"…You're kidding me."
Djinn stared at Orochimaru, speechless. After waiting days with anticipation, this was the big revelation?
"The Otsutsuki clan is… the heretic golem?"
Of course, on a surface level, he already knew. The Ten Tails, the God Tree, Kaguya devouring the chakra fruit—the connections were obvious. You could even say they were one and the same.
"Don't tell me that's all you saw?"
"…Sorry. I suppose my wording was a little misleading," Orochimaru admitted, reflecting for a moment. "What I meant was—it's not just Kaguya. All Otsutsuki bloodlines… originate from the same heretic golem."
"The same one?" Djinn's expression turned serious. "What did you see in there?"
Rather than answer directly, Orochimaru posed a question of his own. "Tell me, which do you think is harder—one individual reaching my level of power, or uplifting all of humanity to that same level?"
"That's easy," said Djinn. "Group ascension is far harder. An individual can get lucky. Turning that luck into a common path for everyone—to make 'dragons of men'—that's a miracle."
He continued, "Even without your presence in the world, someone could eventually reach the Six Paths level. It's rare, but possible. Take Naruto—born with strong chakra, learned Sage Mode—he had the potential."
"Then let me ask this," Orochimaru said. "What would happen if I were to die… completely?"
"No soul remnants, no chakra ghosts. Just—obliterated."
Djinn quirked an eyebrow. "What's this? You planning a dramatic suicide?"
When Orochimaru didn't respond, Djinn sighed and began thinking aloud.
"Well… even if your mind is gone, your body wouldn't decay so easily. Those First Hokage cells are resilient, and your constant breathing technique maintains the body with natural energy. You'd basically be a walking relic—"
He paused, narrowing his eyes. "In fact, with time, your body might accumulate enough spiritual power to birth a new will. Dead transformation. Not a resurrection… but a new entity born from your remains."
"I know what that is," Orochimaru cut in, eyeing Deng Shen strangely. "You're oddly well-versed in this."
"Comes with the job." Djinn shrugged. "Another possibility? Wild beasts nibble at your corpse, your cells spread, form new entities… gross, but biologically sound. So again—what did you see?"
"…The memories of a powerful being," Orochimaru began, voice lower now.
The content itself wasn't complex—just another cliché story of a peerless prodigy on some alien world. But this wasn't fiction. The memory belonged to a real entity—one who had reached the level of a god.
Control over storms and planetary destruction. Energy manipulations that dried seas and crushed mountains. A creature far beyond Nagato's posturing.
"And then… it died," Orochimaru said flatly. "In the prologue of its own story."
But its corpse didn't rot. It remained… alive, in a way. Brimming with natural energy, it spawned something new—not just one lifeform, but a whole clan.
"The Otsutsuki clan was born from that corpse. They are all fragments… of the same heretic golem."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "Their bodies—every last one—are not born naturally. They're copies. Scavenged hosts. Built from that god's remains."
"…That's insane." Djinn rubbed his chin, mind racing. "They weren't just spiritually powerful—they were parasites living in a divine corpse?"
"Exactly. Their consciousness is immortal, but incomplete. They need hosts. They steal bodies to continue evolving."
The Genie leaned forward. "So the golem—the golem—is the corpse of that god?"
"Yes. The heretic golem is the original. A divine prototype."
"And the Otsutsuki… are its fragments," Orochimaru continued. "They tried to replicate it. To become gods by shortcutting evolution."
"They failed. But even in failure—they birthed the God Tree. And through it, the chakra fruit."
Orochimaru's voice took on a grim edge. "To stabilize it, they needed a sacrifice. An actual Otsutsuki, thrown into the tree to serve as its spirit. The process obliterates the mind, leaving only a husk. That's how Kaguya became what she was."
"So that's why she rebelled," Djinn muttered. "She saw what they were doing. And refused to be next."
Orochimaru nodded. "Exactly. Her rebellion wasn't just emotional—it was systemic. The clan was chaotic, disorganized, and cruel."
"And yet… they didn't come after her for centuries."
"They're not nearly as unified or advanced as we thought," Orochimaru said. "Even Isshiki didn't ask the clan for help. He tried to handle things alone."
Djinn cracked a grin. "Good news for you, huh?"
"Incredibly good," Orochimaru replied, a flicker of ambition in his golden eyes. "Even Kaguya, for all her power, may have been among the top tier of their kind. But not unreachable."
"And the Ninja World?" Djinn asked.
"A precious, rare planet. Rich in life. To Otsutsuki, it's a feast." Orochimaru's voice grew sharp. "Kaguya saw it. That's why she betrayed Isshiki. The greed overcame her."
"And what about her sons—Hagoromo and Hamura?" Djinn asked, curious now. "How'd she even have them, in that state?"
"There are many theories," said Orochimaru. "Some say the people's prayers made her fertile. Others say she mated with a human prince."
He shook his head. "But I think… it was her spiritual power. Like how she created Black Zetsu. She split her consciousness and planted it in children with exceptional talent. Hagoromo and Hamura weren't born naturally. They were vessels."
"To deal with threats?" Djinn said.
"Exactly. Just as Momoshiki had Kinshiki… they're strategic weapons. Heirs, not family."
"Then it's decided," Djinn smirked. "Ethics don't matter. Kaguya created heirs, not sons."
"…We've strayed," Orochimaru said. "Back to the golem—there were other memories. Some incomplete."
"Like what? Interstellar navigation?"
"Fragments. Not enough to reconstruct it. But some directions are clear now. A map doesn't matter if you have a compass."
Djinn nodded slowly. "Knowing the origin is more than enough for now."
They didn't speak of re-entering the golem. Not yet. It was a god's corpse—dangerous and vast. If the last encounter nearly tore Orochimaru's mind apart, another could be fatal.
"By the way," Djinn added casually, "I made a deal with Nagato while you were asleep. Got him to summon some bloodline ninjas."
"Oh?"
"There's one from the kaguya clan. Bone veins. He might help you understand All killing Ash Bones—a true Six Paths-level technique."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "Then I'd very much like to meet him."
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