"Sigh…"
With a helpless sigh, Otsutsuki Isshiki could now confirm one thing as the Shinobi World remained peaceful during this time.
This time… things were messed up again.
To put it simply, he invested in a Ten-Tails and ended up with two enemies instead.
And among those two enemies, one of them wouldn't have reached this level of power without his own indirect help.
Seriously…
The Shinobi World is really deep! After fighting like that, they still managed to join forces? No way, right?!
But there was nothing he could do. Even if he was unwilling, Otsutsuki Isshiki had to accept this reality.
After all, whether it was Uchiha Raijin or Uchiha Madara, he was no match for either of them.
The only possible turning point lay with those remnants from Kirigakure and Kumogakure.
But Isshiki knew very well that while it seemed like a possibility, it was basically hopeless.
As soon as they dared to show up, Konohagakure had more than enough power to crush them effortlessly.
And by crush, he meant completely wipe them out…
Forget it. No point in thinking about useless things. Time to eat, drink, play, and sleep as usual.
Might as well wait for Momoshiki and the others to come to the Shinobi World.
Without a doubt, the ninja born in this world had caused serious psychological damage to Isshiki, the interstellar farmer.
…
Konohagakure, Uchiha Madara's residence.
Madara leaned casually against the tatami, absentmindedly playing with two small Truth-Seeking Orbs in his hands.
But his unfocused gaze made it clear that his mind wasn't on the orbs.
He was recalling the things Uchiha Raijin had said to him before.
Jigen…
Although he hadn't fully expressed his thoughts, in his heart, Madara had basically confirmed it.
A person capable of producing a complete Ten-Tails—Jigen—couldn't possibly be from this world.
This only strengthened Madara's resolve to join forces with Raijin.
After all, something like the Ten-Tails was obviously not something a single person could create.
And the truth was, he had heard of the legend of Otsutsuki Kaguya.
Otsutsuki Kaguya and Jigen…
That pairing strangely reminded Madara of the Hyuga clan's main and branch families.
So, was Jigen's real name actually Otsutsuki Jigen?
…
"How far along is the experiment, Second Hokage?"
At Konohagakure's research center, Raijin quietly opened the door and peeked inside.
"You have pretty good timing."
Senju Tobirama, who was in the middle of eating, paused for a moment. He looked up with a faint smile.
"Of course. If I interrupted the three of you, wouldn't you guys tear me apart?"
Raijin stepped into the lab, glancing at Orochimaru and Hiruko.
The two of them nodded in acknowledgment.
"If I'm being honest, I really do feel like eating you, Raijin-kun."
Orochimaru's eyes shifted slightly as he squinted at Raijin.
"Hey, why haven't you used your Living Corpse Reincarnation technique yet? Don't tell me you've set your sights on me?"
Raijin took two steps forward and sat on the table in front of Orochimaru.
"So, Raijin-kun, will you sacrifice yourself for your comrades?"
Orochimaru's expression remained unchanged as he looked at Raijin.
"I only need a single drop of blood."
Seeing that Orochimaru wasn't joking, Raijin was momentarily stunned.
"Are you serious?"
"What else?"
Orochimaru put down his food, stood up, and looked at Raijin. His voice carried both excitement and nervousness.
"Look, we already have highly advanced cloning technology, and the Chimera Technique is also well-developed. If we combine the two, wouldn't we be able to break the limits set by Kekkei Genkai?"
Originally, Orochimaru had planned to discuss this matter with Uchiha Raijin anyway.
He knew that for the people of Konohagakure, this idea would be hard to accept—especially for clans that possessed Kekkei Genkai.
After all, it was precisely the barrier created by Kekkei Genkai that allowed these bloodline clans to stand at the top.
And in all of Konohagakure, if there was anyone who could help him, it would be Uchiha Raijin.
Unfortunately, Raijin himself was born into one of the village's most powerful Kekkei Genkai clans.
Orochimaru believed that, given his relationship with Raijin, the man would usually help him if needed.
But for this particular request, Orochimaru wasn't so sure.
Because this plan directly threatened Raijin's own interests.
Hiruko, who was standing nearby, also looked at Raijin with anticipation.
Like Orochimaru, he had never used the Chimera Technique to absorb any Kekkei Genkai ninja since its development.
The ones he could get weren't worth it, and the ones that were worth it were his fellow villagers—people he couldn't bring himself to attack.
And with his current strength, he wasn't capable of defeating elite Kekkei Genkai users anyway.
Or even ninjas without Kekkei Genkai but with extraordinary talent.
"That's a crazy idea."
Raijin rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
"You're really putting me in a tough spot here…"
Raijin knew that if Orochimaru was daring enough to bring this up, then what he wanted wasn't just Raijin's bloodline.
Even though Raijin was strong, when it came to Kekkei Genkai, he was still lacking in some areas.
For example, the Senju, Hyuga, and Kaguya bloodlines…
"What do you think?"
Raijin raised his head and looked at Senju Tobirama.
"First, this kind of decision needs the approval of the bloodline clans—especially the current Uchiha clan.
Now that Uchiha Madara has returned to the Uchiha, the clan will eventually have to choose between following you or him.
Right now, you have the upper hand. But if you push this plan forward without consulting them, you could lose that advantage."
Senju Tobirama didn't look up as he spoke. He simply stirred the soup in his bento box with a spoon.
But beneath his silver hair, his eyes were calm and calculating.
Tobirama wasn't just analyzing the pros and cons for Raijin—he was also making sure Orochimaru and Hiruko understood the challenges of executing this plan.
In other words, he was giving Raijin a way out.
He was buying Raijin enough time to think things through.
Because outright rejecting Orochimaru here and now would likely damage their relationship.
