Chapter 90

"Young man, your mastery of natural energy has already reached such a level."

"In the cultivation of senjutsu, there is nothing more I can guide you on."

"Since you have already learned the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku, why have you still come to our Ryūchi Cave to cultivate senjutsu?"

The White Snake Sage's golden vertical pupils

stared fixedly at Hashirama Senju, who stood before him.

Whether it was an illusion of the three Great Snake Princesses or not,

although the White Snake Sage's body was countless times larger than Hashirama Senju's,

the feeling the three of them got was exactly the opposite.

It was as if Hashirama Senju's body were infinitely vast at this moment,

and the White Snake Sage were a tiny human being.

From the slightly solemn expression on the White Snake Sage's face,

the three Great Snake Princesses could tell how much importance he placed on the human before him.

And from the White Snake Sage's tail, which kept swaying slightly,

the three arrived at a result they could hardly believe,

the White Snake Sage was actually afraid of the human before him?!!

No!!!

This was an impossible thing!!

The three Great Snake Princesses denied this conclusion at the very first moment.

They simply could not believe

that the leader of Ryūchi Cave,

the White Snake Sage, who in their eyes was like a god,

would actually be afraid of a mere human.

In the eyes of the three Great Snake Princesses,

humans were nothing more than food in their mouths!!!

"The senjutsu of Mount Myōboku did indeed give me quite a bit of inspiration and help."

"But I believe that Ryūchi Cave, as one of the holy lands on par with Mount Myōboku, your senjutsu naturally has its own unique merits."

"I have already cultivated the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku, and brought the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku to its utmost limit."

"If I wish to take one more step forward, I will probably need the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest."

"White Snake Sage, you have lived for so many years, so you naturally have your own insights into the cultivation of senjutsu."

"I can fully draw upon your experience to perfect my own senjutsu…"

After hearing Hashirama Senju's words,

the three Great Snake Princesses cast an uneasy glance at the White Snake Sage.

Only then did they realize

that the expression on the face of the White Snake Sage, who was always known for his violent temper, had not changed in the slightest.

The three Great Snake Princesses secretly lowered their heads,

exchanged a glance with one another,

and saw the look of disbelief in each other's eyes!!

"Very well… since you have put it that way."

"I too wish to know what it looks like when the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku and the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave are combined together?"

"In the use of natural energy, I have already reached my own limit, and I fear I can no longer advance a single step further."

"Young man… I can hand over the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave to you, but I need you to agree to one request of mine…"

After a long silence,

the White Snake Sage agreed to Hashirama Senju's request.

And hearing him say this, the three Great Snake Princesses could not help but raise towering waves in their hearts,

they had never imagined

that the White Snake Sage would actually be willing to hand over the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave to Hashirama Senju!!!

This was something that had never happened in the entire history of Ryūchi Cave!!!

In the past, the humans who came to Ryūchi Cave to cultivate senjutsu—

which one of them had not undergone all kinds of trials before barely obtaining a fragmentary version of Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu?

Yet the Hashirama Senju before them had paid no price at all,

and had obtained Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu with the greatest of ease.

Moreover, this human before them had an extremely close relationship

with Mount Myōboku, the sworn archenemy of their Ryūchi Cave.

Before Hashirama Senju could even open his mouth,

the White Snake Sage let out a long sigh.

A deep look of regret appeared on his face.

"As early as several hundred years ago, I already felt that I had reached the end of the road in natural energy… in the path of senjutsu."

"These past few hundred years, I can be said to have made no progress at all, even standing still in place."

"Although I am unwilling to admit that this is my own limit, it is nonetheless a fact…"

"So…"

"Young man…"

"I hope that after you obtain the senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave, one day you will step into a new realm."

"I want to know what the scenery above the peak actually looks like."

"That way, my many years of cultivating senjutsu will not have been in vain."

"The entire world is probably only you who can reach this step. After all… your attainment in the cultivation of senjutsu is far above mine, already surpassing me and Gamabunta."

【Jiraiya: Truly unbelievable… the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave actually admits that he is inferior to the First Hokage in the cultivation of senjutsu. The First Hokage of another world — just how far has he gone? …】

【Fourth Raikage: The natural energy and Sage Mode you speak of — are they really that powerful?】

【Rasa: In the records of the Sand Village's history, I once saw some accounts on this matter, but not many…】

【Terumi Mei: Is natural energy really that difficult to master? Why is it that, apart from a handful of people in Konoha, I seem to have never heard of anyone using this kind of energy?】

【Minato Namikaze: If one could master natural energy and combine it with chakra, it would not merely be a result of one plus one being greater than two… It's a pity it is far too difficult to master, and even if mastered, one could not maintain a state like Sage Mode for long…】

【Tobirama Senju: Only someone like Big Brother, who possesses the physique of the Senju clan, combined with Wood Release, can enter Sage Mode with ease and maintain it for a long time.】

【Hashirama Senju: I just observed the me of this world… I found that his mastery of natural energy has reached an unbelievable degree. I cannot understand how he managed to reach this step…】

【Hiruzen Sarutobi: Then this might actually be a good thing for the other world. The stronger the First Hokage's power, the stronger Konoha will become. Perhaps Uchiha Madara won't have any ability to resist!!】

【Shikamaru Nara: I feel… the Uchiha Madara of the other world simply cannot be a match for the First Hokage. On him, I cannot see even the slightest possibility of defeating the First Hokage…】

【Kakashi Hatake: Don't forget, apart from Wood Release, the other world's First Hokage also possesses the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, and he has never once used this ability until now…】

……

"Wh… White Snake Sage…"

"Are you joking?"

"You're saying… the human right before your eyes has already surpassed you in the cultivation of senjutsu??"

Tagakimi swallowed hard,

and opened her mouth wide,

looking at Hashirama Senju with an expression of utter disbelief as she spoke.

If she were not currently inside Ryūchi Cave,

she would even suspect that she had been caught in a genjutsu.

The White Snake Sage actually admitting that a human had surpassed him in the cultivation of senjutsu?

How could that be possible?!

As for Ichikishimahime and Tarushihime, they no longer knew what to say.

In response to her question,

the White Snake Sage simply remained silent.