Chapter 297: Return, Demonic Power (3K+ Third Update, Bonus for 1500 Monthly Tickets)
"Have you heard, Nagato, Tao Bai Bai seems to have been sealed by Uchiha Shisui…"
Konan arrived at the mountain cave where Nagato was hiding. Through the light from the cave entrance, she could see golden specks of light still falling from the sky.
Nagato's body was weak, but his Mental was good at the moment.
He only paid slight attention to Tao Bai Bai's disappearance.
"It's probably a message deliberately spread by Konoha. No matter, the ninja villages are now beginning to decline due to the Golden Tree's blessing."
Although the Golden Tree Era had not completely ended, after the battle in the Land of Fire, the Golden Tree was not destroyed. Rumor had it that a monster named Tao Bai Bai went mad and assassinated the guardian of the golden law.
But then that monster was sealed by the Uchiha Clan's hero, Uchiha Shisui, at the cost of his eyes, and the turmoil seemingly subsided.
However, the Golden Tree's blessings continued to fall, and every moment, a large number of people and beasts gained power from the Golden Tree's blessing.
The era ruled by ninjas was on the verge of collapse; when everyone possessed power, it was naturally impossible to continue the previous system.
What's more…
Through Nagato's eyes, on the other side, Pain Six Paths had already stood in the capital of the Land of Wind, and the Daimyo was prostrate on the ground.
This great nation in the desert had heard of the calamities in the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning, coupled with the previous destruction by the Akatsuki organization's Sasori, and he had already become fearful.
Therefore, despite the opposition of Rasa and others, he resolutely chose to surrender.
He presented the national letter to the empire named Akatsuki.
Currently, the Land of Fire, Land of Wind, and Land of Lightning have openly united to form a vast empire. Large numbers of new nobles in the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning are constantly colluding and clearing out the influence of the old great nobles.
Although Nagato had not yet achieved the peace he desired, he did notice that the world had changed.
The days of returning to square one after every war were over.
This time, it wasn't the Rain Country, but these great nations that were undergoing change.
He wasn't sure if this change was good or bad, nor was he sure if the so-called "Five Nations Fall Plan" of the missing Tao Bai Bai was truly effective.
But he had indeed found a new path, a path that could change the world more effectively than simply inflicting destruction and fear.
Konan hesitated to speak. She always felt that the current world was becoming more terrifying, even though the Golden Tree's blessings had not caused humans to slaughter each other again after the battle in the Land of Fire.
But whenever she saw the eyes of those with golden halos in their pupils, she always felt a strangeness, as if another will was lurking within those people, ready to awaken at any moment and cause terrifying events.
As the golden light continued to fall, the number of "infected" people was already uncountable. The thought of another outbreak of such chaos made her shiver.
Nagato, however, did not think so. He had despaired of the old world. Now that the world was changing again, whether that change was good or bad, he was willing to pursue and change it.
"Next, we'll go to the Land of Earth. Since Zetsu is no longer hiding, we don't need to hide from him either."
Nagato had made up his mind. The Akatsuki organization had also undergone significant changes. Zetsu had disappeared, his last known location being that terrifying battlefield in the Land of Fire, seemingly having clashed with Tao Bai Bai, with his fate unknown.
As for Orochimaru, he had obtained a Sharingan and hadn't shown himself for a long time, presumably researching something. Sasori was still recuperating after returning from the Land of Wind, and Tao Bai Bai had completely vanished.
Perhaps, he should find some new people to join. He had a premonition that this world was brewing a huge upheaval, and he had to, before then, try his best to steer the world towards the direction Yahiko had once hoped for, before… he himself died…
…
Somewhere in the Land of Fire, Pingzhong Hua stood before the collapsed mountain. She carried a huge backpack, her figure almost crushed, but she carefully avoided all falling golden light.
She guarded the cooked meal, but in the end, Tao Bai Bai did not return to enjoy it. She waited and waited, but ultimately, neither Tao Bai Bai nor her husband appeared.
She could only eat some White Snake meat, then packed the best part and came looking.
Finally, at this legendary battlefield, she stopped. At the place where, according to the great figures of Konoha, the monster Tao Bai Bai had slain the Golden Tree monster, she tilted her head, as if sensing a familiar scent.
"Shi, are you resting here…"
Tears streamed down Pingzhong Hua's face, dropping to the ground and emitting wisps of white mist. She suddenly felt a warmth inside her body.
Pingzhong Hua took off her pack and sat on the ground. She thought that since she had eaten the White Snake Sage, as those great ninja figures called it, she would surely be punished. She was a vicious woman who had prayed for her husband's death, so she deserved to die.
She sat on the ground, awaiting her final demise, but the pain never came. Instead, her body became lighter and lighter, and she was eventually completely enveloped by white mist…
—
[Special Event · Five Nations Fall, progress updated. Current completion: 63%. Proceed with settlement?]
[Culprit Reincarnator · EX051, your stay in this world has exceeded the limit. Punishment calculation will begin shortly. Depart?]
In the frozen sea, scarlet ripples suddenly exploded, and a figure emerged from beneath the solid ice.
Bai Cangshu surfaced from the sea, spitting out the fish he hadn't swallowed. Having left the extreme cold environment, the scarlet Killing Intent Ripple began to surge again.
His muscles and meridians on his body bulged once more.
On Bai Cangshu's face, black shadows were instantly dispelled.
"Settle."
