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Mihawk's sharp eyes flashed a hint of coldness as he bent down, causing the ground to cave in abruptly as he exploded towards the location of Sasori.
Yoru in his hand also shimmered with a strange cold light, under which it seemed like everything would be cut in two.
"Tch!"
Sasori sneered disdainfully.
Sasori tail made of steel, accompanied by repeated flashes of cold light, stabbed towards Mihawk.
Without any hesitation, a slash came down!
"Clang!"
Under Mihawk's blade, Sasori tail made of steel scattered into pieces everywhere.
Sasori's face turned pale with shock.
What was this black blade made of!
It could easily cut through steel.
This middle-aged man was even more terrifying than he had imagined. Could he be a samurai from the Land of Iron?
But soon Sasori dispelled his absurd thoughts.
The Land of Iron was just a small country, and its warriors were not particularly powerful.
If there were truly such power, the Land of Iron would have long attracted the attention of the Five Great Nations.
Mihawk didn't give Sasori any chance to catch his breath, with his keen Observation Haki and years of battle experience.
None of Sasori's attacks managed to harm him in the slightest.
"Zing—"
A crisp, sharp sword hum sounded.
The surrounding air flow suddenly changed, and a terrifying slash rose from the ground, creating a mist and infinite dust.
"Boom!"
In an instant, the dazzling slash roared out like a tsunami, mercilessly tearing everything around.
Sasori, hidden within his puppet, widened his eyes suddenly.
The next moment, the Hiruko puppet exploded without warning, countless poisoned needles and Senbon mercilessly ravaging everything around like a storm.
"Sasori!"
Deidara, who was fighting Gaara, exclaimed in horror.
Sasori was defeated!
Mihawk frowned as he realized things were not as simple as they seemed.
"Clang clang clang—" Accompanied by sparks, the flying Senbon were cut into two and fell to the ground.
Thousand Arms Manipulation!
Thousands of arms surged like a flood, and in that instant, Mihawk's expression changed slightly.
But even so, he didn't feel any pressure. He was just surprised by the appearance of thousands of arms in his line of sight.
The Jutsus in this world were indeed extremely strange.
"Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"
The dazzling shadows of swords danced, and thousands of arms were instantly cut into pieces by Mihawk, one by one.
However, not long after, the severed arms began to gradually regenerate.
"It seems I shouldn't underestimate you."
A voice with a hint of youthfulness entered Mihawk's ears.
Mihawk's expression changed dramatically as he looked at the young man in front of him. This feeling!
So, this young man is the real body.
That means the one just now was a puppet.
Truly miraculous, that a young man could hide within such a small puppet!
"Haa!"
"Boom—" Deidara's clay bomb exploded instantly.
"Sasori?!"
"Eh?!"
"Sasori transformed?!"
"Why, why, what's going on!"
"Hey! Sasori!"
Sasori below listened to Deidara's idiotic voice and showed an impatient expression.
This kid was too annoying.
Although Sasori had a youthful face, he was much older than Deidara.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken care of Deidara so much along the way.
"Let's start the second round."
Sasori's eyes flickered with a cold gleam as he summoned another puppet using his Puppet Jutsu.
A human puppet made from the body of the Third Kazekage!
Meanwhile, upon receiving the message shared by Mihawk, Ryujiro had already left Konoha.
As for the documents given to him by Tsunade, he had handed them over to his shadow clone to deal with.
Gaara, a Jinchuriki, if he could obtain some chakra from One-Tail, he wondered if Hogyoku could absorb it.
If that were possible, what changes would occur if he collected the chakra of all the Tailed Beasts?
Would it produce a Yin-Yang Release? Or...
Would he enter the Six Paths Mode like the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki?
These were all just Ryujiro's speculations, and whether they could actually be achieved was unknown.
"Boom boom boom—"
While on the way, Ryujiro suddenly heard a commotion ahead. A green-colored slash exploded, creating a huge wave and hurricane that swept through the entire forest.
It was Mihawk's slash.
In the next moment, Ryujiro's figure disappeared instantly.
At this moment, Sasori's expression was not very good.
The human puppet made by the Third Kazekage was already covered in scars, and nearby, puppets destroyed by Mihawk's slashes were everywhere.
He had never seen someone with such terrifying swordsmanship.
When did such a person emerge in the ninja world again? A flying slash, like this, was too scary.
The Konoha Village's sword genius was said to be able to produce flying slashes. Could there be any connection between him and the person in front of him?
Sasori knew that his strength was not comparable to Mihawk's.
The man standing before him could easily cut through them.
He and Deidara had never expected to encounter such an unexpected situation while trying to capture a Jinchuriki.
