Chongming's lively nature, while causing a minor embarrassment, also broke the stiff atmosphere in the hall.
Following the declarations of the tailed beasts who had a good relationship with Orochimaru, the remaining tailed beasts also agreed to the request to withdraw their power.
Finally, even Shukaku, who had always been fond of opposing Kurama, reluctantly nodded after Bunpuku's repeated pleas, putting aside his pride.
"Since everyone agrees, I'll begin now."
Orochimaru smiled and nodded, then reached out and stroked Chongming, who had transformed into a small dragonfly and was perched on his shoulder, twice.
"Don't worry! It won't hurt!"
With that said, Orochimaru formed a peculiar hand seal. The power of the Six Paths surged within him, instantly linking the power of the nine tailed beasts and the withered Outer Path Demonic Statue together.
"Ninjutsu - Six Paths - Illusion Dragon Nine Sealing!"
With a soft shout, the Outer Path Demonic Statue, which had seemed lifeless, let out a low roar. Nine illusory dragon shapes slowly flew out from its gaping maw.
After circling in front of the Outer Path Demonic Statue, the nine dragon shapes each chose their target and flew towards the nine tailed beasts and their jinchuriki.
The dragon mouths opened slightly, and wisps of the Divine Tree's origin power were drawn from the tailed beasts, slowly seeping into the dragon shadows.
The extraction of power was swift. The nine tailed beasts merely felt a reduction in their chakra before the nine dragon shadows flew back to the Outer Path Demonic Statue.
From one to nine, they each entered the nine closed eyes on the head of the Outer Path Demonic Statue.
"Roar!"
Although the power offered by the nine tailed beasts was weak, it was, after all, the origin power separated from the Ten-Tails. As soon as it gathered within the Outer Path Demonic Statue, the statue let out a joyous roar and slowly opened the nine closed eyes on its face.
Having transformed from an inanimate object into a living being and regained some of its origin power, the Outer Path Demonic Statue immediately followed its instincts and transformed its body into the shape of the Divine Tree.
Nine severed tails gradually grew from its back, slowly transforming into nine thick roots that dug into the ground.
Orochimaru chuckled and turned to give a signal to Void, who was beside him.
Upon receiving his master's command, Void, despite his reluctance, had no choice but to reluctantly control the puppet he had recently acquired and fly towards the roots of the Divine Tree.
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction. With a thought, dark chakra immediately detached from Isshiki Otsutsuki, forming a tough, dark chakra membrane that blocked the Divine Tree's roots from extending into the ground.
"Here is your offering. Don't covet the power of the ninja world's ley lines."
"Disobey... and die!"
A cold voice sounded from Orochimaru's lips. The Divine Tree's attempt to break through the dark chakra blockade froze. Instinctively, it retracted its roots and instead plunged them into Isshiki Otsutsuki's body.
After all, Isshiki Otsutsuki had once been a Six Paths level existence. Even with only residual soul power, the strength contained within was enough to stimulate the Divine Tree to a considerable extent.
Coupled with the Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan containing the spirit of the Ten-Tails, it was likely that after being absorbed by the Divine Tree, it would not be significantly weaker than the Divine Tree in the original plot that had absorbed the chakra of the nine great tailed beasts.
As expected, sensing the abundant and compatible power within the offering, the Divine Tree emitted waves of joyous mental energy, diligently absorbing the power from Isshiki Otsutsuki and the Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan.
With the infusion of immense power, the trunk of the Divine Tree grew upwards at a visible rate.
In just a few breaths, those standing below the tree could no longer see the top of the Divine Tree.
Watching Isshiki Otsutsuki gradually disappear into the pit, Orochimaru nodded to Uchiha Madara.
"Senior Madara, let's begin!"
The clone nodded crisply and formed the hand seal that Orochimaru had previously used.
"Ninjutsu - Ten-Tails Coffin Seal!"
As the clone completed the hand seal, the Divine Tree, which had just finished growing, had no time to react before Uchiha Madara forcibly sealed it within his own body.
