135 Otsutsuki Armory

"Snap out of it."

A sharp, thunderous shout resounded in his mind. Orochimaru halted, his consciousness suddenly clearing, though one foot had already stepped into the river. Surrounded by the intoxicating fragrance of flowers, he steadied his mind with effort and asked, unsettled, "What is going on here?"

"It must be an illusion." The Genie extended his form, only to retract it instantly. "There are no red flowers on the other side of the river; it seems they can only be seen and smelled right here."

"An illusion?" Orochimaru licked his lips, a profound sense of wariness stirring within him. He did not believe for a moment that the Sage of Six Paths was targeting him specifically; it was likely that every spirit arriving here was assailed by this illusion. The sheer scale and terrifying efficacy of it sent a chill down his spine.

Sensing Orochimaru’s emotional fluctuations, the Genie glanced at him. "Do not overestimate yourself. Your resistance to genjutsu was never high to begin with, let alone now, in your current form as a pure spirit."

A spirit is formless and intangible, effectively immune to physical and ninjutsu damage. Yet, from another perspective, because it lacks a solid form to serve as an anchor, it is easily swept away, influenced, and distorted by illusions.

"The Sage of Six Paths has left some room for struggle, at least." The Genie gestured toward the riverbank. "Look, there are some spirits who have managed to break free through sheer willpower."

Orochimaru turned his gaze and noticed that there were indeed many spirits along the shore. Some remained motionless on the bank, while many others drifted forward and backward, as if intoxicated, their eyes flickering between clarity and haze. Along the banks of the Sanzu River, amidst the scent of the spider lilies, the influence grew heavier as time passed.

"These must be spirits burdened with deep obsessions," the Genie chuckled. "Look over there, you even have an acquaintance."

Orochimaru walked for a while in the direction the Genie indicated, and upon seeing a familiar figure, his eyes narrowed. "Sakumo?"

A white-haired man sat cross-legged by the riverbank. His eye sockets were sunken, his nose bridge high, his thin lips pressed tightly together, and his gaunt face was covered in stubble. Sensing Orochimaru’s gaze, he lifted his lowered head slightly. A glimmer of clarity flashed in his eyes, but he quickly sank back into a daze.

This was not the person he was waiting for.

"Still struggling with that matter?" Orochimaru could not help but feel a pang of melancholy, yet he had not come here to counsel an old friend.

Prompted by the Genie, Orochimaru yielded to the pull and leaped directly into the Sanzu River.

*Splash.*

Spirits do not need to breathe, and even in this illusory river, he felt strangely at home, an indescribable sense of comfort washing over him. Orochimaru moved his body, his mind relaxing to an unprecedented degree. The worldly turmoil of the mortal realm seemed to have nothing to do with him; even his dream of omniscience and immortality felt trivial. He had found paradise here.

The corners of Orochimaru’s mouth curled up in a smile of unparalleled bliss. The scent of the spider lilies grew more intense within the Sanzu River, and his mind seemed to grow even more intoxicated.

"Though I expected as much, your resistance really is pathetic. No wonder the Sharingan is your bane." The Genie muttered, immediately choosing a bizarre, rhythmic track to play on a loop inside Orochimaru's head.

The demonic melody, originating from a foreign dimension, made Orochimaru shudder, his spirit trembling visibly.

"Can you make it stop?" Orochimaru looked at the Genie. "I’m clear-headed now."

"Are you sure?" The Genie remained unimpressed. "Can you guarantee you won't be controlled by the illusion again? The further we go, the stronger the power of this illusion becomes."

In truth, even Uchiha Madara would not remain clear-headed in this Pure Land, let alone Orochimaru, whose spirit was already fragmented. Orochimaru frowned slightly, but remembering his previous experience, he could find no words of rebuttal. He could only endure the infernal music in his skull while swimming forward with the current.

Countless other spirits accompanied him, intoxicated by the scent of the flowers. As they moved forward, their expressions grew increasingly dazed and their features began to blur. In the end, their forms dissolved into tadpole-like spheres of blue light, losing all human semblance.

"Tsk, tsk..." The Genie studied these glowing orbs with a mysterious smile, though it was unclear what he was thinking.

Orochimaru had no such leisure. Using the demonic music in his mind to counter the lure of the spider lilies, he cast a glance at his companions and noticed them constantly descending. His eyes narrowed. "Where are they going?"

"The Sanzu River is the Sanzu River. Different people enter this river and naturally head toward different paths." The Genie smiled. "Do not follow them; that is not where you will find what you seek."

Orochimaru nodded, struggling to resist the urge to sink. Even without the influence of the illusion, his spirit was fragmented; it was no easy task to keep from falling into the lower depths.

Amidst the surging undercurrents, Orochimaru bobbed and drifted through the Sanzu River, finally managing to reach the destination.

The view opened up abruptly into a vast, gray, hazy space filled with drifting mists and layers of shimmering light. Looking upward, the sky was exceptionally clear, a dreamy, deep blue that seemed boundless, speckled with starlight that hung much lower than anticipated.

Orochimaru’s heart skipped a beat. He floated high into the air toward a 'star' near him, only to see a familiar face.

It was the Third Kazekage, who had arrived earlier.

He sat with his eyes tightly shut, as if immersed in a deep dream. Gray, dust-like matter shed from his spirit, yet his aura grew increasingly solid. Orochimaru watched the substance separating from the Third Kazekage’s spirit, feeling an instinctive repulsion. "What is this?"

"Impurities within the spirit, I suppose." The Genie shrugged. "Though that might not be entirely accurate. In any case, it is everything within the human chakra soul-body that is not Otsutsuki."

"Different?" Orochimaru swept his gaze across the 'stars' in the sky. He suddenly recalled the Shinigami he had once encountered, and as his eyes flickered, he instantly grasped the Sage of Six Paths’ intent.

He was manufacturing soldiers—soldiers akin to the Otsutsuki bloodline. Just like his Cursed Seal, the Pure Land was continuously exerting influence on these soul-bodies.

As to why he was doing this, it was obvious. Orochimaru was not the only one who knew about the Otsutsuki clan within the Uchiha line. This eldest son of Kaguya Otsutsuki knew far more than he did and was even more aware of the threat they posed. How could he not make preparations? And in the heart of the Sage of Six Paths, compared to the ninja of the shinobi world, he likely trusted the power of the Otsutsuki bloodline far more.

Orochimaru looked up and down at the Third Kazekage, unable to stop himself from licking his lips. "Impurities... what happens if these impurities are separated too much?"

"Haven't you already figured it out?" The Genie spread his hands. "Naturally, they disintegrate into pure soul energy. That, after all, is the very reason we came here."