Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

"I won't say anything more—no need to waste time. Let's begin the final trial now. Although the last one didn't fully follow the rules, you still managed to pass..."

The tall, brown-haired Tagitsu-hime was the first to speak. Before Zixu could react, she moved like a gust of wind, pouncing on his back and gripping his shoulders with an iron-like hold. Her face tilted upward, her jaw stretching unnaturally wide—revealing a horrifying maw of razor-sharp fangs, as if a snake's upper half had merged with a human's skin. It was unsettling to behold.

"Ding! Ding!" A metallic clang echoed from Zixu's neck.

Tagitsu-hime's expression flickered with surprise. Though she had restrained her strength to avoid piercing his throat, she hadn't expected his defenses to hold up this well. His physique was already far stronger than most who had taken the Ryūchi Cave trial.

But she wasn't some ordinary being—she had lived for thousands of years. Without hesitation, she struck again, this time with more force.

A sudden, numbing chill spread through Zixu's neck, like an electric shock. Then, his consciousness faded into darkness.

There was nothing he could do—these were monsters who had lived for millennia. No matter how he looked at it, he stood no chance at his current level.

As Zixu's body hit the ground, unconscious, Ichikishima-hime—the petite, purple-haired snake princess—relaxed her pout. With a small, satisfied huff, she threw a light punch in the air toward Zixu's fallen form. That was the extent of her reaction.

Inside the Illusion

A dizzying sensation washed over Zixu, like his body was being violently spun inside a washing machine. When he finally came to, the snake princesses were nowhere in sight.

The ruins of the forked path still lay before him, but after experiencing so many powerful illusions, Zixu could sense it—this was just another trick.

Just as repeated exposure to a drug builds resistance, after facing so many illusions, he was beginning to develop a form of immunity.

"If this is all an illusion, then the illusion will break once I meet the trial's conditions. But if that's the case, why should I bother playing by their rules? Instead of searching for a way to pass... why not just shatter the illusion itself?"

Illusions preyed on the mind. A weak will meant an easy target. Conversely, a wounded soul drastically lowered one's resistance to genjutsu.

"Mind, soul... If I can harness my Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku Haki), I might be able to break free."

Zixu clenched his fists. In both the ninja and pirate worlds, training required the unity of body and mind. Power alone wasn't enough—one needed the mental fortitude to control it.

Just look at Momonosuke—the widely ridiculed example. He had consumed a Devil Fruit with Kaido's DNA, yet lacked the willpower to wield its full potential. He was unworthy of the power he possessed.

"I can't actively use Conqueror's Haki yet. But if I could forcefully awaken it, I could tear through this illusion..."

From the sidelines, Tagitsu-hime and Ichikishima-hime observed him in silence. Their curiosity grew as Zixu stood motionless, deep in thought.

"What is he doing? Why isn't he trying to break the illusion? Has he given up?"

Awakening

"Wait... I remember now."

Drastic emotional surges could trigger Conqueror's Haki. He needed to recall something that truly enraged him.

Zixu's face contorted in concentration, as if struggling with constipation. But no matter how much he tried, nothing came to mind. He wasn't the type to let emotions sway him easily.

Then—

A memory surfaced.

That one moment.

In his past life, he had spent 648 yuan on a gacha game, only to get the guaranteed pity pull.

It was one of the three darkest moments of his gaming career.

He had suffered for an entire month after that—eating instant noodles, borrowing money just to afford daily meals. He had even used his roommate's card to pay for a public shower. The sheer humiliation of it all.

At first, he had regretted it. Then, he had raged. But the moment his group chat showed another player pulling six SSR cards in a single 10-pull, his sanity collapsed.

A deep fury surged within him.

The illusion trembled.

Ichikishima-hime's expression darkened as a wave of oppressive energy radiated from Zixu.

"Huh? This brat... why am I actually feeling pressure from him? What the hell is going on?"

At first, Ichikishima-hime only noticed that Zixu's expression had darkened, as if he had been greatly provoked. But not long after, his aura erupted like a firecracker exploding inside a glass bottle.

The mountains around Zixu in the illusion trembled, releasing countless invisible ripples. Wherever the ripples spread, the illusion shattered like a beast encountering its natural predator—dissolving at a mere touch.

At the same time, Zixu's real body snapped awake. His eyes shot open, and his piercing gaze locked onto Tagitsu-hime and Ichikishima-hime. A terrifying pressure radiated from him, primal and untamed.

Though they were much stronger than him—logic dictated that they had nothing to fear—their bodies instinctively took a step back.

It wasn't about strength.

This was something far deeper.

It was the natural suppression of a king.

The young tiger roared in the forest. The latent dragon stood at the edge of the abyss. A monarch does not tolerate defilement.

This pressure didn't last long.

Moments later, Zixu half-collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily, exhaustion overtaking him.

