Book One: The Rise of the Blue-Haired Devil.

      I was in agony... my whole body felt as if it had been doused with boiling water, both inside and out... I woke up several times, but immediately passed out. I felt too much pain in the first seconds of waking up, and together with sleepiness and fatigue, accumulated over days of travelling to my destination, it acted as a sleeping pill on my whole body. On the tenth awakening I lost count, however, I began to feel a kind of coldness on my back. It was both comforting and alarming, as my back had previously been the hottest spot on my body. Morgana didn't respond to my cries. Apparently, she, too, had fallen into a coma because of recent events. But I could feel her presence in my body very well. I used to see many things in my delirium. In the past world, for example, images of dead people in my life came to me. Of course, that was before my denial of feelings and emotions, but damn, in this world the hallucinations had taken on a new stage. Several times when I woke up, I saw a multitude of snakes crawling over my body. It looked creepy and inspiring at the same time. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, as visual hallucinations are not uncommon in fever. I thought that this eternal circle of "awake - off" would never end, but the fatigue began to fade, and with it my body became accustomed to the pain. The fever began to subside, too. I opened my eyes, already clearly aware that I wasn't going to pass out due to the state of my body. I exhaled nervously, starting to look around. I was in some dark cave, lit only by a single candle. Who brought me here? That was the question on my tongue. It was too dark. What kind of person could navigate in this darkness? It's very difficult. Even by chakra, it's difficult to navigate here. In two minutes of analysis, I realised that I was lying on a cold ledge. I'm surprised I haven't caught a cold yet. My left arm was clenched unpleasantly, locking me in one position. I didn't even bother to look at my limb, knowing full well that I had a broken bone, so I assumed that my saviour had fixed it in place with something to make it heal properly, only because of that I decided to look around first. There was something shiny on the floor. Even my eyesight didn't allow me to identify exactly what the floor of this room was covered with, and the room was oval in shape. I didn't see a door, which means that this place appeared due to natural processes. But that wasn't the point... I turned my head sharply towards the broken limb when I felt movement. The pupils of my eyes involuntarily narrowed from what I saw. I was scared as hell..... there was a small snake coiled around my arm. With its body it held my arm in one position, clamping it in a whirling motion. This was done on purpose so that I wouldn't hurt myself, for a person in my condition can unknowingly damage both themselves and others. I did not hold back a small shriek of surprise and a dash of fear.       - You're awake already man-ss? - came a whispered voice from the darkness. I flinched, for I hadn't felt the presence of a person nearby. Sto-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-op... he hissed! What's going on here?       - Really-sssss... woke up..." the same voice said the snake, crawling into the light from the darkness. It had black scales with yellow pupils.       - What?" was the only thing I could say, surprised and shocked at what was happening. Well, what do you want? I've never seen a talking animal in my life. And here's a snake talking to me in almost civilised language. My interlocutor was about five metres long, thanks to which he could safely rise to the level of human height to communicate with any person on equal terms. At that moment I tried to get up, but the pain in my whole body came in a powerful wave, so I had to return to a lying position. For a few seconds I came to my senses, looking at my interlocutor and perhaps even my saviour. The snake was in no hurry to start a conversation either.       - My name is Michiko Yuki. And what is your name? - I said in a calm tone, putting my thoughts and feelings in order. In fact, I just didn't understand how to communicate with a talking snake. It was something new to me.       - Well, it's not official. I'm not above you in status or power-sssss. My name is Delta-sss. Pleased to meet you. - extending each word, the snake said. Okay, stop!!! That's her?! Really? Oh, okay, well, the important thing is to calm down. Because she's looking at me with so much interest that it makes me want to get out of here fast.       - You saved me? Do I owe you? - I asked the two perfectly logical questions I was interested in right now. It was at this point that I began to feel that there was almost no chakra in my body. It remained at such a minimum to keep my vital signs normal. I was greatly alarmed by this, though it was not reflected on my face, but my companion involuntarily raised his tail. Apparently, he somehow understood my worries.       - You don't owe me anything, because you saved my family. You'll have to pay back only to our sage, because it was he who saved you. - hissed Delta, looking at me with approval and gratitude. I sank into thought. I understand everything, of course, but I just don't remember the moment when I saved some snakes. Well, no matter how many times I thought back, I couldn't find anything similar in my memory. I don't know how, but my interlocutor understood everything without words, deciding to explain the situation.       - My children decided to explore the areas outside the cave, but their bodies were weak and their instincts were not at the right level. In the end, they ran into a pack of rodents that cornered them, and then you came along and just fell on all those animals, crushing all those creatures that were trying to kill my children. - Delta paused. In her eyes and voice I heard anger and hatred, and I was surprised that she stopped hissing, saying all the words with such anger and rage that I got goosebumps on my back and sweat drops on my forehead. The snake stopped in time, for its bloodlust began to fill the space around it. - My children told of you-sss and your deed-sss when they returned to me-sss. I, along with the other snakes, made the decision to help you-sssss, but to heal your wounds-sss, our sage-sss had to intervene. - Delta finished her story.       - That's how it is. - I thoughtfully stretched out, beginning to understand what was happening. I was surprised at my luck, for to come into a cave where there was some kind of skirmish, and then somehow randomly fall on a pack of mice or rats in such a way as to crush them, - it was just some ridiculous luck. Besides, I did all this while already on the edge of consciousness, not making a clear assessment of my actions. I was in thought for a couple of minutes while Delta calmly awaited my new questions. - Why can't I use chakra? It's like it's not building up in my body. What did your Sage do to me? - I continued to question my saviour. They were very important questions.       - Well-sss, your back had very extensive and serious damage-sss. We couldn't repair it, so we decided to give you a new skin graft. - The black-skinned snake partially explained the situation, watching my reaction. I, ignoring the pain and fatigue, flew up from my seat, assuming a sitting position. I had a hard time believing what she was saying.       - Don't tell me you transplanted me... - I started to clarify, but Delta interrupted me.       - You got it right, your back is now made of snakeskin-sssss, and not the easy kind-sssss. You've had a skin graft from the Wise Man himself. Be proud of it, because not everyone can get to our abode, even less can survive here, having got to our Sage, and no one could interest the Sage as much as you. - stated the yellow-eyed snake with a kind of praise in his voice. I gripped my head with one hand, starting to realise how much of a mess I was in. I wanted to use my left hand to feel my back, but I quickly realised that it was broken and in a living cast. So I touched the skin on my back with my right hand already, stretching out with realisation and some new sensations. I hadn't been lied to. The skin was cold and rough. Unpleasant... For a few minutes I groped my skin, accepting the simple fact that I was no longer a simple human anymore, but some sort of snake-man or snake-human. In short, it's the aftermath of my battle with Sasuke and his henchmen. I don't regret what I've done, because that scumbag attacked the sacred. Now he'll rot in the ground, or in ice. Perhaps the Sarutobi clan will hate me. Not really, it's a hundred percent already. I killed their leader, but we can think about that later. Right now I'm interested in my fighting ability and the condition of Mito and Yumi, because if the girls couldn't get out of this shit, then all my actions are in vain.       - What about my chakra? - I asked, because Delta hadn't fully answered my previous question.       - Do the terms sen-chakra or natural chakra mean anything to you? - After a little thought, the snake asked me a question in return. I shook my head as a sign that I didn't know what they were. Delta exhaled nervously. It reminded me of lessons from Rico. Eh, those were the days... It's a shame my sensei won't get to see what I've become... what his daughter has become... - It's a long story-sssss. All right, let's get started. There have always been little particles in the world, always absorbing the power of nature. This is nature's chakra-sssss, but the average person is not able to feel these particles-sss. It takes many years of practice-sss just to feel this force-sss around you-sss. But even this is not enough to start using it properly. If you just start accumulating it in your body, your body will start adapting to it, and if you do not stop this process in time, you will turn into a stone statue in the end. Therefore, you should not just absorb sen-chakra-sssss, but also mix it in the right proportion with your physical and spiritual component chakra-sss. Only then will your hearth be able to produce a new kind of chakra, which we call sen-chakra-sss. It surpasses your chakra by an order of magnitude, allowing you to increase the power of your techniques and the level of your physical performance. We are now in the Ryuichi cave. This is one of the few places in the world where you can learn the Sage Mode, which can be entered by any person who has accumulated enough sen-chakra-sss. Now let us come to your question directly-sss. Our Sage is one of the first beings in the world that learnt the power and essence of natural energy-sssss by transforming it into sen-chakra-sss. He is many centuries old-sssss. He is very old and wise, and his body is constantly fuelled by sen-chakra-sss, so his skin has adapted to this power-sss, causing it to passively absorb this power-sss. That's the reason why we had to block your chakra hearth-sssss so that you don't turn into a stone statue before time-sss. It's also the reason why your recovery has been very long and difficult. You've been with us for a month now. - Delta finished her story, looking at my pale face with interest.       - A month? - I mumbled, realising how long I'd been in this place. I was already considered dead in battle most likely.       - Rest, as soon as you are back on your feet-sss, I will take you to the Sage-sss. - said the snake, beginning to slowly crawl away into the darkness.       - Thank you, Delta. - I thanked the snake. She has done a lot for me after all. Delta didn't answer anything, continuing to crawl away into the depths of the cave. I was left alone with my thoughts.....