The final clash ended abruptly, the air still tingling with sharp chakra aftershocks. Dust swirled between them as Uchiha Shigure lowered his stance, his chest rising and falling evenly. Across from him, Hyūga Ieyasu slammed one hand against the ground to steady himself, pale eyes wide in disbelief.
"Then I win?" Shigure asked plainly.
"Of course…" Ieyasu let out a strained laugh, brushing dirt from his robes. "You even knocked me clear off my footing… I suppose I have no complaints." But instead of straightening, the older Hyūga remained crouched, his brow knitting as he studied Shigure's face with unusual intensity.
"…What?" Shigure frowned beneath his bangs. "Why are you staring like that?"
A strange expression flickered across Ieyasu's pale features. "It's nothing. You just… look so much like her."
"Her?" Shigure's voice tightened. "You mean… my mother?"
For a moment Ieyasu looked as if he wanted to continue, but he bit back his words with a shake of his head. "Yes," he said softly. "Your resemblance is uncanny."
Shigure's fists clenched at his sides. The half-truths and vague evasions he had endured since childhood gnawed at him more viciously than any battle wound.
"Enough riddles. I didn't fight you for titles or approval. What I need to know is news of her. Where she is. Why she disappeared."
Ieyasu spread his arms. "You misunderstand. This duel was not empty. You defeated me using our clan's Jūken—our Gentle Fist—and won through Byakugan insight. That alone proves what flows within your veins. Whether you claim it or not, you are of the Hyūga main family. Blood is truth."
"Your bloodline doesn't matter to me," Shigure said flatly. "Only my mother does."
Ieyasu sighed, closing his eyes. "…Then listen. I can give you what you want, but under one condition."
Shigure tilted his head. "Which is?"
"You enter the Hyūga officially. Not as some distant branch, or estranged cousin. The clan cannot ignore or deny you any longer. Accept your place, and I—"
"No." Shigure cut him off, a sharp edge in his voice. "I won't answer to another name. I am Uchiha Shigure. That's what I've always been, and I intend to remain. If I cooperate with your Hyūga, it will be as Shigure—son of Konoha—not as a renamed pawn." His crimson-black eyes narrowed. "But if you want terms, here are mine: tell me everything about her, and in exchange…"
He reached out suddenly, his hand brushing against Ieyasu's shoulder. Chakra pulsed from his palm like a living current, sinking into the elder's body. A ripple surged through his blood, igniting every dormant vein like fire racing across dry grass.
"…!" Ieyasu jerked, his body alight with energy. His chakra network flared. For decades he had strained against a wall he could not surpass. And now—with a sudden exhale—he felt himself break through.
"This—this can't be—!" His voice cracked. "My chakra… it's greater! Fuller! I… I actually reached the Quasi-Kage tier!"
The Hyūga elder trembled, overcome.
Shigure stepped back, his expression calm. "That is my ability. I draw from another's blood, and in return, I awaken their sealed potential. It strengthens both sides."
Ieyasu's hands closed into fists, marveling at the surge pulsing through him. "A gift like this… for the whole clan…"
"Exactly," Shigure said. "If your Hyūga allow it, I can help every member rise higher. Our progress will be mutual."
Ieyasu's lips parted, then broke into something between a laugh and a gasp. "Marvelous! Yes, this is what our clan has yearned for…"
"Then give me what I asked for." Shigure's tone was razor-sharp again, eyes never leaving him.
At last, Ieyasu pulled a small object from within his robes. A heavy stone key, ancient and cold, rested in his palm. Carved symbols spiraled along its surface, humming faintly with sealed power.
"This," Ieyasu murmured, "is the key to the Hyūga Shrine. For centuries, only our main house head carried it. Your mother's last request was that you inherit it—when you reached the level of a Kage." He pressed the key into Shigure's hand. "I doubted such a day would come. But seeing your strength now… I believe she foresaw it."
The key's weight sent a chill through Shigure's body. His mother had left something hidden… something locked away even from the Hyūga themselves.
"Be cautious. Whatever awaits inside, it is dangerous even for someone like you," Ieyasu warned.
Shigure nodded slowly, slipping the key into his sash. In his chest, emotions warred—hope, dread, and determination, each boiling hotter than the last.
Back at his modest home, Shigure wasted no time. "I can't delay. I need strength—fast. No matter how." His hand tightened into a fist. And with a swirl of smoke, he vanished in a reverse summoning.
Dark, damp air enveloped him as his feet touched down inside Ryūchi Cave. Immediately, massive coils shifted in the shadows. A familiar voice hissed low.
"Back again? What are you plotting this time?" From among the mountain of serpentine bodies, the scarred summon Xinya raised his massive head.
"I'm here for training," Shigure answered briskly. "I need the White Snake Immortal's power."
Xinya's eyes glowed faintly in the gloom. Then, surprisingly, he let out a deep rumble of approval. "Good. Then climb higher. Shed your limits. Become like a dragon breaking sky."
A faint smile tugged at Shigure's lips. "Then let's see if your words prove true." His hand brushed across Xinya's scales briefly, threads of chakra sparking between them. The snake jolted, startled by the sudden warmth coursing through his body.
"…What trick… was that?" Xinya muttered, stunned by the sensation of growth awakening within him. His eyes narrowed, then softened. "…Strange boy. Still… less detestable than I thought." Curling back around himself, the great serpent drifted into slumber once more.
Shigure pressed deeper into the cavern. The shadows shifted and shimmered, and when he emerged into the central chamber, the great White Snake Immortal awaited him.
Her massive coils were gone; in her place stood the familiar form of a bent old woman, eyes glinting with sly amusement.
"Well, well. Back so soon." Her thin lips curved into a smirk. "I've been expecting you."
"Enough small talk." Shigure's voice was steely. "Teach me the magic now."
The White Snake laughed softly. "So impatient. But before that… indulge an old woman's request. Would you take on… servants?"
"Servants?" Shigure blinked, thrown off.
Three shapes shimmered into being beside her. The mist cleared, revealing the ethereal figures he had battled weeks earlier in trial—Tagitsuhime, Ichikishimahime, and Tsuzuhime. Their graceful forms radiated otherworldly chakra.
"I don't need servants," Shigure said sharply, shaking his head.
"As I thought." With a flick of her fingers, the three goddesses vanished like illusions.
Shigure narrowed his eyes. "…What game are you playing?"
The White Snake's grin grew slyer. "No game. But listen well. Once you master the senjutsu here, I intend to leave this cavern… and seek Black Scale within the immortal caves beyond. When I go, someone must guard this domain."
"You mean to put me in your place," Shigure realized flatly. "Forget it. I'm no snake."
Her chuckle rasped against the walls. "Oh, but you misunderstand. You keep your freedom. You come and go as you wish. But should others attempt the trials, you would anchor the spell—judge who might enter further. A guardian, not a prisoner."
"And in return?"
"In return, you learn immortal arts no one else alive could teach." Her gaze sharpened. "The final technique lies not with me. Only the next Snake Immortal can master it. And that, boy… could be you."
The flames of temptation flickered in Shigure's chest. The White Snake was wily—treacherous, even—but her words bore weight. If the ultimate senjutsu truly required such a mantle, then this was not obstruction but a gate to power.
For once, he allowed himself silence.
"Well?" she pressed. "Do you accept?"
Shigure folded his arms, gaze unyielding. "…If I don't, I gain nothing. If I do, I lose nothing." His lips curved faintly. "Very well. I'll play your 'guardian'—for as long as it suits me."
The White Snake Immortal's chuckle echoed deep into the cavern.
"Excellent," she whispered. "Then let the true teaching begin."
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