Just then, explosions rang out like thunder, and the terrifying shockwave dispersed the clouds in the sky.
Gaara's strength at this time was simply no match for Deidara.
In the original anime, back when he became Kazekage, Gaara was still defeated by Deidara alone, let alone the Gaara of this period who hadn't undertaken any missions and was much less experienced compared to Deidara of that period.
The sand armor on Gaara's body gradually fell off, and his bloodshot eyes stared at Deidara.
Is this... the end?
"Shukaku."
"Lend me your power."
The sharp voice of Shukaku echoed in Gaara's mind.
"Tsk! Boy, do you think I will lend you my strength just because you asked? What do you take me for?"
"Don't forget that I am a tailed beast, and I am not friends with you humans!"
"But I might lend you my strength, just give me your body!"
Shukaku had been patient for a long time and couldn't wait to roam the outside world again.
Handing his body over to Shukaku... would also mean his consciousness being swallowed up.
He and the Tailed Beasts were not friends; he couldn't let himself be controlled by a Tailed Beast!
Ah... his consciousness was dissipating.
Is this where it ends for me?
When Deidara was about to take Gaara away to assist Sasori, suddenly a figure rushed out.
Deidara's expression changed dramatically as he controlled his flying device, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead when he saw the familiar face.
"It's you!"
Deidara was extremely fearful of Ryujiro. The Genjutsu he had quietly cast had played them in the palm of his hand, including several members of the Akatsuki.
Ryujiro looked calmly at Deidara from above, dragging Gaara, who had fallen from the sky.
"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"
"Hadō #63. Raikōhō!"
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A massive spiritual pressure gathered in Ryujiro's palm, and a dazzling flash of lightning suddenly burst forth.
The thunder serpent danced, transforming into a brilliant thunder pillar crashing down towards Deidara in the sky.
The dazzling brilliance of the thunder was stunning, the terrifying energy contained within it emitting a sizzling sound as it frictioned with the air.
Deidara watched as the thunder, resembling a thunder dragon, swept towards him, wanting to dodge but it was already too late.
Unlike ninjutsu, the speed of this thunder attack reached that of natural lightning, even if Deidara wanted to evade, it was already too late.
The raging thunder shredded the clay-made birds, before the thunder, those white birds seemed as fragile as paper.
With an unstable center of gravity, Deidara fell from the sky to the ground, while on the other side, Mihawk also ended his battle.
The merciless black blade plunged into Sasori's heart, amidst the scattered puppet parts.
The puppet made from the Third Kazekage was powerless against Mihawk's black blade.
Sasori stared wide-eyed, unbelievably, at Mihawk.
He actually lost...
That terrifying swordsmanship.
Not ninjutsu, but sheer brute force incomprehensible to him.
Is this my end...
Sasori's gaze gradually lost its color, as his eyes completely lost their color, his heart also stopped beating.
Deidara, falling from the sky, had a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, feeling extremely uncomfortable throughout his internal organs.
Deidara, in a sorry state, saw Sasori lying on the ground and the scattered puppet parts, his eyes suddenly contracted.
"Sasori!"
"Damn it! Damn it!"
"You actually killed Sasori!"
Deidara's face twisted with endless rage, all visible on his face.
"None of you will escape this place!"
"Let's all die together!"
Deidara tore off a piece of his clothing, revealing a grim mouth on his left chest.
Ryujiro's eyes couldn't help but shrink.
It's that move!
Art is an Explosion!
Deidara mixed the last bit of clay on him; under his will, chakra had already been mobilized.
"Even if you want to escape, it's too late!"
Under Deidara's crazy smile, he seemed to have already prepared himself for his own death.
But after the words fell, nothing happened around him.
The expression on Deidara's face gradually stiffened.
What's going on!
Why! Clearly, chakra has been mobilized!
Why hasn't the jutsu been activated?
Could it be?
Failed?!
Pfft!
A grim blade plunged into Deidara's heart, Ryujiro looked indifferently at the unbelieving Deidara and slowly said.
"Genjutsu, my Genjutsu can completely control the opponent's senses, you didn't do anything just now."
Deidara looked at Ryujiro incredulously, unwilling to accept it.
To be able to dominate the five senses with Genjutsu...
How terrifying.
He never thought that his ending would be so mundane.
With a thud, Deidara fell heavily to the ground.
The Art Duo, Deidara and Sasori, both died here.
And almost all of them were crushed without any room for resistance.
With these two dead, the Akatsuki would probably be in a frenzy situation.
A sinister smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of Ryujiro's mouth.
Things should develop in an interesting direction.
Something should be left behind to let the Akatsuki know about the existence of the Gotei 13.