"Huff... huff..." Every muscle in his body screamed in pain, his limbs trembling from fatigue. He felt like he had been completely drained—his chakra, his stamina, every ounce of strength. His very cells felt depleted.

Just then, a deep, ancient voice echoed in his ears.

"You've done well, young one. Congratulations. You have passed the trial and are now qualified to train in Senjutsu (Sage Techniques)..."

The scene around him shifted once more. The illusion melted away, revealing an enormous white serpent in front of him.

Her body was massive, coiled regally on a stone throne. A green cat's eye gleamed on her chest, while a purple silk ribbon served as a forehead protector. On the front of the ribbon, a military-green horn-shaped ornament rested, while a red night pearl adorned the top of her head. A long, curved kiseru pipe dangled from her mouth, thin wisps of smoke curling into the air. Two golden rings shimmered on her tail as she regarded Zixu with an indifferent gaze.

This was the legendary White Snake Sage.

Behind her, the Three Snake Princesses—Tagitsu-hime, Ichikishima-hime, and Tsunagahime—stood silently. It was clear now that the voice had come from the great serpent herself.

"Passed the trial? That's good... hm."

Zixu barely had a chance to relax before a cool sensation spread across his neck. Unlike before, there was no numbing pain—only a refreshing energy surging through his veins.

His senses sharpened.

He could feel it.

A new power now existed within him.

"Boy, learning Sennin Mode (Sage Mode) is no simple task," Tagorihime began, stepping forward. "First, you must possess a massive chakra reserve. Without it, you will be swallowed by natural energy and transformed into nothing more than an instinct-driven snake."

Zixu remained silent, listening intently.

Sure enough, he could feel it.

Beyond his chakra and spiritual energy, a third energy now coursed through him—an untamed, foreign force.

"Second," Ichikishima-hime continued, "you must learn to absorb natural energy. The White Snake Sage has already injected you with hebi-kōso (Snake Enzymes). This will help you better perceive the natural energy in the air. Once you've adapted, you won't need external aid—you'll be able to draw in natural energy on your own."

Zixu followed her words, closing his eyes and reaching out with his senses.

Sure enough, he could feel it—an abundance of energy saturating the air. A thick, almost moist power, flowing like an invisible current.

"Finally, the most important principle." Tagitsu-hime stepped forward now, her tone serious. "A normal shinobi balances their training between seishin-ryoku (Spiritual Energy) and shintai-ryoku (Physical Energy). However, to enter Sennin Mode, you must integrate a third force—shizen-ryoku (Natural Energy).

"To achieve true Sennin Chakra (Sage Chakra), these three forces must remain in perfect equilibrium—a 1:1:1 ratio. If you absorb too little natural energy, it won't blend with your chakra, rendering it useless. But if you take in too much..."

Her voice lowered.

"You will turn into a snake.

"You must always maintain this balance. Only when the ratio is perfect will the Sennin no Kasshoku (Sage Markings) appear on your face, signaling that you've successfully entered Sennin Mode."

As the princesses finished their explanations, the White Snake Sage exhaled softly, thick smoke curling from her kiseru pipe.

Then, she spoke.

"The most fundamental principle of Sennin Mode is unyielding perseverance and an indomitable will. Only those with an unwavering spirit can truly become a Sage.

"As for how you wield this power... that is your choice. I will not interfere. My duty was only to guide you."

The rising smoke engulfed Zixu, surrounding him like a dense mist.

"...Thank you," Zixu said, bowing slightly. "But can I leave now? My companions may be worried about me, and I..."

Though these beings had tried to kill him more than once, at least they were clear about their rules—pass the trial, gain the knowledge. He couldn't exactly fault them for that.

Still, there was one thing on his mind.

He needed to return to Konohagakure.

Even if he had no personal attachment to the village, he wasn't ungrateful.

Hyuga Chinano had helped him immensely over the years. She had saved him, trained him, and stood by him. He owed her at least one thing—to rid her of that damned cursed seal.

"Do not worry about that," Tsunagahime replied with a smirk. "The Sage does not restrict your freedom. I will grant you two contract serpents. One will remain in Ryūchi Cave, and the other will stay in your desired location. By using the Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Reverse Summoning Technique), you can travel between them freely.

"The natural energy here is denser. If you train in Ryūchi Cave, your progress will double."

She handed him two tiny snakes—one white, one black.

Zixu took them without hesitation. The white serpent would remain in Ryūchi Cave, while the black one would stay with him.

The White Snake Sage never opened her eyes.

She merely let out a soft exhale.

A glowing Fūin-jutsu (Sealing Technique) appeared beneath Zixu's feet.

It was the same reverse summoning formation that had brought him here.

As the teleportation jutsu activated, Zixu's body lifted into the air.

He committed this place to memory.

Then, he vanished into the spiritual formation—returning to the outside world.

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