Chapter 599: Admitting Guilt
Hearing that Ishiro had run off to the Gedo Mazo again, Black Zetsu felt a surge of irritation. Coupling this with the fact that his body had just been destroyed earlier, he felt even more chaotic inside.
He asked, "The Tsuchikage has gone to the Gedo Mazo many times over the years. What exactly does he go there to do?"
The White Zetsu clone shook his head and said, "We don't know either. He chases us away every time."
"We checked the Gedo Mazo after he left, but we didn't find anything. The Gedo Mazo wasn't damaged."
The White Zetsu clone had told Black Zetsu these things before. He thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
So, he changed the subject and asked, "How is the learning of Edo Tensei coming along?"
The White Zetsu clone replied, "Almost there. If we can peek a few more times, we should be able to master it completely."
Black Zetsu thought for a few seconds upon hearing this, then said, "Take me to see Orochimaru."
The White Zetsu clone didn't ask what Black Zetsu wanted to do with Orochimaru. He allowed Black Zetsu to attach himself to his body. Then, taking Black Zetsu, he quickly burrowed underground and headed for the Land of Whirlpools.
Perhaps because Black Zetsu had spent too much time adjusting his mindset underground, by the time the White Zetsu clone brought him near Snake Pit Village, he was informed by other White Zetsu clones that Ishiro had just arrived to find Orochimaru.
The person Black Zetsu feared most right now was Ishiro. Terrified by this news, Black Zetsu immediately screamed at the White Zetsu clone he was attached to, ordering it to transfer locations immediately.
In his panic, he even directly seized control of the White Zetsu clone.
Black Zetsu controlled the White Zetsu clone, picked a random direction, and fled rapidly.
Ishiro didn't know he had nearly scared Black Zetsu to death. He did indeed have business with Orochimaru, and this business was indeed related to Black Zetsu.
After hitching a ride on Izumi Uchiha's progress again, Ishiro tried fusing the five nature transformations. He discovered that he had completed ninety-nine percent of it—he was just a tiny bit away.
Ishiro felt that his current state of mind was no longer suitable for calming down and cultivating.
So, he called upon Sōkai, Neji-kun, and Izumi Uchiha. Taking the Giant Sharingan with them, they first went to the location of the Gedo Mazo to replenish the Giant Sharingan's energy.
After storing the Giant Sharingan away, they headed straight for Snake Pit Village.
Ishiro brought Neji-kun, Sōkai, Izumi Uchiha, and Chiga to the outskirts of Snake Pit Village.
Ishiro shouted towards Orochimaru, who was hiding underground, "Orochimaru-senpai, an old friend is here. Why don't you come out to welcome me?"
Orochimaru had received the news before Ishiro arrived, but he didn't show himself directly, nor did he run away immediately.
He hadn't determined the purpose of Ishiro's visit yet.
When he heard what Ishiro said, Orochimaru guessed that Ishiro was likely here to make a trade.
He thought about it, formed hand seals, and sent a Shadow Clone up to the surface.
Chiga, standing beside Ishiro, whispered to him, "Ishiro-sensei, this isn't Orochimaru's main body. His main body is still down below."
So Ishiro smiled slightly at Orochimaru's Shadow Clone and said, "I haven't seen you in a few years, Orochimaru-senpai. You've become much more cautious than before!"
Orochimaru's Shadow Clone was startled at first, but then he understood.
Back then, Ishiro could locate the Hyūga clan, so now being able to locate Hiashi Hyūga, whom he was possessing, seemed plausible.
But in that case, didn't that mean he had no chance of escaping in front of him?
Orochimaru pondered this issue and didn't respond to Ishiro immediately.
Ishiro withdrew his gaze from the ground and continued, "Orochimaru-senpai, let's make a deal!"
Orochimaru's Shadow Clone looked at Ishiro and asked, "What kind of deal does the Tsuchikage want to make?"
Ishiro said, "I want Black Zetsu's body! Orochimaru-senpai definitely has this in his possession!"
That was right. After tasting the benefits from Neji-kun and Izumi Uchiha, Ishiro no longer wanted to cultivate slowly.
