The old man's words, powerful enough to shock the entire ninja world, stirred even Orochimaru's heart.
Faced with the unknown world, he felt a hint of yearning, for only by seeing it for himself could he truly understand what guns, missiles, and nuclear weapons really were.
However, the old man's next words quickly dispelled these thoughts.
"What I just mentioned happened during the First Era, but the Earth has already entered the Second Era. Those weapons, such as guns and missiles, have become relics of history."
"Even if you go to the other side, you won't find the weapons I described."
"The conflicts between nations and the wars between peoples severely hindered the development of continental civilization, making that part of the world very backward."
"They have been trapped in prolonged civil wars, so for thousands of years, they haven't bothered coming to this side, despite the weakening barriers between the worlds."
"Because they are too busy with their own struggles."
At this point, Kabuto, who had been quietly listening for a long time, posed a question.
"You mentioned the First and Second Eras earlier. How exactly are these eras divided?"
He lightly stroked his goatee. "That's a good question."
"The division between the First and Second Eras on Earth is based on a significant event."
"My guess is that this event is likely tied to the proper alignment of the stars."
"When the stars align correctly, Earth undergoes a great cleansing of civilizations, wiping away the previous era and giving birth to a new one."
"And in my research, I've found that before the First Era, there might have been a 'Zero Era'."
"The Eibon I mentioned earlier likely belonged to the Zero Era, where magic was the dominant force on Earth."
"During that time, the Earth still had continents like Hyperborea and Atlantis."
"So, the alternation of civilizations goes like this: the Zero Era was centered on magic, the First Era focused on technology, and the Second Era might be about the ninjutsu you ninjas wield?"
"But that's not certain either, because ninjutsu and chakra weren't created by ninjas."
The old man abruptly stopped speaking, leaving Orochimaru and Kabuto in deep contemplation.
"You said earlier that these were just your guesses. So, you're not certain about the transitions between the eras?" Orochimaru asked again.
The old man nodded, "Of course. I'm not the all-knowing Yog-Sothoth. My ability to observe this world from another is limited."
Orochimaru understood that the other world the old man mentioned was an unknown realm or really another world, one unreachable by mortals.
As he thought this, he quietly glanced at the glowing space behind the brass door. To him, it was a mysterious unknown.
"Although it's speculation, you can still find evidence that the First Era once existed."
"For example, do you know who invented some of the common technological innovations in your ninja world?"
"Who invented paper?"
"Who invented glass?"
"Who invented electricity?"
"Who invented plastic?"
"These are all great inventions that transformed human life, yet no one remembers their inventors. Isn't that strange?"
"Your world focuses on developing ninjutsu, neglecting basic technological advancements, yet you enjoy the conveniences these technologies bring. Don't you ever reflect on that?"
"Because these technologies are remnants of Earth's First Era. You've simply inherited the technological legacy of the previous civilization."
"Although the great cleansing of the last age wiped out most of human civilization, a small part survived."
"And according to my calculations, there isn't much time left before the stars align for the third time."
"There are only two ways to escape this disaster."
"One is to find the passageway that the Serpent People's prophet once showed them, just like I did, and enter the world beyond it."
"This would allow you to live forever like me, but you'd lose all other forms of power."
"The second way is to face the great cleansing head-on, and whether or not you survive will depend on your fate."
"Alright, my time is running out. Do you have any final questions?"
The old man's ultimatum startled Orochimaru a bit. He had many more things he wanted to ask, but the old man's urgency made him unsure of what to ask. "What about this Nameless City and the Serpent People you mentioned?"
The old man smiled and raised his head slightly, saying, "The Serpent People evolved from Earth's earliest reptiles, around 275 million years ago. At their birth, they worshiped the Father of All Serpents—the Great Old One, Yig."
"Later, some of the Serpent People established a subterranean world called Yoth, where they worshiped Tsathoggua, abandoning Yig."
"As a result, the fickle and temperamental Yig cursed them, causing some of the Serpent People to devolve into serpentine savages."
"These savages lost most of their intelligence, became violent, and turned on each other. The city you are in was destroyed by them."
"However, some of the Serpent People were protected by Tsathoggua and, using the knowledge they gained from him, mastered a strange form of natural energy."
"But after serving Tsathoggua in the underground for so long, they began to resemble toads, losing their original serpent-like features."
"Of course, some Serpent Sorcerers escaped the curse by going into hibernation and later repopulated in caves."
"But after this event, the Serpent People who worshiped Yig and those who worshiped Tsathoggua became enemies, waging generational wars."
"By the way, your drooping inner eye corners are a unique trait of Serpent People descendants."
The old man pointed to Orochimaru's face, clearly directing his last remark to him.
Orochimaru quickly touched his face, realizing that his inner eye corners were indeed more droopy than most people's. For a while, he had even felt like a freak because of this trait.
But after hearing the old man's words, he felt certain that he was a freak.
Could I be a Serpent Person? Are these coffins around me filled with my ancestors? And the Serpent People who fled to the caves and became like toads—aren't they the snakes of Ryūchi Cave and the toads of Mount Myōboku?
It turns out that the snakes of Ryūchi Cave and the toads of Mount Myōboku were once Serpent People. Their conflict was caused by their differing beliefs.
