Chapter 359: Maintain the Love–Hate Relationship
"Isn't this… a bit inappropriate?"
Senju Hashirama, who had been "invited", wore a conflicted expression.
That's right, Tobirama had no intention of acting first and explaining later by secretly reviving Madara with Impure World Reincarnation behind his brother's back.
Because he knew it would be meaningless.
Even if it could be hidden for now, it would inevitably be exposed later.
And when that time came, if his elder brother wanted to protect Madara, he would still do so.
So it was better to lay everything out from the beginning.
Or even drag his brother into it.
"Big brother, don't you want to 'play around' with Madara? I won't interfere at all. I'll hand full control over him to you."
Senju Tobirama began tempting his brother with a rather dark tone.
Sure enough.
With that, Hashirama's originally "righteous" resolve began to waver.
His opposition had stemmed from concern that Tobirama might act on his hostility toward Madara and do something extreme, like forcing Madara into something as disgraceful as entertaining clients in a pleasure district.
But now that Tobirama promised not to interfere and would hand over control, Hashirama started to reconsider.
If that were the case, then he would surely handle things with more restraint than his younger brother.
No, wait, that's not it.
Hashirama shook away the inappropriate thoughts forming in his mind.
What he really wanted was to use this opportunity to have a proper heart-to-heart with Madara, to try and change his mind about the Infinite Tsukuyomi and make him believe in the wisdom of future generations.
"Heh heh."
Hashirama let out a strange laugh that sent chills down one's spine.
Was that really a sound a heroic figure should make?
While the group was discussing matters related to reviving Madara with Impure World Reincarnation, Shiromo arrived.
He had come to collect materials.
With Gold Experience, Shiromo now only needed the corresponding cells cultivated by Orochimaru, along with the Impure World Reincarnation target, to perfectly revive a ninja.
Right now, he wasn't necessarily planning to revive anyone immediately, but he could prepare the materials in advance.
After all, in terms of combat strength, in most cases, being revived might not even be as useful as Impure World Reincarnation's unlimited regeneration and chakra.
"Here."
Orochimaru handed Shiromo a sealed scroll.
"Wait a second. Don't you think there's a problem with all this?"
After glancing between the two of them for a moment, Hashirama couldn't hold back and spoke up.
"What problem?"
Orochimaru asked casually.
If Tobirama had asked that question, Orochimaru might have taken it more seriously. But since it was Hashirama, he didn't seem too concerned.
"Using ninjutsu to break the boundary between life and death, so far, it seems like a good thing, and I haven't seen any cost. But… if there are no limits, then death would cease to exist in the ninja world. Wouldn't the population just keep growing endlessly?"
Hashirama voiced a hypothetical concern.
The main issue was that the research projects of Orochimaru and Tobirama were simply too powerful.
Unlike ninjutsu, which required specific talent, these scientific techniques were universally applicable.
Once developed, they could be endlessly replicated.
A revival technique that once required sacrificing a life through the Rinnegan had now become something that could be done casually.
"Big brother's concern isn't without merit. This is different from Impure World Reincarnation. Impure World Reincarnation bodies don't need food or resources, but revived humans do."
Tobirama rarely found himself agreeing with his brother.
"Don't worry. It won't be widely implemented for now."
Shiromo waved his hand dismissively.
If people started reviving others en masse, he might as well switch careers to molding clay figures.
As for the issue of population growth and resource shortages caused by revival, Shiromo didn't argue against it.
Instead, it reminded him of someone who wanted to snap away half of all life, Thanos.
Thanos's biggest flaw was the same as those who think that in an apocalypse, a loaf of bread could be traded for a beautiful woman.
Failing to recognize that life itself is a resource.
With one snap, half of all life disappears.
Cheng Yu wakes up to find disaster, half the military rations are gone. (Cheng Yu is genius strategist from Three Kingdoms)
Hiss hiss.
A small snake slithered into Orochimaru's sleeve.
"Please wait a moment. Someone is looking for me… hmm, it's Sasuke. He's brought the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, and Hatake Kakashi as well."
Orochimaru received the message through the snake.
A few minutes later.
Orochimaru received them and learned their purpose.
"Using Impure World Reincarnation to revive Uchiha Obito's grandmother, Uchiha Tsuru… that's not particularly difficult. The problem is…"
As he spoke, Orochimaru glanced at Shiromo, who was sitting nearby, watching the show.
"I refuse."
Shiromo's expression changed immediately.
He understood exactly what Orochimaru meant by that look.
He had no intention of "sharing blessings" with Kakashi, especially not that kind.
So he decisively refused.
"Then there's no other way. I can only use He's cells to cultivate certain structures and channels, and implant them to barely simulate the state after revival."
"But you should understand, Impure World Reincarnation bodies have no sensation."
Orochimaru spoke earnestly.
Kakashi had no choice but to fully commit to the act.
His current "persona" was that his long-lost love was Obito's grandmother. He couldn't suddenly say he didn't need that.
There was no such thing as purely platonic love in the ninja world.
If something needed to be done, it would be done.
"It's fine. That's enough. Not only do I like elderly women, I specifically like those who don't respond, emotionless ones, expressionless ones, those who look at me with disdain, those who are asleep, those who are dead."
Kakashi spoke slowly, his tone neither sorrowful nor joyful.
His reputation was already ruined anyway, adding a few more labels didn't matter.
Naruto and Sasuke were already huddled in a corner, trembling.
Kakashi-sensei was too perverted.
So much so that they could barely handle it.
Only Orochimaru remained calm, as if he had seen it all before.
"Sasuke, you should understand what your next objective is. So if you want me to help with Impure World Reincarnation for Uchiha Tsuru, you'll need to do something for me."
Orochimaru suddenly turned his gaze toward Sasuke and Naruto.
"What objective?"
Naruto didn't understand what Orochimaru was referring to.
After all, during the Land of Waves incident, that conversation had mainly been directed at Sasuke.
As an almost unrelated bystander, it was already impressive that Naruto even vaguely remembered something like that.
"What do you want us to do?"
Sasuke asked.
"I want you to temporarily refrain from fully understanding each other and reconciling."
Orochimaru stated his request.
"Why?"
Naruto immediately jumped up.
"The Rinnegan is born from the fusion of the chakra of Indra and Asura, drawing out the power of the Sage of Six Paths."
"Indra and Asura, the sons of the Sage of Six Paths, have been entangled in conflict, which is why their chakra continues to reincarnate."
"In other words, once the two completely reconcile, their chakra will return to a calm state and stop reincarnating in conflict."
Orochimaru explained in detail.
"Isn't returning to peace a good thing?"
Naruto still failed to grasp the key point.
Sasuke, however, had already understood.
For the ninja world to continuously produce the power of the Rinnegan, the chakras of Asura and Indra must remain entangled.
(End of this chapter)