At this moment, Gaara had already lost consciousness, looking at the devastated land around him, Ryujiro felt nothing in his heart.
Although this is within the borders of the Land of Rivers, the Land of Rivers is just a small country.
Even with just Mihawk alone, it's enough to wipe out a small country like the Land of Rivers.
In this world small countries have no rights; they can only be exploited.
Once war breaks out, the small countries of the ninja world are just chess pieces in the war, and no one will care about the survival or death of a small country.
Even if a small country disappears, a new country will emerge.
Mihawk and Ryujiro looked at each other, then disappeared into the dense forest.
In a huge tree, Nagato's pale face, already as thin as a skull, couldn't help but twitch.
"Deidara and Sasori are dead."
Beside him, the exquisite beauty Konan wore a face of disbelief.
Deidara and Sasori.
Weren't they supposed to capture One tail Jinchuriki?!
Although it's a Jinchuriki, the current Jinchuriki hasn't fully mastered his power.
Moreover, this time, it's Sasori and Deidara who were dispatched together. Even capturing a Jinchuriki's should have been easy for the two of them combined.
What happened to them?
"Nagato, should we..." Konan paused for a moment.
Nagato interrupted her words, "Don't notify the others for now. I'll control Pain to go and take a look."
Soon, using Pain made from Yahiko's body, Nagato arrived and saw the two bodies of Deidara and Sasori.
Looking at the traces of the battle, the hidden Nagato's face suddenly became extremely ugly.
Deidara and Sasori were dead.
The entire forest was devastated, with broken trees and scattered yellow sand everywhere.
What made Nagato most uneasy was the hundreds of meters long, straight, smooth cut, as if this vast land was cut by some sharp weapon.
Deidara and Sasori were completely overwhelmed by brute force.
There are such terrifying people in the ninja world.
On Deidara's body, Pain noticed a white piece of paper, and when he saw the characters "Gotei 13" on it, his eyes suddenly contracted.
Pain murmured with great solemnity, "Gotei 13, I've never heard about them."
"Could it be that besides us, Akatsuki, there are other organizations in this world, trying to capture the tailed beasts?!"
And there's no sign of a Jinchuriki here either.
It will be trouble, if that organization is after the tailed beasts just like us, our future plans will be difficult to execute.
But...
If they encounter someone from the Gotei 13, Nagato will show no mercy.
Only those who feel pain and know pain can understand the preciousness of peace, and no one can stop him from the path to peace.
If someone comes in his way, he will crush them.
Because!
He is a god!.
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In the dark and murky void, Gaara gradually regained his consciousness.
He looked around hazily at the eerie lights, but his eyes dilated instantly when he saw the two figures, and his foggy mind cleared in an instant.
"Ryujiro..."
There was a hint of fear in Gaara's eyes as he stared solemnly at Ryujiro, who was different from before.
"Boy, even if I wanted to help you this time, it would be futile."
"This kid is too terrifying."
The voice of Shukaku echoed faintly in Gaara's mind.
Gaara's eyes contracted suddenly.
"What do you mean by this, Shukaku?"
Even a Tailed Beast was scared of Ryujiro?
"The chakra flowing in this brat's body is Sage Chakra."
"Even in normal state, he can maintain Sage Mode. His strength is at least several times greater than before, and that overflowing Sage Chakra..."
"To be honest, I'm not confident in dealing with him."
Gaara couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.
Unbelievable!
"Gaara of the Sand."
"Join my organization."
Ryujiro said casually.
What?
Gaara was stunned, looking at Ryujiro in confusion.
Join the organization?
Isn't Ryujiro a ninja of Konoha?
What does his organization mean? Does Ryujiro have another identity besides being a ninja of Konoha?
"What do you mean?"
"What organization are you referring to?"
Ryujiro patiently explained to Gaara.
A genius like Gaara, once he becomes a perfect Jinchuriki, his strength will definitely be stronger than most Kages.
It didn't take long for Gaara to be shocked, his mouth hanging open.
Gotei 13...
An organization that will influence the ninja world in the future?
This Gotei 13 was created by Ryujiro, why would he create such an organization?
If he disagrees, will Ryujiro kill him right here?
Joining the organization doesn't seem like a bad idea. He has already rebelled against Sunagakure, and it's better to do something interesting than to wander around aimlessly.
Moreover...
Gaara has already recognized his own strength. Perhaps he is outstanding within the village, but outside the village, there are still many ruthless people hidden in the ninja world.
Compared to those people, he was too weak.
"I agree."
Gaara looked at Ryujiro and said.
A smile appeared at the corner of Ryujiro's mouth.
"A wise choice."
