At Kazuyama's strong insistence, Kinrin led him to the Snake Den on the outskirts of Ryūchi Cave.
Ryūchi Cave was structured in a hierarchy: the deeper one ventured, the higher the status of the snakes. At the very core resided the White Snake Sage, followed by the three Snake Princesses.
Beyond them were the snakes training in Senjutsu, while the outermost area was home to ordinary snakes—those that had yet to awaken their spirituality.
Snakes like Orochimaru's summons occupied the middle ranks; their immense size was a result of absorbing natural energy.
Perched on Kinrin's head, Kazuyama gazed down at the assortment of serpents below, his eyes wide with curiosity. Poisonous and non-poisonous snakes of all kinds slithered through the den.
"No wonder it's called Ryūchi Cave—there are so many snakes..."
Spotting a distinctive serpent, he leaned forward slightly. "Is that a rattlesnake? Kinrin, why is a snake that clearly belongs in the desert here?"
Kinrin's voice carried a note of exasperation. "This is Ryūchi Cave, a paradise for snakes. No snake can resist its allure. So why should the ones from the desert be any different?"
"Look at the pool over there."
Following Kinrin's gaze, Kazuyama turned toward a nearby pool, simultaneously activating his Hive Mind ability. What he discovered took him by surprise.
"Why is there a sea snake here? Can such a small pool even support life?"
Kinrin let out a light laugh. "This is the power of natural energy. Even if an environment isn't suitable for survival, as long as natural energy envelops them, they can live here, far from their original habitat. But harnessing natural energy for cultivation isn't so simple."
"That's enough, Kazuyama. Hurry up and choose the snake you want so we can leave. The conditions here are terrible."
Kazuyama slowly stood up and then leaped off Kinrin's head.
"If I go down like this, will I get bitten to death?"
Kinrin scoffed. "Are you joking? You're a contract holder of Ryūchi Cave. The snakes here won't attack you—unless, of course, you attack them first."
As he finished speaking, Kinrin cast a disdainful glance down at the Snake Den.
"And with the aura surrounding you, these snakes wouldn't dare move even if they wanted to."
"You should know—you carry the aura of the Snake Princess."
Only then did Kazuyama recall his Coiling Serpent Technique with Tagitsuhime, signifying his connection to her. That realization reassured him.
Without hesitation, he jumped down and began walking amidst the sea of snakes. The moment they sensed the aura surrounding him, they became utterly docile, lowering themselves to the ground, too afraid to move.
"Let's see..."
For making medicinal snake wine, highly venomous species like five-step snakes, cobras, silver-ringed snakes, and pit vipers were ideal. Their toxic proteins would react with the physical and chemical properties of alcohol, neutralizing their venom while preserving their medicinal effects.
Kazuyama grabbed a snake and examined it closely before placing it into a bag.
One down.
According to his plan, he needed at least three venomous snakes to make a potent three-snake wine—highly nourishing, without a doubt.
With one snake secured, he proceeded to catch a silver-ringed snake and a highly venomous pit viper. Once he had all three, he used the Body Flicker Technique to return to Kinrin's side.
"It's done! These are the three."
"Three poisonous snakes are enough? I thought you were going to grab ten."
Kinrin moved her massive head, allowing Kazuyama to jump onto it with ease. The two left the snake lair, each carrying a captured snake.
"Kinrin, do you know Seirin?"
"Yes, my sister, the bamboo leaf green snake."
"Is she very powerful?"
"Well, how should I put it… If it comes to hand-to-hand combat, she can't beat me—not even that guy Manda. But when it comes to poison, even I wouldn't be her match."
Oh? Kazuyama was a little surprised to hear Kinrin speak so highly of Seirin.
"She told me you summoned her just to scare children. Haha, that really made me laugh."
"You should've seen her face when she came back—she was furious."
Well, she does seem like a rather temperamental snake.
After handling the poisonous snakes, Kazuyama left Ryūchi Cave.
Back home, he went straight to the store and bought two large bottles of high-proof shōchū, each holding around five to ten pounds.
He then headed to the pharmacy, using the Transformation Technique to avoid unnecessary attention from the shop owner.
He bought medicinal herbs like sinomenium, cinnamon twig, aconite, and raw coix seeds to enhance the infused liquor.
Once home, he carefully processed the three poisonous snakes, removing their heads, tails, and poison sacs. Needless to say, the anatomy skills he had learned from Orochimaru proved useful—none of the snakes could have anticipated how meticulously they would be handled.
He tossed all the prepared ingredients into a bucket, poured in the wine, and sealed it tightly.
Based on his estimation, the wine would be ready to drink in a year, and it would definitely be incredibly nourishing.
After that, he took out all the previously purchased kidney-tonifying medicinal herbs and brewed another bottle of wine.
The final result: one bottle of snake wine and one bottle of medicinal wine.
Kazuyama was very pleased with his masterpiece. He stored them carefully, planning to give one to Fugaku as a wedding gift.
In the days that followed, Kazuyama continued taking the three kids on D-rank missions. At the same time, he assigned Rin to Pakura.
Pakura accepted with a smile and earnestly began guiding the girl, who was eager to improve her strength.
Rin was thrilled and trained diligently.
Her rapid progress, in turn, greatly motivated Obito. Ever since completing his delivery mission, he had been full of enthusiasm.
Every day, he dragged Kakashi into training and even sought out Pakura for sparring whenever he had free time.
Eventually, Pakura, who had been happy to teach at first, got fed up with Obito constantly pestering her. She dealt with him decisively—by leaving him with a collection of head injuries.
Before long, the wedding of Fugaku and Mikoto arrived.
Kazuyama led Pakura and the three kids straight to the Uchiha compound.
Given that Fugaku was already the designated next head of the Uchiha Clan, his wedding was naturally a grand event.
"Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen the clan grounds this lively."
"The last time was when Auntie Mikako got married, Kakashi. I'm telling you, the wedding banquet was amazing!"
Obito, ever the foodie, immediately started reminiscing about the delicious food from past weddings.
Meanwhile, Kazuyama observed Pakura and Rin whispering to each other, one young, one mature, both exuding a quiet beauty.
As for himself, he carried two gift boxes, having already checked in at the reception desk and handed over the wedding gift money.
Soon, the ceremony began.
The groom, Fugaku, was dressed in a black robe, while the bride, Mikoto, wore a pure white wedding dress.
Kazuyama couldn't help but feel the need to complain—it simply didn't compare to the stunning red wedding dresses of the Gekkō residence!
That said, there was no denying that Sasuke and Itachi's style came from this guy—Fugaku.
Even in his wedding attire, he exuded a certain presence.
But compared to himself?
Not even close.
Just as that thought crossed Kazuyama's mind, as if by some unexplainable telepathy, Fugaku's gaze locked onto him.
Their eyes met.
Fugaku: This is my wedding. If it weren't, I'd kill you.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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