chapter 87 part 1
Chapter 87: Even the Gedo Mazo Can't Avoid Being Plucked
Tsukasa Kaede attempted to cut off a piece from the Gedo Mazo, but after many attempts, he failed.
"What are you doing? That's the Gedo Mazo! It won't be destroyed so easily by you. It's a vessel that can devour all Tailed Beasts," Tobi said.
"There's nothing that absolutely cannot be destroyed. The Gedo Mazo possesses Chakra; it's not made of mere stone. So, it can be destroyed, it's just that the method hasn't been chosen correctly yet."
Tsukasa Kaede scoffed, then pulled out a Zombie with a flick of his wrist and immediately began to form Hand Kaedegns.
Snake-Boar-Ram-Rabbit-Dog-Rat-Rooster-Horse-Snake! Corpse Release: Reaper Death Seal!
The Reaper arrived once more. Upon seeing Tsukasa Kaede, its drooling instantly ceased, and it quietly gazed at him.
Tsukasa Kaede controlled the Zombie, using its Spirit Hand to grasp the Gedo Mazo, then immediately demanded that the Reaper strike the Gedo Mazo with its blade.
This actually brought up a question: just how powerful was the Reaper, a super Spirit Body capable of cutting the Nine-Tails? Could it cut through the Gedo Mazo, which had fallen from Kaedex Paths Level?
In the original Timeline, the Gedo Mazo had withstood Tailed Beast Bombs from the Eight-Tails and Yang Nine-Tails, as well as attacks from the Allied Shinobi Forces, without showing any damage.
The only time it sustained damage was when Kakashi attacked its head with Kamui. At that time, Kakashi wanted to solve the problem at its root, by directly twisting off the Gedo Mazo's head, but ultimately, he failed.
The Gedo Mazo withstood Kamui, its eyes bled profusely, and it quickly recovered. However, this at least proved one thing: the Gedo Mazo could be harmed by powers below Kaedex Paths Level.
Theoretically, the Reaper could achieve this by means of Chakra Cutting.
*Swish!* The Reaper drew its blade and struck one of the Gedo Mazo's fingers, and indeed, it cut in.
Rooooooar!!
Stimulated by the attack, the Gedo Mazo, which had been in a deep slumber, suddenly "awakened" and let out a frantic wail driven by instinct. This sound seemed to condense all the sin and doom of the human world, its extreme ferocity and malice rapidly spreading from the Mountain Graveyard to the surroundings.
However, the impact was minimal; at most, a group of Land of Iron samurai might have noticed, but they couldn't ascertain the specific situation, nor were there any Sensor Ninja as powerful as Mito Uzumaki to find this place.
"Th-th-th-th-this... Am I seeing things? One of the Gedo Mazo's fingers is damaged, as if something horizontally sliced off a section. Is this reasonable?! How could he do this to the Gedo Mazo? Even Lord Madara didn't do something like this when he was researching it!"
White Zetsu was stunned. As the first White Zetsu created by Madara, he had naturally witnessed Madara's subsequent research on the Gedo Mazo, but he had never seen Madara intentionally damage it, let alone cut off a finger.
Black Zetsu was also dumbfounded, falling into a long silence. He was horrified by Tsukasa Kaede's audacity and furious at "Mother" suffering such desecration.
"Hmm, even though the Gedo Mazo is merely the Ten-Tails' Husk, and strictly speaking not Mother, since Mother and the Ten-Tails were once fused, Tsukasa Kaede's actions can still be considered desecrating Mother!! 'How dare this guy do such a thing... How *could* he do such a thing?! And he actually succeeded!'"
Black Zetsu was enraged.
*I treat it as a precious treasure, yet you defile it so wantonly?*
Because Black Zetsu was born too late, he actually didn't know many of Kaguya Otsutsuki's experiences during her life, but this didn't prevent him from seeing the Gedo Mazo as a part of Kaguya Otsutsuki—even though Kaguya and the Ten-Tails were fundamentally not the same thing.
Black Zetsu stared at Tsukasa Kaede's back, itching to plunge his hand into Tsukasa Kaede's chest, but he desperately restrained himself, making sure not to reveal any murderous intent.
"Black Zetsu, you're shocked too, aren't you? I feel you trembling slightly. Are you alright?" White Zetsu rolled his eyes, concerned about his other half.
"...Yes, I'm fine, I couldn't be better. Seeing that Lord Tsukasa Kaede can easily harm the Gedo Mazo, I, as Lord Tsukasa Kaede's will, am extremely thrilled."
Black Zetsu uttered these words through gritted teeth, every syllable hushed.
He was worried Tsukasa Kaede would continue. One finger was already damaged; if this continued...
Would a Gedo Mazo with one finger missing have some impact on Mother after her resurrection? It shouldn't, right?
Tobi was one to enjoy a spectacle without fearing the consequences; wherever there was a big event, his excited and boisterous figure would be there.
"Wahahaha, this is truly astonishing! Is this the Reaper Death Seal, driven by Corpse Release? It's really different from what that old woman used; it can actually be used multiple times!"
Tobi had personally witnessed the terror of the full Reaper Death Seal; just one touch and it was over.
However, Tsukasa Kaede's version was very special, capable of multiple uses, though it was unknown exactly how many times.
But they soon found out, because after Tsukasa Kaede's will was devoured by the Reaper, he had to summon new Zombies again to continue performing the Reaper Death Seal.
"As expected of the Gedo Mazo. Although the Reaper Death Seal I perform has very poor destructive power, far from comparable to Mito Uzumaki's, it can still summon the Reaper to strike. Yet, one slash only managed to cut this small gap..."
Tsukasa Kaede assessed it, about a quarter? And this was the effect after an ordinary Zombie performed the Jutsu. He immediately summoned Araki of the Sand and Terai, two Elite Jonin. After separating two portions of his will, he had these two Zombies activate the Reaper Death Seal once more.
"No matter what, I'm prying a piece off the Gedo Mazo today, even if Kaguya herself comes!" "Lord Tsukasa Kaede!"
Black Zetsu saw Tsukasa Kaede's unwavering determination to continue, to not stop until a finger was severed, and couldn't help but shout loudly: "Will performing this Jutsu really not harm your Soul? Lord Madara is gone, we can only rely on you now. You absolutely cannot get hurt. A Forbidden Jutsu like the Reaper Death Seal should still—"
"Shut up, or I'll kill you."
Tsukasa Kaede interrupted him directly, not even turning his head. His eyes had switched to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at some point, dedicated to using meticulous observation to guide the Reaper in performing the most precise cutting, ensuring not a single flaw.
"You are my will. Whatever I do, you only need to cheer for it. No questioning allowed. Know your place!"
Tsukasa Kaede calmly stated: "If your views contradict my actions, I will immediately treat you as a Sacrifice for the Reaper Death Seal, and the Reaper will deal with you. You can keep company with the many other fragments of my will inside the Reaper."
Black Zetsu fell silent. He stared at the enormous Reaper; even he, born from Kaguya's Yin Release-biased side, wouldn't dare claim he could contend with the Reaper.
The rage in his heart burned brighter and brighter, yet he could do nothing. Black Zetsu had never been so angry in a thousand years; in his fury, he could only be furious for a moment.
Terai and Araki of the Sand successively performed the Jutsu, using their greater power to command the Reaper to deliver two more slashes.