Nagato watched Orochimaru, who was now radiating excitement as he prepared to dissect the Gedo Statue. For a moment, Nagato found himself speechless.
There wasn't just a difference in strength between them—there was a vast gap in perspective and initiative.
If it had been him, he would never have considered slicing into the Gedo Statue, not even if he were assured it wouldn't cause harm. Just thinking about such an idea felt absurd.
Was this really the kind of logic someone could naturally arrive at?
"Roooar..."
Sensing the imminent threat, the slumbering Gedo Statue stirred. Its massive third eye snapped open, and it released a guttural growl that echoed through the cavern.
Nagato narrowed his eyes. The purple glow of his Rinnegan flared, instantly subduing the beast's agitation.
The Rinnegan wasn't just a divine weapon—it was the control key to these Otsutsuki relics. With it, Nagato could suppress even their primal instincts. Voluntary chakra transfer or losing a toe was trivial by comparison.
"Excellent."
Orochimaru nodded approvingly. He raised the wind-enhanced Rasenshuriken scalpel and drove it forward. The glowing blade sliced into the ancient bark-like flesh of the statue.
Sparks flew. Splinters scattered. The sound of grinding was sharp and nerve-jangling.
The deeper the blade went, the tougher the Gedo Statue's hide became.
Despite its mental dullness, the statue recoiled in pain, roaring again and again. But still, it remained seated—immobile, locked in place by Nagato's control.
"Incredible binding strength," Orochimaru muttered, glancing sideways at Nagato with a crooked smile. "No need to test further. That tells me everything I need."
The test had already begun, after all.
If Nagato had faltered—if he had shown even a hint of instability—Orochimaru would've pressed further, asking for more access, more pieces to examine. But it seemed the Otsutsuki design had anticipated such interactions.
Despite Nagato being objectively weaker than the statue in terms of raw life force or chakra, the control granted by his Rinnegan was absolute. That kind of authority—supernatural, systemic—was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying.
But Orochimaru found it... convenient.
He licked his lips, then without further hesitation, ramped up the power and severed the toe entirely.
Boom!
The dismembered chunk hit the stone floor with a heavy crash, throwing up clouds of dust and shards of rock.
Orochimaru swiftly sliced the chunk into twelve segments and sealed them into scrolls with practiced ease.
Noticing Konan and Nagato's wary gazes, Orochimaru smiled disarmingly. "Just some material for later research. But before that, I suggest we study the statue itself a bit more. From what I've seen, your understanding of it is... limited."
Nagato flinched slightly at that.
He had indeed been using the Gedo Statue for years, but his connection with it had always been strained. Early on, summoning it nearly destroyed his body. Just keeping it active drained him to the bone.
After the transplant operation, things got easier—but still, he'd focused more on mastering his new powers and dealing with Orochimaru than on studying the statue.
Even now, with seven Tailed Beasts sealed inside it, the thing remained a mystery.
Orochimaru's suggestion stirred something in him. This could be his chance to finally understand the power he'd been using all this time. And if anything went wrong... well, Orochimaru would be right there to deal with it.
For once, he might even be able to turn Orochimaru's methods to his advantage.
After a moment of thought, Nagato nodded. "Alright. Konan, stay back—this could get dangerous."
Konan gave a silent nod and flew to the far end of the chamber, her wings made of paper.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, stayed where he was, unflinching.
Nagato rose into the air and hovered above the Gedo Statue's head. His eyes glowed with violet light as he extended his spiritual presence through the statue's forehead, initiating a deep mental link for the first time.
Immediately, he was hit by a surge of chakra—immense, yet strangely partitioned.
"…Seven Tailed Beasts."
He could sense them distinctly. They shared the same origin—Kaguya's chakra—but had splintered into unique forms. He'd never truly understood that before. Now he did.
The Gedo Statue itself had no coherent will—just a chaotic, primal instinct. And beyond that... there was no trace of the so-called Chakra Ancestor. No sentience. No whisper of Kaguya.
