Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village.

really!

Upon hearing this, everyone present became solemn.

Uchiha Tetsuka wanted to say something, but with Fugaku having just been in trouble, remaining silent was the wisest choice.

The Ino-Shika-Cho, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans also remained silent. Although Danzo said they were also qualified to compete for the Hokage position, they knew their own limitations and knew it was best not to get involved in certain matters.

All eyes turned to the silent Hyuga Hiashi, hoping he would say something.

However, under everyone's gaze, Hiashi sat calmly in his seat without saying a word.

A moment later, in an eerie silence, Danzo became the sole candidate for the Sixth Hokage…

……

"So you've already started making your move, Danzo."

On the battlefield of the Land of Grass, after collecting the corpse of a user of Crystal Release Bloodline Limit in a scroll, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply as he looked at the intelligence sent by Danzo.

After carefully reviewing the information inside the scroll, Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Danzo's actions were a bit hasty, his target was only Fugaku, and he did not cause much turmoil in Konoha.

In some respects, Danzo's actions were quite restrained.

However, when Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that Akimichi Torifu mentioned Asuma in the scroll, he found it both funny and absurd.

If his eldest son were still alive, and with the political resources he left behind, he might actually be nominated to become the Sixth Hokage.

But Asuma...

The thought of his son, who was a heavy smoker and drinker at a young age, gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a headache. Other families had outstanding children, but his son was a good-for-nothing was born.

"The corpses of all the bloodline inheritors in this area have been collected."

The figure, shrouded in black robes, instantly appeared beside Hiruzen Sarutobi and said in a deep voice, "It's time to head to the next area."

"Well, let's go."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly and put the scroll into his pocket.

Suddenly, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to sense something, and his movements paused slightly. The figure shrouded in black robes beside him raised his head and fixed his gaze on the ground to one side.

The next moment, countless black lines burst forth from under his sleeves, converging like sharp blades and spears, and slammed heavily onto the ground.

The earth shattered, revealing the somewhat disheveled figure of Bai Jue below.

"Kakuzu, I never expected it to really be you!"

White Zetsu dodged the incoming Earth Grudge Fears in a disheveled manner, while quickly calling out, "Weren't you supposed to have died at the hands of that guy, Mizuki Yoru? How are you still alive... Hey, don't do anything reckless!"

"..."

The person referred to as Kakuzu by White Zetsu did not respond at all. As the Earth Grudge Fear howled, the black-robed figure quickly formed hand seals and uttered a low shout: "Fire Release: Head Carving!"

The scorching flames spewed out, but were blocked by the wooden array wall.

The figure in black robes showed no mercy, slamming his hands together and tearing his long black robe apart.

Behind him, two masks, one with a red mouth and the other with a blue mouth, crawled out from his back, which was made of black silk threads, and perched on his shoulders.

It was the Fire Release and Wind Release masks that the Earth Grudge Fear had devoured—

Composite Ninja Art: Flaming Wind Chaos!

The Fire Release mask opened its mouth to use Fire Release: Head Carving, while the Wind Release mask opened its mouth to use Wind Release: Wind Pressure.

The two combined to create a vast sea of ​​fire that surged towards White Zetsu!

"not good!"

boom!

The sea of ​​fire surged, but an extremely strong repulsive force suddenly burst forth from it, and then the fire and wind masks of Jigyou were directly crushed into dust by this force.

However, the black-robed figure remained unmoved. The instant the two masks were crushed, two more masks emerged from his body, and lightning shone brightly from his face.

"Interesting, it completely cloned Kakuzu's power."

With a detached voice, Obito, wearing a white mask, used the explosive Shinra Tensei to completely destroy all four lives of the one-to-one Kakuzu clone. After suppressing the remaining original body with black rods, he then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi to the side.

He could clearly sense that the Hiruzen Sarutobi in front of him was different from the Third Hokage of the past, but this Hiruzen Sarutobi was definitely not a copy. In the other's eyes, he saw a familiar feeling.

Moreover, he sensed an incredibly similar power emanating from the other person.

That is the power of all things in the universe!

