[Sponsored] Chapter 221: Reaper Death Seal

[This Chapter Is Sponsored by Brandon Hunt! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]

In the Land of the Rice Paddies, Orochimaru's underground base, which has yet to establish a ninja village, is located.

Under the rare bright lights of the laboratory, Uchiha Yoru and Orochimaru are engaged in some forbidden jutsu research. Meanwhile, outside, Guren and Kabuto, accompanied by Karin, are getting to know each other.

In the original story, Guren and Kabuto, who didn't see eye to eye, are showing goodwill towards each other in this life.

"Kabuto, skilled in medical ninjutsu, now assists Lord Orochimaru and also handles some of the base's management and logistics."

"Guren, a crystal release kekkei genkai ninja, proficient in ninjutsu and a tool of Lord Yoru, will also be another manager of this base."

After exchanging glances, Kabuto and Guren nod and smile amicably, showing no signs of conflict. In fact, they will need to cooperate in the future.

"Pleasant cooperation."

"I... I'm Karin, possessing healing and sensory abilities," says the youngest and weakest Karin hesitantly, feeling inferior to the powerful ninjas around her.

Kabuto gives Karin a friendly smile, having noticed Lord Yoru's special attention to the child from just a little information.

"Karin, from now on, we are all tools of Lord Yoru."

Guren, acting like a big sister, affectionately ruffles the red hair of the newcomer Karin, but her eyes sparkle with intelligence, belying her simple appearance.

In the original story, Guren was responsible for managing a base on her own. To say she lacked brains and skill would be false.

Kabuto gently adjusts his glasses, his wise eyes reflecting clarity. He sees through Guren, the new ninja, who has already revealed her intentions.

She wants to prove her value and starts to win over people's hearts. Being an outsider, her first step is to unite a part and integrate into the group.

"A smart and cunning woman," Kabuto muses, feeling no urgency but rather a sense of ease.

The more valued they are by Lord Yoru, the higher their worth. He even vaguely guesses something – his dream of returning to Konoha and proudly going back to the orphanage.

And he can feel the means and magnanimity of Uchiha Yoru, much like Lord Orochimaru. They don't fear ambition; they fear lack of ability.

So, for him, the most important thing is to increase his own value. Now that someone is here to share the burden of managing the base, it's perfect timing.

While the three outside are each scheming, Orochimaru and Uchiha Yoru in the lab show a look of disappointment.

"Hehe, Yoru, your ambition will surely bring a storm to the entire ninja world."

At this moment, Orochimaru looks thoughtful, while Uchiha Yoru doesn't hide his ambition, nodding with a light laugh: "Rotting roots should be dug out directly. Planting strong saplings in fertile soil will ensure robust growth."

"And, if I become the Hokage of Konoha, then Teacher Orochimaru can return to Konoha openly!"

Uchiha Yoru pauses slightly, turning to his teacher with a huge temptation.

"With the entire village of Konoha backing us, ample and stable funding will no longer be an obstacle, and there will be a large team of research assistants to aid in your research, teacher."

At this moment, Orochimaru was deeply moved. Since leaving the Konoha, he had cut off his delusions about power. His only goal was immortality and to learn all ninja techniques, to explore the true essence of this world and the essence of ninjutsu.

Beneath the smiling facade of their partnership, Orochimaru looked forward to a future without worries about funding or research materials, and the assistance of countless aides. Yet, he remained mostly calm.

"So, I need Teacher to break through the barriers as soon as possible. I need the power of Karin!"

The true purpose of Uchiha Yoru's visit was firstly to establish a mutually beneficial alliance with Orochimaru, and secondly, it was for Karin.

Karin was his most valued trump card, even more so in the future.

Hearing this, Orochimaru frowned. When it came to his research, he never made hasty decisions.

"The Uzumaki clan's bloodline is indeed suitable for sealing Tailed Beasts. Sealing the Nine-Tails in Karin's body might be challenging, but with your Mangekyo Sharingan, I believe the so-called Tailed Beast nemesis won't disappoint me. The most critical issue now is the Sealing Technique."

At this point, Orochimaru's expression grew serious. "Using the Death God mask found in the Uzumaki Shrine in the Land of Whirlpools, I've come to understand this jutsu."

"This is a relic from the age of Onmyōji, before the era of ninjas. It's not the Death God from the underworld, but rather a Shikigami cultivated and passed down by the Onmyōji. The Shikigami adheres to the fundamental principle of equivalent exchange of power."

"According to the Uchiha clan's intelligence records, the Fourth Hokage, Minato, used this jutsu to seal the Nine-Tails, even taking half of the Nine-Tails into the Death God's stomach."

At this moment, Orochimaru let out a raspy, sinister laugh. "Yoru, the cost of summoning the Death God is a soul. So, what's the next step?"

