Son Goku's Disciple Naruto

Chapter 204 - 204

"Fortunately, he is dead now," Black Zetsu said.

Having been played for so long, Black Zetsu was furious. He was always the one deceiving others, when was it ever someone else's turn? Although he hadn't been tricked directly, fooling the person he was manipulating basically meant he had been played too. He found it thoroughly insulting.

Isshiki's sudden appearance also gave Black Zetsu a deep sense of crisis. Although Isshiki had perished alongside the Uzumaki this time, what about the next, who else might pop out of nowhere and become new variable? He had to save his mother as soon as possible. As long as she returned, all problems would be easily solved. That was exactly why he had sought Obito out to clear the air. Time was clearly running out for their grand design.

"Good riddance!" Obito said resentfully. No matter how many times he said it, he couldn't feel satisfied enough. He hated being deceived more than anything in the world.

"Now, the unstable factor has been completely eliminated."

"What step is our follow-up plan at? We absolutely cannot have any slip-ups this time."

Black Zetsu chuckled. "Don't worry, we are only missing one person now."

"That contact has already arranged for someone to invite him."

"Then I can rest easy."

"Why do I always feel like my body is much lighter after returning from that world?"

Back at home, Naruto repeatedly examined his hands. He didn't know if it was an illusion, but after saving Minato and Kushina in that parallel world, his Ki had risen by a small margin. The physical shift was subtle but undeniable.

Goku spoke up. "That is an elevation of your state of mind. I heard Master Roshi say before that elevating one's mental state and resolving mental baggages takes your strength a step further. I only realized this after I transformed into a Super Saiyan."

"I didn't expect you to be able to elevate it now, Naruto."

Naruto was quite happy at the first half of the sentence, who didn't like an increase in strength? But the mention of Super Saiyans made his mood plummet instantly.

'No, no, no. Your kind of improvement is ant lifting an elephant. Mine is a worker ant turning into a soldier ant.' Super Saiyan, was a distant concept. If he could, he would want to transform into one too. Looking cool was one thing, but the overwhelming power was the main draw. He sighed, wishing he had access to that kind of explosive energy.

In other worlds, the moon was merely a natural satellite, rotating around the planet, governing tidal phenomena and nurturing life. The Shinobi World was different. Its moon was not a naturally formed object but an artificial construct, a massive sphere of rock gathered together by a powerful Sealing Jutsu. It hung silently in the night sky.

On this moon stood a grand palace. Unlike natural satellites, an atmosphere of breathable oxygen existed on this rock formed by Planetary Devastation. It was a true marvel.

This place was once home to Hamura Otsutsuki, the second son of Kaguya, and his descendants. Their clan lived here for generations to guard Kaguya's seal. Hagoromo, her eldest son, remained on Earth to watch over the seal of the Ten-Tails. However, when Hagoromo split the Ten-Tails into nine parts and granted them life and wisdom, that specific problem was resolved. The earthly seal no longer held the original beast.

Perhaps it was a curse for sealing their own mother, but as time passed, the members of Hamura's lineage dwindled. By this generation, only the last clan member remained. The sprawling lunar palace was entirely empty save for him.

His name, Toneri Otsutsuki.

He was a figure with pale skin, and short pale blue hair. He wore simple white robes adorned with magatama around the collar. Sitting in the palace garden with his eyes closed, he savored his afternoon tea. Several stiff-faced servants stood beside him. These were Six Paths Puppets, also known as Otsutsuki Puppets.

Created over generations by Hamura's lineage, they possessed a simple self-awareness and obeyed Toneri completely. Their strength was considerable.

In precision and ability, they far surpassed the creations used in Sasori's Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets. Ordinary puppet masters on Earth could never compare to them. They were the pinnacle of autonomous weaponry.

"The black tea tastes very good today."

Toneri took a small sip of the brew and enjoyed a sweet dessert, praising them generously. "There has been progress."

His refined appearance was like that of a dashing gentleman.

His words received no answer. The Otsutsuki Puppets could not speak, nor did they understand conversation, they possessed only the simplest intelligence. Within this vast palace, there were no other living humans, only these silent constructs.

