Deep inside the underground hideout, Kai released Yamato from the Kamui dimension.
“I never expected this child to survive, much less end up being kept by that old fox Danzō.”
“Kai-kun, you really are decisive. To think you could actually take the boy right out from under Root’s nose…”
Orochimaru sighed in admiration.
“Forget about that.”
“What do we do next?”
Kai asked indifferently.
Orochimaru walked toward the Gedo Statue.
“This enormous statue is the vessel used to cultivate the Hashirama clone.”
“If we place the catalyst inside it directly, we should be able to complete the process.”
“Zetsu.”
“Leave it to us!”
Gurgle!
Several White Zetsu emerged from underground and dragged Yamato into the Gedo Statue.
Sizzle, sizzle…
Moments later, a large amount of smoke began rising from the skin of the Hashirama clone atop the statue.
At the same time, countless trees began growing from the surrounding cavern walls!
“What incredible vitality…”
“Magnificent!”
Orochimaru’s eyes lit up as he licked his trademark long tongue.
Kai’s gaze burned with anticipation.
He knew it.
The Hashirama clone had now reached absolute perfection.
There was practically no difference between it and Hashirama himself.
Kai withdrew his gaze and looked toward Orochimaru.
“I’ve helped you perfect the specimen.”
“So you had better give me a satisfactory result.”
“I want you to extract the most perfect original cells from the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.”
Orochimaru nodded.
“Hmm~”
“I have a feeling this will be the most perfect creation in history.”
“No…”
“An unprecedented masterpiece.”
“Of course, it will take time.”
“How long?”
“One month.”
“During that time, I won’t sleep, and I won’t leave the experimental equipment even once.”
“The extraction process requires an extremely high degree of precision.”
“One mistake and everything will be ruined.”
“So, Kai-kun…”
“I cannot afford any interference during this period.”
Orochimaru’s expression was serious.
Kai glanced sideways at him.
“As long as you don’t try anything funny, Zetsu won’t bother you.”
“As for Danzō and Konoha’s ANBU…”
“You don’t need to worry about them either.”
“I guarantee they won’t find this place.”
Orochimaru smiled seductively.
“My, my…”
“Then I’ll be counting on you, Kai-kun~.”
“Likewise.”
Kai looked away.
The Hashirama clone was removed from the Gedo Statue and placed inside Orochimaru’s extraction apparatus.
After setting up another barrier around the underground hideout to ensure their safety, Kai stood before the Gedo Statue, deep in thought.
About three months earlier, while Kai was still training his shinobi abilities, something strange had happened.
The Gedo Statue had disappeared once.
Only a short while later, it had returned.
The Gedo Statue was summoned…
So Nagato has awakened.
Indeed.
Even though Kai hadn’t interfered with what was happening in the Hidden Rain Village, events had continued unfolding just as they had in the original story.
Yahiko had founded the Akatsuki, and the organization had gradually grown stronger.
Hanzō of the Salamander.
At the end of the Third Shinobi World War, the fighting between Konoha and Iwagakure had reached its most intense stage.
Naturally, the battlefield was located in an unnamed small country at the border of the Land of Fire, Land of Earth, and Land of Wind.
That country was also home to the Hidden Rain Village.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, attempted to end the war through negotiations.
But Danzō had no desire to see the conflict end.
He obstructed the negotiations through every means available to him.
The Akatsuki was eventually used as a pawn in his schemes.
With Danzō’s encouragement, Hanzō finally decided to eliminate the Akatsuki.
Konoha’s ANBU under Danzō were responsible for assisting him.
During that battle, Yahiko was killed.
Nagato went berserk.
The power of his Rinnegan awakened further, allowing him to summon the Gedo Statue.
He slaughtered large numbers of Hidden Rain shinobi and forced both Hanzō and Danzō to retreat.
Danzō’s attempt to prevent the peace negotiations had ultimately failed.
Konoha and Iwagakure eventually reached a ceasefire agreement.
The Third Shinobi World War came to an end.
But Hanzō was deeply frightened by the threat posed by Nagato.
After escaping, he organized pursuit squads and began searching everywhere for Nagato and the surviving members of the Akatsuki.
Unlike the original timeline, there was no Obito to come to Nagato’s rescue.
