RADG: Chapter 242: The Mastermind Behind It?

Orochimaru’s words were full of biting sarcasm and disdain.

What he couldn’t accept most was that Orochimaru had actually treated him as a backup?

How could this lowly bloodline dare to look down on him, the strongest Uchiha who had awakened the Rinnegan? Of course, Madara wasn’t particularly eager to become Orochimaru’s vessel.

He was simply furious that Orochimaru had put Yami above him.

There was another person who was just as furious.

It was Yami, who was slowly approaching.

This Orochimaru really was a pervert... still obsessing over his pure body.

“What’s wrong with Uchiha Madara? He was the first person after the Sage of Six Paths to combine the chakra of Indra and Ashura. How could you look down on him?”

“If you really have to pick someone, then go with Sasuke. You’ve always been obsessed with him. He even has a six-tomoe Rinnegan now, much stronger than a regular Rinnegan.”

Yami looked like he had just stepped in something filthy, and immediately pushed two scapegoats forward.

Madara and Sasuke, who had just flown over with Yami, both had visible twitches at the corners of their eyes.

This kind of praise... they’d rather not receive it.

“My previous target was indeed Sasuke,” Orochimaru nodded slightly and didn’t deny Yami’s suggestion. His eyes gleamed with fanaticism as he stared at Yami. “But Yami-kun has too many secrets. Rinnegan, Tenseigan, and immeasurable chakra…”

“Compared to you, Sasuke and Madara are nothing.”

As he spoke, the smile on Orochimaru’s face gradually disappeared. “Besides… I still haven’t settled the score with you for letting Uchiha Itachi use Kotoamatsukami on me.”

“What?!”

Sasuke looked at Yami in shock, while Shisui’s expression changed slightly.

When Yami returned his eye, Shisui could feel that the Kotoamatsukami technique had already been activated. Even with the enhancement of Hashirama cells and improved ocular power, it would take three years before he could use it again.

Before, he suspected it had been used by Itachi. Now it seemed that was true, but… it had been at Yami’s request.

“Yami-sensei, what’s going on?” Sasuke couldn’t help asking.

“Well… it’s nothing.”

Yami nodded casually. “It was before the final battle between you and Itachi. I figured I wasn’t doing anything else, so I used Shisui’s eye. Consider it his final contribution to Konoha.”

“What Yami-kun said sounds too casual.”

Orochimaru smiled and amplified his voice with chakra, ensuring everyone nearby could hear clearly.

“The command implanted by Kotoamatsukami wasn’t for me to be loyal to Konoha, but to assist Uchiha Obito with all my strength in gathering the tailed beasts and reviving the Ten Tails.”

“I must say, Uchiha Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami is indeed powerful. If it weren’t for Uchiha Madara’s arrogance in using the Rinnegan as a bargaining chip, I might never have had the chance to break free.”

Whether they were Konoha shinobi or members of the Allied Shinobi Forces, everyone who heard Orochimaru’s words turned to stare at Yami’s tall figure in shock.

“Yami-nii... you...” Naruto stammered, “Orochimaru’s lying, right? There’s no way you’d do that.”

“I take responsibility for what I said.”

Orochimaru smirked. “Yami-kun, it’s fine if you won’t admit it. After all, I have no credibility in the ninja world. But you are the Fifth Hokage, the strongest shinobi alive. You wouldn’t deny such a small thing, would you?”

Yami nodded. “Yes. I asked Uchiha Itachi to do it, just to get you to help Obito and speed things up.”

“Why?” Naruto jumped up, flustered.

“Yeah, why?” Orochimaru asked curiously. “If it was just about the Ten Tails, with your strength, it wouldn’t be hard to capture the nine tailed beasts. Why go through so much effort?”

“Because I wanted to fight the First Hokage, Uchiha Madara.”

Yami smiled and nodded toward both Madara and Hashirama. “They were once legends. What better way is there to prove my strength than to defeat them?”

“Of course, you and Obito are also part of my target list. Obito’s already useless, so now the only one left is you, Orochimaru-sensei...”

Yami’s eyes were filled with battle intent, as if he couldn’t wait to face Orochimaru.

“That reason does make sense.”

Orochimaru nodded, acknowledging Yami’s explanation.

It was true. Strong individuals often developed arrogance and a desire to challenge even stronger opponents, or even create enemies stronger than any that had come before.

Ever since Yami became a shinobi, he had been performing exceedingly well. Later, he became invincible in the ninja world. It wasn’t strange for someone like that to feel a void.

But...

“This is probably only part of the reason. There must be something deeper you haven’t revealed.”

Orochimaru’s body slowly floated upward, his voice echoing from the sky.

“But it doesn’t matter anymore. I won’t fight you. I’m stronger than Uchiha Obito right now, but not by much. I’m unlikely to be your opponent.”

“If I want to completely defeat you, I can only rely on Infinite Tsukuyomi.”

The flowers blooming atop the God Tree had reached full bloom, completely eclipsing the blood-red moonlight.

Orochimaru formed a seal, and the God Tree trembled violently. Starting from the top, the massive God Tree, like the Ten Tails earlier, turned into flowing liquid and entered Orochimaru’s body.

The reason he had talked so much with Yami just now was to buy time. He waited for the God Tree to absorb enough natural energy, then absorbed it himself to raise his strength to the peak.

Sure enough, as the God Tree entered his body, Orochimaru’s aura continued to surge, and the chakra that had already driven everyone to despair reached an even higher level.

Orochimaru slowly closed his eyes. Then, movement began between his eyebrows, which gradually cracked open.

A red Sharingan appeared in the center of his forehead, spinning curiously from side to side.

As Orochimaru raised his hand, the blood-red moon in the sky began to change. It was as if the eye between his brows had projected onto it, and magatama and Rinnegan patterns began to form.

Everyone stared blankly at the blood moon. Many of their eyes began to blur, and some even seemed to glimpse the faint shadow of a white-haired woman in wide sleeves passing by.

Only Yami noticed that the black liquid at the base of the God Tree had also entered Orochimaru’s body along with the tree itself.

(To be continued.)