Poof!
Accompanied by a burst of white mist, the floating Tagitsuhime slowly opened her eyes and appeared before the three individuals: Rasa, Bunpuku, and Karura.
With a gentle voice that perfectly matched her beauty, she spoke.
"Oh, how surprising. Has Rasa-sama already prepared so quickly?"
However, as soon as she finished speaking, her expression suddenly changed. Sensing something, her beautiful face transformed into a terrifying serpent-like visage. Her eyes widened as she glanced around, eventually landing on the enormous Divine Tree. Stuttering, she exclaimed,
"Eh?! S-Such pure natural energy! What kind of power is this...? Could this be what the White Snake Sage-sama mentioned...?"
This sudden reveal of her true form startled everyone.
Karura, who had initially thought her husband had deceived yet another beautiful girl, was both shocked and ashamed of her lack of trust in him upon seeing Tagitsuhime's serpentine face.
Fortunately, Tagitsuhime quickly regained her composure. Realizing her lapse in demeanor, she immediately reverted to her gentle, beautiful appearance.
Rasa, as if he hadn't noticed anything unusual, calmly replied,
"Since the White Snake Sage-sama has invited me, I naturally dare not delay."
Of course, Rasa had intentionally summoned Tagitsuhime here to observe her reaction to the Divine Tree. After all, once he revealed the existence of this place to Pakura and the others, its secrets wouldn't remain hidden for long.
Moreover, he no longer cared as much. With a new Demonic Chakra Fruit and an alternate dimension at his disposal, even if something were to happen here, he could simply grow a new Divine Tree in his own space.
Hearing Rasa's words, Tagitsuhime swallowed hard, forcing her gaze away from the Divine Tree. With a smile, she said,
"In that case, please follow me to Ryūchi Cave to meet the White Snake Sage-sama."
Rasa, however, wasn't about to leave so casually.
"Please wait a moment."
Tagitsuhime was taken aback.
"!?"
"I have a few things I'd like to confirm. For example, how long will I need to stay in Ryūchi Cave, and how will I return? As the Kazekage of Sunagakure, I have many responsibilities in the village. If I'm away for too long..."
Rasa didn't finish his sentence, but Tagitsuhime understood.
"Please rest assured, it won't take long. You'll understand once you meet the White Snake Sage-sama. As for your return..."
Tagitsuhime lifted her sleeve, revealing a small white snake slithering out.
"After Rasa-sama meets with the White Snake Sage-sama, this summoning snake will use the Reverse Summoning Technique to bring you back."
"I see. Then I have no further concerns."
After speaking, Rasa turned to Bunpuku and Karura.
"Bunpuku-sama, Karura, please wait here for me..."
"Understood, Kazekage-sama!"
"Please be careful, Rasa-kun!"
Only then did Tagitsuhime notice the two individuals before her.
"This chakra... is that Shukaku? And this woman... is she Rasa-sama's wife? It seems there's an incredible little life growing inside her... Oh... what is this..."
Tagitsuhime didn't voice her thoughts aloud. Instead, she turned to Rasa and said,
"If Rasa-sama has no further questions, I will now use the Reverse Summoning Technique."
"Understood. Thank you."
Poof!
With a puff of white smoke, Rasa and Tagitsuhime vanished from the spot.
---
Poof!
In the blink of an eye, Rasa opened his eyes to find the dark night replaced by bright lights.
The vast forest had transformed into a magnificent palace. Rasa stood on a floor made of gold, surrounded by walls adorned with colorful, intricate carvings. Lanterns hung from above, illuminating the grand hall in a dazzling glow.
Before him were two rows of red tables laden with all kinds of exquisite food and fine wine.
At the far end of the palace stood two beautiful women. One was a petite girl with deep blue hair, while the other was a mature woman with long brown hair. Tagitsuhime stood beside Rasa.
Upon seeing them, the blue-haired girl immediately spoke in a dismissive tone,
"Is this the human the White Snake Sage-sama invited? He looks rather ordinary. Can I eat him?"
The older woman covered her mouth and chuckled,
"Now, now, we can't act recklessly. He's a guest of the White Snake Sage-sama, after all."
Tagitsuhime, standing beside Rasa, explained,
"Rasa-sama, please don't misunderstand. These two, like me, are trusted aides of the White Snake Sage-sama: Ichikishimahime-sama and Tagorihime-sama. They are here to welcome you on the White Snake Sage-sama's orders."
She then gestured toward a large red chair at the front of the hall.
"Please, Rasa-sama. This banquet has been prepared especially for you."
However, Rasa didn't move. He calmly glanced at the three women and said in a composed tone,
"There's no need to use such illusions on me. I'm quite familiar with transformation techniques."
!!!
The entire palace suddenly fell silent, as if a concert had been abruptly paused. The three women's expressions turned to shock, and then their beautiful faces began to twist, taking on serpentine features. They hissed, their voices turning eerie and manic.
"Kekeke, as expected of a top-tier human ninja~."
"What a shame. If only we could've eaten him."
As they laughed, the lights in the palace flickered and went out, plunging the world into darkness. The surroundings began to distort and dissolve—the palace, the food, the wine—all vanishing like illusions. In their place was a dark, damp cave shrouded in deep mist.
The world became eerily silent.
Tagitsuhime and the other two women had also disappeared. Rasa looked around, slightly surprised.
'I have to admit, the White Snake Sage's people are impressive. Even I couldn't sense how they vanished. And this world, filled with natural energy, is interfering with my perception.
Just then, he sensed something and looked ahead, his expression turning serious.
It wasn't that his sensing abilities were exceptional, but the sheer volume of natural energy that suddenly appeared in his perception was overwhelming. Compared to this vast energy, the bit of sage chakra within him felt like a small boat adrift in an endless ocean.
The immense pressure was palpable. In the silence of the cave, an aged voice echoed,
"So, Kazekage of Sunagakure, what do you think of Ryuchi Cave's transformation techniques?"
As the voice faded, the mist in the cave dispersed, and a faint light illuminated the space. A massive white-scaled serpent, as large as a mountain, appeared before him.