Chapter 69: Sato's Path To Power

Alongside the familiar tadpole-shaped runes, snake-like markings extended towards the bodies of the Third Hokage and two unconscious ninjas.

Suddenly, a cloud of endless white dust materialized out of thin air, enveloping the three bodies and transforming them into mummies.

Ten seconds later, the three mummies took on the appearances of Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, and Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Swiftly, without giving the Hokage a chance to regain consciousness, Sato deftly created three wooden kunai. After inscribing a spell onto them, he placed the kunai into their heads.

Fortunately, this was an incomplete version of the Impure World Reincarnation technique, using the Senju brothers as living sacrifices, resulting in them possessing only Genin-level strength.

Sato wouldn't have dared to perform the Impure World Reincarnation on Senju Hashirama otherwise, as his immense power was truly formidable.

Even with the original body of the Impure World Reincarnation, Uchiha Madara wouldn't be able to utilize the Rinnegan's full potential, nor could he match Senju Hashirama's Wood Style.

The strength of someone below the Six Paths level was something Sato couldn't handle with his current abilities, just like Orochimaru in the original series.

By summoning Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama close to their peak strength through the Impure World Reincarnation, Sato could only control Senju Tobirama to a certain extent and had no control over Senju Hashirama.

Thus, the incomplete version of the Impure World Reincarnation inadvertently aided Sato's plan. He desired only Senju Hashirama's soul and the knowledge he had acquired throughout his lifetime.

After inserting the kunai into the Hokage's head, Sato seized the Senju brothers one by one and used his devouring hand to pull them into the refining space.

In an instant, the Senju brothers vanished completely from the world of the living and the dead in the ninja world, leaving only a mark in Sato's left eye's Nirvana space.

Their souls were transformed into pure soul power, enhancing Sato's own changing soul.

All the knowledge Sato had acquired throughout his life was condensed into a memory orb, floating as a ball of light in the refining space.

Before delving into the Senju Brothers' memories, Sato once again gripped the Third Hokage's head. He absorbed the rumored knowledge of all Konoha's ninjutsu, although in reality, he had only mastered most of the less difficult "ninjutsu professors." He inhaled this knowledge into his Lian space.

Soon, the Third Hokage, like his two mentors, became nourishment for Sato to grow stronger.

Without immediately examining the memories, Sato devoured the last ninja meant for the Impure World Reincarnation, Namikaze Minato. He then destroyed the shattered Shinigami mask on the ground, eliminating any traces and smells associated with his presence. Finally, he entered a stealth state, picked up his backpack, and turned in the direction of Konoha.

The six Wood Clones that had been monitoring the surroundings transformed into six small trees.

In less than half an hour, Sato returned to his residence in Konoha.

Entering his room through the balcony, Sato placed his hand on the shoulder of the Wood Clone, reverting it back into a seed and absorbing it into his body.

After returning the backpack to the cabinet, Sato headed to the bathroom for a shower. Then he lay down on the bed, similar to how he used to browse his phone before going to sleep in his previous life, to perceive the soul space.

The mysterious bead continued emitting a blue halo of energy, and the transformation of his soul was not yet complete.

Sato's consciousness entered the refining space, where he began browsing through the "Hokage Inheritance of Past Dynasties."

The first memory orb Sato examined was, of course, Senju Hashirama's.

Within the "Hokage Inheritance," Sato focused on unlocking Senju Tobirama's Forbidden Technique and Water Style, as well as Senju Hashirama's Wood Style and Sage Art.

Not just god-like power.

As Sato swiftly perused Senju Hashirama's ninjutsu memories, he effortlessly mastered Wood Style techniques that even Yamato couldn't comprehend, without any need for practice. His proficiency in these techniques was on par with Senju Hashirama himself.

Sato also unlocked Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu, Wood Style: Tree Root Burial, Wood Style: Wood Expulsion Jutsu, Wood Style: Laughing Buddha Jutsu, and even Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique, among other Wood Style techniques.

This also included Wood Style: Wooden Golem Jutsu and Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Buddha Palm Strike.

Now that Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Buddha Palm Strike was unlocked, it indicated that Sato had also mastered the power of senjutsu.