Seeing that success was right around the corner, Ishiro found it even harder to calm down and increase his proficiency bit by bit.
So, for that last one percent of the seventh level of the five-attribute fusion, Ishiro pinned his hopes directly on hitching a ride with Sōkai.
After all, Sōkai, like the previous Izumi Uchiha, had been ready for the last two years. He was just missing the final 'Quickening'.
As long as he obtained another part of Black Zetsu's body, Sōkai would be able to advance just like Izumi Uchiha.
Orochimaru's Shadow Clone remained silent. He wasn't surprised that Ishiro knew he had Black Zetsu's body.
After all, it was Ishiro who had told him that Black Zetsu could actively separate his body.
It wasn't that he couldn't bear to part with the Black Zetsu body in his hands. He had studied it, but he hadn't made any progress.
He just didn't know what Ishiro wanted Black Zetsu's body for. To what extent had Ishiro's research on Black Zetsu's body progressed? What could Black Zetsu's body bring to Ishiro?
After a while, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone asked, "What does the Tsuchikage intend to trade with?"
Ishiro said, "Time!"
Orochimaru's Shadow Clone frowned, not understanding Ishiro's meaning.
Ishiro added, "If Orochimaru-senpai doesn't agree to the exchange, I will kill you today!"
"If Orochimaru-senpai is willing to exchange, I'll take the item and leave!"
"I believe Orochimaru-senpai still needs some time to upgrade your eyes. This time is the price I am paying!"
Hearing this, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone revealed a cold sneer. He looked at Ishiro coldly and stopped speaking.
Ishiro laughed, "Does Orochimaru-senpai think I'm teasing you?"
"You can ask the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave if he is willing to protect you in front of these two pairs of eyes."
As he spoke, Ishiro pointed to Neji-kun and Izumi Uchiha.
Hearing this, Neji-kun and Izumi Uchiha stepped out from behind Ishiro. Neji-kun raised his head, which had been lowered, and looked calmly at Orochimaru's Shadow Clone.
Under Neji-kun's gaze, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone felt like he couldn't maintain his form.
He knew these eyes; they were called the Tenseigan. He had seen them during the joint Chunin Exams in Konoha, but he hadn't felt anything terrifying back then.
He didn't expect that after four years, they would reach such a level!
And the familiar pattern in Izumi Uchiha's eyes made his body tremble. The Rinnegan?
Orochimaru's subconscious reaction was that Ishiro had snatched Nagato's Rinnegan, but he quickly realized that wasn't right.
Based on the origin of Nagato's Rinnegan that Ishiro had told him about, he knew that as a Mangekyō Uchiha, Izumi Uchiha's Rinnegan was likely evolved by herself.
Moreover, given the relationship between Ishiro and Nagato, it was unlikely he would move against Nagato.
Feeling the immense pressure brought by the two pairs of eyes, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone felt a sense of foreboding in his heart.
Ishiro had actually allowed their eyes to complete the upgrade one step ahead of him.
In that case, he really did need to buy himself time. So, he voluntarily dispersed the Shadow Clone.
A moment later, Ishiro sensed that Orochimaru underground had used the Summoning Jutsu, appearing to communicate with Ryūchi Cave.
Ishiro was right; Orochimaru needed time!
The reason he was so cautious and didn't come out with his main body was that he felt his own eyes were about to advance.
Orochimaru was just like the current Ishiro, lingering right at the door of success. At this time, like Ishiro, he didn't want to take risks!
He had absorbed the pupil power of dozens of Byakugan and, under the guidance of the Sage of Six Paths, knew how to quickly evolve the Byakugan.
So, Orochimaru's progress over the past two years had been immense. His current situation was about the same as Sōkai's.
Ishiro and the other three waited outside for a while until finally, a small snake drilled out of the ground.
The small snake opened its mouth and spat out a glass bottle, then turned around and returned underground.
Ishiro pulled the glass bottle to him, undid the seal on it, sensed it carefully, and then nodded in satisfaction.
