Chapter Fifty: Preparing to Return to Earth

No matter what happens on Earth, on the moon, Orochimaru’s shadow clone was thoroughly enjoying himself. Piloting a planet brought him a rush unlike anything else, second only to the thrill of experimentation and research. This new sensation opened up another realm of excitement for him.

After indulging in the experience a little longer, the shadow clone steered the moon back onto its proper orbit, then dispelled itself, transferring all memories and impressions to the original. Orochimaru’s true body was busy keeping Otsutsuki Shiren’s body alive for future study and experimentation. At that moment, he suddenly received the shadow clone’s experiences and memories, pausing instinctively.

“Piloting the moon?”

Orochimaru flicked out his tongue, his eyes gradually lighting up with excitement. His nature was to be curious about the unknown—it was his instinct. For example, the principle behind piloting the moon sparked his desire to investigate. From this, he extrapolated to interstellar travel, then to the era of ninja space exploration.

Beyond thoughts of the ninja era among the stars, he considered individual strength—such as when Otsutsuki Momoshiki and Kinshiki were blasted away by a single attack, yet survived the power of the Tenseigan, even after several planets were pierced. Then there was Otsutsuki Urashiki, whereabouts unknown, and the Otsutsuki clan scattered across the depths of space, planting divine trees everywhere.

Those who dwell in space are truly formidable—unmatched by anyone in today’s ninja world. The enemies that may arise in the future could be a whole host at the level of the Sage of Six Paths.

“Power, war…”

A trace of revulsion flashed in Orochimaru’s eyes. Perhaps war would erupt again in the future. He had grown up amidst conflict, witnessed countless deaths, and deeply lamented the fragility of life. He despised war.

Yet he never feared it. Once everything was swept away, peace would finally return.

Orochimaru considered the current situation; there were still a few troublesome existences. One was the Sage of Six Paths, inexplicably residing in the realm of the dead, and another was Otsutsuki Kaguya, sealed but always threatening to break free.

His immortality might make him invincible now, but when the Sage of Six Paths and Kaguya emerge, that might not be the case. That level of power is still unresolved.

Orochimaru would never stake his life on someone neglecting to kill him. Besides, Kaguya had no intention of sparing anyone; she wanted to turn everyone into her army of White Zetsu.

Before those two are released, he must possess power equal to theirs.

There was not much on the moon. Orochimaru’s shadow clone quickly took control, then dispelled one by one, returning all experience and memory to the original. Orochimaru used the Tenseigan to reset the puppet soldiers, restoring the moon’s systems to normal operation.

It was time to return to Earth. But he couldn’t take the Tenseigan with him, and the moon’s technology needed to be studied—it was difficult to leave. Still, he truly couldn’t stay on the moon; he had to return and participate in the ninja war.

The world’s transformation was about to begin. Orochimaru planned to unify the ninja world, end the endless wars that had raged since ancient times, and turn the entire ninja world into his research base.

With the full resources of the ninja world at his disposal, whatever he researched or whatever truth he sought would be far easier. Even when confronting the Otsutsuki clan in space later on, he would have a solid foundation.

Hmm…

The original could not remain behind. He considered, and set his sights on a mental clone—a clone that could exist independently and communicate with him across a certain distance.

If this mental clone could take his place on the moon, studying Otsutsuki Shiren’s corpse and the moon’s technology, it would be far more convenient.

Orochimaru summoned two snakes. The snakes stood upright, intertwining and twisting like braided rope, morphing until they took on his exact appearance.

This was the Snake Clone Technique.

Snake clones had independent consciousness, but not Orochimaru’s own. So he extended his neck and bit the snake clone, implanting a weakened version of a curse mark.

Within the curse mark, a new mental clone appeared, taking over the snake clone’s body—essentially Orochimaru himself.

Suddenly, Orochimaru felt a sharp pain in his mind. It was a symptom of excessive curse mark use; his mental energy was scattering, leaving his original self depleted.

“Except for certain necessary curse marks, the rest must be reclaimed.”

Rubbing his brow, Orochimaru planned to reclaim the marks from his subordinates after returning to Earth, to strengthen his own mind—such as those on the bodies of the Sound Four.

There was a spatial corridor connecting the moon and Earth. Orochimaru’s true body would return through this passage.

…

On Earth, the moving fortress of the Ideal Country stood in a mountain valley, preparing to receive visitors from the Sound Village. High walls lowered heavy stone stairs.

With a thudding of stone and clouds of dust, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, and Rock Lee, faces covered with black scarves, stood before the steps. Their mission was secret—no outsiders could know.

“Shikamaru…”

Sakura and Lee looked to Shikamaru, the leader of their three-person squad.

Shikamaru, standing between them, recalled the man behind their operation. The mission was initiated by that man; they would execute it. If anyone could seize that faint chance to annihilate the Sound Village, it was him.

This was why Shikamaru joined the operation. At this point, there was no room for retreat.

“Let’s go,” Shikamaru said.

The three ascended the stone steps and entered the Ideal Country.

Lord Haido, the ruler of the Ideal Country, was determined to create a world without war, gathering many followers. Yet the Ideal Country was not as benevolent as it seemed. Its soldiers were made by combining human bodies with armor, turning living people into puppets that obeyed only orders.

The so-called “creation of a war-free ideal country” was nothing but a lie of Lord Haido.

When Shikamaru and his companions entered, a yellow-haired knight in armor appeared with puppet soldiers, planning to search for clues to the Stone of Grell nearby.

The Stone of Grell was a chakra-infused stone, embedded in the body, granting immense power. And there was a mine of such stones!

Lord Haido coveted the mine, seeking to harness its power and fulfill his ambitions.

The yellow-haired knight was named Temujin, who possessed a Stone of Grell within himself, making him formidable in battle.

They began searching nearby, and soon enough found a suspicious spot—a pitch-black cavern. Its entrance was small, but inside was deep and cold, with an eerie atmosphere.

“Enter!”

Temujin sent puppet soldiers ahead as a vanguard, but the cave was empty—no danger, vast and impossible to explore quickly.

“Could this be the Stone of Grell’s mine?” Temujin thought, his heart ablaze.

Unlike Lord Haido, Temujin truly desired peace, so he wished to find the mine immediately.

“Perhaps we really have found it!”

He dispatched several puppet soldiers to report back to the Ideal Country, while he led the rest into the cave to investigate, barely able to contain his eagerness.

But in the end, they found no Stone of Grell inside. Instead, in the deepest part, they discovered a dark, bottomless pool.

A stone thrown in took ages to hit the bottom; the water was unfathomably deep.

“Is the Stone of Grell below?”

Just as Temujin ordered several puppets to dive in, a cold-faced, long-haired man emerged from the depths.

It was Orochimaru, returning to Earth from the pool. He glanced at Temujin and the puppet soldiers, his lips curling into a smile.

“So, someone’s here to welcome me.”