Zombie Sage in Naruto

Chapter 210 The Living Wedge
Divine magic? Another new piece of information! Orochimaru immediately became excited.

Originally overjoyed by the appearance of the Ten-Tails and eager to act after witnessing Jigen's decline, Orochimaru's emotions reached a new peak due to the new information.

His narrow eyes unconsciously stared at Cixian, who was leaning back in his chair, looking more like a monk or nobleman than a super-powerful figure.

The cracks are still visible all over the body, and even though much has been repaired, the remaining ones are still shocking.

The damage Jigen suffered was far more severe than the damage he sustained when he destroyed the adult Naruto and Sasuke in the original timeline. He was on the verge of collapsing immediately and had to undergo reincarnation.

Otherwise, Jigen wouldn't have thrown the Ten-Tails out to draw fire.

If, if I were to intervene at this crucial moment and exert even a little force on Jigen, would Jigen...

"I'm so weak right now, if someone suddenly attacks me, could they kill me...? Is that what you're thinking, Orochimaru?"

Cixian said expressionlessly, "If you are confident, go ahead and do it. You might actually succeed, and everything I have now will be yours."

Tenzo, who was standing beside Jigen, was shocked to hear this. He looked at Jigen in disbelief, then at Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru-sama and Jigen-sama? No, that won't happen."

Despite saying that, Tianzang wasn't really stupid. His muscles were tense, clearly ready to take action. However, even he himself didn't know who he would target if such a thing happened.

Orochimaru's expression remained unchanged, still displaying a sinister smile: "You misunderstand. Our cooperation is not yet complete. I still have much to learn. How could I betray you when you need help the most?"

As he spoke, he looked at Tianzang: "What are you trying to do by putting on that kind of stance? Or are you planning to kill us both if something we don't want to happen really happens? I suddenly thought of something interesting, Lord Cixian, if you suddenly die, what will happen to the wedge on Tianzang's body..."

“After I die completely, Tenzo will automatically obtain all my power. He will gradually unfreeze the data in Kusarigari and perfectly obtain everything about me. At that time, he will be the new Otsutsuki.”

Cixian's voice was cold, and he didn't mind saying this at all. If he really had fallen to such a state, then so be it if he died. But the great cause of planting trees had to be done by someone. The person who obtained the wedge must inherit his will and last wish and destroy this planet.

In the original timeline, Jiraiya's clone, Kashin Koji, used the Otsutsuki's divine arts to see countless futures. He originally thought that after Naruto and Sasuke's battle with Jigen, he launched a surprise attack on Jigen as Jigen's subordinate, forcing Isshiki to reincarnate in Jigen's body, and ultimately played an important role in Isshiki's death from exhaustion of lifespan.

However, Koshin Koji discovered with dismay that the ninja world did not have a better ending because of Isshiki's death. In countless futures, most of the endings were strikingly similar—a few years later, someone would always take up Isshiki's baton, successfully plant trees in various ways, and turn the planet of the ninja world into a dead star, wiping out all the native life on the planet.

At least in the matter of planting trees, Isshiki was indeed tireless and unwavering in his original intention. Even in his own death, he wanted to ensure that his successor could use his wedge to become the new Otsutsuki and successfully plant the sacred tree.

"I see. In other words, this is also a characteristic of the Otsutsuki clan. From an individual perspective, it may be a weakness, a way to completely kill you. But from the perspective of the clan, as long as one person possesses your Karma, they can become a second you, allowing you to live on forever in another way."

Orochimaru found it absurd to even think about it. The Otsutsuki are long-lived beings, often living for thousands of years, and they can gain even greater power and longer lifespans by consuming chakra fruits.

After finally being defeated, how could the power accumulated over countless years be completely passed down? The key is to erase self-awareness and transfer and inherit it in a pure way that can be perfectly inherited, creating a new Otsutsuki with the same strength?

Orochimaru was extremely envious of this clan's methods. Damn it, he wanted to do the same! However, instead of having his successor inherit his power after death, he wanted to... be able to be resurrected after death, perfectly inherit the power he had in life, and thus achieve the goal of living forever. Moreover, the power that the new self accumulated before death would definitely be greater than that of the previous self.