"This is the uniform of our organization."
"Take off the forehead protector of Sunagakure, you have already left the village, so the forehead protector is meaningless."
Gaara took off his forehead protector and put on clothes similar to Mihawk's.
The uniforms made by Ryujiro were similar to those of the 13 Court Guard Squads in Bleach.
"What is the purpose of our organization?"
Gaara, now wearing the uniform, asked in confusion.
"For now it is to secretly control the smaller villages," Ryujiro said slowly.
Although the influence of small villages is minimal, if they control all small villages, everything will be different.
Moreover, there is an organization like Akatsuki on the surface helping them, Gotei 13, to resist any threats.
Control small villages...
"Next..."
"Shukaku, let's talk."
Ryujiro said casually to Gaara.
The next moment, Shukaku, who was locked in the prison within the vast space, became furious upon seeing Ryujiro.
"Boy! How dare you appear in front of me."
Shukaku's roar shook the entire sealing space.
"Tch, although you are both Tailed Beasts, the gap between you and the Nine-Tails is very huge."
"Huh?!"
"You damn kid! What did you say?!"
Having his pride hurt by Ryujiro, Shukaku, like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, glared angrily at Ryujiro.
Facing Shukaku's anger, Ryujiro remained indifferent and continued, "Enough, let's get back to the point."
"I need some of your chakra."
"You want my chakra?"
Shukaku was first surprised, then sneered.
"Boy, you want my chakra, right? Then if you want it, you should beg me. If I'm in a good mood, I might give you some."
Shukaku didn't even know he was asking for trouble. Ryujiro's gaze gradually became somber.
"Boom!"
A huge and cold spiritual pressure suddenly erupted from Ryujiro's body, causing the entire sealing space to tremble.
Feeling the terrifying spiritual pressure, Shukaku couldn't help but tremble.
This feeling, it wasn't only the power of a shinobi.
"This is not a negotiation. If you want to experience my new power, I don't mind using you as a test subject."
Ryujiro's voice was extremely cold, and he looked like a soul-reaping grim reaper.
This feeling...
What's going on?!
Tailed Beasts themselves are aggregates of chakra without souls, but for some reason, under the influence of Sage Chakra and spiritual pressure, Shukaku actually felt what death was like.
You should know that Tailed Beasts are formed from the chakra of the Ten-Tails. Even if they appear to die on the surface, they can still resurrect years later.
Because Tailed Beasts themselves are life forms formed from the huge chakra.
Gulp!
As a beast, Shukaku couldn't help but shrink his eyes, he had to succumb under this huge pressure.
"Tch!"
"Damn brat!"
Shukaku could act tough.
After Ryujiro's spirit withdrew from the sealing space.
A dark red Tailed Beast Chakra overflowed from Gaara's right hand. Such a high-density Tailed Beast Chakra, besides being a Jinchuriki, would instantly damage anyone else who touched it.
"Ryujiro, are you sure about this?"
Gaara asked worriedly.
As a Jinchuriki, he knew very well that Tailed Beast Chakra was not ordinary chakra, and it could affect one's mind.
If it were another ninja, perhaps they would indeed be affected by Tailed Beast Chakra.
But Ryujiro was different. He possessed both Sage Chakra and spiritual power, two huge energies. The Tailed Beast Chakra would have no effect on him at all.
At the moment when his fingertips touched the Tailed Beast Chakra, the evil Tailed Beast Chakra tried to control Ryujiro's body.
Just at that moment of agitation, the Tailed Beast Chakra was suppressed by an inexplicable force.
The Hogyoku inside Ryujiro's body also reacted. Under the suppression of spiritual energy and Sage Chakra, the Tailed Beast Chakra gradually absorbed into the Hogyoku.
The three different energies circulated and merged within Ryujiro's body, and he felt another type of chakra attribute in his body.
This was Tailed Beast Chakra, it's nothing new.
However, it seems that after the Tailed Beast Chakra was absorbed by the Hogyoku, the Hogyoku itself also changed.
This feeling was a transformation of life energy, and Ryujiro had gradually evolved unconsciously.
"Swoosh!"
The rioting Tailed Beast Chakra enveloped Ryujiro's body. The dark red Tailed Beast Chakra wrapped around Ryujiro's body, and at this moment, Ryujiro looked more like a humanoid beast standing upright.
Tailed Beast Transformation!
With a portion of the One-Tailed Chakra, Ryujiro could enter the Tailed Beast Transformation state.
However, the Tailed Beast Mode did not bring much improvement in strength to Ryujiro. On the contrary, those negligible improvements weren't much of help to Ryujiro.
"Hey hey hey!"
