Chapter 138: Can There Even Be Rejection?
Shiromo leaving Black Zetsu with an opening to act did not mean he was certain this attempt would succeed.
To be honest, whether it succeeded or failed could both be argued.
Boruto was only half Ōtsutsuki, but back then Isshiki had only been eaten halfway as well.
Inside the Gedo Statue, there was no tailed beast chakra that had been split off, but there 'was' chakra stored in the Dragon Vein's root system, chakra equivalent to a primordial version of the Ten-Tails.
If you said the conditions were met, then yes, they were met.
In fact, there was an even more reliable method that Shiromo hadn't mentioned earlier, though it had appeared in literary works.
That was simply to split open the moon that sealed Kaguya.
No need for all these requirements and conditions, just crack it open and she's out.
---
On Shiromo's side, the discussion continued around the topic of Sasuke using the 'Icha Icha' series to strategize how to deal with his daughter.
"H-He… he didn't actually succeed, did he?"
Kushina wore a completely incredulous expression.
"Heh heh."
Jiraiya puffed out his chest with inexplicable pride.
"Of course he failed."
"That's a relief."
Kushina patted her chest and finally let out a sigh.
"Then in that case, since Sasuke cares so much about his daughter, I'll just give Sasuke-kun a daughter myself later."
After listening for a long while, Orochimaru nodded slightly.
"Hm?"
Itachi stared wide-eyed at Orochimaru.
What did that mean?
Itachi activated his Sharingan and scanned Orochimaru's Adam's apple and waist. Noticing that Orochimaru's current body was indeed female, he was instantly shocked.
Could it be that Orochimaru had gone from coveting Sasuke's body… to coveting Sasuke's 'body'?
"Orochimaru, stop right there!"
Jiraiya slammed a hand onto Orochimaru's shoulder, his face full of disappointment and anger.
"I know you've been lonely since you transplanted that thing, I know you want to meet your future child as soon as possible, but you can't lay your hands on Sasuke!"
"Jiraiya, let me clarify. You misunderstood earlier. I didn't transplant anything."
Orochimaru calmly brushed Jiraiya's hand aside.
Indeed, there was no transplant, this was the legendary forbidden technique, Living Corpse Reincarnation. The entire body had been replaced with a female one.
Itachi silently watched the two of them arguing, wondering whether he should just take Sasuke away from Orochimaru altogether.
Fortunately, Orochimaru soon made himself clear.
Jiraiya shot back, "Then what about that photo Shiromo showed earlier? Wasn't that your child? You're planning to make Sasuke the father, good grief, Orochimaru!"
"Idiot. Whether it's that child or the one I plan to give Sasuke, both will be created using cell cultivation technology. Not the primitive method you're imagining!"
Orochimaru finally snapped after being cursed back and forth.
"Creating children through cell cultivation, what is that supposed to be?"
Jiraiya was instantly dumbfounded. Was there really some other way to create children besides day-and-night ferocious attacks?
The sky had fallen.
The sky had fallen for the Pure-Color War God Jiraiya.
Was lewdness… not a necessary part of being human?
Meanwhile, Itachi visibly relaxed after hearing Orochimaru's explanation.
"Orochimaru, you can't actually do that yet, can you?"
Itachi asked.
"I can't. But the information Shiromo-kun brought me can greatly shorten the time it takes to develop it."
Orochimaru shook his head slightly.
According to the original course of events, Orochimaru had lost his arms at this point and first had to find ways to heal them.
His body was also failing, forcing him to prepare Sasuke as a vessel for reincarnation.
During that period, his research was practically at a standstill.
Then he died.
After the Fourth Great Ninja War, although he avoided punishment due to his contributions, he was still placed under strict surveillance.
Under those conditions, experimental materials were severely lacking, and everything he did was constrained, rapid research progress was impossible.
Yet Orochimaru truly lived up to being the ninja world's scientist. His scientific perspective had never changed.
What had Shiromo actually given him?
Nothing, really. Shiromo couldn't bring him future versions of Kabuto's or Orochimaru's classified technologies.
What Shiromo gave him was simply a direction: 'this' is something you will successfully research in the future.
For Orochimaru, that was enough.
Because in scientific research, the hardest part isn't the technology, it's the unknown.
Like building a nuclear bomb in a previous life: the biggest problem at the beginning wasn't technology, but whether to build it at all.
You don't know whether pouring massive manpower and resources into it will succeed or just vanish into nothing.
Orochimaru's situation was the same.
Shiromo had confirmed that this research direction would definitely succeed, allowing Orochimaru to commit fully without hesitation.
Besides, didn't he now also have the Second Hokage helping out?
Even if the Second was mainly interested in helping Nagato steal Madara's account, no, his eyes.
"So that's how it is. Orochimaru, I have no objection to your idea, but why not let Sasuke follow the normal route, get married and have children?"
Itachi raised his doubts.
"Itachi, given Sasuke's personality, how likely do you think that will happen?"
"And even if he did follow the normal route, what if he ended up having a son?"
"To live up to the trust that Sasuke just showed me, only by doing it myself, custom-made for the current Sasuke, can I ensure absolute accuracy."
Orochimaru's words left Itachi speechless.
At the same time, the First and Second Hokage, who had been monitoring the Gedo Statue's condition, walked over.
"Why does it still look like this? There's no change at all, it even looks like it's about to go berserk."
Tobirama frowned as he asked Shiromo.
Before Shiromo could answer, Orochimaru suddenly offered a possibility.
"Could it be… rejection?"
Good grief.
Now even rejection reactions were on the table.
Kabuto had stuffed other people's cells into himself like pouring cement, and that still worked, didn't it?
Of course the ninja world had rejection reactions.
But all rejection could be suppressed with the all-purpose chakra.
Even the most violently rejecting cells, 'Hashirama cells', were no exception.
With so much chakra inside the Gedo Statue, was it really unable to suppress it?
And besides, it couldn't be that the Gedo Statue could eat Isshiki but not Borushiki, right?
Unless…
"If it's 'dual' rejection, then that would make sense."
Shiromo stroked his chin.
If it were only Momoshiki-Boruto being incompatible, it wouldn't look like this.
The other half of the chakra, while pure, indeed didn't match tailed beast power either.
"Then what do we do now?"
Hashirama asked, looking completely lost.
"That depends on Shi… wait! What is 'that guy' doing?!"
Tobirama was about to throw the question straight back to Shiromo when he suddenly spotted Black Zetsu poking his head out near the Gedo Statue's backside.
That thing had somehow evaded both his and his brother's senses at the same time and was secretly doing something to the Gedo Statue.
Could it be him?
Was he the one causing the Gedo Statue's abnormal behavior?
"Uh…"
Shiromo had expected Black Zetsu to be exposed sooner or later, he just hadn't expected it to be this casually.
Had Black Zetsu completely lowered his guard after seeing the appearance of the Ōtsutsuki and fully trusting Shiromo?
That hiding spot was way too sloppy.
"He's a member of your organization, right? Was his action ordered by either of you?"
Tobirama turned his head to look at Shiromo and Nagato.
(End of this chapter)