Ishiro didn't break his word. The current him also urgently needed time; he also didn't want any complications.
The White Snake Sage was wary of the Tenseigan and the Rinnegan, and Ishiro was equally wary of him.
If Orochimaru really hid in Ryūchi Cave, Ishiro wouldn't dare risk attacking it.
It was best to solve the problem peacefully.
Ishiro took the incredibly excited Sōkai, Neji-kun, and the others, and quickly returned to Iwagakure.
Subsequently, Sōkai went through the process that Izumi Uchiha had experienced before.
And Ishiro hitched a ride for the third time recently.
A long time later, Sōkai also awakened the Rinnegan. However, Izumi Uchiha's was a blue Rinnegan, while Sōkai, for some reason, awakened a red Rinnegan.
Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha initially thought something went wrong, but Ishiro knew that Sōkai's evolutionary direction was simply different from Izumi Uchiha's.
Ishiro comforted the two of them with a few words, then said to the three, "Get familiar with the new abilities of your eyes recently."
"I'm going to fuse the five nature transformations!"
The three answered in unison.
Although all three were now at the Sage level, they were even more respectful toward Ishiro.
That the three of them could reach this step was entirely driven by Ishiro. Without Ishiro, there would be no current realm for the three of them.
All three had the thought that they weren't special; if Ishiro had chosen other clansmen back then, perhaps the lucky ones reaching the Sage level now would be them instead.
The three felt their only special quality lay in the fact that Ishiro gave the opportunity to them.
Ishiro didn't mind their attitude. He waved his hand and returned to his laboratory.
Neji-kun chatted with Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha for a few sentences before excusing himself; he didn't want to be a third wheel.
Izumi Uchiha and the abnormally excited Sōkai stayed in the secret chamber for a long time.
After Sōkai calmed down from his excitement, Izumi Uchiha said, "Let's go see Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha."
Hearing Izumi Uchiha's words, Sōkai immediately understood her meaning. He also really wanted to see the expressions on those two's faces.
So, holding hands, the two of them dragged Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha out of their prison cells one after another.
Before Sōkai and the other awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, they often sought out these two captives for sparring.
After awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, although the frequency decreased, the two would still occasionally come over for a fight.
One reason was to increase actual combat experience, and the other was to vent their anger.
Letting these two traitors watch them get stronger day by day, feeling their despair, was a great way to alleviate the hatred in their hearts.
However, Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha had never called Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha together before.
This was the first time.
Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha had both mastered the ability to identify positions by sound, so they discovered each other's presence immediately.
After a moment of silence, Shisui Uchiha asked with a trembling voice, "Itachi, is that you?"
Itachi Uchiha hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "Shisui-san, it's me!"
Sōkai chuckled softly and said, "Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, how about it? Are you very grateful to us? We let you two, who should have been dead, reunite again."
Itachi Uchiha didn't speak, but Shisui Uchiha said, "Sōkai, if you have business, come at me. Itachi is innocent."
"During the Night of the Genocide, Itachi was still just a child!"
Izumi Uchiha sneered, "A child? A child who wielded a butcher's knife against his own kin?"
"If he can be called a child, then what do you call the infants who died at his hands?"
Shisui Uchiha choked on his words, unable to refute.
After a while, he said again, "The Village was right. The Clan shouldn't have rebelled. The Clan's rebellion would only have brought disaster to the Village."
Upon hearing this, Izumi Uchiha and Sōkai didn't get too angry. The two of them were long accustomed to Shisui Uchiha's stubbornness.
The two looked at each other, then simultaneously displayed their full strength.
The aura of the two Sage-level beings was fully unleashed, oppressing Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha to the point where they couldn't move.
Having lost their eyes, their other senses were sharper, and they easily felt the power of Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha.
Itachi Uchiha said in his heart, 'How is this possible?'
Shisui Uchiha was so shocked that his whole body trembled, unable to say a single word.
After a good while, Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha retracted their aura. Only then did Shisui Uchiha grit his teeth and say, word by word, "How can you be so strong?"