"Are you kidding me?!"
"This kid can enter Tailed Beast Mode with just a portion of my chakra?!"
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It was as if he was his Jinchuriki.
"What on earth is going on!"
Even Gaara had a face full of shock.
Just with a small portion of chakra, Ryujiro could enter a state of Tailed Beast transformation, just like a Jinchuriki.
Absorbing the chakra of one tail not only granted Ryujiro the ability of Tailed Beast mode, but he also seemed to gain the attribute of wind chakra.
It seemed that Hogyoku thought the chakra of the Tailed Beasts was worth absorbing.
What would happen if he absorbed the chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts...
Would he get Yin-Yang Release?
Or perhaps...
Hehe.
Things were getting interesting.
Ryujiro paid no attention to Gaara's shocked expression as he said, "Your current strength is still too weak. You should go and train under that man for a while."
That man?
.....
Hidden Sound Village, a certain underground cave.
Orochimaru, who was researching Kekkei Genkai in the base, suddenly furrowed his brow.
His figure disappeared into the laboratory.
Outside the cave, Ryujiro, Gaara, and Mihawk arrived at the entrance.
After a while, Orochimaru appeared before them.
When Gaara saw Orochimaru, he felt a strange familiarity, but he couldn't assure himself that he had never seen this sickly-looking man before.
"Ryujiro, so you know about this place after all."
"No need for small talk, Orochimaru. I'm sending someone to you."
"I'm entrusting Gaara to you."
Oh?
Gaara of Sand.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
He looked at Gaara as if he were a valuable treasure.
Feeling Orochimaru's gaze, Gaara's whole body broke out in goosebumps.
Why did he feel like he was being tricked? Was Ryujiro really going to make him follow this man?
This man seemed quite perverted.
Mihawk looked at Orochimaru, sensing his chilling aura, which he disliked greatly.
A Jinchuriki.
But it was quite valuable for research.
Of course, if Ryujiro asked him to train Gaara, Orochimaru probably wouldn't dare to act recklessly.
However, Ryujiro seemed to have undergone another change in his aura. It felt as if he was evolving, similar to the White Snake Sage in the Ryuchi Cave.
Was Ryujiro evolving?
Orochimaru's fervent thoughts stirred his previously dormant heart once again.
The White Snake Sage had lived for thousands of years.
The reason Orochimaru was expelled from Konoha was because he conducted human experiments, seeking to pave a path to eternal life.
Having experienced wars, Orochimaru felt that life was too fragile; the lifespan of a human was nothing more than a fleeting moment.
Only eternity was the sole truth in the world.
Although Orochimaru theoretically developed a method for eternal life, the flaw of Edo Tensei was also quite fatal.
Edo Tensei not only depended on the compatibility of the body but also required finding another body for reincarnation after several years.
The so-called eternal life of Edo Tensei was maintained through repeated reincarnations.
Although Orochimaru considered this a form of eternity, he was not satisfied.
If Ryujiro was evolving towards the same level as the White Snake Sage, would he also gain eternal life like the White Snake Sage?
Could he also...
If Ryujiro could help him attain immortality, Orochimaru would do whatever Ryujiro asked of him.
To Orochimaru's fervent gaze, Ryujiro also felt puzzled.
Did Orochimaru still want to use his own body for reincarnation?
However, come to think of it, the three Great Sacred Places likely had different Sage Modes. If one learned all of them, would there be unexpected changes?
Ryujiro was greedy.
On the path to becoming stronger, he couldn't afford to consider so much. Moreover, with Hogyoku present, if the Sage Modes were mutually exclusive, he probably wouldn't be affected.
With Hogyoku there, he shouldn't be affected by anything.
Entering Orochimaru's cave, it felt like entering a dark prison.
Indeed, this kind of place suited Orochimaru's snake-like preference for dark, damp caves.
There was no sign of Sasuke in the base.
In order to become stronger, Orochimaru had already arranged training opponents for Sasuke. Currently, Sasuke was not far away, battling against Kimimaro.
At this time, Sasuke was not a match for Kimimaro.
The Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai was one of the more unique Kekkei Genkai in the Shinobi world, but it also posed a threat to Kimimaro.
Kimimaro's condition was gradually deteriorating, and the cause of this illness was likely the side effects of the Kaguya Clan's unique Kekkei Genkai.
Kabuto had been studying Kimimaro's Kekkei Genkai, but in the end, it was of no avail.
In the original anime, after the fierce battle with Gaara, Kimimaro ultimately perished in the fight.
One of the reasons Ryujiro had Gaara accompany Orochimaru was that the Sound Village was a good refuge for Gaara.
