Chapter 87: The Spy from Mount Myōboku Has Arrived
Shiromo looked at the "high-end cuisine" in front of him and was reminded of some unpleasant memories.
He had once been to a Michelin three-star kaiseki restaurant. That flavor… if it was just for experiencing the culture, he might as well have eaten West Lake fish in vinegar gravy.
These so-called exquisite dishes before his eyes were far inferior to curry or barbecue in terms of practicality. If that still didn't work, switching to Naruto's favorite ramen would have been fine too.
But this really couldn't be blamed on Ryūchi Cave. After all, they weren't human. At most, they ate humans, how much could they really understand?
Being able to conjure food that daimyōs, high officials, and wealthy merchants usually eat already counted as putting in effort.
"Trial participant, these ingredients are extremely precious. Eat, go on, eat?"
Tagorihime held a plate and stood behind Shiromo. Seeing him completely motionless, she felt something was off and urged him aloud.
Hearing that urging made Shiromo feel a strong sense of déjà vu.
It felt like the next second she would snap, slam the table, and shout, "Damn it, why aren't you eating?! If you don't eat, don't even think about living~"
Don't be fooled by how warmly she was calling him "trial participant" right now. To them, the words "trial participant" were no different from saying "time to eat."
Failing the Ryūchi Cave trial meant being eaten.
As far as was currently known, the only ones who had passed were Orochimaru, and the future Yakushi Kabuto.
Orochimaru passed the test, but his body couldn't withstand senjutsu.
As for Boruto and his group also passing?
Shiromo was more inclined to believe that the White Snake Sage was afraid the families would come making trouble, so she deliberately had the Three Divine Princesses lower the difficulty.
Otherwise, the trials at Ryūchi Cave were just too ridiculous.
There was even a tangram puzzle segment. Anyone who didn't know better would think this was early childhood education.
"By the way, can I ask, when you eat people, do you chew them up, or swallow them whole while they're alive?"
Shiromo casually asked.
"Of course we swallow them whole while they're alive."
Tagorihime had been wondering why Shiromo wasn't reacting at all. After hearing this question, she answered instinctively.
The room fell into complete silence.
Tagorihime realized what she had just said. Her expression gradually darkened, and traces of a snake began to appear on her originally beautiful face.
Since it was exposed, then let's just do it directly…
"Oh, then it seems Jiraiya was telling the truth."
Shiromo pulled an illustrated novel out of his pocket.
Jiraiya?
Tagorihime frowned. That name sounded like the name of a contractor from the neighboring Mount Myōboku.
This guy was connected to those dead toads and still dared to come to Ryūchi Cave? Wasn't that just asking for death?
Thinking of this, Tagorihime opened her bloody maw, revealing sharp fangs as her entire face twisted violently.
Huh?
Just as Tagorihime lowered her head to swallow Shiromo, her gaze caught the cover of the "work by Jiraiya" in his hand.
On the cover was a humanoid monster with a terrifying face, exactly as horrifying as the one she had right now.
But what made her uncomfortable, even frightened, was that the humanoid monster was being struck by a "giant dragon."
What the hell is this?!
Had the toads from Mount Myōboku turned Ryūchi Cave into canned yellow peaches?!
Tagorihime was so shocked that her face instantly reverted back to a human one.
She looked at the book title, 'The Pale Shot'.
"After receiving approval from your Ryūchi Cave, reading these plotlines again has a whole different flavor."
As Shiromo spoke, he began flipping through the pages.
Because it was an illustrated novel, it was filled with vivid, lifelike images.
To Tagorihime, these images were simply horrifying to behold.
There was a monster with a human head and snake body that looked very similar to her, and then…
As she continued looking, Tagorihime discovered that the people in the illustrations became more excited the stranger the monster girls were.
These worldview-shattering images caused Tagorihime's head to start spinning.
"What did you mean earlier when you asked whether I swallow people whole or chew them up?"
After regaining her senses, Tagorihime remembered Shiromo's initial question.
"Oh, you see, Jiraiya says in the novel that the snake girls of Ryūchi Cave devour human 'milk.'"
"I didn't believe it when I read it back then. Now it seems I was ignorant. You, as a local of Ryūchi Cave, already gave an affirmative answer."
"Nonsense! When did I ever affirm that?!"
Tagorihime looked utterly disgusted.
"Didn't you say you swallow people whole? Then wouldn't that include the milk too? Or is it that you've only ever eaten women?"
"I…"
Is there actually such an angle?
Tagorihime's entire face froze, her mind completely blank.
"Oh right, I've heard some biological facts about snakes. Does it apply to the ones in Ryūchi Cave too?"
Shiromo continued asking with "eager curiosity."
"Um, trial participant, I still have things to do. I'll be leaving first…"
Tagorihime took two steps back, preparing to retreat.
"You can't leave."
Shiromo suddenly turned around and grabbed her arm.
"Let g…. let me go!"
Tagorihime instinctively wanted to shout "Insolent!" and then change into a fearsome snake face to scare Shiromo. But then she thought of the images she had just seen and was afraid that Shiromo would get even more excited after seeing her transform, so she hurriedly changed her words.
Of course, the most important reason was that the moment Shiromo grabbed her, she felt the powerful strength in his hand and the vast natural energy flowing through his body.
If he really wanted to force something, she alone might not actually be able to resist.
"If you leave, who am I supposed to look for? What about the trial?"
Shiromo spoke.
"The trial, oh right, the trial is about to begin. I'll go call people over. Just let go of me first…"
"Call them here."
Shiromo stood up and stepped forward.
"..."
"Help!!!!"
In the dense fog outside the illusory palace, the loli-form Ichikishimahime and the maiden-form Tagitsuhime, two of the Three Divine Princesses of Ryūchi Cave, heard Tagorihime's miserable cry for help.
"Hehe, she's quite good at acting. Could it be that the trial participant not only had his appetite stirred by her, but also his lust?"
"That's strange. Pretending to be pitiful and weak, isn't that your specialty?"
"Who knows."
The two chatted casually, completely ignoring Tagorihime's cries for help.
While they were waiting for things to wrap up on Tagorihime's side, if the trial participant passed, it would be their turn.
Tagorihime, driven by fear, directly brought Shiromo to the residence of the White Snake Sage.
Shiromo's earlier line, "You're a snake, so are those clothes shed skin? Come on, be good, let me take a look", had directly terrified her.
Tagorihime stated that she could directly take him through the trial to meet the White Snake Sage, on the condition that Shiromo hand over the book.
Shiromo agreed. Not only did he give her 'The Pale Shot', he also threw in an extra one, another book written by "Jiraiya," titled 'The Grass Python Hero Xu Xian'.
The White Snake Sage had transformed into an old woman, half-reclining on her bed.
Seeing Tagorihime bringing Shiromo in, she frowned. "Why is it only you?"
"White Snake-sama, please save me! This person is a spy sent by Mount Myōboku~ He, he's a beast!"
Tagorihime cried as she threw herself forward.
"We are beasts too."
The White Snake Sage replied calmly, then shifted her gaze to Shiromo. "And can't you feel the aura on him?"
(End of this chapter)