Chapter 589: Use of the Gedo Mazo
After a long silence, Mabui asked, "Killer B, should we move?"
Killer B knew what she meant. They had sent Samui's team out, and if they were captured, the island's location could be exposed.
To wait for them, the island hadn't moved for days. This was incredibly dangerous for the last hope of Kumo.
Once Iwa found them, this small boat of hope would sink instantly.
Knowing this, B hadn't even set up a defensive barrier, only a sensory-blocking one, to avoid detection.
He hesitated. "Wait one more day. If they aren't back by then, we move."
They fell silent, staring at the horizon.
A long time later, B's expression changed. "They're back."
Mabui's eyes lit up. "Really?"
She strained her eyes, and after a while, she saw black dots growing larger.
Finally, Samui, Karui, and Omoi stepped onto the island.
B immediately ordered the island to move, then turned to them. "Did something happen in the Land of Lightning?"
Samui nodded. "Yes. Our scattered forces have been mostly eliminated."
"We finally gathered twenty elites, but a few days ago, we were wiped out by the Tsuchikage's disciples."
"It was Riori Uzumaki, Haku Minazuki, and a Kamizuru clan member."
"There is no organized resistance left in the Land of Lightning."
B sighed. "Riori, Haku, Tsuruhime... The Tsuchikage is truly formidable."
Samui and the others lowered their heads in shame. Compared to Ishiro's disciples, they were lacking. Not even comparing to the Kage-level Sōkai, they were behind even these three.
Samui changed the subject. "However, we met Konoha ninja. They told us Konoha has taken in over a hundred of our comrades. They are currently in the Land of Fire."
"Who are they? What is their strength?" B asked urgently.
Mabui also looked concerned.
Samui relayed the information, then pulled out a scroll. "The Hokage gave us this."
B took it. "Edo Tensei?" he said in surprise.
Samui nodded. "The Konoha ninja relayed the Hokage's message: Currently, even the three of us combined are weaker than Iwa."
"To fight Iwa, we must borrow the strength of our predecessors. Edo Tensei is our last hope."
"Kiri also received the technique."
B held the scroll, sighing. He was silent for a long time.
Finally, he said, "Samui, you learn it."
"But it requires living sacrifices. You can't practice here. Rest for a few days, then return to the mainland."
Samui nodded.
Land of Earth.
After handling miscellaneous matters, Ishiro left the village with Izumi and Sōkai.
Izumi had her Eternal Mangekyō active, carefully carrying a giant box on the porcelain platform, terrified it might fall.
Sōkai looked at the box. "Ishiro-sensei, where are we going? Why bring the Giant Sharingan?"
Ishiro didn't keep them guessing. "We're going to the Gedo Mazo. It contains massive amounts of Hashirama cells."
"We can use it to help you awaken your Eternal Mangekyō."
Sōkai's eyes lit up. "The Gedo Mazo? A-Tsuchi's place?"
Ishiro nodded. "Haven't seen A-Tsuchi in a while. Wonder if he's been exposed."
"Lord Tsuchikage," Izumi asked, "the Gedo Mazo has Hashirama cells?"
"Yes," Ishiro said. "I suspect Madara used the statue as a medium to cultivate the cells."
"And then used those cells to cultivate White Zetsu."
"The cells we got from the Kamui dimension were just his leftovers."
"When I raided the statue with the Third and the others, we killed a massive number of White Zetsu."
"We didn't get them all, but few escaped."
"Yet, all these years, there have still been so many White Zetsu causing trouble."
"These new Zetsu must have been cultivated by the statue."
"White Zetsu contain the properties of Hashirama cells, so the statue must contain a vast amount of them."
"I just don't know if Orochimaru has studied the statue. He's always interested in weird things."
Izumi nodded, but gave Ishiro a strange look when he mentioned Zetsu causing trouble (knowing he was the one causing most of it).
They arrived above the underground base.
Ishiro scanned with his Mind's Eye. Sure enough, there were many White Zetsu underground.
He didn't call A-Tsuchi this time. He landed, formed seals, and used a massive Earth Release to split the ground above the statue.
The sudden attack startled the Zetsu. They dove deeper underground and fled.
To them, Ishiro was the most unfriendly ninja. He had captured so many of them for experiments.
Only one Zetsu remained.
Ishiro flew down into the base. "You are A-Tsuchi?"
A-Tsuchi nodded. He was excited to see Ishiro but hid it.
He pretended to be scared, half-submerged in the ground. "Tsuchikage, what are you doing?"
