truly was.

Believing in the law of “natural selection,” White Snake Sage showed little mercy even to her own kind. In her eyes, the unqualified were only food.

Orochimaru understood White Snake Sage’s nature well. Without saying a word, he offered his “sacrifice.”

A prisoner from the Northern Secret Facility, successfully implanted with Juugo’s cells, was bound and thrown before White Snake Sage.

"Oh? Such a clumsy imitation—quite interesting."

Ignoring the prisoner’s terrified eyes, Orochimaru stated his request after offering the sacrifice.

He roughly described Gaara’s condition.

"Main Sage Transformation? So you want to reverse it?"

"Yes, he is important to my next plan."

Hearing this, White Snake Sage actually chuckled, not rejecting Orochimaru at once.

"I see. Fine, bring him here."

White Snake Sage surprisingly did not set any conditions, seeming only curious to see the strange being Orochimaru described.

This made Orochimaru a little uneasy.

But the plan was more important, so he did not dwell on it.

He had already wasted a lot of time outside Ryūchi Cave.

"In that case, I’ll take my leave for now."

With that, Orochimaru used Reverse Summoning to return under White Snake Sage’s smiling gaze.

"White Snake-sama?"

Tamayorihime, who had just led Orochimaru, looked at her with confusion.

"Heh—"

White Snake Sage did not answer her subordinate’s question, but only gave a light chuckle.

Back at the Northern Secret Facility, Orochimaru immediately learned from Kabuto that the Jinchūriki had escaped.

"Worthless. Can’t even guard a prisoner."

Orochimaru was unusually flustered.

He even suspected White Snake Sage already knew this, which was why she set no conditions.

Even his long wait outside might have been her doing.

Learning that Kimimaro and the others had already gone to pursue him, Orochimaru relaxed a little.

But not long after, he sensed the Heaven’s Curse Seal he had implanted in the Jinchūriki had vanished.

Along with it, his resurrection and reincarnation techniques failed.

If that was not bad enough, the next moment, the Northern Secret Facility’s intrusion alarm sounded—the final straw for Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru—finally found you."

Obito’s figure appeared abruptly in midair, staring at the traitor before him.

But Orochimaru did not look the least bit guilty. Instead, he glared back fiercely.

Hmm?

Why was this guy so angry?

Shouldn’t he be the one feeling angry?

Obito, under that stare, even began to doubt himself.

"You did it!"

"Hand over the Jinchūriki."

Both voices rang out at once, then both froze as they heard each other’s words.