"I didn't expect you to have also mastered the Demon Sprout Technique, Third Hokage." Obito Uchiha spoke slowly, his gaze lingering briefly on the scroll in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand: "Could you explain the current situation to your collaborator?"

Although their collaboration had long ended, Hiruzen Sarutobi's Oni-Garara Technique was provided by him, so it wouldn't be wrong to consider him a collaborator.

Silently placing the scroll in his hand into his ninja tool bag, Hiruzen Sarutobi removed his black hood and looked at Obito in front of him wearing a white mask.

Perhaps it was the attraction of being fellow practitioners of the Oni-Garaku ritual that made Obito sense the power within him, and he also sensed the immense power emanating from Obito.

Without a doubt, the opponent had also mastered the Oni-Garra Technique, and its power level...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze lingered slightly on the rippled eyes on the pure white mask.

Above oneself!

"As you can see, we're just here to collect some useless corpses," Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly. As he spoke, three more figures appeared around him, forming a pincer movement to surround Obito.

Fortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, and the three of them abandoned their intention to fight, but still watched Obito warily.

"Yeah."

Obito's gaze swept over the three of them without making a sound, and he was slightly startled.

Aside from Kakuzu's clone, Obito knew all three of them, and they were all renowned figures in the ninja world.

And the most conspicuous one among them...

If I'm not mistaken, this guy should be one of the legendary Sannin who died at the hands of Mizuki Yoru during the Third Shinobi World War.

Jiraiya!

Without a soul, one cannot perform the Impure World Reincarnation technique, which means that these guys in front of you are not the original body, but clones.

Judging from the power that Kakuzu just displayed, the clone's strength is infinitely similar to that of the original, or even exactly the same. In addition, considering Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions of collecting these bloodline limit users, Obito has already guessed the purpose and plans of these guys.

"I'm curious, after Orochimaru left Konoha, Konoha probably didn't have this level of cloning technology, right?"

Obito Uchiha slowly spoke, "Could you explain something to me, my partner?"

Chapter 278 The Unfair Alliance of the Moonless Night!

Obito knew very well how much preparation was needed to complete the Demon Sprout Technique.

Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his many years as the Third Hokage, had accumulated enough resources, a deep foundation, and enough chakra to perform the ritual,

But what he needs to endure this ceremony is his own physical and mental strength and magnanimity!

How could an aging Hokage, decaying and failing in the power struggle, still possess the magnanimity and ambition to complete the ritual?

Furthermore, he has now collected so many corpses and created powerful clones... Has Hiruzen Sarutobi emerged from his depression and slump, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, experiencing a second spring?

Even so, Konoha probably doesn't have a cloning master who has mastered this level of technology.

Obito, who treated Konoha like his own backyard and had engaged in deep cooperation with Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, was well aware of Konoha's current technological situation and the progress of its research on the human body.

During the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha's research on the human body was indeed unparalleled in the ninja world. However, with Orochimaru's defection, all human experiments in Konoha were completely banned by the Fourth Hokage. Although a small part of it was restored after Fugaku came to power, such a degree of restoration could not possibly allow Konoha to have such mature cloning methods today.

who is it?

Obito stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Hiruzen clearly had no intention of telling Obito these things.

“If you’re here to explore these meaningless things, I think you can leave now,” Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly, his expression serene, seemingly unafraid of Obito before him. “You are now the culprit who started this war. If the captains of the Allied Shinobi Forces, or Yoru Minazuki, discover your whereabouts… I think you’ll be in big trouble.”

"Do you think your actions won't attract the attention of Mizuki Yoru and the Allied Shinobi Forces?"

Obito sneered: "To us humans, insulting a corpse is far more serious than devouring a soul. After all, a soul is something that ordinary people cannot see or touch, but a corpse is different."

"We're in the same boat, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

The White Zetsu army was nothing but cannon fodder, and the ninjas from Sunagakure and Iwagakure were even more useless.

The war will end soon, and Obito will have exhausted all his available power. At this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi actually appeared on the battlefield with clones. How could Obito not be tempted?

You should know that the Impure World Reincarnation technique can be countered by Shinigami (death gods) and those who use spiritual power.

But cloning is different.

In a sense, cloning is like creating a living, breathing human being!

