"The Hidden Sound is currently collecting tailed beasts. Do you know why?" Jugo's face was gloomy as he spoke in a low voice.
"Speak, don't waste time," Sasuke replied coldly, unmoved.
From his perspective, whatever the Hidden Sound did didn't concern him as long as it didn't violate his inner sense of justice.
"He wants to collect nine tailed beasts, summon the Ten-Tails, and become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki," Jugo said bitterly.
"And then? For power?" Sasuke asked with a neutral expression.
"I don't think a Ten-Tails alone would pique Naruto's interest. He's not interested in abilities that don't belong to him, so he definitely won't become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki."
Upon hearing Sasuke's words, Jugo suddenly felt an odd sensation in his heart.
Naruto and Sasuke were like best friends, completely understanding each other's thoughts.
Their positions were also enigmatic.
They were enemies, but not quite.
In his mind, Jugo organized his words and continued, "A Ten-Tails Jinchuriki alone wouldn't interest Naruto, but what if this Ten-Tails Jinchuriki had the power to change the Ninja World?"
This statement piqued Sasuke's interest.
He had always been curious about the Hidden Sound's objectives.
In his view, the Hidden Sound must have more in mind than just overturning the rules.
After overthrowing the rules, they needed the strength to establish and maintain a new system.
But what Jugo said next changed Sasuke's expression.
"The Hidden Sound's goal in collecting the Nine-Tails is to create a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. With the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki at the center, they'll radiate the spiritual pressure of the Soul Society, completely transform the Ninja World's environment, and turn all humans into wandering souls!"
"Impossible?!" Sasuke's first reaction to this statement was disbelief.
"Naruto would never make such a cruel decision."
If everything were true, then humanity would have no future, and the future Ninja World would be under the control of the Shinigami.
Turning all enemies into their own kind, was that Naruto's long-planned scheme?
Seeing Sasuke's uncertain expression, Jugo couldn't help but feel a bit pleased.
This was the "Hidden Sound Plan" he had devised after much thought.
It was meant to completely alienate Sasuke and Naruto.
Given Naruto's personality, he definitely wouldn't bother explaining more, and Sasuke's prideful nature wouldn't demand further explanations from Naruto.
Therefore, the two would inevitably clash in the end.
Jugo believed he had control over everything, and as long as he incited forces capable of striking against the Hidden Sound, the Hidden Sound would be overthrown one day.
The end would come for this sinful nation.
Watching Sasuke deep in thought, Jugo added a powerful statement, "Do you know why Naruto wants to turn all humans into Shinigami or Hollows? Because he wants to surpass the limits of life, so he needs more Shinigami. By devouring Shinigami, he aims to strengthen himself, break through his current boundaries, and become a new life form." Jugo opened his arms dramatically.
"Aren't you curious? Why can Hollows enhance themselves by devouring others, while Shinigami can't? Because Shinigami have consciousness, and consciousness makes them reject the cruel act of devouring their own kind. But Naruto doesn't have that, he has no emotions; his only desire is to become stronger! So, his goal is to devour all Shinigami, making Shinigami and Hollows his sustenance!"
Jugo spoke passionately, but he saw Sasuke's expression gradually calming down, which made him feel uneasy.
"You've spoken well, but kindly refrain from speaking further," Sasuke said calmly. In the next moment, his fist, charged with lightning, had already struck Jugo's abdomen. With Jugo's eyes bulging in pain, his body was sent flying a hundred meters, crashing into a cluster of trees.
"First, everything you fabricated is absolutely false. Naruto may have ambitions, but I know he hasn't lost the basic morals and principles of humanity."
"What you've created is false, and all you've done is incite conflict between him and me."
Sasuke's footsteps echoed crisply in the forest as he approached Jugo, his steps leaving traces of lightning. He soon reached Jugo's side, lifting up the sorry figure of Jugo with a cold expression.
"But I am interested in what you said about the Ten-Tails. I believe the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki is likely accurate. I will investigate the truth behind the Hidden Sound's creation of the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. If Naruto has indeed fallen, I will intervene. But I won't allow someone like you, a worthless troublemaker, to incite strife here, pointing fingers and fanning the flames."
After speaking, Sasuke tossed Jugo to the ground as if disposing of trash. Lightning gave Jugo an invigorating electrotherapy session.
Seeing the charred Jugo, Sasuke maintained his emotionless expression. "Now, go. Someone like you, without power and only clever tricks, doesn't even qualify to die by my hand."
Jugo struggled to get up, but he didn't dare to look at Sasuke with resentful eyes. He could only leave dejectedly.
"Weakling," Sasuke said calmly, watching Jugo disappear. When Jugo's presence completely disappeared from his senses, Sasuke slowly uttered these two words.
At the same time, he felt a hint of worry.
He had never seen a creature like Jugo, something neither human nor ghost.
Clearly, this was not a human.
It seemed that there were many secrets in the Ninja World that he didn't understand.
With this in mind, Sasuke formed seals and prepared to go to the Spirit World to inquire about information regarding Jugo.
However, when he arrived in the Spirit World, he was immediately shocked by everything he saw.
In the place where Myoboku Mountain used to be, there were Shinigami dressed in black robes, with stern expressions.