But that was the most dangerous part.
It felt empty.
That subtle void—that unspoken possibility—was what tempted people like Madara.
No wonder they wanted to test the limits. If Orochimaru hadn't warned him, even he might have taken the risk someday.
Orochimaru, noticing the change in Nagato's expression, asked with a smile, "What did you see? You seem surprised."
"Just confirming a few things," Nagato replied vaguely, pulling his focus back and resuming his exploration of the golem.
The mental connection deepened.
He started receiving information—abilities the Gedo Statue had been hiding. He could now use techniques like Phantom Dragon Nine Consuming Seals, summon black receivers, and even tap into the Tailed Beasts' chakra for Tailed Beast Bombs and Adamantine Sealing Chains.
His power had grown again.
But that didn't bring him joy.
This wasn't a matter of power anymore—not when the real threat couldn't be overcome through strength alone.
He closed his eyes and pulled his mind out.
"I didn't find anything new. Just more tools for battle."
He said nothing of the specific techniques. Orochimaru didn't need to know.
The Sannin narrowed his golden eyes but didn't press. "I see…"
He'd expected as much. Even Madara, despite years of access, had only scratched the surface of the Gedo Statue's secrets.
But Orochimaru wasn't done.
"Keep holding it down," he said. "Now it's my turn."
Nagato looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
Orochimaru licked his lips. "I want to try what you just did—connect spiritually."
Nagato's eyes narrowed. "You're not a Rinnegan user. Your golden eyes don't have that level of power."
"It's not about mental strength alone," Nagato said flatly. "You can't control the statue just by being strong-willed."
"Oh? Are you concerned for my safety?" Orochimaru grinned. "That's unexpected, coming from you."
"I just don't want to see another powerful lunatic lose control."
Nagato wasn't worried about Orochimaru going insane—at least, not in the usual way. But the Gedo Statue's hatred and spiritual corruption were different. It wasn't like becoming a Jinchūriki. There was no mutual understanding here—just a sea of darkness.
"I don't think even you can handle it."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Well, let's find out."
Nagato hesitated... then nodded.
"You can try. But the moment I sense anything wrong, I will sever the link."
"That's fair," Orochimaru replied coolly.
Nagato focused his power once more, re-establishing the spiritual tether to the statue's mind. Moments later, Orochimaru's presence joined his.
Immediately, the statue reacted.
Its inner world surged with violent resistance. A storm of spiritual hostility descended like a tsunami toward Orochimaru's consciousness.
"Damn it..." Nagato grimaced, sweat beading on his brow.
He'd underestimated the statue's aggression. He could suppress it—but not stop it. He couldn't isolate Orochimaru's consciousness from the storm. He had no choice but to watch him get swallowed by it.
And yet...
"…He's not being overwhelmed?"
Orochimaru's presence remained eerily calm. Steady. Unmoved by the chaos.
Impossible.
Nagato knew this corruption well—it was designed to erode minds. Not even someone as twisted as Orochimaru should be able to ignore it.
But he wasn't.
The truth was: Orochimaru wasn't alone.
Within him, another presence had taken control.
The Lamp God.
"A being like the Gedo Statue will resist at first," the Lamp God mused within. "But give it time. Creatures with high adaptability always adjust. Eventually… it will treat you as part of itself."
With the Lamp God shielding his spiritual form, Orochimaru remained untouched by the negativity flooding the space.
"No better chance to test the limits of six paths-level control," the Lamp God added with a smirk.
"Tch. Modesty doesn't suit you," Orochimaru muttered.
He pressed deeper into the statue's mind—and something responded.
Suddenly, images flooded into his consciousness. Biological diagrams. Blueprints of unfamiliar creatures. Some he recognized.
Most he didn't.
"Fascinating…"
His grin widened.
_____________________
The story is Finished on patreon (394 Chapters)
Join my patreon
patreon.com/Silver757
Or Tip me on
coff.ee/silver7959