Chapter 135: The Meeting

On Earth, Orochimaru and his retinue soared toward the firmament. Among his subordinates were Uchiha Madara, Yakushi Kabuto, Kimimaro, Shikamaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Jugo, Suigetsu, and others.

However, Orochimaru was not flying alone; he traveled aboard a massive war fortress, with he and his subordinates standing upon its observation deck. As they ascended into the heavens, the appearances of the various cosmic races became clearly visible. There was the Ophiuchus race with their elongated necks, the Soul Reaper race with their short blue hair, the Omni-King race crowned in regalia, and the Astral race clad in formidable armor. While there was a vast diversity of species, most remained humanoid in form.

Observing that all the cosmic races had arrived under their own power and were hovering at the edge of space, Yakushi Kabuto suddenly remarked, "The cosmic races seem quite sincere; they haven't used any vessels, yet we are standing atop a war fortress..."

Indeed, once Kabuto voiced this, the others realized the implication. The cosmic races had greeted them with their own physical presence, demonstrating their sincerity, whereas their own arrival atop the war fortress gave the impression of looking down upon them from a position of superiority.

Shikamaru observed, "Although we are here to unite these cosmic races and intend to lead this coalition, we are not yet their leaders. Appearing like this, riding a war fortress, might leave a poor impression."

The others agreed. Suigetsu, of the Astral race, feeling he had finally found a flaw in Orochimaru's planning, spoke up eagerly, "Yes, exactly! These cosmic races are not easy to deal with. If we antagonize them from the start, things will become difficult later on."

The group began to murmur amongst themselves, until even Uchiha Madara turned his gaze toward Orochimaru. Orochimaru remained expressionless, merely saying coldly, "It is of no consequence."

With those two words, Madara turned away, dismissing the matter. The others still seemed inclined to speak, but Kabuto’s spectacles glinted as he interjected, "That is enough. Let us discuss this no further."

Shikamaru looked at Jiraiya and Tsunade, shaking his head to indicate that the topic was closed. They had raised the concern initially to see if Orochimaru had anticipated it; if he hadn't, they would have earned credit for the suggestion, and if he had, it would be of no harm. They were determined to ensure everything was foolproof.

The group fell silent. Finally, the war fortress reached the vacuum of space, hovering outside Earth to confront the various races. However, the cosmic races were not pleased.

The Omni-King stepped forward, positioning himself before the others. He glared at the war fortress, his aura erupting and causing ripples in the void around him. "Earth, is it?" he demanded. "I hear the King of Earth is a man named Orochimaru. He certainly has a flair for grand entrances!"

The Astral King’s expression turned cold. His purple armor began to glow as he remarked, "While I hold Earth in high regard, I am quite displeased that they stand before us high and mighty, commanding such a fortress."

The King of the Star-Fish race stroked his whiskers and chuckled, though he remained silent.

The Ophiuchus King attempted to stir trouble, sneering, "Isn't that fellow Orochimaru just a bit too arrogant? We must teach him a lesson shortly!" The other races echoed his sentiment.

At that moment, Orochimaru and his subordinates walked to the edge of the war fortress's deck, looking down upon the cosmic races—a literal display of condescension. The Omni-King, known for his volatile temper, could tolerate it no longer. With a flash, he appeared at the same height as the deck and threw a punch. Space began to buckle, the shockwave rippling toward the deck.

Uchiha Madara immediately retaliated. His eyes flashed, and he threw a punch of his own, blocking the Omni-King’s strike.

The Omni-King offered a cold smile and struck again, shouting, "So, Orochimaru, you do not even deign to fight me yourself? Die!"

They had all seen portraits of Orochimaru and knew his identity; surrounded by his many subordinates on the deck, the one at the center was clearly him. That he had sent a subordinate to fight instead of engaging personally felt like a slight against a king, and his fury grew.

As Madara and the Omni-King clashed, the cosmic races grew increasingly irritated, viewing Earth’s behavior as insufferable. Yet, they found some satisfaction in the idea of the Omni-King slaying Uchiha Madara to humble Earth. The battle between the two was fierce, their energies flashing brilliantly as they fought in the surrounding void.

The Astral King flew to the same level as the war fortress and addressed Orochimaru. "Greetings, Orochimaru. We finally meet!" There was a hint of weariness in his voice. Previously, all contact between the Astral King and Earth had been handled by Uchiha Madara, with the two "little ones"—Yakushi Kabuto and Shikamaru—responsible for the negotiations. The perceived inequality in status had angered him. Now that they were face-to-face, he intended to demand an explanation.

"Father..." Suigetsu, of the Astral race, flew out from the deck. She had not wanted to spend another moment on Earth—it was too terrifying. She flew to the Astral King and embraced him.

"Very well, step aside for now. We shall discuss things later," the Astral King said.

"Yes," Suigetsu replied, flying back toward the Astral army.

Orochimaru nodded to Yakushi Kabuto, who understood and returned into the depths of the war fortress. Orochimaru, accompanied by his remaining subordinates, stepped off the war fortress and began to float, making himself visible to every race in the cosmos.

"Greetings." Orochimaru’s calm voice resonated in the ears of every being present.

He went straight to the point: "I have come here for two reasons. First, I am here to unite you in a rebellion against the Otsutsuki clan."

The smaller races dared not speak, but the Ophiuchus King chuckled and retorted, "That depends on whether Earth has the qualifications to lead!"

Orochimaru looked at the Ophiuchus King and nodded. "I understand. You mean the strength to defeat you?" He gestured toward the battle between Uchiha Madara and the Omni-King. "I suggest that at least three of you kings attack together. A single king cannot defeat Madara."

Madara’s current strength was easily comparable to the high-ranking members of the Otsutsuki clan; none of the Eight Kings could defeat him in a one-on-one duel. It would require a coordinated assault of at least three kings.

This statement was taken as a direct provocation. The Astral King remarked, "Isn't it a bit premature to discuss results?"

The Ophiuchus King was more blunt: "I, for one, would like to test the strength of the Earth King, Orochimaru, myself."

Orochimaru did not answer. At that moment, the thorny walls of the war fortress shifted and transformed, revealing numerous dark apertures. Yakushi Kabuto emerged from one, followed by a large group of men, each carrying a massive chest on their shoulders. They flew before Orochimaru, placed the chests neatly in a row, and stood by in readiness.

Kabuto stepped to Orochimaru’s side and reported, "Everything is prepared."

Lord Orochimaru nodded and turned to the Astral King. "Let us set aside the first matter for a moment. Let us discuss the second. This is the Cosmic Black Market, is it not? The primary trading hub for all races. I wish to conduct a business transaction with you all."

He clapped his hands. Kabuto understood, walked to one of the chests, and opened it to reveal a large quantity of vials to the Astral King. As the King looked on in confusion, Kabuto activated his Otsutsuki abilities, not only transforming into the likeness of the Otsutsuki clan but manifesting the Rinnegan!

The Astral King’s pupils constricted.

Orochimaru performed a small technique, projecting an image of the vials, the Otsutsuki-transformed Kabuto, and the Astral King’s own startled expression into the void. "We have mastered the cultivation methods of the Otsutsuki clan. By using these methods, you too can possess the power of the Otsutsuki. It is this cultivation technique that I wish to trade with you."