Now, not only was the Sand Village searching for him, but also several other major Shinobi Villages.
The temptation of capturing a Jinchuriki.
How could the other major villages control themselves?
The Sand Village was already at its wits' end.
Even if Chiyo didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the Land of Wind and the Sand Village, she had no choice.
If anything unexpected happened again in the Sand Village, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they would probably be in jeopardy.
No matter which village, a Jinchuriki presence could ultimately affect the balance of the shinobi world.
Even Konoha probably didn't expect Gaara to be with Orochimaru.
After arranging everything for Gaara, Orochimaru looked at Mihawk beside him and couldn't help but ask.
"Ryujiro, why don't you introduce me to the person next to you?"
"What's his name?"
"Mihawk."
Before Ryujiro could explain, Mihawk coldly uttered those words himself.
Ahem!
Orochimaru couldn't help but cough a few times. What a strange person.
Those eyes were just like Ryujiro's.
But now, Ryujiro's sharpness had diminished considerably, yet he gave off an even more terrifying vibe.
It was as if facing an abyss.
"Alright, Orochimaru, besides entrusting Gaara to you, there's one more thing I want to discuss with you."
"Ryujiro, feel free to speak."
A smile appeared on Orochimaru's face.
"Join my organization."
"Organization?"
Orochimaru's eyes constricted, looking at Ryujiro with some doubt.
"The organization I've created, Gotei 13, will eventually dominate the entire shinobi world."
Ryujiro said this calmly, but it was his unique charisma that made it convincing.
"I'll join."
Orochimaru didn't hesitate at all. He was eager for his relationship with Ryujiro to be eased, and in his eyes, all hopes of obtaining true immortality lay with Ryujiro.
Ryujiro wasn't surprised.
In his view, having a mad scientist like Orochimaru join wasn't bad; Orochimaru was a genius himself, and for Ryujiro, Orochimaru had value to be exploited.
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At this moment, Ryujiro followed Orochimaru into a hidden room.
Entering the room, various preserved human organs and special limbs were displayed before them.
This was Orochimaru's personal laboratory.
And the most striking aspect of the laboratory was the several pairs of crimson eyes.
Initially, during the Uchiha clan massacre, Danzo had collected many pairs of eyes, and without Orochimaru's assistance, Danzo would never have been able to possess an arm full of terrifying Sharingan.
As someone who coveted the Sharingan's power the most, how could Orochimaru not keep a few pairs of eyes for himself?
However, transplanting the Sharingan was not so simple. Unless the recipient's body was compatible with the Sharingan, the body and eyes would reject each other and not integrate well.
Kakashi was actually an example of this.
Without the Sharingan, Kakashi might have gone further. The Chakra consumption due to the Sharingan was also a considerable burden for him.
"I didn't expect you to be so interested in the power of the Sharingan," Orochimaru said, astonished.
Ryujiro looked at those pairs of crimson eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Interested in the Sharingan?
No.
The only thing that could truly interest him was the Rinnegan.
Even if the Sharingan evolved into the Mangekyo Sharingan, it couldn't be used frequently. Only the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan could provide the user with true power.
Except for Ryujiro and Orochimaru, no one else knew about this laboratory. Even Ryujiro had only casually inquired about it before.
Unexpectedly, Orochimaru had truly hidden so many Sharingan. No wonder the subsequent puppets of the Uchiha clan, like Shin, had so many Sharingan.
Ryujiro had no intention of transplanting the Sharingan. He only wanted to test whether the Hogyoku could understand the secrets of the Sharingan.
Suddenly, there appeared in Ryujiro's hand a dazzling object as brilliant as a gemstone.
The shining black light made Orochimaru's expression change, as if his soul was trembling.
Such a thing was definitely not ordinary.
Orochimaru stared at the orb in Ryujiro's hand, his mouth dry, and asked, "Ryujiro, what is that in your hand?"
"Hogyoku; a thing that is capable of manifesting desires."
Indeed, the Hogyoku could manifest desires, enchant hearts. Even though this wasn't the first time Ryujiro held the Hogyoku, its power still intoxicated him.
Hogyoku?
Orochimaru didn't know what the Hogyoku was, but his intuition told him that this spherical gem could peer into another, extraordinary world.
In the moment due to Hogyoku's brilliance, the Sharingan preserved in the container began to rotate strangely.
Seeing this scene, Orochimaru widened his eyes in disbelief.
Because the Sharingan, which was placed in the container like a windmill, began to rotate eerily.
In an instant, the Sharingan in the container changed into a Mangekyo Sharingan.
Orochimaru's eyes widened suddenly, his breathing becoming rapid.