This way, generation after generation, one can achieve immortality, ensure that a vast amount of knowledge is not lost due to various special factors, and continuously reincarnate.

All you need to do is find enough containers and drive in enough wedges.

"Looking at it this way, there are still many things that need to be improved in my newly developed 'curse seal'. By a twist of fate, I have actually embarked on the path of the wedge."

Orochimaru chuckled softly, his laughter echoing throughout the magnificent stone building.

He knew he couldn't hide the fact that he had placed curse marks on many test subjects, so he simply didn't bother to conceal it. Knowing about curse marks and breaking them are two completely different things.

The cursed seal stores fragments of his soul. Even if his original body is killed, as long as someone can use his soul fragments to resurrect him—in fact, after he obtained the Reincarnation Technique from Kaede Tsukasa, as long as he cultivates a few loyal subordinates, even if he dies, his subordinates will sacrifice themselves to resurrect him.

But given Orochimaru's personality, how could he possibly place all his hopes on his subordinates? He would rather split his soul in two and project it into many people, secretly observing the changes in the outside world and choosing the right time to revive.

As for the quality of the container, it doesn't matter. Let's revive first and then worry about that. At worst, we can just replace it with a new body later. Anyway, with the Reincarnation Technique, he can handle anything.

Cixian didn't even blink: "The cursed seal is nothing but a low-grade imitation. The method of splitting the soul is not even in the same league as the method of completely copying data. However, for someone of your status to be able to do this much is already very impressive."

"Hehe, yes, that's why I will never betray Lord Cixian. On the road ahead, there are still many things I need your guidance on... So, Tianzang, can you relax now? Of the three of us, you are the most nervous."

Orochimaru suddenly licked his lips: "But then again, you could find a good opportunity to kill both of us. That way, you can inherit everything from an Otsutsuki, and no one in this world can stop you. You can do whatever you want."

His words were full of seduction, but Cixian didn't even bother to look at him. He simply closed his eyes to rest, as if it didn't matter what Tianzang, the only vessel, did, whether it was loyalty or betrayal. Did he want to talk about the future with a vessel?
Once a few more alternative vessels are found, if one day he fails to reincarnate, or if Tenzo betrays him or simply dies, he will surely die as well. Then someone among the alternative vessels will inherit his power and will, become the new Otsutsuki, and embark on the path of planting trees.

"I will not do such a thing, Lord Orochimaru. Please do not do anything that would put me in a difficult position," Tenzo said firmly.

"That's it..."

Orochimaru chuckled softly. Just as he suspected, between him and Jigen, Tenzo had chosen Jigen, becoming a truly excellent vessel, impeccable in both thought and belief…

Could this wedge have the potential to erode the container's thinking?
at this time.

Jigen suddenly stood up. This sudden action was extremely rare for someone as elegant and polite as Jigen. Orochimaru instinctively retreated several meters, rubbing his fingers on the ground to stop himself, making no attempt to hide the wariness on his face.

"It's not directed at you, but you're one of the most important members of Kara. This organization can't do without you." Jigen didn't even glance at Orochimaru, instead turning his head to look in a certain direction: "Finally showing himself, huh... that guy..."

"Who?"

"That happened a long time ago, it has nothing to do with you."

Cixian stepped into the portal and disappeared from the spot. Tianzang opened his mouth, but said nothing.

Orochimaru said with a playful tone, "I thought you would try to stop him. If he gets cornered by this troublesome guy in his current state, it will be very dangerous."

“No, Lord Jigen possesses the strongest spatial and temporal mastery on this planet, and no one can stop him,” Tenzo said. “I am Lord Jigen’s vessel and have no right to interfere with the decisions Lord Jigen has already made. He must have his reasons for doing so.”

"...You have truly become a qualified vessel."

"Thank you for your praise, Lord Orochimaru. I wish you could become Lord Jigen's vessel soon. Once your forbidden technique is completed, you can get a better body and perhaps achieve that goal."