Having been drained by the Gedo Statue and severely wounded, Nagato had already been driven into desperate situations several times by Hanzō’s pursuit squads.
If this continued…
Things would turn ugly.
Before I awaken the Rinnegan myself, I’ll need the Tailed Beasts.
And for that, I’ll need Nagato and the Akatsuki.
The Outer Path Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique also appears to require the user’s life as its price.
In every sense, Nagato’s Rinnegan will eventually have to belong to me.
“So, should we go to the Hidden Rain Village?”
“The village is located at the intersection of the three great nations.”
“It’s a long journey, so we should leave as soon as possible.”
Spiral Zetsu suggested.
“No need.”
“Summoning techniques are also a form of space-time ninjutsu.”
“When Nagato is truly driven into a desperate situation and tries to summon the Gedo Statue again, I can resonate with the statue through Kamui.”
“That’ll allow me to travel there directly.”
“As the saying goes…”
“Being early isn’t necessarily better than arriving at exactly the right moment.”
Kai’s eyes were deep and calculating.
Several days later.
Hidden Rain Village.
Hanzō’s pursuit squad had once again discovered the Akatsuki’s hideout.
After a desperate chase, Nagato, Konan, Kyūsuke, Daibutsu, and the other Akatsuki members found themselves trapped beside the inland lake surrounding the Hidden Rain Village.
Their escape route had been completely cut off.
A gigantic salamander towered over the battlefield.
Standing atop its head was Hanzō.
The man known as the Demigod of the Shinobi World looked down coldly at the desperate group gathered beside the lake.
“Konan, take Nagato and escape!”
“We’ll hold them back!”
Daibutsu shouted.
Nagato’s legs had already been crippled.
His body had also become frighteningly thin after repeatedly synchronizing with the Gedo Statue.
Konan was supporting him.
“No!”
“You’re the last remaining members of the Akatsuki!”
“You’re our comrades!”
“I don’t want to see any more of you die!”
Nagato refused.
“It’s fine, Nagato!”
“You are the hope of the Akatsuki!”
“You are the inheritor of Yahiko’s will!”
“We’ll protect you with our lives!”
Kyūsuke shouted. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“None of the Akatsuki’s remnants will leave the Hidden Rain alive.”
Hanzō’s cold voice rang out.
He formed a hand seal with two fingers.
Four barriers suddenly rose around them.
The area became a sealed prison.
The Hidden Rain shinobi quickly put on their gas masks.
Hiss!
The giant salamander beneath Hanzō opened its mouth.
A massive amount of poisonous mist poured out, rapidly filling the entire barrier.
“Water Release: Water Formation Wall!”
Kyūsuke formed hand seals.
A wall of water rose before them.
With another change of hand seals, the Water Formation Wall transformed into a dense wall resembling solidified water.
The poisonous mist was blocked for a moment.
But it soon began spreading over the top.
“UOOOAAAH!!”
Daibutsu swung the massive hammer-like ninja tool in his hands.
The resulting gusts of wind prevented the poison from reaching them.
“Pointless resistance.”
“Attack!”
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The Hidden Rain shinobi threw a barrage of kunai attached to explosive tags.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Explosions engulfed the area.
Kyūsuke and Daibutsu were killed before Nagato and Konan’s eyes.
“AAAAAAHHHH!!”
Nagato let out a thunderous roar.
A violent wave of chakra erupted from his body, dispersing the poisonous mist.
“It’s Nagato!”
“Stop!”
“If you use that technique in your current condition, you’ll die!”
Konan cried out desperately.
Hanzō’s pupils contracted.
This feeling…
He’s about to use that technique again.
I absolutely cannot let him succeed.
“Flash Strike!”
Hanzō vanished from the top of the salamander.
The sickle in his hand swept toward Nagato.
But something was wrong.
The Gedo Statue…
didn’t appear.
Hanzō’s sickle was already right in front of Nagato.
“It’s over.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Whoosh!
A space-time vortex suddenly appeared in midair.
Kai emerged from it.
Clang!
He swung Madara’s gunbai and blocked Hanzō’s sickle.
Behind the mask, Kai’s Sharingan stared coldly at the man known throughout the shinobi world as the Demigod.
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