Chapter 107: Strengthening the Earth

“Strengthen the Earth?” Madara Uchiha frowned in confusion.

Orochimaru lifted his teacup and took a sip before saying, “You know we will one day pilot the Earth itself, traveling to the star system where the Ōtsutsuki clan resides.”

Madara nodded in affirmation. Indeed, it wasn’t just the Ōtsutsuki star system; wherever life existed, they would tread.

Regardless of whether Orochimaru might change his mind along the way, Madara was determined to bring immortality and sterility to every corner of the world.

To ensure that life would no longer suffer the sorrow of “losing someone important.”

Orochimaru turned his gaze toward the distant sun and said, “Although both you and I can control the Earth’s movement, and in the future, many others will be able to as the effects of the cultivation elixirs fully mature, that’s not what I seek.”

He made a hugging gesture in front of him, but it was actually a hand motion indicating size. Orochimaru continued, “Space is infinitely vast; relying on human strength alone is impossible.”

Madara agreed with Orochimaru’s reasoning. If they piloted the Earth solely by human power, it would not only be exhausting but also slow unless they kept spatial portals open constantly.

But human strength is limited; no one can keep a space portal open continuously for a month or even years. What they needed was endurance.

Madara asked, “Then what does this have to do with the moving castles?”

Orochimaru smiled and explained, “I intend to increase the Earth’s mass.”

If they made spatial jumps too rapidly, the Earth’s current mass was too weak to withstand it; it might collapse.

Moreover, anyone with power at the ‘Sage of Six Paths’ level could easily destroy the Earth.

The Earth was too fragile—it must be reinforced.

“Increasing mass? Do you plan to absorb other planets into the Earth?” Madara asked in surprise.

“Exactly,” Orochimaru nodded. “If other planets are absorbed into the Earth, their landing points would be unpredictable, making it difficult for humans on Earth to avoid them. But with moving castles, it’s different—they can leave whenever they want.”

For example, the Moon: when the Earth wants to assimilate the Moon, it only needs to bring the Moon dangerously close. Earth’s gravity will automatically capture the Moon, breaking it down and merging it.

At that time, moon fragments would rain down everywhere. Without evasion, it would surely cause a massive catastrophe.

Madara raised a concern: “How do you control the paths of the moving castles? With so many of them, wouldn’t it be chaotic if they ran about randomly?”

Orochimaru smiled and said, “That’s why we must wait. Do you remember the Earth model I showed you?”

Madara nodded, and Kimimaro, who had been silently listening, nodded as well.

They had all noted the red dots and lines on the Earth model.

Orochimaru waved his hand, and the Earth model appeared again above the tea table. The three of them studied it as Orochimaru explained, “Each dot on this model represents a moving castle, and each line represents the trajectory of a moving castle’s movement. This is why I instructed you to fill in the land and sea.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “All moving castles must be controlled uniformly. Only through unified control can the greatest effect be achieved. I plan to use the sun and moon above to create an illusion network.”

“An illusion network?” Hearing the word ‘illusion’ and recalling the sun and moon Orochimaru mentioned earlier, Madara asked, “Are you planning to use Infinite Tsukuyomi?”

Orochimaru nodded and smiled. “Yes, Infinite Tsukuyomi—more precisely, a secondary development of Infinite Tsukuyomi.”

Because Infinite Tsukuyomi forcibly pulls people into an illusion world in their hearts, but it doesn't work on those with the Rinnegan.

So, this technique must be upgraded and transformed. Orochimaru already had a plan, but it required the bodies of the Ōtsutsuki clan!

At this point, everyone understood that they still needed to wait. The recent black hole in the sky was a spatial portal opened by the three Great Sage Hermits for the Ōtsutsuki clan. Judging by the timing, their arrival was imminent.

There was one more thing Orochimaru hadn’t mentioned: all moving castles were speed enhancers. Once the Earth was fully reinforced, all enhancers would activate.

...

In space, three members of the Ōtsutsuki clan were searching a star system.

They were Ōtsutsuki Kane, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, and Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.

Kane was a subordinate of Momoshiki, while Momoshiki and Urashiki were close friends.

Among them, Kane and Urashiki possessed spatial powers and were the main searchers of the star system.

“Found it!” Kane called out in the star system.

He was loyal to Momoshiki and immediately reported the clue to him.

His call wasn’t sound but a chakra vibration sent out.

Momoshiki received the message and passed it to Urashiki, who quickly arrived with Momoshiki at Kane’s location.

Urashiki stepped forward, his left eye suddenly transforming into the red six-tomoe Sharingan, spatial ripples appearing within it.

“How is it?” Momoshiki stepped forward to ask.

Urashiki’s left eye glowed even more intensely, and he said, “I need some time.”

He was reconstructing a spatial portal.

A few months ago, the star system suddenly opened a spatial portal, and information was transmitted and echoed throughout the system, roughly indicating that the other side of the portal was Earth, where the Divine Tree had been planted. That was why they had come.

Although the other side closed the portal as soon as they found it, with Urashiki present, as long as he could detect some fluctuation, rebuilding the spatial portal to enter Earth wasn’t a problem.

Momoshiki wore a translucent white veil over his head. Behind the veil, his face resembled a woman’s oval face, yet he was a boy.

He said indignantly, “On this trip to Earth, besides dealing with that traitor Kaguya and collecting chakra, I also want to find a mortal—one who struck me with the Reincarnation Eye’s blast!”

At that time, Obito had accidentally traversed space to where Momoshiki and Kane were using spatial powers. Momoshiki and Kane used Obito to open a spatial portal to Earth.

Unfortunately, just as they entered the portal, the Reincarnation Eye blast was fired—that blast was set by Orochimaru.

Kane’s spatial power wasn’t fully developed; after more than two years, he still hadn’t found Earth. But Urashiki’s spatial power was very strong and specialized for travel.

Momoshiki looked at Urashiki and asked, “Urashiki, is collecting chakra your only purpose on Earth?”

Urashiki was rebuilding the spatial portal. Upon hearing this, a trace of meaning flashed in his eyes. Of course, there was another purpose!

When he was young, he had once come to Earth with his father. At that time, his father was forced to perish together with two mortals who told him never to return.

Urashiki had never forgotten this. Whether those two mortals were dead or alive, he wanted to see them—whether alive or dead. This was even more important than collecting Divine Tree chakra.

But Urashiki wouldn’t tell Momoshiki; he was merely using Momoshiki and Kane for his own ends.

He said, “Collecting chakra is my only purpose.”

“Hm.” Momoshiki nodded. “I can share some of the Divine Tree’s chakra with you.”

Urashiki smiled but said nothing.

After a while, he said, “The spatial portal is complete.”

Before him appeared a black spatial portal, and beyond it was Earth itself.