Naruto: Countless versions of myself superimposed at the same time!

Having some alternative recovery ninjutsu would be good.

Because this is a no-seal ninjutsu, no hand seals are required.

…………

Deep within Ryuchi Cave, the temple dedicated to the White Snake Sage is perpetually shrouded in damp, cold mist.

The enormous serpent with white scales, coiled on its massive throne, slowly opened its orange-yellow vertical pupils. The pipe in its mouth trembled slightly, and a wisp of smoke rose gently.

The white snake immortal's body is of unknown length, and it seems to have long since merged into the temple where it is enshrined.

"Ok?"

The White Snake Immortal let out a low nasal sound, and the golden rings on his snake body gently touched together, producing a crisp tinkling sound.

As a sage from one of the three holy lands, the White Snake Sage also has the means to perceive everything in the ninja world and see some lifespans.

The Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku observes the ninja world through dreams and the "Telescope Technique".

The White Snake Immortal, on the other hand, is "listening".

With this special ability to hear, she can hear about many things happening in the ninja world.

She sensed something was amiss.

In the distant Land of Fire, a unique natural energy wave is attempting to resonate with the magical frequency of Ryuchi Cave.

That was clearly the prototype of the "Ryuchi Cave Sage Mode"!

The White Snake Immortal's furrowed brows.

She had been vaguely sensing this movement for some time, but today she sensed it most clearly.

What surprised her even more was that the source of this fluctuation was not any of the contract holders in Ryuchi Cave, nor was it anyone who had trained through the proper channels.

However, he was practicing the "Ryuchi Cave Immortal Mode".

Could it be that Orochimaru leaked it?

The White Snake Immortal's furrowed brows.

Orochimaru also trained in "Sage Arts" back then. According to custom, Orochimaru had to endure the natural energy infused into the fangs of the White Snake Sage.

Orochimaru failed but survived by chance, so he should still have some residual natural energy in his body.

The White Snake Sage closed his eyes, and the vast "Sage Chakra" accumulated over a thousand years began to slowly flow.

She began to perceive things more subtly.

"This is..."

The White Snake Immortal's vertical pupils suddenly contracted.

In her perception, the young ninja's bloodline was unbelievably complex.

The bloodline of the Uchiha clan, the bloodline of the Yotsuki clan, the scent of the toad lineage of Mount Myōboku, and even... the white snake cells originating from Ryūchi Cave?

But that's not the most surprising thing.

What shocked the White Snake Immortal the most was that this young man actually knew the "Dragon Cave Immortal Mode".

"Like a snake from Ryuchi Cave, attempting its first molt..."

The White Snake Immortal muttered to himself, puffing on his enormous pipe.

She had lived for over a thousand years and had seen countless geniuses, including researchers like Orochimaru, but none of them were like the young man before her.

Because no one possesses so many bloodline limits.

The White Snake Immortal, who had lived for over a thousand years, naturally knew what this meant.

She, like the Great Toad Sage, lived through the era of the Rabbit Goddess.

I have personally witnessed how many holes the Six Paths Brothers and the Goddess of Rabbit have shattered this land.

That kind of power is something that no one in the current ninja world can withstand.

Now, the White Snake Immortal sensed a possibility from Kiyohara.

If he really is a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths.

If he were to cultivate the "Dragon Cave Immortal Mode," could he find another path?

As far as the White Snake Sage knew, the Sage of Six Paths possessed a technique called "Six Paths Sage Technique".

"A serpent leaping like a dragon..."

A glint of light flashed in the eyes of the White Snake Immortal.

In the ancient legends of Ryuji Cave, there exists a special entity.

It is not a pure-blooded snake, but it can continuously transform during cultivation, eventually crossing the threshold of "snake" and evolving into a higher level of life form, the dragon.

In the past thousand years, she has only seen one being: Orochimaru.

Unfortunately, while he was very intelligent, he lacked the physical aptitude to achieve it.

And this young man in front of me...

The White Snake Immortal slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Tsuratsuhime".

Her voice echoed in the empty temple.

A moment later, a beautiful figure emerged from the shadows.

She was a woman dressed in a white kimono with a charming face, her long black hair styled in an exquisite updo, and her eyes had serpentine vertical pupils.

"White Snake Immortal, what are your orders?"

Princess Tsurugi bowed deeply, her voice soft and charming.