[Special Event · Five Nations Fall is settling…]
[Settlement complete. Final completion: 63%. Rating: S-]
[Obtained 8000 dimensional points]
[Obtained b-class special point * 1]
[Completion exceeds 20%. Additional item obtained. Drawing…]
[You have obtained the item, Flame Fan (Silver Plot Equipment)]
A large gourd-shaped fan appeared in Bai Cangshu's hand, imprinted with six tomoe patterns and connected by a chain at the end.
He didn't have time to examine it closely before a monstrous killing intent surged towards him.
He spoke at this moment.
"Return."
A white stream of information instantly engulfed Bai Cangshu, carrying with it the soaring Killing Intent Ripple, disappearing bit by bit into this already unrecognizable world.
…
In the dark space, Bai Cangshu's figure instantly materialized.
[Reincarnator EX051 has returned. Status detection in progress…]
[Reincarnator EX051 is suffering intense erosion. Detecting erosion source: Killing Intent Ripple]
[Based on Space Safety Protocol Article 10, Killing Intent Ripple LV4 will now be suppressed]
[Sealing…]
[Killing Intent Ripple LV4 has been sealed] (Space Safety Protocol Article 10: If a Reincarnator is in a special Mental control state upon return and may cause self-destruction or other harm, their state will be temporarily sealed until the Reincarnator leaves the space)
[Reincarnator EX051 is under special Mental control. Detecting ability source: [Heavenly Hand Power] * 2]
[Detecting control effect. Complies with safety protocol. Spend b-class special point * 1 and 7500 dimensional points to remove?]
A flood of information refreshed like a waterfall. Bai Cangshu felt a rare clarity. He rubbed his forehead. To be honest, a LV4 Killing Intent Ripple was indeed difficult to control. Once in that state, he felt his whole body turn into flames, unable to calm down for a moment.
But he had anticipated this day ever since he acquired Killing Intent Ripple, knowing that in the space, such mind-affecting abilities would be temporarily sealed by the space.
This was to prevent Reincarnators from self-destructing under the influence of these abilities after returning to the space.
The space's positioning of Reincarnators was always its "means of production"; all Reincarnators were useful mercenaries for the space.
The space could accept Reincarnators dying in large numbers in various dangerous mission worlds, because that was for exploration and obtaining information;
But the space would not allow Reincarnators to be consumed meaninglessly after returning to the space.
The space thought: You want to go crazy and self-destruct? Fine, go to those mission worlds, and bring back some information for me before you die!
"Do not remove, settle directly."
Uchiha Shisui's two [Heavenly Hand Power] effects were not particularly significant, so Bai Cangshu naturally wouldn't pay such a high price to remove them here. Once in the public space, other Reincarnators would naturally have ways to remove them, at a much lower price.
[Beginning settlement now]
[Settling…]
[World: Naruto Derivative World Y7781]
[Special Trial · perfect benevolence and supreme goodness, completed]
[Detected trigger of side quests, special large events, and special unique events, rating significantly increased]
[Mission Completion Evaluation: SS-]
[Mission Reward: 6000 dimensional points; Character Attribute Points * 8]
[Note: Culprit Reincarnator · EX051's rating is insufficient for "Strong" tier. Attribute points have been automatically allocated]
A current of electricity flashed through Bai Cangshu's body. His muscles and bone marrow instantly heated up but quickly returned to normal.
He checked his attributes, and sure enough, they were again allocated towards a balanced direction.
[Basic Attributes]
[Strength: 21.5]
[Agility: 29+1 (Wind Demon 1.9)]
[Constitution: 30 (Killing Intent Ripple Assimilation) (Flame Dragon Scales · 1.8)]
[Mental: 24+6 (Yin Spirit Curse Erosion) (Active Spirit · 1.7)]
This mission was Bai Cangshu's first time actively and on such a large scale changing a mission world. Of course, the woman named "Heaven's Will" also played a role in pushing it forward.
He received the highest evaluation since entering the space and the most attribute points. After the space's reinforcement, his all-attributes coincidentally reached 30 points. Coupled with the four efficiencies gained from exceeding the limits of the four attributes, in terms of attributes alone, Bai Cangshu's true physique had probably completely surpassed the Reincarnators of the second Ladder in the space.
[DD99115435 (Heaven's Will) sent a message: To thank Mr. Tao Bai Bai for his help in the mission world, you are specially invited to my private space for a discussion]
A message appeared almost as soon as Bai Cangshu landed in his private space. Bai Cangshu guessed that the woman had probably sent him this message in advance after returning earlier.
The other party seemed to be constantly exuding goodwill, and he was also very curious about what treasure "9527" had obtained back then, and how this group of people, as slaves, had caused a well-known farming team to be so quickly destroyed.
Coincidentally, as Bai Cangshu thought of slaves, a prompt appeared in the space.
[Reincarnator QO60833805 (Moon Demon) requests to use 3000 dimensional points for body repair. Allow?]
Bai Cangshu's lips curved. He didn't expect his little slave to be so miserably beaten in some other world again, requiring 3000 dimensional points for repair. Such an injury probably meant complete destruction of important limbs.
"Teleport QO60833805 to my private space."
The next moment, the beautiful woman, missing an arm and a leg, appeared before Bai Cangshu. The woman's expression was still cold, but her body was covered in blood, and the clear katana in her hand was broken. A pungent aura emanated from her.
Bai Cangshu raised his chin, and Li Qingzi's nerves immediately tingled. She couldn't maintain her cold and arrogant expression, slowly lowered her head, and reported,
"It's demonic power. I entered the world of Claymore. Please allow me to repair my body…"
"Master…"
Li Qingzi closed her eyes in pain, while Bai Cangshu smiled and stroked her head.