Indeed, Sato had not only gained mastery over the art of immortality but also possessed the formidable Sage Mode of Senju Hashirama. He could easily enter this mode by clapping his hands and maintain it for an extended duration.

With Sage Mode, Sato could even develop his own S-level Spiral Shuriken.

"With my current Chakra reserves, I should be able to execute the Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu. However, it may be quite draining, similar to how I can now use the complete Susanoo, but at the cost of severely exhausting my Sharingan's power."

Cautiously, Sato pondered, "When my immortal body reaches the age of one or two years, my Chakra reserves and Sharingan's power should be able to satisfy the Buddha."

"At that time, I will only be thirteen or fourteen years old, with one or two years remaining until Shippuden and the Fourth Ninja World War. It should provide enough time for me to bridge the gap with Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo's Sage body."

"At that point, my body will start generating the power of the Six Paths, and I will have even mastered the abilities of the Six Paths level."

"In this way, I can become a shadowy figure, just like Black Zetsu, disrupting the Six Paths of Sage in the background. I'll aim for the second pair of Rinnegan, preventing my mother's 'resurrection,' and ensuring that my two sons escape the cycle of reincarnation, seizing all the power of Kaguya and the Ten-Tails for myself."

If there exists a realm between Kage-level and super Kage-level, then there must also be a dimension between super Kage-level and Six Paths level. This gap is even more significant than the former, with an infinite disparity.

Senju Hashirama's Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Buddha Palm Strike is undeniably powerful, recognized as the only SSS-level ninjutsu in the previous era.

Even the ninjutsu-based Truth-Seeking Ball lacked the SSS-level classification.

Yet, this SSS-level Sage Art Wood Release couldn't even compare to god-level ninjutsu.

Uchiha Madara, with a single move, could ensnare people in the world of the

Divine Tree, showcasing the true meaning of being a "Six Paths."

The advent of the God Tree's world marked the inevitability of bloodshed.

The god-level ninjutsu could be considered the secret technique of the Divine Tree.

Hence, achieving the power of the Divine Tree was Sato's pursuit and ultimate goal.

And to accomplish this goal swiftly, there was no faster method than becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.

However, becoming a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki also carried the risk of being overtaken and controlled by the Tailed Beasts or becoming a puppet under Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's will.

Relying solely on becoming a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki to reach the Six Paths level was an unstable and unsafe approach.

Fortunately, Sato possessed a different ability.

That is why Sato hesitated and decided against using the Impure World Reincarnation on Namikaze Minato.

In Sato's eyes, the Yin Nine-Tails was the key to completing the Ten-Tails' physical form, making it even more vital than inheriting the legacies of the previous Hokage.

After assimilating Senju Hashirama's memories, unlocking Wood Style Ninjutsu and Sage Art, Sato proceeded to explore Senju Tobirama's memories. This allowed him to unlock the Flying Thunder God Technique, all Water Style Ninjutsu, and other similarly themed Forbidden Techniques.

For example, techniques like Tandem Paper Bombs associated with the Impure World Reincarnation and Soul Chain Technique, which temporarily restrains the soul within the body, preventing it from entering the realm of the dead.

Upon reviewing the memories of the Third Hokage, Sato acquired knowledge of the five Chakra natures—wind, fire, water, earth, and lightning—as well as the combined ninjutsu formed by these elemental transformations.

The Third Hokage's technique, known as the "Five Escapes: Dalian Bullet Technique," unleashed a devastating explosion over a wide range.

This technique alone classified as at least an S-level ninjutsu and was even regarded as an S-level group attack.

During his prime, the Third Hokage earned the title of the "Hero of the Ninja World" due to his immense power, capable of facing and defeating Orochimaru during Konoha's destruction.

With the amalgamation of the Hokage's inheritances, Sato's strength experienced a tremendous surge.

In terms of background alone, the combined forces of the Five Kage paled in comparison to Sato's abilities.

Not only the current Five Kage, but even past generations resurrected would be unable to surpass Sato's profound background.

Below the Six Paths level, Sato stood as the most outstanding and promising existence.

Following the assimilation of Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kushina's memories, as well as the completion of his soul's mutation, Sato could commence his own plan, striving to close the gap with Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and seize the Ten-Tails.