chapter 104 part 3
This time, Danzo couldn't hold on.
"...So this Dojutsu doesn't require Hand Kaedegns; it can be activated from any part of the body, and its direction can be controlled?"
Danzo felt he had further completed his Intel on the Rinnegan, but it seemed too late. He could only hope that Orochimaru would seize the opportunity to act.
Yahiko and Konan and the others had approached the Gedo Mazo, continuously moving closer to Nagato, while also vigilantly watching their surroundings, clearly guarding against Orochimaru.
Considering the height of the Gedo Mazo, by the time Orochimaru emerged from underground, he would have to rapidly climb around the Gedo Mazo for several seconds, reducing the success rate of a surprise attack on Nagato to a minimum.
It seemed Nagato's group had stabilized their situation, but just then, someone who shouldn't have been able to act, did.
"No!"
"Konan, watch out!"
Nagato and Yahiko simultaneously turned their heads, looking on in alarm.
Konan, who had been guarding the ground beneath her feet against Orochimaru, leaped up to join Nagato on the Gedo Mazo, but was ambushed.
Her attackers were not Orochimaru, but... several powerful Zombies!
Terai even held his blade against Konan's neck. The Chakra flowing over the blade's surface had already cut Konan's skin, and a clearly visible line of blood slowly trickled from the wound.
"Konan, are you alright?"
"Who are these people, appearing so suddenly..."
The other Rogue Ninja had just breathed a sigh of relief, their spirits soaring, completely unexpected that the quiet Nagato would be so ridiculously strong. Alone, he had faced three famous powerful Ninja from Hidden Leaf Village and even held an overwhelming advantage! The future seemed bright; Nagato would lead them to achieve their ideals and change this country filled with disaster and misfortune.
But in an instant, Konan was controlled by several suddenly appearing individuals!
"They're Zombies..."
"What? These full-bodied people are Corpses? How is that possible?"
"If they really are Zombies, then who is controlling them... wasn't he Sealed by Nagato? I saw it with my own eyes!"
Not to mention the Rogue Ninja being confused, Konan herself, who had been captured, was stunned, completely unable to understand why things had suddenly turned out this way.
Nagato gritted his teeth, remembering Tsukasa Kaede's sudden downward glance, and a nearly absurd guess formed in his mind: "Could it be that..."
"He also knows Danzo's Jutsu? But if he knew that Jutsu, why did he die? And then get resurrected after dying!" Yahiko was furious.
"That's right, Nagato, Yahiko, you are both excellent Ninja, with the keenest Sensory Perception."
Tsukasa Kaede's figure appeared from nothingness, gradually materializing, maintaining a single Hand Kaedegn. He stood before Konan, brazenly observing her at close range.
One of his eyes had distinctly turned grayish-white, a clear sign of having activated Izanagi to rewrite reality. Even an Impure World Reincarnation body using this Forbidden Jutsu would still lose its sight.
Though Tsukasa Kaede didn't care at all.
"Lord Tsukasa Kaede..." Nagato's expression was dejected, then he took a deep breath, "I was right to value you, but it seems I still didn't value you enough. I didn't expect you would also steal the Uchiha Clan's eyes."
"This eye wasn't taken from the Uchiha. I got it from Orochimaru. The Uchiha Clan's Dojutsu becomes very useful when applied in the right place."
"...Please release Konan. I am willing to go with you," Nagato said without hesitation.
Yahiko opened his mouth, looking between Nagato and Konan, his face showing a pained expression and deep hesitation.
Tsukasa Kaede would surely use Konan's life as leverage, then try to seize Nagato's Rinnegan...
While the three of them had received Tsukasa Kaede's kindness, that was a different matter entirely.
"Damn Orochimaru..." Yahiko resented his own powerlessness even more.
Konan resolutely said, "Don't come any closer! Nagato is the hope for all of us! I will never let the enemy—"
"Shut up, both of you. Who said I wanted the Rinnegan?"
Tsukasa Kaede grabbed Konan's chin, slowly saying, "My main target for this operation is you, Konan... To me, your value is greater than the Rinnegan."
Rinnegan? Alright, it was indeed a good thing. Tsukasa Kaede would eventually get his own Rinnegan or Tenseigan, ascend to Kaedex Paths Level, and contend with the Otsutsuki for control of this planet.
But that was for the future. Compared to the Rinnegan, Konan's value was far greater.
This was the deterrent power brought by six hundred billion Explosive Tags, and also the inherent worth of the Shinobi World's only Paper Release Secret Technique Ninja throughout history.
"You seem very skilled at making Explosive Tags, Konan... Speaking of which, my Impure World Reincarnation body was originally convenient for gathering material on the spot, grabbing my own body fragments to activate Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags."
This was why Impure World Reincarnation Ninja were the most suitable, or even the only suitable, beings to use Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. Their constantly regenerating bodies were the raw material for creating countless Explosive Tags.
Konan's situation was even more outrageous than Impure World Reincarnation. Tsukasa Kaede, in any case, didn't believe what level of Impure World Reincarnation Ninja could conjure six hundred billion Explosive Tags from their own body.
Every time he saw Explosive Tags, Tsukasa Kaede reminisced about his precarious past. His only strong offensive method was to frugally buy some Explosive Tags, then stick them onto Zombies, letting the Zombies commit suicide with the enemy.
Later, as his strength grew, Tsukasa Kaede rarely used this method. Relying entirely on a Corpse Horde to push through, and trying to preserve the enemy's complete Corpse, became the more mainstream tactic.
No matter how much Ryo he had, he couldn't stick Explosive Tags inside every single Zombie; it was a super bottomless pit.
But the broad-minded Konan could surely fill this bottomless pit, providing some solace to Tsukasa Kaede's empty heart.
What's more, even ignoring the compatibility between Paper Release and his Corpse Release, just looking at Konan herself, she was a powerfully talented individual with immense potential. If Konan acquired the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Jutsu, her future would be even more limitless.
"What... do you want to do?" Konan was utterly alarmed. "I will never let you succeed! I will never become your leverage against my Comrades!"
"I'm not interested in threatening your Comrades. I'm only interested in you, Konan. You haven't even realized the immense potential hidden within you!"
Tsukasa Kaede knocked Konan unconscious with a single strike, then casually stuffed a pile of Zombie Virus into her body and hoisted her onto his shoulder.
This was his greatest War Spoils.
(end of chapter)