Itachi Uchiha didn't ask such a stupid question. He asked, equally pausing after every word, "What level is this?"
Izumi Uchiha said with a trace of pleasure in her tone, "Lord Tsuchikage says this is the Sage level!"
Sōkai added, "Sister Izumi and I have both awakened the Rinnegan!"
Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha were startled again. The legendary Rinnegan?
Both knew the contents recorded on that mysterious stone tablet in the clan, so Shisui Uchiha asked, "Did you fuse the Yang Release of the Senju Clan?"
Itachi Uchiha shook his head to himself. He was calmer than Shisui Uchiha; his senses didn't detect Hashirama Senju's aura on Izumi Uchiha or Sōkai.
Their situation was completely different from Kakashi's transplant of the First Hokage's cells.
Izumi Uchiha and Sōkai didn't answer Shisui Uchiha's question.
Sōkai spoke slowly, "Shisui Uchiha, when I caught you back then, I really wanted to kill you with my own hands."
"But Ishiro-sensei stopped me. His main reason for persuading me wasn't that you two were useful."
"He said to let me cultivate well, and when my strength reached a point where I could destroy Konoha alone, to come and ask you."
"Now, I am going to kill every ninja in Konoha just like the clansmen who died back then, to complete the unification of the ninja world. Which side do you stand on?"
Hearing this, both Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha opened their mouths wide.
They hadn't thought about this aspect just now, but being reminded by Sōkai, they suddenly felt their worldviews completely destroyed.
Back then, they joined the Konoha higher-ups and betrayed the clan for the sake of peace, to stop war, and to reduce the casualties of the innocent.
Because they felt the clan didn't have the people's support, that the clan's rebellion would fail sooner or later, and if the clan actively rebelled, it would only cause more innocent people to lose their lives.
So the two chose to support the Konoha higher-ups, and Itachi Uchiha even actively participated in the genocide operation.
Although they sacrificed their clansmen, they saved the entire village.
Even if they weren't understood by survivors like Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha, they firmly believed they were not wrong.
The ones in the wrong were Izumi Uchiha and Sōkai; their narrow-mindedness limited their vision.
But now, the strength of Izumi Uchiha and Sōkai had reached the Sage level, a level they couldn't comprehend.
The balance of power within Konoha from back then had been completely overturned.
For Konoha to resist the Uchiha now would only cause more innocent people to die tragically.
According to the logic of the two of them, all Konoha ninjas should commit suicide to avoid war.
If the Konoha ninjas were unwilling to commit suicide, then they were being selfish and narrow-minded.
Shisui Uchiha held his head in pain and squatted on the ground!
Itachi Uchiha looked like he had lost his soul.
Izumi Uchiha nodded to Sōkai.
Sōkai understood. He left the place, and after a while, he brought Katsumata and Natsuki, as well as a death row prisoner.
Natsuki was holding a mask in her hand.
Katsumata looked at Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha, then looked at Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, whose worldviews had been shattered.
Then he and Natsuki quickly set things up in front of everyone. Subsequently, with Sōkai's assistance, Katsumata performed the Edo Tensei.
Who Sōkai and Katsumata reincarnated was none other than Fugaku Uchiha, whose soul had been sealed inside the Reaper.
After successfully reincarnating Fugaku Uchiha, Katsumata very tactfully dragged the gossip-hungry Natsuki away.
Feeling the aura of Fugaku Uchiha's Edo Tensei body, Shisui Uchiha stood up from the ground. Itachi Uchiha also recovered from his dazed state and looked at Fugaku Uchiha.
Except, although their faces were turned toward Fugaku Uchiha, both of them hung their heads low.
After Fugaku Uchiha was reincarnated, he first looked at Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha. He subconsciously called out, "Itachi, Shisui? What happened to your eyes?"
Hearing Fugaku Uchiha's voice, Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha lowered their heads even further.
At this moment, Fugaku Uchiha saw Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha beside him.
His attention was quickly attracted by their Rinnegan.
Fugaku Uchiha was shocked for a long time, then said tremblingly, "You are Izumi, Sōkai? Are your eyes the legendary Rinnegan?"