Ishiro smiled. "Tell your master I need the statue for a few days."
"Don't let anyone come near here, or I'll use them for experiments."
He raised his hand threateningly.
A-Tsuchi cooperated perfectly and vanished into the earth.
After he left, Ishiro scanned the area.
Aside from the half-formed Zetsu hanging on the statue, the base was empty.
It seems Orochimaru hasn't been here. At least, he hasn't experimented here.
Orochimaru was interested in the statue, but it was in Iwa territory. He didn't dare risk it.
If Ishiro didn't know about this place, Orochimaru might have built a lab here. But since Ishiro knew it better than he did, Orochimaru stayed away.
Also, Orochimaru was focused on the Byakugan. Hashirama cells and the statue weren't priorities.
Ishiro packed up all the half-formed Zetsu clones, then called Izumi and Sōkai down.
Izumi opened the box and placed the Giant Sharingan on the statue's head.
But neither knew how to extract the energy. They looked at Ishiro.
Ishiro smiled, formed seals, and slammed his hand onto the ground—well, onto the statue's head.
A coffin rose from the statue.
"Edo Tensei?" Sōkai blurted.
"Correct," Ishiro said. "Iwa has mastered the basics of it."
"It's not perfect, but it's usable."
"Who's inside?" Sōkai asked curiously.
Ishiro rolled his eyes. "Who do you think?"
Sōkai scratched his head and looked at Izumi.
Izumi thought for a moment. "Obito Uchiha!"
"Clever girl," Ishiro laughed. "Sōkai, learn from your wife."
Sōkai grinned foolishly. Izumi blushed.
The lid opened, and Obito walked out.
He looked around blankly, then saw Ishiro. "Tsuchikage! You?!"
Ishiro rolled his eyes again. "You're dead. Why so excited?"
Obito choked. He tried to resist, but his body was under Ishiro's complete control.
"Stop struggling," Ishiro said. "Do you want to cooperate, or should I wipe your consciousness and control you like a puppet?"
Obito grit his teeth. "I'll do it myself."
"Good," Ishiro said. "As a reward, I'll answer one question about what happened after your death."
Obito thought. "First, tell me how I died!"
Ishiro scratched his head. "Obito... that's a tough one."
"Didn't you think about it in the Pure Land?"
Obito stayed silent.
"Izumi can absorb pupil power," Ishiro explained. "Your other Sharingan were drained dry, so Izanagi was useless."
"As for Kamui... well, she was draining your Mangekyō at the time. You probably couldn't use it."
Obito glared at Ishiro with hatred, then changed the subject. "What happened to the Uchiha clan?"
Ishiro looked at Obito's Mangekyō. Edo Tensei is amazing. It even restores Mangekyō.
And judging by Fugaku, reanimated pupil power is infinite.
"Eh?" Ishiro feigned surprise. "Why ask that?"
"You saw them get wiped out! You even helped! When did you start caring about the clan?"
Obito roared in anger. "Just answer me! You took the children, didn't you?"
"I want to know how they're living in Iwa."
Ishiro pointed at Izumi and Sōkai. "Aside from these two, the rest are still young."
"The clan will be dispersed and integrated into the village, but they still have a clan head: Sōkai."
"By the way, I used the Sharingan you left in Kamui to fuse a Giant Sharingan."
Obito followed his gaze.
He ignored Izumi and Sōkai. He had been defeated by Izumi, but he still looked down on them.
But when he saw the Giant Sharingan, his eyes glazed over.
The Rinnegan pattern... the tomoe... it was mesmerizing.
"I need you to help the eye absorb the statue's energy," Ishiro said.
It took Obito a long time to recover. "Sharingan... can fuse?" he stammered.
"What's so strange about that?" Ishiro said dismissively. "Byakugan can fuse. Why not Sharingan?"
Obito's face darkened. Byakugan can fuse? I didn't know that either! Even Madara never mentioned it!
How long have I been dead? Why do I feel so out of touch?
Ishiro prodded, "Obito, is that really all? You don't want to ask about... say... how your best friend Kakashi is doing?"
Obito twitched, looking conflicted and angry. He snorted and said nothing.
"Fine," Ishiro teased. "If you don't want to know, I won't tell you."
Obito: "..."
Ishiro pointed at the eye. "Get to work."
Obito was furious, but he formed the seals to connect to the statue.
A tube extended from the statue and connected to the eye.
Izumi immediately began controlling the eye to absorb the energy.
Obito cooperated, asking, "Does it have a name?"