……

The land of rain.

Madara and Nagato had already disappeared into the distance, entering the devastated Amegakure. This village, which had been crying out in despair, was undergoing arduous reconstruction and would become Nagato's stronghold for many years to come.

The enormous Gedo Mazo remains in this secluded corner, awaiting the summons of Nagato or Madara.

After some time, a black shadow slowly emerged from the ground.

Black Zetsu has arrived.

He finally seized the opportunity and had a chance to come into contact with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

"Those guys actually made Mother like this!!"

Black Zetsu was filled with shock and rage, his heart was breaking. Looking back over the past thousand years, he had never felt like this before—no, wait, there must have been a time, like the last time when Kaede Tsukasa forcibly cut off one of the Gedo Mazo's fingers, packed it up and took it away, and who knows what he was researching.

Thinking about it this way, Black Zetsu looked at the miserable state of the Gedo Mazo again and seemed less angry. But when he realized this, he felt even more grief and indignation.

Even though he knew that the Gedo Mazo was more inclined towards the Ten-Tails than towards his mother Kaguya, it was still an important part of Kaguya.

Black Zetsu placed one hand on the Gedo Mazo, sensing the massive creature's condition.

"Kill..."

At that moment, a muffled voice entered Black Zetsu's mind.

Black Zetsu shuddered, overjoyed—this was his mother's will!

Although the connection was unclear, clearly because he had not truly recovered, he did communicate with his mother once again after a thousand years!
Black Zetsu listened carefully and barely understood the message conveyed by the Gedo Mazo—kill Isshiki Otsutsuki!
Me? Kill Otsutsuki Isshiki? Black Zetsu was immediately troubled. He tried to process the fragmented information and roughly learned about the Otsutsuki and Karma, and also understood what had happened back then.

"Based on scattered fragments, my mother and that Otsutsuki Isshiki were enemies back then. They fought and my mother defeated Isshiki, but Isshiki escaped and parasitized Jigen."

Black Zetsu was deeply moved, tears welling up in his eyes. His mother still loved him, her youngest son, even though he was sealed away and had barely regained a tiny bit of consciousness. She still wanted to tell him what had happened back then so that he could improve his understanding of Isshiki.

And that was it. Black Zetsu didn't get a single hair of the crucial power, and with his broken body, he had no choice but to find a way to kill Isshiki.

This also shows that Kaguya was forced into a corner and no longer had the opportunity to quietly lie low and wait patiently.

If Jigen no longer hides his existence and becomes openly active, it's only a matter of time before he embarks on the path of planting trees. Once Jigen succeeds, will he still keep Kaguya? Will he still tolerate the existence of the old Ten-Tails?

Black Zetsu thought it was impossible, so he could only rack his brains to complete the absurd task his mother had given him.

Just then, Cixian walked out of the portal and stood there. The falling rain seemed to encounter an invisible barrier, automatically shattering and splashing in all directions.

"As expected, that woman has been active all along, and it turns out she was doing it through someone as insignificant as you. She's been observing this planet in another way all along. Is it because of me that she's starting to get anxious?"

Cixian's eyes underwent a subtle change, a mixture of anger and coldness, before finally settling into endless indifference.

"Ji-gen!! What are you trying to do?!"

Black Zetsu was shocked and stood in front of the Gedo Mazo, trying to protect the huge Gedo Mazo with his tiny body. It was ridiculous, but Jigen didn't have much of a sense of humor. He looked at Black Zetsu for a moment and basically understood the form of Black Zetsu's existence.

"A living wedge? You merge with a body and become the vessel for Kaguya's resurrection... Although it seems somewhat plausible, Kaguya's methods are limited to a few, and we can guess roughly by using the process of elimination."

Cixian saw through Black Zetsu: "However, it seems not entirely so. Killing you can only delay Kaguya's resurrection at most. As long as she can resurrect her Ten-Tails, she will be reborn in the Ten-Tails sooner or later."

(End of this chapter)