"You awakened the Rinnegan? That's great! The Uchiha Clan finally has hope for revival!"
Hearing this, Shisui Uchiha squatted down again.
Sōkai wasn't very familiar with Fugaku Uchiha, but Izumi Uchiha was closer to him.
She said slowly, "Clan Head Fugaku, with the Tsuchikage's help, we first awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and now we have successfully awakened the Rinnegan."
"We now possess the strength to destroy Konoha single-handedly."
"We invited you here because we wanted you to witness the choice of these two traitors in this situation!"
Fugaku Uchiha was stunned. He only then recovered from his excitement. Right, he had been too agitated just now and forgot that Shisui and Itachi were not on the same side as Izumi and Sōkai.
Fugaku Uchiha looked again at the two soul-lost figures, understanding their current predicament and understanding their current mental state.
Suddenly, Shisui Uchiha raised his hand and slapped it down towards his own head.
Itachi Uchiha sensed Shisui Uchiha's movement. He didn't hesitate either, slapping his palm toward his own head as well.
Fugaku Uchiha raised his hand to stop them, but he felt that perhaps death was the best destination for them now.
But while Fugaku Uchiha wanted to let them find release, someone else did not.
Izumi Uchiha raised her hand and froze the two of them in place.
This was the pupil technique of her Rinnegan. A Sage-level Rinnegan could easily fix two defenseless souls in place.
Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha had no guard up against Izumi Uchiha just now, so they were hit directly.
Seeing this, Sōkai stepped forward and placed his hands on each of them.
In the next moment, the chakra inside their bodies was directly sucked away by Sōkai.
Izumi Uchiha waited until the two slumped weakly to the ground before saying, "Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, why commit suicide?"
"There are still so many guys in Konoha who disregard peace; they are waiting for you to kill them!"
Itachi Uchiha raised his hands tremblingly, covering his ears forcefully. He screamed, "Izumi Uchiha, stop talking!"
Itachi Uchiha's will was firmer than Shisui Uchiha's; he had believed even more firmly that his original choice wasn't wrong.
So when his will was utterly destroyed in front of the father who had died by his hand, his breakdown was even more complete than Shisui Uchiha's.
Shisui Uchiha was equally in agony. He blindly slammed his head against the ground, using physical pain to alleviate the suffering in his heart.
After a long while, Fugaku Uchiha finally said to Izumi Uchiha, "Izumi, let them go. They were just brainwashed by the Konoha higher-ups."
"The Konoha higher-ups are the source of all tragedy."
Sōkai remained unmoved, while Izumi Uchiha was silent for a while before slowly saying, "Alright."
She looked at Sōkai. Sōkai hesitated for a moment, then nodded as well.
The two held hands again and looked at Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha.
Sōkai spoke up, "Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha."
"I, Sōkai Uchiha, the new Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, hereby announce: You two are traitors to the Uchiha Clan!"
"I strip you of the Uchiha surname!"
"I sentence you to death!"
"I allow you to commit suicide after confessing before the tombstones of the clansmen!"
Fugaku Uchiha closed his eyes. Sōkai's punishment was still very heavy. For Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, it would still be very painful, but at least there was hope to end this suffering sooner.
Subsequently, Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha took Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, and the Edo Tensei Fugaku Uchiha to a tombstone outside Iwagakure.
This was the cenotaph he and Izumi Uchiha had erected for all the Uchiha who died during the Night of the Genocide.
Sōkai didn't let Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha begin their confession immediately; he was still waiting for someone.
After a while, a senile old woman brought a large group of ninja cats to the tombstone.
The arrival was Granny Cat and the Ninja Cat Clan.
Sōkai and Izumi Uchiha greeted Granny Cat, and only then said to Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, "Begin."
Then, in front of Fugaku Uchiha, Izumi Uchiha, Sōkai, Granny Cat, and all the ninja cats, Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha knelt before the tombstone, weeping bitterly as they admitted their mistakes.
After the two apologized and repented, they raised the knives Sōkai gave them and committed suicide.