His mind buzzed as he learned all this. He recalled the final request made by the White Snake Sage.
White Snake Sage: "If Ryūchi Cave were to go to war with Mount Myōboku, you must fully assist us."
At the time, Orochimaru didn't respond, instead turning and leaving. Because of this, the White Snake Sage called him a naive brat.
So, there were deeper historical reasons behind the Sage's request back then.
Though he hadn't agreed to help, and the White Snake Sage hadn't taught him Sage Mode, she still allowed Orochimaru to stay in Ryūchi Cave. During this time, Orochimaru tamed many snakes, including Manda, as his summoning beasts.
He also developed numerous snake-related jutsu.
Before leaving the cave, he even stole the White Snake Sage's secret treasure—the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu. This forbidden jutsu allows the user to transform into an eight-headed serpent. While it wasn't as powerful as the Sage's own Sage Mode, it was still an S-class forbidden technique.
The White Snake Sage, being aware of everything happening within Ryūchi Cave, must have known about Orochimaru's theft. So why did the Sage let him take it? The only explanation was that the White Snake Sage had recognized Orochimaru as a descendant of the Serpent People!
Standing on the steps, Abdullah's expression shifted slightly. "I must go."
As the old man's words fell, a bone-chilling gust blew in from the passage behind the room, like the fury of demons or the howling of evil spirits rushing towards the world beyond the bronze door.
Orochimaru felt as if this ancient tomb of the Serpent People, silent for countless years, had come to life. Looking in the direction of the wind, he saw figures emerging from the glow behind the bronze door—shaped like serpents.
These winds weren't natural; they were the outlines of the Serpent People, moving like demons in a nightmare, clad in armor. Their fierce snake heads occasionally glanced back at Orochimaru, locking eyes with his snake-like gaze.
In that brief moment of eye contact, he witnessed a massive illusion—a gigantic head of the Serpent People. Over time, the head and skin were morphing, and eventually, it took on a form identical to Orochimaru's own, with a sinister snake-like face.
I am a Serpent. I am one of the cursed Serpent People...
As the phantom vanished, his eyes refocused on Abdullah. The old man, though frail, stood firm in the violent winds, his traditional garments fluttering slightly.
Countless serpent figures rushed past him, yet his body didn't waver.
Slowly, the old man turned and followed the serpent figures toward the radiant space beyond the bronze door. As he moved, the light behind the door grew blinding, forcing Orochimaru and Kabuto to shield their eyes.
As the old man's figure was swallowed by the light, Orochimaru shouted out his final question: "What lies beyond the bronze door?"
The old man paused at the threshold, turning his head after two seconds of silence.
"Behind the door..."
"Is the Watcher."
With that, the old man continued into the world of light until his figure was completely consumed.
At that moment, the last serpent-shaped wind entered the bronze door, and both the bronze door and the small door in the room began to close simultaneously.
Orochimaru's eyes widened as he screamed, "Yog-Sothoth is behind that door!"
In a frenzy, he raced toward the closing small door. But he was too slow. Just before his fingers could reach the edge, the door slammed shut, leaving no gap.
"Open the door!"
"Open it!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He frantically pounded the small door with his snake-like arms, but despite his intense attacks, the door, though seemingly wooden, didn't budge.
Only dust fell from the edges of the door frame.
Kabuto, watching in confusion, couldn't understand why Orochimaru had become so obsessed after hearing the word 'Watcher'. What exactly was this Watcher? Regardless, he dared not interrupt Orochimaru in his current state, choosing instead to wait for him to calm down.
After a long while, Orochimaru finally exhausted himself. His snake limbs slowly retracted into his sleeves, and he slumped to the ground, staring at the door that stood as an impassable barrier to his dreams of reaching the other side.
Seeing Orochimaru calm down, Kabuto cautiously helped him to a corner to rest, offering him a food pill for recovery.
In silence, they eventually began their journey back. Kabuto walked ahead, deep in thought, unaware until Orochimaru's quiet exclamation caught his attention.
The neatly arranged coffins that had lined the walls were now empty.
Not only that, but all the coffin lids had been slightly moved, as if something had opened from inside. The once-occupied coffins, with their precious metals and adornments, were now devoid of both treasure and the Serpent People corpses.
Could it be that the serpent-shaped winds weren't mere illusions, but real Serpent People?
Only now did Kabuto realize the truth in Orochimaru's earlier words: "We live on a small, peaceful island of ignorance, surrounded by an infinite sea of blackness."
"If we insist on setting sail, even though we might feel unharmed for now, someday all the seemingly unrelated pieces of knowledge will come together."
"And that knowledge will lead us into terrifying, surreal visions that our minds cannot deny."
"Our only hope is to maintain our sanity when those moments come."
As they walked on, they noticed one coffin that remained untouched. All the other lids had been slightly ajar, but this one was still perfectly sealed.
Orochimaru, recalling the serpent corpses, realized it would make a perfect research specimen. He ordered Kabuto to open it.
As the lid slowly opened, they found no serpent body inside—only a single, slight rise in the coffin's bottom. On that rise lay a book with a red cover.
The Necronomicon.