"Go and tell Princess Ichikishima and Princess Takoto to contact Orochimaru."

The White Snake Immortal paused.

"Tell him that Ryuji Cave has found an interesting little guy, and ask him to keep an eye on him."

"Yes."

A hint of surprise flashed in Tuanjinhime's eyes, but she didn't ask any more questions and slowly sank into the shadows.

The White Snake Immortal closed his eyes again, his enormous body gently swaying on the throne.

"Let me see... how far you can go, little guy."

…………

Konoha, Hokage Building Conference Room.

More than ten people sat at the long table, all of them representatives of the major clans of Konoha and frontline commanders.

Kiyohara sat beside Tsunade, listening calmly to the discussion.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, his pipe slowly emitting white smoke.

"...In conclusion, after the loss of the Third Mizukage, the internal factional struggles within the Kiri-gakure have intensified, with figures led by Genshi supporting Yagura Karatachi as the Fourth Mizukage."

Nara Shikaku put down the report in his hand and pushed up his glasses.

This is intelligence sent by spies from the Land of Water.

Both the Root and the Anbu have ninja agents in intelligence groups who are responsible for infiltrating other countries and ninja villages.

"It seems that the battle there has reached a stalemate, with both Kirigakure and Sunagakure expressing a willingness to negotiate."

A low murmur of discussion arose in the meeting room.

"Peace talks? The fog has obscured the water's shadow; how can you accept that?"

"What good is it if they're unwilling? They're too busy dealing with their own internal strife right now."

"Sunagakure really got a good deal; if it weren't for our timely support..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table lightly, and the murmurs gradually subsided.

"Whether Wuyin likes it or not, the continuation of the war is not good for any party."

He spoke slowly.

"Although Konoha has the advantage, the threat from Kumogakure on the eastern front still exists, and it is not advisable to fight on two fronts for a long time."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"I have decided to accept the peace proposal put forward by Sunagakure and, at the same time, restore the Chunin Exams system, which was interrupted by the war. This time, we will invite Sunagakure to co-host the exams."

These words immediately enlivened the meeting room.

"A joint Chunin Exam? That's a good way to restore relations."

"But regarding security..."

“We can send the candidates from Sunagakure to Konoha, and we will take care of their security.”

Kiyohara listened quietly, but his mind was racing.

This should be the beginning of Yekura's death.

If you want to get involved in this matter, it's best to do it now.

Then he rescued Yecang and took advantage of his hatred for Sunagakure to recruit him as a subordinate.

Ye Cang was a genius, but he died young.

If Kiyohara had given it more nurturing, it could have gone much further than the original work.

He became Kiyohara's top enforcer.

Chapter 248 Orochimaru, Poor but Delicious

"Lord Hokage."

Qingyuan suddenly spoke.

All eyes were on him.

This young Uchiha is now a well-known figure in Konoha.

Killing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, stealing the Ninja Sword, slaying the Third Mizukage... every achievement is worthy of being recorded in history.

What's even more awe-inspiring is that he is still so young.

If it doesn't die young, it will definitely become the foundation of Konoha in the future.

"Kiyohara, what's your opinion?"

"Sarutobi Hitsugi asked gently."

He has always been gentle with geniuses, especially great geniuses like Kiyohara.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind, he was already Minato Namikaze number two.

"I think a joint Chunin Exam is a good idea."

Qingyuan said slowly.

"But inviting the Sunagakure examinees to Konoha might make them uneasy, making them think we have something to hide!"

He paused for a moment, then continued:

"How about this, Konoha sends a delegation to Sunagakure to discuss the details and invite them to take the exam. This way, we can both demonstrate our understanding of Sunagakure's current situation."

The meeting room was quiet for a moment.

Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga clan, frowned slightly:

“Sending an envoy to Sand Village is quite risky. What if Sand Village and Mist Village reach some kind of deal and then turn against each other…”

After all, Sand Village's backstabbing is a tradition.

Chiyo, a high-ranking official of Sunagakure, lost her son and daughter-in-law at the hands of Konoha, and her own grandson was even beaten up by Kiyohara.

Such hatred is only temporarily suppressed by the interests of the village, but it does not mean that past grievances have been resolved.

However, Chiyo's situation was just the tip of the iceberg; most ninjas had grudges against each other.