In a single sentence, he made it clear that he, Orochimaru, did not possess such a sacrificial spirit to offer his own soul to the Death God, especially considering it's an S-rank forbidden jutsu, not something just anyone could learn.

Otherwise, how would the Uzumaki clan have fallen to such a state? If everyone used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, who would dare provoke them?

An S-rank forbidden jutsu signifies not only a heavy price but also an extremely difficult learning curve.

Seeing Orochimaru's evil grin, Uchiha Yoru also smiled, as if he was well-prepared.

"Teacher, I remember your Impure World Reincarnation technique is almost complete. The only difficulty lies in the damage to the reincarnated souls, but now I've found something very interesting that perfectly solves the issue of soul damage."

As he spoke, Uchiha Yoru narrowed his eyes and smiled, a black snake slowly crawling out from his wrist, eventually opening its mouth to spit out a corpse.

Or rather, a sealed body.

At this sight, Orochimaru showed a curious look. The body was pale as if not human, but there are many strange creatures in the ninja world, so he was not surprised.

"Without awakening the ability of Wood Release, I might not have noticed this person secretly monitoring the Uchiha clan. Although he ultimately escaped, he left behind several interesting clones."

White Zetsu! A biologically engineered product cultivated by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki using the God Tree, later adopted into the Akatsuki organization as White Zetsu by Uchiha Madara's will, while Black Zetsu deceived Madara into believing he created it.

"A very interesting body, and more importantly, it might cleverly solve the physical difficulties you've been unable to overcome."

This time, Uchiha Yoru had gone to great lengths, even hastening Orochimaru towards the right path. The physique of White Zetsu could be considered an alternative form of immortality.

As Uchiha Yoru explained, Orochimaru had already approached the sealed body of White Zetsu, and after a brief examination, he revealed a twisted smile.

"A very interesting body." Orochimaru then looked up at Uchiha Yoru with a meaningful smile, realizing that this disciple had many secrets.

"Yoru, the Uchiha clan truly is one of the oldest bloodline clans."

All of this was attributed by Orochimaru to the foundation of the Uchiha clan. After all, there were countless secrets and intelligence that even he had never heard of. Uchiha Yoru was either fighting on the front lines or needing to enhance his strength, and these things were not easy to investigate.

It required a lot of manpower and resources to achieve this, so attributing everything to the foundation of an ancient family was the best explanation.

"I need to study this, prepare this ninjutsu, and keep Karin's spirit and body in the best condition," Orochimaru said, entering a research state with a fanatic look, while Uchiha Yoru nodded with a smile, "Then, I will wait for you, Teacher."

Tailed beasts and jinchūriki, such powerful weapons, were revered by the ninja world as village-guarding weapons, and they were not as weak as depicted in the original story.

Before the jinchūriki's revolt, the enormous chakra of the tailed beast-level could recover so absurdly, almost like an infinite ninjutsu bombing machine.

The power after the explosion was also explosive, and among the Kage-level powerhouses in the ninja world, few possessed ninjutsu attacks like the Tailed Beast Bomb, which could flatten maps with a single shot.

Therefore, even though jinchūriki were so dangerous, they were still revered by various ninja villages as deterrent weapons.

Knowing about the other half of the Nine-Tails and how to capture it, and having an excellent vessel, it would be foolish for Uchiha Yoru not to pursue this idea.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Yoru narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It seems the future will be interesting. Susanoo Nine-Tails may once again appear in Konoha."

As for why not seal it in himself, Uchiha Yoru had thought about it. After all, he now possessed the Wood Release physique, Uchiha bloodline, and also obtained the Uzumaki bloodline through Nagato's blood, and also he had an excellent jinchūriki choice.

But he had a better plan.

If Uzumaki Naruto could rely on half of a tailed beast to have almost unlimited chakra, then Uzumaki Karin should not be much different.

…

In the dark underground of the ninja world.

"Obito, the clone monitoring Uchiha in Konoha has disappeared."

Obito, wearing a mask, glances sideways, revealing a sinister Sharingan eye coldly staring at the Yin-Yang person emerging halfway from the ground, displaying a disdainful cold smile.

"It's somewhat surprising but not unexpected that Yoru, who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, could find you."

Uchiha Yoru, a clansman who has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and is now the head of the Uchiha clan, is met with nothing but scorn from Obito.

"Yoru, is this your dream? It's a pity it's so naive. The idea of becoming Hokage is laughable. Only by creating another world can a true world be achieved."

Obito has clearly entered a state of madness. They were classmates once, and after Kakashi graduated at the age of five, they were the only two Uchihas in class. Obito had a good relationship with Uchiha Yoru.

"Since my old classmate wants to become Hokage, maybe we can give him a push. Whether he can become Hokage will depend on his abilities."

Obito reveals a cruel smile, having already planned his next move.

Their goal now requires the collection of Tailed Beasts, and any opportunity to weaken the Five Great Shinobi Villages will not be missed.