"It absorbs the energy so fast!"
"It's called the Nine-Tomoe Rinne-Sharingan," Ishiro said casually.
"With it, and Hashirama cells, your Uchiha eyes can evolve."
Obito instinctively looked at Sōkai and Izumi.
Seeing the pattern in Izumi's eyes, he was shocked. "Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?! Impossible!"
Obito knew Izumi's background. She was an only child. She shouldn't be able to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō.
Does this giant eye really evolve them?
"Correct," Ishiro said. "So? The Uchiha are doing better in Iwa than in Konoha, aren't they?"
Obito fell silent. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Tsuchikage, how did you fuse them?"
"Simple," Ishiro said naturally. "Just put them all together."
Obito was stunned. Put them together? And they fuse into a giant eye? And then you get Eternal Mangekyō?
What did I miss?
Izumi and Sōkai wanted to laugh.
Ishiro wasn't lying. putting them together was part of it. But it was the simplest step. He left out all the critical parts.
Unfortunately, Obito wasn't smart enough to notice their expressions.
The absorption was fast.
Ishiro watched the eye's power grow.
Finally, Obito said, "It's slowing down."
Ishiro asked Izumi, "How is it?"
"It's almost saturated," she replied.
Ishiro nodded. "Alright, Obito. You're done. I'm going to release you. Anything else to say?"
Obito hesitated for a few seconds. "How is Kakashi?"
Ishiro laughed. "I told you, one question only. Save that for next time."
"You..."
Before Obito could curse, Ishiro released the jutsu.
However, Obito's soul did not return to the Pure Land.
At Ishiro's signal, Izumi sealed it into a Reaper Death Mask.
The mask already contained Tobirama Senju. Ishiro had later added Fugaku Uchiha. Now, they had a third companion.
"Hahahaha!" Sōkai burst out laughing as Obito vanished.
Izumi and Ishiro exchanged a look. Sōkai and Obito really were on the same intellectual level.
"Lord Tsuchikage," Izumi asked, "you put his soul in the mask to prevent others from reanimating him and exposing our secret?"
"Exactly," Ishiro said. "The Giant Sharingan is a secret weapon. We have to be careful."
"Then why not just wipe his consciousness from the start?" she asked.
"I couldn't," Ishiro laughed. "Katsumata's research isn't mature yet. We can summon him, but we can't wipe his mind."
Izumi was stunned. "So... you were lying to him before!"
"Of course!" Ishiro said. "Did you think I wanted to chat with him?"
"If Obito wasn't so gullible, we would have had to wait for Katsumata to finish his research."
Izumi: "..."
She mourned for Obito for a few seconds, then looked at Sōkai.
Sōkai grinned at her foolishly.
Izumi: "..."
"Alright," Ishiro said. "The eye has enough energy. Let's go back."
Sōkai nodded excitedly. Finally, his turn.
Before leaving, Ishiro looked at the Gedo Mazo. He didn't know how many cells were left, but leaving them unused felt wasteful.
And now that he could reanimate Obito... Obito was the primary user of the statue before Madara's revival. His authority was equal to Nagato's.
Should I have Obito summon the statue to the village?
He dismissed the thought. Too risky. If Madara could control it remotely upon revival, Ishiro would be bringing a wolf into his house.
But leaving it here... he was unwilling.
"Ishiro-sensei?" Sōkai called from the platform.
Ishiro shook his head, stepped onto the platform, and left.
Half a day later, A-Tsuchi returned. Confirming Ishiro was gone, he notified the other Zetsu.
Black Zetsu received the news. He didn't dare check personally; he was terrified the Sage was watching him.
Hearing the statue was still there, just missing the incomplete Zetsu clones, he didn't make a move.
...
Back in the village, Sōkai dragged Ishiro to the secret chamber.
Ishiro used Spirit Infiltration to enter Sōkai's body. Sōkai placed his hand on the eye and began feeding it chakra.
Perhaps Sōkai's compatibility was lower, or the eye had changed after absorbing the cells, but the resonance was slower than with Izumi.
But eventually, he succeeded. He completed his first quickening.
Unlike Izumi, Sōkai's physical enhancement alongside the Eternal Mangekyō awakening was far greater.
Ishiro felt it clearly. Inside Sōkai's body, it was warm and incredibly comfortable.
Ishiro gained a lot too. His soul, bloated from absorbing two Reapers, became much more condensed.
He felt ready to absorb another Reaper!
(End of Chapter)
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 35 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you