WebNovels

Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Moryō

Shortly after ascending to demigodhood, you granted several of your Wood Release clones the usage rights to different Kekkei Genkai. These clones, now powerful in their own right, became core members of your Mask Organization.

With the sudden addition of such formidable figures, it took only minimal effort to seize control of the shinobi world's supply chains—salt, steel, grain, and even the major transportation routes across the Hidden Villages.

With a single command, you could render the shinobi world's entire currency system into worthless paper.

Naturally, this provoked the anger of nobles and wealthy merchants.

They paid handsomely to hire elite jonin squads from the Hidden Villages and even offered fortunes to mobilize Kage-level shinobi—only to be effortlessly repelled.

Only Konohagakure offered any meaningful resistance, but even that was ultimately futile.

All they managed to do was halt Gato Company's expansion just outside the Daimyō's capital.

In truth, your actions had already led Gato Company to achieve something unprecedented—a partial unification of the shinobi world's material power.

You had become the shadow government ruling over the entire world.

Next came the true objective: stepping out from the shadows to reshape the world's spirit.

But human prejudice is a mountain too high to cross.

You, not being someone who enjoys reasoning with people, knew this task would fall to Nagato.

...

Meanwhile, there were developments on Black Zetsu's side.

You learned from a Wood Release clone with Transparent Escape abilities stationed near Nagato that Black Zetsu and "Uchiha Madara" had visited Nagato multiple times recently, pressuring him to complete the Tailed Beast collection plan.

They sought to create a war weapon capable of subduing the shinobi world and painted your Mask Organization as a group of war-crazed fanatics to manipulate Nagato into compliance.

However, when Nagato pressed Black Zetsu and "Madara" to explain exactly what this so-called ultimate weapon was, the two grew evasive.

Clearly, the so-called Eye of the Moon Plan, when exposed to your honesty and overwhelming power, was nothing more than a joke.

Nagato had long since found his own path. He was no longer the crippled, reclusive false god trapped in a tower of delusions.

He was on the verge of becoming a true god.

As for you—now wielding the power of a demigod—you effortlessly drew forth the latent abilities of the Uzumaki bloodline within your veins through manipulation of universal laws.

Naturally, this granted you the sensory power of the Kagura Mind's Eye.

Your Wood Release clone clearly sensed the confusion and even faint fear beneath the anger that Black Zetsu and "Madara" displayed.

Perhaps on the day you mastered the Rule of Fire and ascended to demigod status, the resulting phenomenon awakened some terrible memory in Black Zetsu from the Ōtsutsuki Kaguya bloodline.

...

On one occasion, someone disguised as Black Zetsu even took the initiative to approach a Mask Organization branch.

He attempted to bribe one of the powerful individuals—actually one of your Wood Release clones in disguise—in order to obtain information on your true body.

The clone feigned ignorance, but then played along, pretending to be tempted by Black Zetsu's gold.

What followed was a staged "chase" involving several other clones, culminating in a dramatic and public defection from the organization.

The clone then "joined" the Akatsuki, pledging loyalty to Black Zetsu and taking over Nagato's role in the Tailed Beast collection plan.

...

But Black Zetsu, despite being born of Kaguya, inherited little wisdom. Kaguya herself was merely from the branch family of the Ōtsutsuki clan—having eaten the Divine Tree's fruit, she gained great power but lacked true insight.

Black Zetsu had underestimated the power of a true god.

Whether capturing Tailed Beasts through Nagato or now using your clone, it was all the same—just passing from one hand to the other. You would still take a third of the chakra as your "commission."

Nagato, on the other hand, was quite content with the break. He took the time to seriously study the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques you had sent him—preparing for what was to come.

This confirmed what you had long suspected: the Sage of Six Paths hadn't failed to detect and eliminate Black Zetsu—he had deliberately let him live, using him to keep the Indra and Asura reincarnations in motion to fulfill some unspoken agenda.

All that remained was the right moment—once you captured Black Zetsu, you would extract the truth from his lips.

...

〖Tenth Year〗

With your Wood Release clones acting openly, the Eight-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Six-Tails were captured one after another.

However, during the attempt to capture the Nine-Tails in Konoha, the mission unexpectedly failed.

This wasn't due to intentional sabotage. Somehow, Naruto's power had surged inexplicably in under five years.

He had fully mastered Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode, reconciled with the Nine-Tails, and awakened Sage Nine-Tails Mode—launching his power to new heights.

More strangely, Naruto seemed to have developed some mysterious ability to predict your Wood Release clone's actions in advance, allowing him to react ahead of time.

On top of that, for reasons unknown, your Wood Release and Sharingan no longer suppressed the Nine-Tails as they once had, leading to the mission's failure.

In other words, Naruto was now even stronger than in the original timeline.

The Nine-Tails had overcome its vulnerability to Wood Release and the Sharingan, and Naruto's strange precognitive ability left your clone completely unprepared.

According to your calculations, Naruto's current power might even surpass Hashirama Senju at his peak!

The Sage of Six Paths could no longer sit still.

That was your immediate intuition.

Though your true body could easily overpower Naruto at any time...

After encountering Jashin and glimpsing the path of the divine...

After opening the door behind this world...

You understood all too well: Naruto was never your real opponent.

The true enemy was the force behind him.

...

At that moment, you received new intel.

One of your Wood Release clones, while investigating the Land of Demons, discovered traces of advanced sealing techniques and what seemed to be remnants of divine battle laws.

Eventually, deep within a cave behind an ancient temple, it found a monstrous being shrouded in eerie, ghostly aura.

—Moryō.

According to Jashin, this creature was a remnant fragment of the Shinigami's power.

It possessed the ability to control shadows, souls, and emotions, and commanded an undead army.

Most critically, it retained a measure of sentience.

The Shinigami itself, after clashing with the Sage of Six Paths over divine territory, had long been gravely wounded—its consciousness fractured and incomplete.

It could only sustain itself by relying on the sacrificial contract once forged with the Uzumaki clan—Reaper Death Seal—to occasionally absorb offerings and maintain what little strength remained.

Never mind that half of the Nine-Tails' chakra still resided within the Shinigami's belly...

It wielded divine authority heavily overlapping with that of the Sage of Six Paths, backed by powerful sealing arts and an inexhaustible undead legion.

If you wished to confront the Sage of Six Paths, an alliance with the Shinigami was essential.

And the first step to that alliance—was to restore the Shinigami's consciousness and strength.

In your view, freeing Moryō and reviving the Shinigami was far more important than going after Naruto, who was nothing more than the Sage's pawn.

The Flying Thunder God was activated.

In the blink of an eye, you appeared in the mountain cave where Moryō had been sealed…

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