*Click-click.*

An Otsutsuki Puppet stepped before Toneri and presented a letter.

"A message from the people on the ground?"

"Very good, I see."

Toneri slowly opened his eyes. In stark contrast to his gentle image, his gaze was unsettling. Where the eyes should have been, there were only two empty, pitch-black hollows. Toneri Otsutsuki had been born without eyes.

Toneri opened the letter and glanced at it briefly before reaching out to summon several puppets. Their clothing style was completely different from the ordinary servants. The most striking feature was the moon symbol engraved on their forehead protectors.

"Take your men to earth and assist our ally."

The Otsutsuki Puppets vanished with a sharp rush of air. Toneri remained seated in his chair, signaling a nearby puppet to refill his teacup. He took another slow sip. Absolute elegance defined his every move. He enjoyed the quiet solitude of his domain.

Not far from him sat a massive spherical container. Inside were eyes, at least a thousand pairs, perhaps more. These were no ordinary eyes, but the Kekkei Genkai exclusive to the Hyuga Clan: Byakugan. They floated suspended in the amber fluid, waiting for their purpose.

--**--**

Orochimaru's Northern Base.

"Karin, I'll leave this experiment to you to complete alone."

Karin was conducting an experiment under Orochimaru's guidance. During her time by his side, she had learned a great deal. She had even reached the point where she could handle complex research and experiments independently.

Orochimaru was certainly not a good man, but as a teacher, he was highly competent. He granted immense privileges to those with real ability and taught them personally. He also had the patience to tolerate his disciples flaws. As a result, his subordinates were devoted. Although their raw talent varied, they had all been raised from scratch by him. The fact that his Oto nin could stand on equal footing with an average mid-sized ninja village was proof enough of his leadership. He knew exactly how to cultivate loyalty and strength.

His capabilities in leadership, scientific research, forbidden techniques, and teaching were all top-tier. He was an incredibly charismatic villain.

Had he not colluded with Danzo and been caught performing human experimentation, he would have undoubtedly been the best candidate for Fifth Hokage after Minato died.

If the sheer scale of combat power in the Shinobi World hadn't inflated so drastically later on, Orochimaru could have easily been the ultimate threat. His genius was undeniable, even if his morals were entirely absent.

It was a pity that in the original timeline, after the Konoha Crush, Orochimaru had almost no impressive achievements beyond raising Sasuke and Kabuto. In the later years, nearly everyone seemed to walk all over him. The terrifying prestige he held in the early days had completely vanished. He had become a mere stepping stone for others.

"Sensei, these are the results of the experiment. Please review them." Karin handed the densely written data report to Orochimaru. She stood to the side with a blank face, but her eyes held a trace of apprehension. She looked exactly like a nervous student waiting for her teacher to grade her homework.

"Not bad, not bad. This is excellent."

Orochimaru read it seriously, pointing out a few minor errors. After reading every single word, he praised her without hesitation.

Karin had almost completely replaced Kabuto, becoming Orochimaru's most vital assistant. In the original timeline, Orochimaru had picked her up after the Konoha Crush. In just three years, she grew from an ignorant little girl into the warden of his Southern Base. That alone demonstrated her sheer capability.

Although her direct combat power wasn't overwhelming later on, she still managed to keep pace with the Taka Squad. Her overall aptitude was undeniably high. She was a rare talent in both administration and sensory jutsu.

Now, having learned ninjutsu from Fugaku and Mikoto since childhood, taijutsu from Naruto, and science from Orochimaru, her foundation was incredible. Give her a little more time, and she might even surpass her current teacher entirely.

*Thud, thud, thud.*

Just as Orochimaru was about to give Karin further instructions, crimson lights suddenly flashed, and the alarm blared throughout the entire base.

An invader? Orochimaru paused. After the Konoha Crush, he had abandoned the main Otogakure village in the Land of Rice Paddies, constantly traveling between his various secret bases across the Shinobi World.

How many hideouts did he actually possess? Only Hagoromo knew for sure. A cunning rabbit might have three burrows, but Orochimaru had at least a hundred and eighty. He never stayed in one place for too long.

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