The evolution of the Sharingan should be stimulated by the emotions of the individual, but the Sharingan in the container was just a normal Sharingan.
The orb actually contained such magical power.
The development of events exceeded Ryujiro's expectations.
It wasn't just Ryujiro who was evolving; it seemed that the Hogyoku itself was absorbing various energies and changing.
From a single Mangekyo Sharingan to a double Mangekyo Sharingan, Orochimaru was completely stunned by the appearance of the third Mangekyo Sharingan.
Such power surpassed his understanding.
It continued to rotate, and Orochimaru couldn't help but gulp, unable to suppress the crazy ideas swirling in his mind.
Could it be?
The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the ultimate power of the Uchiha clan, was the next evolution.
With a "bang" sound...
The container exploded instantly, and as the Sharingan in the container burst open, the splashing eyeballs were about to fall on Ryujiro, but were abruptly bounced away by a spiritual pressure.
Orochimaru was somewhat disappointed to see this.
Was obtaining the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan really impossible?
It seemed that he had thought too much.
However, after witnessing Ryujiro's miraculous methods, he became more convinced that Ryujiro was the only one who could lead to the path of immortality.
And his hope of obtaining perfect immortality also rested on Ryujiro.
The moment the Hogyoku disappeared, Ryujiro couldn't help but furrow his brow, feeling an unbearable itch in his eyes.
Ryujiro couldn't help but rub his eyes. When Orochimaru looked at Ryujiro's strange eyes and tremblingly pointed at him, "Ryujiro! Your eyes!"
My eyes?
Ryujiro's heart skipped a beat.
He quickly walked to a mirror in the laboratory and looked at his own eyes, his breath involuntarily halting at the sight of his distinct crimson eyes.
How could this be possible!
Sharingan!
The crimson eyes with black tomoe were undoubtedly Sharingan, although they were just regular Mangekyo Sharingan.
But Ryujiro wasn't an Uchiha, and these eyes weren't transplanted by him. They were completely his own eyes that had undergone a mutation to become Sharingan.
Could it be!
Had the Hogyoku already understood the secrets of the Sharingan and absorbed it?
"The Sharingan... Ryujiro, your eyes have actually transformed into Sharingan."
"It's simply unbelievable."
Orochimaru stared at Ryujiro with wide eyes, shocked.
Ryujiro was somewhat puzzled, but he quickly regained his composure from the shock.
Regardless, this was a good thing for Ryujiro. Only with the Sharingan could he possibly unlock the Rinnegan.
The ability of the Rinnegan was indeed something Ryujiro coveted.
The Hogyoku could materialize inner desires. Simply put, the Hogyoku was like what we call a wishing stone.
Of course, the Hogyoku wouldn't blindly experiment with your wishes. It would only help guide you towards that direction if you had potential and talent in that aspect.
What Ryujiro hoped for was to dominate everything with his own power, with no one threatening him.
After all, the enemies he would face in the future were Kaguya and, besides Kaguya, the other Otsutsuki clan members, whose whereabouts were currently unknown.
The only desire in Ryujiro's heart was to become stronger.
Moreover, with the potential Ryujiro possessed from the system, the Hogyoku would guide him in which direction to evolve. Even Ryujiro himself wasn't sure.
The ability of the Sharingan... Indeed, the world seen through the eyes had become somewhat different.
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Orochimaru, who had recovered from his shock, looked at Ryujiro with fanaticism in his eyes.
Unbelievable.
He was certain that Ryujiro did not possess the bloodline of the Uchiha clan, yet he activated the Sharingan.
What exactly was that mysterious orb resembling a gem? Since Orochimaru had met Ryujiro until now, he felt that every aspect Ryujiro showed was just the tip of the iceberg.
Ryujiro touched the corner of his eye.
This power was truly intoxicating.
Ryujiro closed his eyes and opened them again.
After a while his eyes returned to normal.
However, as time passed, influenced by Hogyoku, even without emotional stimulation, his Sharingan would gradually evolve.
Apart from this, what Ryujiro was more interested in was another ability of the Hogyoku.
If the ability of the Hogyoku was to manipulate the boundary between Shinigami and Hollow, then the Hogyoku itself also had the ability to influence souls, leading to Hollowification.
If he could create Hollows...
Ryujiro wanted to form an army of Arrancars.
But he still needed to experiment.
"Orochimaru, I'll borrow a few subjects from your cell."
The subjects Orochimaru used for experiments were all living people, some of whom were bandits or ruffians, and of course, there were also a few rogue ninjas who had defected from ninja villages.
Entering one of the cells, Ryujiro coldly ended the life of the person inside with a single stroke.
Orochimaru didn't react, looking puzzled. "What are you doing, Ryujiro?"