At the same time, Uchiha Madara, who had become the Ten-Tails jinchuriki, slowly began to transform into the appearance of the Otsutsuki clan.
His wild black hair turned snow white, and a single horn grew from his forehead.
Robes adorned with black tomoe appeared out of nowhere and draped over Uchiha Madara's body, with nine Truth-Seeking Orbs slowly revolving around him.
The Six Paths power that Uchiha Madara had yearned for for years was finally realized at this moment.
"Mmm..."
"This power..."
"It's truly intoxicating!"
Slowly opening his eyes, Uchiha Madara experienced the power that could almost overturn the world within him and couldn't help but let out a sigh of satisfaction.
Orochimaru chuckled and shook his head, urging the entranced Uchiha Madara.
"Heh!"
"Senior Madara, there's no need to be so sentimental about power that isn't your own."
"With this experience, in the future, relying solely on yourself, you will eventually achieve true Six Paths!"
"Let's go!"
Uchiha Madara squinted at Orochimaru for a moment before finally sighing helplessly.
"This power... seems to be quite a bit less than yours..."
"I originally planned to fight you first, but now it seems..."
"I'll have to postpone it for later!"
"Wait a moment!"
Putting aside his unrealistic desires, Uchiha Madara shook his head, turned to his original body, and transferred a portion of the fully nurtured Six Paths power within him to his original body, as a seed for his future advancement to true Six Paths.
"Later, when the Infinite Tsukuyomi descends, help me ask what kind of sweet dreams Hashirama is having."
"That's all..."
Then, he turned resolutely and flew up to the top of the Divine Tree with Orochimaru.
...
The speed of a Six Paths level being was extremely fast.
In just a moment, the two of them reached the top of the Divine Tree.
Looking at the moon, which was almost within reach, Uchiha Madara slowly reached for his forehead.
"The information left by Black Zetsu wasn't entirely wrong."
"Those who possess the power of all creation and then become Ten-Tails jinchuriki will awaken the Moon's Eye as long as they approach the moon."
"Crack!"
With a slight force, Uchiha Madara broke off the bony layer connected to the horn on his forehead, revealing the Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan that had just grown from his brow.
"Apart from being a bit impractical, it's quite good-looking."
Looking at Uchiha Madara's new appearance, Orochimaru couldn't help but tease with a smile.
Uchiha Madara glanced at him and snorted in displeasure.
"Don't think I don't know."
"After you absorbed that Divine Tree before, you also grew eyes like this."
"If you're strong enough to wield this power, fine, but why mock me by saying such things?"
Orochimaru chuckled and reached out, injecting a strand of dark chakra into Uchiha Madara's body.
"Just a joke..."
"Remember to implant the concept of peace in the ninja world into the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Let's begin!"
Uchiha Madara felt the deeply hidden dark power within him, secretly surprised by Orochimaru's ruthless methods, and mumbled a nod.
"Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
Scarlet light shot out from the eye on Uchiha Madara's brow, instantly dyeing the moon the color of the Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan.
The next moment, dazzling white light suddenly emanated from the moon, instantly engulfing the entire ninja world within it.
Under the illumination of this white light, all living beings in the ninja world simultaneously saw the patterns of the Rinnegan in their eyes and fell into the deepest, most wonderful dream.
At the same time, having completed the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Uchiha Madara released his mind and body, allowing everything about him to be taken over by a sudden mental force, slowly transforming into a female Otsutsuki before Orochimaru.
"I... have finally returned..."
Kaguya Otsutsuki opened her pure Byakugan, looking down at the ninja world, which was vastly different from a thousand years ago, and let out a long sigh.
Orochimaru chuckled and, with a slight shift of his mind, the dark chakra hidden within Uchiha Madara's body slowly crawled all over Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Looking at Kaguya Otsutsuki, who was filled with terrified shock but could not move an inch, Orochimaru revealed a smile of absolute control.
"Kaguya Otsutsuki, welcome back to..."
"My world!"
(The End!)