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unmoved by Obito's overtures. He was about to refuse when he seemed to notice something and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"You want to cooperate with me?"

"Our enemies are the same, not to mention we are allies." Obito smiled beneath his white mask. With this war going on for so long, Hiruzen Sarutobi must have accumulated a large number of bloodline limit users' corpses.

If he can make use of this power, the pressure he faces against Minazuki Yoru will be greatly reduced!

At least, it would have enough power to resist those Shinigami and Quincy.

Originally, Obito didn't take those Shinigami and Quincy seriously at all. Even with Kimimaro's almost heaven-defying move, Obito had already forgotten about Kimimaro after completing the ritual and achieving Six Paths status.

What are Shinigami and Quincy? The only one who can fight me is Minazuki Yoru!

However, the battle with Shisui shattered Obito's pride and confidence, and made him realize the threat these guys posed.

He needs help, powerful enough help.

But in today's ninja world, who can become his ally and oppose the powerful Mizuki Yoru, who is almost like the overlord of the ninja world?

The ninja world is indeed gone, but outside of it, there is a hidden force.

Those are the beings from beyond the heavens, the descendants of Hamura Ōtsutsuki, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths, who were left on the moon!

Indeed, among Obito's original targets, his ally was the Moon People who had previously been his enemy, according to intelligence reports.

After absorbing the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails, Obito set his sights on the people of the moon. However, he unexpectedly received information about White Zetsu, who turned out to be Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had also completed the Oni-Garra Ritual!

He seems to have a few more allies to choose from.

"Being able to complete the Oni-Garra Technique has already proven that my judgment was correct. But with your strength alone, it is impossible to shake Minazuki Yoru." Obito looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and took the initiative to pull the two of them to the same side: "Of course, with my own strength alone, I am no match for that guy either."

"Only by uniting, only by pooling all our strength, can we break through the dawn of resistance in this world shrouded in the shadow of that guy's soul."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow twitched slightly. Following the instructions of the voice that echoed in his mind, he calmly asked, "...What do you want to do?"

“Gather all available forces.” Obito said in a deep voice, “As you can see, the war I started can’t cause much of a stir. Its only value may be that it has given me a glimpse into just how powerful the forces in Minazuki Yoru’s hands really are.”

"Therefore, I need to find allies who are strong enough to resist the hegemonic rule of Minazuki Yoru."

"Don't worry, I can help you cover up your plot to seize the corpses and even help you find the corpses you need. All you need to do is accumulate enough troops to contribute to my final showdown with Minazuki Yoru."

"……Can."

This promise came at no cost, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had no reason not to agree.

After gaining Hiruzen Sarutobi's approval, Obito showed a satisfied expression.

In his view, Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely in the same boat as him, and under the pressure of Minazuki Yoru, Hiruzen Sarutobi obviously had no other choice but to cooperate with him.

After reaching a verbal cooperation agreement, the two did not cooperate further, and Obito did not pursue the origin of Hiruzen Sarutobi's cloning technology.

Although both sides have reached a cooperation agreement on the surface, it is only a preliminary cooperation and both sides are clearly holding back.

Obito left behind only a White Zetsu clone to help the other party find the bloodline limit user before leaving. Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't care about Obito's whereabouts and continued searching for the bloodline limit user's remains on his own.

To be honest, with the help of White Zetsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi's search efficiency was greatly improved, and he completed several days' worth of work in just one day!

After all the corpses in the area had been collected, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't give White Zetsu a chance to gather intelligence and disappeared from the spot, leaving White Zetsu, who had worked hard all day, somewhat helpless.

He subconsciously wanted to greet the clone of his former colleague, but the clone's puppet-like mechanical reactions only made Bai Jue feel more bored...

"He needs a large clone army to help him share the burden with the Grim Reapers and Quincy."

Inside Konoha Village, at Root's dimensional base, Jigen leaned gently against his throne, taking a sip of red wine: "The reason I asked you to agree to him is naturally because he has something I want in him."

"Hmm?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Body."

Cixian didn't hide anything and said calmly, "His ritual was more successful than yours and Danzo's. He truly broke through the boundary and entered the Six Paths level. And such a body is already qualified to become my vessel."