Although these subjects were not important in his eyes, they were still his personal property.
Feeling the soul, Ryujiro coldly responded, "Just wanted to conduct an experiment."
Experiment?
Before Orochimaru could understand, the next moment, a strange scene made Orochimaru's scalp tingle.
The soul that had not yet dissipated seemed to be affected at this moment, struggling violently with an expression of unbearable pain, emitting a terrifying howl.
Suddenly, at this moment, an invisible chain pierced through the chest of the howling soul, revealing a hollow void in its chest.
The person's soul gradually began to change rapidly.
The ethereal soul gradually turned black, enveloped by black mist.
The pitch-black figure gradually emerged, limbs, facial features, and even a long black tail behind its back.
It's terrifying appearance, like wearing a grotesque mask, exuded a chilling coldness.
"Roar!"
The hollowed soul let out a sharp roar.
This sound was different from that of ordinary beasts, causing many of the subjects to shiver involuntarily upon hearing it.
Orochimaru's face changed drastically as he looked at the black monster before him in horror.
Ordinary people shouldn't be able to see the Hollows.
After all, whether it was Shinigami or Hollow, they were ultimately soul-like existences that ordinary people couldn't see.
Unless they possessed spiritual power or were inherently gifted individuals, they might be able to see them.
"Ryujiro! What exactly is this black monster?" Orochimaru exclaimed in horror.
Ryujiro looked at Orochimaru with astonishment.
Orochimaru could see the Hollows?
What's going on!
Suddenly! At this moment, the irrational Hollow swung its massive arms toward Ryujiro.
The massive force of the Hollow was enough to smash the entire cell.
Ryujiro coldly extended a finger, gathering immense spiritual pressure at his fingertip.
"Hado no. 4, Byakurai."
As he spoke, a dazzling lightning descended, bursting out from Ryujiro's slender fingertip like a roaring silver dragon.
"Boom!"
The Hollow was instantly engulfed in terrifying thunder.
The power of Byakurai was far from over. The wall behind the Hollow also suddenly burst open, creating a large hole.
The entire laboratory kept shaking, as if it could collapse at any moment.
Ryujiro looked indifferent as he glanced at the pierced hole.
Hollowification was indeed possible, but this was just the lowest level of Hollow. For Ryujiro, they were nothing but worthless trash.
The strength of Hollowification should be related to the person's own strength. It was basically impossible for weak Hollows like these to become Arrancars.
At least, they would need Adjuchas-level Grand Hollows to have a chance to become Arrancars, and even then, it was only a possibility.
Orochimaru stood frozen in place, his face pale with shock.
Just now?
Was that Lightning Release?
No!
It couldn't possibly be Lightning Release.
The power of that lightning was different from ordinary Lightning Release, and Orochimaru didn't sense any chakra nature in that strange white lightning.
And what exactly was that black monster!
Why did it suddenly appear? Could it be that the experiment Ryujiro mentioned was this black monster?
"Ryujiro! What exactly is that black monster?"
"Is this the product of your experiment?"
Orochimaru's face twisted with madness as he interrogated Ryujiro regardless of the consequences.
"Hollow."
"A creature mutated from a soul."
A soul mutated creature!
Orochimaru's eyes constricted.
No wonder he felt his soul trembling when facing the Hollow just now.
What kind of terrifying ability are you hiding, Ryujiro, that can manipulate souls?
Hollows can devour each other and evolve, but there was no meaning in having a few people in this cell.
For weak Hollows to evolve into more powerful forms, they would need to devour at least hundreds of their kind.
The existence of Hollows was eternal, and besides Ryujiro, there might be no other means in this world to harm Hollows.
Perhaps the Reaper Death Seal of the Uzumaki clan could affect Hollows.
Of course, the Shinigami of the Reaper Death Seal seemed quite extraordinary.
To create a large number of Hollows, it would require a battlefield or a place of execution.
The soul itself couldn't last long, and even after death, it could only linger briefly.
Orochimaru felt even more fearful of Ryujiro, who could manipulate souls. Perhaps only the legendary Sage of the Six Paths could do such a thing.
Ryujiro was indeed a terrifying person.
The commotion at the base made Sasuke and Kimimaro, who had just returned, their faces changed involuntarily.
Kimimaro, without a word, rushed straight to the laboratory. When he saw Ryujiro there his face suddenly darkened.
"Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"
Kimimaro's finger bones shot out like bullets. Not only that, but he also pulled out a horrifying bone from his body and threw it at Ryujiro.
Seeing this scene, Orochimaru, who was stunned, shouted anxiously.
"Kimimaro, stop!"
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Fin