There's an open rift between the Konoha and the Uchihas, but with the Uchihas weak and the Konoha strong, it's hard for a major conflict to erupt under mutual wariness.

Therefore, what he needs is to provide some assistance to the Uchihas to destabilize the Konoha.

"Sell the information about the rift between the Konoha's Uchiha and the Third Hokage to other villages. I don't think we need to act; others will help the Uchiha Police Department grow stronger."

At this point, Obito suddenly pauses, then coldly adds, "Also, stoke the fires of the rebel forces in the Mist Village, and sell the same information to other villages. I don't think anyone will miss this opportunity."

Other villages wouldn't miss the chance to exploit such sordid affairs.

When a country faces a rebel force, they naturally support the weaker side in secret, then watch as both sides exhaust themselves. This has always been the tactic of all Shinobi Villages.

"Also, I am Uchiha Madara!"

In the dark tunnel, Uchiha Obito reveals an extremely evil Sharingan eye, filled with madness.

He wants to create a world with Rin!

…

Land of Rice Paddies, Orochimaru's underground base.

"Reaper Death Seal!"

Snake - Boar - Sheep - Rabbit - Dog - Rat - Rooster - Horse - Snake

Orochimaru, with hands joined in prayer and donning a mask of the grim reaper, shudders and contorts in agony. The cost of using an S-class forbidden jutsu is immense. His hair stands on end as if blown by an unseen wind, followed by a cold, deathly aura.

Simultaneously, a large amount of chakra is drained. Uchiha Yoru, standing in front, shows a grave expression. The Sharingan is activated, and within it, a faint shadowy outline is barely discernible.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru, the caster of this jutsu, is sweating profusely. From the corner of his eye, he can clearly see the reaper appearing behind him.

The reaper, with its emotionless purple skin, slowly extends its hand, grasping the reaper's blade held in its mouth. It then slowly cuts open its stomach, and simultaneously, Orochimaru's body suffers a matching wound.

As blood splatters from his abdomen, Orochimaru groans in pain, feeling both the physical wound and the agony of summoning the reaper.

Suddenly, a soul emerges from the reaper's stomach. Uchiha Yoru urgently shouts, "Teacher!"

The coordination between teacher and student is impeccable. Following Yoru's shout, Orochimaru hurriedly removes his mask amidst a cold sweat.

"Ugh!"

A skin-crawling retching sound follows as Orochimaru, now unmasked, reveals a ghastly pale face, resembling Zetzu. In the next moment, a phosphorus white snake is expelled from Zetzu's mouth.

In front of Yoru, a body is prepared - Orochimaru's original body. The phosphorus snake swiftly enters it, causing Orochimaru's body to tremble.

"Ugh!"

A limp phosphorus snake falls to the ground, while Orochimaru's body slowly stands up. On the other side, Zetzu's body collapses, soulless.

"Heh heh."

Panting, Orochimaru watches as the reaper, having completed its task through Zetzu's body and failing to reap any soul, disappears emotionlessly.

Summoning the reaper, sealing the enemy, and then taking the caster's soul - there's a rule to it, a lack of consciousness in itself.

"Teacher."

Yoru, watching from the side, can't help but be impressed. Uncle Snake truly is the only one who can exploit a bug in the reaper.

First reincarnating in Zetzu's body, then summoning the reaper, and after using it, performing a molting escape back into his own body, even fooling the reaper. It makes one wonder what the Fourth Hokage would think if he knew.

"Teacher, it seems your Impure World Reincarnation technique is somewhat different. And!"

Although Yoru doesn't continue, Orochimaru lets out a hoarse, evil laugh.

"Yoru, as you say, there are many secrets in this world. And Zetzu's body is still usable, isn't it?"

Hearing this, Yoru's eyes widened in realization, looking at the limp Zetzy in the distance. It makes perfect sense.

An empty shell of a body, Orochimaru can reincarnate at any time, six paths to ascension.

"Moreover, Yoru, you're right. There are many secrets to the soul." Under Orochimaru's evil grin, it's clear that the Impure World Reincarnation is different, or rather, he didn't bet everything on this jutsu.

In the original story, Orochimaru's soul almost becomes a white snake. In this life, guided by Orochimaru, he remains calm and restrained. The white snake is just a temporary vessel for the soul, a medium for performing jutsu, not a bizarre mutation.

Perhaps because of this, the jutsu is no longer limited to being used once every three years. Yoru narrows his eyes, pondering in his heart, wondering if this is the reason.

As Yoru thinks, indeed, treating the soul as a mere vessel rather than transforming it completely into a white snake allows the Impure World Reincarnation to be used at any time.

However, the downside is that the soul's protection becomes much weaker, so the body used for Orochimaru's reincarnation must be a weaker one; otherwise, it would suffer severe backlash.

And Zetzu's body is perfect for this, as if tailor-made for Orochimaru.