Chapter 214

Summer passes and winter arrives.

The jagged rock formations stand tall, and the cold wind blows. Everywhere you look, the bare, rocky mountains are now covered with a layer of snow. The already hard rocky ground has become even more unforgiving due to the sudden arrival of winter.

Shinji, having come to the surface, looked at the scene before him, stretching his shoulders and neck, and sighed.

"I didn't expect that researching a sealing technique would take this long. It's almost the New Year again."

He had spent two months studying various sealing techniques obtained from Karin's mother, another two months on the Shinigami mask through the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, and two more months forging several pseudo-ancient ruins.

In total, six months had flown by.

However, the time spent was proportional to the rewards. Shinji could confidently say that, in terms of pure mastery of sealing techniques, there were few in the current ninja world who could rival him.

And then there was the Shinigami mask...

With the help of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and numerous assistants, Shinji had successfully… appropriated and sealed the Shinigami's power into the Second King's Sword using a secret technique.

Shinji wasn't great at naming swords. As a chūnibyō teenager, almost all the names he could think of were already in someone else's treasure vault.

So, to avoid copying, even the strongest sword he had forged, which could rival A-rank noble phantasms, still bore the name of the King's Order.

"You…"

Hearing a voice behind him, Shinji suddenly remembered the diligent, selfless assistants who had been working tirelessly for him over the past six months.

He turned around, looking touched, at the last White Zetsu that hadn't fully transformed into a tree, and the unusually lush, green forest behind it that stood out in the winter landscape.

"Thank you for all your hard work over these past six months, unnamed guy."

Hearing Shinji's heartfelt thanks, the last White Zetsu felt like coughing up blood. Following Black Zetsu's orders, it had hidden from Obito to monitor this so-called embodiment of worldly evil. But it had been caught.

After being discovered, hundreds of White Zetsu, including itself, were captured and forced to work for him for six months without any pay. This worldly evil truly lived up to its name!

"By the way, do you want to be my spy? If you do, I'll let you live. How about it?"

Kneeling down and smiling sweetly, this embodiment of worldly evil made White Zetsu sneer.

"Don't be ridiculous! One day, our master, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, will return, and your fate will be to be sealed once again! I know your true identity, you are Angra Mainyu, the embodiment of all evil in this world!"

"Well then, you can just become a tree. I was thinking of sparing you since you're different from the others, but never mind…"

Looking regretful, Shinji announced this, making White Zetsu feel an inexplicable fear of death.

This was strange. It was White Zetsu, a higher being than humans. Why would it fear death?

"How interesting, you still retain your human fear of death. But this is the end…"

"Wait! What do you mean by retaining human fear of death?"

"Oh, you don't know? You used to be human…"

White Zetsu's eyes widened before bursting into laughter. "Ha! You must be joking. I was born from the Gedo Statue, a high-level being! Humans were just food to nurture me!"

"You really don't know?"

Shinji was surprised. White Zetsu should know about this, right? Whose orders were they following?

Madara? Black Zetsu? The mother, Kaguya?

"Hmph! I won't be fooled like Obito and Madara! If you're going to kill me, do it! I won't be deceived!"

Three minutes later…

"I'm willing to serve you, my lord!"

Looking at the kneeling White Zetsu, Shinji was at a loss for words. No wonder they were called White Zetsu; they were real idiots!

In the past two minutes, Shinji had gazed at the sky with a sorrowful and melancholic expression, slowly revealing to White Zetsu that it was once human, its memory erased by the Divine Tree, gradually transforming into its current form.

Humans weren't its nourishment, but its original form before the Divine Tree's influence. It had a family, children, and many dear friends…

And then White Zetsu had suddenly switched sides.

"Lord Angra Mainyu, is there a chance I could return to my original human form, with friends and family?"

"Probably not, it's been over a thousand years. Your former friends and family are long gone."

Hearing this, White Zetsu looked visibly downcast. However, Shinji continued, "But if it's just about regaining your memories and human identity, that should be possible."

"What must I do?" Hope reignited in White Zetsu's eyes.

"Let me study it further. I'll let you know when it's time. You might also need to bring more White Zetsu for me to study, and maybe the Ten-Tails. After thorough research, it should be achievable."

To regain its human memories, White Zetsu agreed!

...

In a vast underground cavern, Ōnoki, his son Kitsuchi, and many others stared blankly at the fifty-meter-tall stone giant before them.

Ninjas on a mission had discovered this massive underground cavern near Iwagakure. After investigating and determining it might be an ancient ruin, they had reported it to the village.

This is why Ōnoki and the others were here during the cold winter holiday season.

"Father, this…"

"I don't know."

Hunched and with his hands behind his back, the small, old man Ōnoki shook his head solemnly. Though unsure what it was, he felt the stone giant's imposing presence.

If such a thing had existed in the Land of Earth, they would never have feared Uchiha Madara… The thought briefly crossed Ōnoki's mind before he shook his head to dispel the absurd notion.

It was likely just a stone statue made by people here long ago, with no value beyond archaeology.

"Lord Tsuchikage! There's a stele here with drawings and some unknown text!"

A ninja carefully studying the statue called out.

Ōnoki turned, waving a hand dismissively. "Bring it back to the village for safekeeping. It's a cultural artifact. Place guards here too…"

"Wait! Lord Tsuchikage, look at this drawing! It seems unusual. I also found this…"

The ninja held up a petrified Spark Lens.

...

At the giant's feet was a stele covered with an ancient patina of history. Strange ancient text and a simple drawing were etched on it.

The drawing depicted a short-haired man in a strange uniform holding a Spark Lens, posing like the giant.

"What is this…"

Ōnoki's eyes widened, his aged heart racing with excitement. Though the text might take time to decipher, the drawing suggested…

If this giant was once a man as the drawing implied, could Iwagakure replicate such a miracle?

Growing more excited, Ōnoki decided to secretly transport the stele back to the village for study. He resolved to mobilize the entire village to decode it!

Meanwhile, in Iwagakure's sole "information house," Shinji sat in a booth, enjoying the company of two women.

Apart from rocks, Iwagakure had no special features. Its rock-cooked flatbread was its only unique dish.

The women were attractive but lacked skills. Likely due to limited external interaction, they didn't even know basic intimacy skills.

Shinji felt sorry for their lack of knowledge and resolved to upgrade and modernize the information house!

Before leaving Iwagakure for the Land of Snow after a month, Shinji had significantly improved the information house.

The previously ordinary place had transformed, offering many ways to fully relax and release one's inner emotions.

Afterward, the information house's business flourished. The under-thirty widow running it quickly expanded, boosting Iwagakure's economy!

Shinji didn't know his far-reaching impact, nor that Iwagakure would one day boast the ninja world's largest street of information houses because of his goodwill.

He also didn't know that in the future, the charming widow with unparalleled legs, a curvaceous figure, and a beauty mark would often reminisce about him.

She'd remember the man who had changed her fate over several nights…