"Besides, a plan like this would require a lot of test subjects.
No one knows if the Chimera Technique can really handle absorbing so many different Kekkei Genkai.
Even the number of death row prisoners in the village isn't enough anymore.
So, gathering the necessary resources would take time as well."
After a brief pause, Tobirama continued speaking.
Raijin wasn't the first person Orochimaru had brought this idea to.
Tobirama Senju was the first to be questioned by Orochimaru.
He couldn't say he agreed with the plan, but he couldn't outright oppose it either.
In the long run, this plan would undoubtedly strengthen Konohagakure.
Just imagine—a village where every shinobi possessed a kekkei genkai. That would be incredible.
But would such a Konohagakure truly be reasonable?
Would the clans that inherited these bloodlines even agree to it?
If an entire clan opposed the idea, not even the clan leader could force them.
That would only lead to internal conflict.
And with the current state of the shinobi world, the last thing Konohagakure needed was internal chaos.
So when faced with Orochimaru's question, Tobirama had only one response—
Stall.
Of course, Tobirama also understood one thing—problems don't disappear just because they're ignored.
In fact, they only grow bigger over time.
And judging by Orochimaru and Hiruko's determination, neither of them seemed like they would give up easily.
~~
Hiruko wasn't too concerning. He had ideas, but not the ability to execute them.
Orochimaru, however, was different.
He had both the ideas and the ability to make them happen.
That was why Tobirama had been struggling with this issue lately.
Should he deal with the troublesome plan?
Or deal with the person who proposed it?
The only reason Tobirama hadn't taken action yet was simple—
Orochimaru was valuable.
And Tobirama wasn't ready to waste that value.
Orochimaru's expression showed a hint of disappointment at Tobirama's response.
In the end, he could only turn his hopeful gaze toward Raijin.
Orochimaru wanted to carry out this plan more than anything.
"Orochimaru, as your comrade, I should support your idea. But right now, the clans are pushing back against me too.
So give me three days. I'll give you an answer then. How about that?"
Raijin looked up and asked.
"Alright."
Orochimaru couldn't help but smile.
Raijin hadn't agreed to the plan outright.
In fact, all Raijin had to do was give him a single drop of blood.
But Orochimaru understood Raijin's position.
Whether it was Uchiha Madara or Jigen, Konohagakure was under immense pressure.
And all of that pressure rested on Raijin's shoulders.
With great power comes great responsibility.
Not as a personal belief, but as an unavoidable reality—
When you are the strongest, the responsibility falls on you.
It's not that you are the only one who can do it—
It's that no one else can.
Orochimaru understood this.
So even though Raijin hadn't given him direct support,
He was still grateful for the promise.
Because Orochimaru knew that Raijin had given him everything he could.
He was even willing to negotiate with the clans, putting aside his own interests.
As a comrade, what more could Orochimaru ask for?
The plan could wait—
But the bond between them was something to be cherished.
"So, Orochimaru, can you update me on the experiment's progress?"
Raijin nodded, then tilted his head toward Orochimaru.
"There's not much to say. The cloning process is already perfected.
Now, all that's left is to use Edo Tensei to summon Lord Hashirama's soul and seal it into this body."
Orochimaru spoke with a mix of excitement and nonchalance, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
Resurrecting the Dead
What a grand project this is!
"Can it be done?"
Raijin looked at Orochimaru and asked.
Raijin knew about cloning technology. With Senju Tobirama leading the research team, supported by Hiruko and Orochimaru, it wasn't surprising that they had developed this technique.
But the biggest challenge was likely still related to the soul.
"Hmm…"
Orochimaru's face fell.
"As of now, the most promising approach in theory is to improve Edo Tensei, summoning Lord Hashirama's soul directly into a vessel that has no soul of its own."
"Have you tried it?"
Raijin nodded and asked.
"This is test subject number 10,086."
Orochimaru gave a professional smile and pointed to a test subject floating in a tank filled with nutrient solution.
"Heh… I'm here to inform you all that Konohagakure has no money left."
Raijin's face darkened, and he crossed his arms, speaking to Orochimaru with a blank expression.
"Huh?!"
Orochimaru was shocked and stared at Raijin in disbelief.
"We're at a critical stage here—don't mess with me."
Orochimaru grabbed Raijin's hand, any goodwill he had for him instantly evaporating.
"I'm serious. Konohagakure is desperately trying to take control of the entire ninja world. Namikaze Minato, sitting in the Hokage's office, is so stressed that his hairline is receding."
Raijin pointed toward the Hokage's office.
"This really is an important matter."
Senju Tobirama nodded and looked at Raijin.
Absorbing the territories of Kirigakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure, then surrounding all the smaller nations in the ninja world—
Whoever dared to make a move would be hit with the strongest counterattack. This was one of Konohagakure's most crucial strategic plans.
In Senju Tobirama's view, this plan should have been completed while Hashirama was still alive.
"Second Hokage! You can't say that! Isn't reviving Hashirama just as important?"
Orochimaru turned to Hashirama and protested.
"It is important. But it's fine—Senju Clan has money."
Tobirama replied casually.
The biggest financial support of Konohagakure, the Konohagakure Trading Company, had a significant number of shares owned by the Senju Clan.
These shares brought in a steady stream of wealth—every year, every month, every day.
"Besides, the Uchiha Clan is also rich."
Tobirama turned and glanced at Uchiha Raijin.
"Second Grandpa, you know I'm not the Uchiha Clan leader. I can't use the clan's money."
Raijin quickly responded to Tobirama.
"Hmm, that makes sense. But Raijin, you must have saved up quite a bit over the years, right? I remember your Lightning Transformation technique sold for a good price within the Uchiha Clan."
Tobirama nodded knowingly and looked at Raijin.
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