The sheer impact of the eight-headed giant serpent before them was overwhelming, rendering Kushina and Mikoto speechless in fear.
One of the serpent's heads drew closer to them, its size far surpassing that of an average adult.
If it opened its mouth, it could easily swallow both of them whole.
The white snake did not speak but simply fixed its gaze on them, as though scrutinizing them carefully.
Kushina swallowed nervously. "Are you... the White Snake Sage?"
A snake-headed disciple standing nearby suddenly commanded, "Kneel and pay your respects!"
Upon hearing this, an overwhelming sense of awe surged in the two women's hearts.
They immediately knelt before the eight-headed serpent.
Boom—
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind swept in from the main hall's entrance, forcing everyone to squint against it.
A figure shot forward, grabbing Mikoto and Kushina in an attempt to evacuate them.
The eight heads of the white serpent roared simultaneously, their deafening cries piercing their ears.
The ground began to tremble, and the grand hall's interior started to transform.
White snakes slithered across the floor, walls, and pillars.
Stone columns rose on their own, quickly sealing off the entrance.
Seeing this, the newcomer raised a hand and unleashed a powerful palm strike, shattering the stone columns into fragments.
Violent air currents swirled around them, keeping the snakes at bay.
Swish!
The three of them became a blur, darting through the dense mass of serpents.
Upon reaching the mountaintop outside, Mikoto and Kushina were still shaken, their hearts pounding from the harrowing escape.
"You are... Ha... Hakumen-kun!" Mikoto recognized the man's face, exclaiming in shock.
"Lord Hokage sent me to protect you in secret," Hakumen said simply.
"That white snake has the power to manipulate people's minds."
Kushina was still filled with lingering fear.
Moments ago, she had inexplicably believed the eight-headed serpent to be a true Sage and felt compelled to kneel.
She muttered, "No wonder..."
All the townspeople on the mountaintop were staring at the three of them.
Mikoto frowned. "So, you're saying these people have all been bewitched by that snake?"
Two snake-headed, human-bodied disciples rushed out from the shrine, pointing at the trio and shouting, "These three dare to disrespect the White Snake Sage! Capture them, and you shall receive the White Snake Sage's blessing!"
Upon hearing this, the entire mountaintop erupted.
The townspeople stood up, their eyes filled with hostility as they glared at Hakumen and the others.
Hakumen frowned and shouted, "We are ninjas! Don't be deceived by that snake! It's actually—"
"Capture them!" Someone roared, cutting him off.
The crowd surged forward like a wave, charging madly at the three of them.
"They're all under control!" Mikoto said grimly.
Hakumen took a deep breath, dark shadows appearing around his Byakugan.
Leaping into the air, he suddenly unleashed a powerful palm strike.
The terrifying force swept outward, obliterating the distant shrine and even slicing off half of the mountain!
Boom!
The entire mountain shook violently, and everyone was left stunned by the horrifying scene before them.
"Is this still human...?" Mikoto swallowed nervously.
Just the power of a single palm strike...
Hyuga Hakumen was the Hokage's personal guard, a young Jonin.
Many people believed he had risen through the ranks because of his close association with the Hokage.
The townspeople on the mountaintop froze, their faces filled with terror as they stared at Hakumen and the others.
Hakumen landed back on the mountaintop, letting out a long breath.
At that moment, a hand suddenly appeared from nowhere and grabbed Hakumen's ankle.
The rock beneath his feet transformed into one of the snake-headed, human-bodied disciples they had seen earlier.
Hakumen was shocked.
Chakra surged within him, and he immediately focused it into a precise attack.
Bang!
The snake-headed disciple was instantly torn apart by the powerful chakra blast, scattering into countless fragments of rock.
After entering Sage Mode, Hakumen could manipulate his chakra to attack from a distance, much like when he practiced with Guy, allowing him to cause real damage without physically touching the enemy.
Is it an Genjutsu?!
Hakumen immediately leapt into the air with Kushina and Mikoto, but the rocks around them suddenly seemed to come to life, transforming into more of the snake-headed, human-bodied disciples, now surrounding them on all sides!
"Let's retreat first!" Kushina said.
"There's no other choice! I'll lead the way, you two follow closely behind me!" Hakumen said in a deep voice.
With his Byakugan activated, he could see everything around them clearly, picking a direction and flying down the mountain!
The snake-headed, human-bodied creatures weren't very strong, only at the level of regular Genin or maybe Chunin, and they couldn't last even one encounter against Hakumen.
The real problem, though, was that these creatures seemed endless.
Wherever they went, not only rocks but even trees could transform into humanoid figures! This made Hakumen and the others wonder if they were under a Genjutsu.
Fortunately, although it took some effort, they managed to safely descend the mountain.
Once at the bottom, the monsters didn't pursue them, and the small town was not far off, allowing the three to catch their breath.
"What the hell were those things..." Mikoto said, slightly out of breath.
Among the three, she had the weakest combat ability.
Kushina hesitated, "Could they really be... Sage?"
Mikoto retorted, "If they were truly Sage, why would they use such mind-controlling tactics?"
Hakumen thought for a moment. "The White Snake Sage has been here for some time, and the local residents all know about it. It's likely the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Water already knows as well... Let's report this to the Hokage. We're not in our own country, so we should keep our noses out of it."
Mikoto and Kushina nodded in agreement.
After what happened, neither of them had the desire to continue their trip.
Fortunately, Hakumen had come.
If not, they might have been in real danger.
The Hokage truly thought ahead...
Mikoto thought to herself and then thanked Hakumen. "Thank you so much today, Hakumen-kun."
Hakumen replied, "I was just following orders."
It wasn't unusual for a jinchuriki's protection detail to be sent out when traveling.
Kushina sighed a bit. "I won't get involved in these things again."
Before leaving, Hakumen glanced back at the mountain once more.
The trees, grass, and rocks all seemed to be under the control of that White Snake... it really did sound like the magical abilities of an Sage or a monster.
After returning to the village, Hakumen immediately reported everything he had witnessed in the Land of Hot Water to Makoto.
When Makoto heard that it was an eight-headed giant snake, his heart immediately jolted.
Orochimaru's "Yamata no Orochi" technique, the final form, was exactly an eight-headed giant white snake!
Makoto immediately ordered the Anbu to be dispatched again, with Hakumen leading the investigation.
However, a day later, Hakumen and his team returned, reporting that the White Snake had vanished, and the traces of battle on the mountain had disappeared.
Even the half of the mountain that had been destroyed by Hakumen's earlier strike had restored itself to its original state!
What was even more shocking was that the residents of the small town at the base of the mountain had no memory of the White Snake Sage at all!
It was as if everything Hakumen had experienced just days ago had been a mere illusion!
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