"Hmph, Uchiha Isamu, stop pretending to be a saint. Do you think I can't tell? You never intended to let us go from the very beginning. Kill us or cut us to pieces—it makes no difference. If any member of the Xuanyuan Clan so much as frowns, we're unworthy of the Xuanyuan name!"
"Hahaha… just as expected of your leader."
"Since you've already seen through me, there's no need to keep up the act."
"Become one with me, and serve me faithfully from now on."
Isamu laughed heartily before activating the Human Path. One after another, he extracted the souls of the four remaining Xuanyuan Clan members.
"Next…"
"It's time to remodel your bodies."
"Naraka Path."
After removing their souls, Isamu summoned the King of Hell in its physical form.
Garuda watched in confusion.
"Isamu, I don't understand. You wanted to recruit them, didn't you? Then why kill them?"
"Heh."
"I do want them."
"But I only need their bodies."
"Just watch."
"You'll understand soon enough."
Isamu smiled mysteriously.
He raised a finger as his Rinnegan pulsed faintly.
Using its power, he established a connection with the King of Hell and completed a simple transaction.
Only Isamu knew what had been exchanged.
The price…
…was one-thirtieth of his Chakra.
For anyone else, that would have been an enormous cost.
For Isamu…
…it was practically insignificant.
The moment the exchange was completed, five long tongues shot from the King of Hell's mouth.
Each wrapped around one of the Xuanyuan Clan corpses before dragging them inside.
The King's enormous jaws slowly closed.
Then…
It began chewing.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
"Eww…"
Garuda grimaced in disgust.
"That's disgusting."
"It's actually eating corpses."
"Isamu, what exactly did you summon?"
"Why does it eat dead bodies?"
"It isn't eating them."
"Just wait."
Isamu never took his eyes off the King of Hell.
This was his first time performing this process.
He didn't want to miss a single detail.
About a minute later…
The chewing finally stopped.
The King's mouth slowly opened.
At the same moment, Isamu closed his eyes.
His Chakra instantly established a connection with what lay inside.
Five figures slowly walked out.
They were…
The five members of the Xuanyuan Clan.
However…
They no longer looked the same.
Numerous black receivers pierced their faces.
Even more black receivers were embedded throughout their bodies beneath their clothing.
Most astonishing of all…
Each of them possessed the exact same pair of Rinnegan.
"The Rinnegan?!"
Garuda's eyes widened.
"How did they become like this?"
Receiving no answer, she turned toward Isamu.
Only then did she realize…
He had closed his eyes.
"Isamu?"
"What are you doing?"
Before Isamu answered, the Xuanyuan Clan leader spoke instead.
"No need to call him."
"I'm controlling these bodies right now."
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean…"
"I am Isamu."
"Or rather…"
"We are all Isamu."
"What?!"
Garuda was completely dumbfounded.
How could these people suddenly become Isamu?
"Heh."
"Look carefully at the black receivers inside their bodies."
"Then you'll understand."
Garuda immediately activated her Tenseigan and carefully examined the black rods.
A moment later…
Everything clicked.
"So that's it…"
"They're Chakra receivers."
"You're remotely controlling these bodies through the black receivers by transmitting your Chakra."
"No wonder."
"So this was what you meant by recruiting them."
"You only needed their bodies."
Now she finally understood.
Had they truly died and then been resurrected…
That would have been terrifying.
"Oh, right."
"What about those Rinnegan?"
"How did they suddenly gain so many of them?"
"Oh, these?"
Isamu smiled.
"They aren't real Rinnegan."
"You could think of them as replicas."
"They don't possess the true power of the Rinnegan."
"They simply allow me to perform auxiliary functions."
"So they're fake."
"But where did you learn a technique capable of copying the Rinnegan and controlling corpses?"
"You're mistaken."
"I don't possess such a technique."
"It's all the King of Hell's ability."
"I simply exchanged a small price for it."
"The King of Hell?"
"You mean that disgusting thing over there?"
Garuda pointed toward the enormous creature, which still hadn't disappeared.
"That's right."
"Although it's merely a projection…"
"It is indeed the King of Hell."
"The ruler of the Underworld."
"The… King of Hell from the Underworld…"
Garuda frowned slightly.
She had remained in the Underworld for countless years.
Yet she had never once encountered such a being.
"What's wrong, Garuda?"
"You still seem confused about the King of Hell."
"Is something bothering you?"
"No…"
"It's nothing."
Although Isamu knew she was hiding something…
He didn't press her.
When she was ready…
She would tell him herself.
Turning his attention elsewhere, Isamu looked at his grandson.
"Well, Itachi?"
"Do you recognize your grandfather now?"
"Uh…"
"…are you really Grandpa?"
Looking at the Xuanyuan Clan—his enemies only moments ago—Itachi still found the situation unbelievable.
"Hahaha!"
"Of course I am."
"What is there to doubt?"
"I… still don't really understand."
"How did all of you suddenly become Grandpa?"
"Is this some kind of secret technique that lets you control people?"
"Hmm…"
"You could call it that."
"It's an advanced Puppet Technique."
"Yes."
"For now, just think of it as a Puppet Technique."
Isamu deliberately avoided explaining the true nature of the Six Paths Technique, choosing to simplify it for Itachi.
"Grandpa…"
"Could you explain how this Puppet Technique works in detail?"
"I'm sorry, Itachi."
"I can't tell you the full truth right now."
"When the time is right…"
"I'll explain everything."
"I understand."
"Then you'll tell me later."
Although disappointed, Itachi didn't continue asking.
Since his grandfather had refused…
There had to be a reason.
One day…
He believed he would learn the truth.