"Lord Hakushi, who are these guys..."
The live slug was clinging to Hakushi's shoulder, naturally seeing this information. Upon seeing the images of the Uzumaki face and the white creatures, its tone was filled with surprise.
"They are members of a mysterious force I'm concerned about. This force is quite focused on Konoha and the Uchiha. I want to find out their purpose. So, live slug, do you know these strange creatures?"
Hakushi asked.
"It's not a matter of knowing them or not, Lord Hakushi, is this information really accurate?"
The live slug asked.
The caution in its tone made Hakushi slightly startled.
After knowing it for so many days, it was the first time he felt the slug's seriousness.
"Yes, it is accurate. In my laboratory, there are several body samples."
Hakushi told the slug the answer accurately.
"I didn't expect there would still be remnants in this era."
"This era?"
From the slug's perspective, it seemed that these creatures were not products of this era.
"Lord Hakushi, I've previously spoken to you about the Divine Tree."
"Ah, you told me that the Divine Tree absorbed Natural Energy from the environment in the past and converted it into Chakra, a secret."
Hakushi nodded.
"These white creatures are humans from the Ancient Era."
"Humans?"
Hakushi showed a look of surprise.
These white creatures, he had dissected many times. He had grasped the internal physiological system. Not to mention humans, within the known species in the current Ninja Realm, there was no match.
"These white creatures are collectively known as White Zetsu. They were living soldiers created by the Divine Tree using ancient humans. After a series of twists and turns, these guys gradually disappeared. I thought they had all been exterminated, but I didn't expect them to appear in this era."
Living soldiers forged by the Divine Tree? Hakushi was taken aback.
He felt that the secrets of the Ancient Era were more stimulating than he imagined.
"The white creatures I caught before were all very weak. This time, this Uzumaki-faced guy could easily suppress two of my clones in Immortal Technique form; it seems that there are also individuals with strong existence within."
"The power of the Divine Tree Ten-tailed is unfathomable, and it's the origin of Chakra in the Ninja Realm."
The live slug said solemnly.
"Then, live slug, what do you think is the reason for these living soldiers called White Zetsu to awaken in this era?"
Hakushi wanted to know the correlation.
"I'm not really sure. It was the Six Paths Sage who subdued the Divine Tree, and I didn't participate in that battle. The one at Mount Myoboku might know a bit; it has deep ties with the Six Paths Sage. But I advise Lord Hakushi not to seek answers at Mount Myoboku now."
Hakushi nodded slightly.
From Mount Myoboku's series of actions supporting Konoha, and the Witch Mire's warnings, it seemed he and this place were inherently at odds.
To gain the support of the live slug was because the slug viewed everything in the mundane world with a detached perspective.
Worldly power, wealth, and strength held no attraction for it.
Contrarily, Mount Myoboku, also a Sacred Land, has always been overly interfering in the human world, possessing unfathomable prophetic abilities.
It decided human fate from on high.
This attitude of interfering with the rules of development as a predetermined destiny made Hakushi feel extremely uneasy in his mind, with an inexplicable urge to crush it.
"Now that things have surfaced, just follow the clues."
"Lord Hakushi should be more cautious. There's no way White Zetsu came out on its own; there must be a force manipulating from behind. If the Divine Tree awakens again, the world might face destruction. Before that, the person behind the scenes will definitely go to collect the tails..."
The live slug did not doubt Hakushi's ability, but the existence of the Divine Tree was too dangerous, so it had to remind him to avoid complacency.
While the slug was reminding Hakushi, the door of the office suddenly opened.
No knocking was heard.
Two people came straight in.
"Lord Hakushi, I'm seriously advising you, please don't take it lightly. This could escalate into world chaos."
The live slug saw that Hakushi wasn't listening at all, and its tone became helpless.
"..."
Hakushi was not unaware of the severity of what the slug had mentioned.
But seeing Ruri's cold face and Ayane's fake smile, both of whom entered, Hakushi felt the tense and oppressive atmosphere.
The air temperature dropped instantly.
Like the biting cold of January's deep winter.
Hakushi wasn't sure if the world would fall into chaos, but if he didn't handle family matters properly, he might be crushed by the two today.
In the days he was away, what on earth happened between them?
Thinking of the mountain he saw disappearing mysteriously just now, and the staff hesitating to address it, Hakushi suddenly had a bad premonition.
Could it be that they were responsible for the disappearance of that mountain?