And although the small toads were playing on the side, their expressions lacked innocence and carried a hint of sadness.
"Are you the contractor of Myoboku Mountain, Sasuke?" Upon seeing Sasuke, the Shinigami immediately approached and inquired.
Before this, they had already received all the information about the contractor.
They also knew that the current Sasuke was absolutely not someone regular Shinigami could deal with, so their tone was very respectful.
"I am," Sasuke replied with a furrowed brow.
"Myoboku Mountain is currently under the jurisdiction of the Hidden Sound, so anyone entering Myoboku Mountain needs to be registered," the Shinigami said, looking at Sasuke with a hint of fear in their eyes."
He could feel the boiling spiritual pressure within Sasuke, which had definitely reached the level of a captain. Such a task was just child's play for him.
"Sasuke, actually, this Shinigami guy is just following orders," the little toads spoke one after another, quickly informing Sasuke of everything that had happened at Mount Myoboku.
The Great Toad Sage had died. However, luckily, the other toads were unharmed. Upon closer inspection, this did seem like Naruto's style: eliminating unknown threats and keeping everything under his control.
"I want to see the two sages," Sasuke sighed and said.
"This way, please," the Shinigami replied, leading him in a certain direction.
Arriving at the depths of Mount Myoboku, Sasuke quickly saw Fukasaku and Shima, the two sages. Compared to before, they seemed a bit older, their eyes a bit clouded.
Upon seeing Sasuke, their eyes lit up briefly before dimming once more.
"You've come, Sasuke. Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat," Fukasaku forced a smile.
Sasuke declined Fukasaku's offer and sat down, saying, "I've already heard about what happened at Mount Myoboku."
"Is that so? You already know that Naruto killed the Great Toad Sage," Shima spoke with a tone of resentment.
The Great Toad Sage held a very high position in all of Mount Myoboku. Not just because of his lifespan and combat strength, but also because he was the object of faith for all the toads. Naruto's actions had undoubtedly trampled the dignity of Mount Myoboku and caused the status of the village to plummet.
However, status didn't matter anymore. Currently, the entire Spirit World was under the control of the Spirit Society. Shima then calmly explained to Sasuke everything that had happened when Naruto arrived at Mount Myoboku and took over after the death of the Great Toad Sage.
Sasuke frowned and listened attentively. From Shima's description, it seemed that the Spirit Society had already taken control of Mount Myoboku, and their next target was the ninja world. But they hadn't changed the environment at Mount Myoboku. In fact, the lives of all creatures in the Spirit World hadn't changed much, except for the additional step of identity registration. They even enjoyed the protection of the Spirit Society's Shinigami, and crime rates had decreased. In a way, the Spirit Society had made the Spirit World better.
Currently, more and more Spirit creatures expressed their approval of the Spirit Society, and this number would continue to increase. However, from Mount Myoboku's perspective, their leader had been killed, and Mount Myoboku and the Spirit Society harbored an irreconcilable hatred.
After hearing all this, Sasuke couldn't help but sigh. He didn't necessarily disagree with what Naruto was doing, but it was too extreme. He was bearing all the hatred and moving forward.
Sasuke tried to ask for information about Jue, but the two sages had no knowledge about it. It seemed they weren't qualified to access information at that level.
After the fruitless inquiries, Sasuke bid farewell to the two sages. Before leaving, they asked him, "Sasuke, will you and Naruto fight each other in the future?" They didn't finish their sentence, but it was clear that they were saddened by the current state of their two beloved disciples.
Sasuke contemplated for a moment and then nodded, saying, "From the current perspective, it's likely."
Seeing the sorrowful expressions on the sages' faces, he smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, there's no deep-seated enmity between us. What I want is to uphold my own justice."
Sasuke left the Spirit World, knowing that this might be his last meeting with the two sages.
Back in the village, Sasuke immediately gathered the villagers and began to assign various tasks. Among the villagers, there were children with the potential to develop spiritual pressure, who would become the backbone of the future Quincy. Given the Spirit Society's ruthless methods, they might not tolerate the existence of the Quincy, so he arranged for the villagers to take the children far away, preferably across the sea to distant islands.
Yes, everything he was doing seemed more like preparing for the aftermath. Regardless of whether Jue's claims were true or false, considering the debt he owed to the two sages and Jiraiya, he knew that he and Naruto were inevitably headed for a clash.
Naruto had chosen a domineering path, while he had chosen a path filled with warmth. Even while wielding a sword, he could still be gentle with others. The proud Uchiha had now shouldered the hope of the Quincy and the kindness of his teachers, shining as bright as ever.
"I fight for justice and emotions!" Sasuke raised his head, removed the white cloth, revealing his pure and lively black eyes.
Under the warm sunlight, his black pupils seemed to radiate spiritual energy, and his overwhelming spiritual pressure surged. However, the earth beneath his feet didn't crack, and the grass and trees swayed happily, brimming with vitality.
"Naruto, wait for me. I'll be there soon!"
"Fusing nine tailed beasts to create the Ten-Tails is an incredible feat. Only beings at the level of the Six Paths could achieve it," in the laboratory, various Shinigami gathered, waiting in silence for Orochimaru to complete the experiment.
Seven tailed beasts were stored in the containers, while the Nine-Tails and the Ten-Tails' chakra were recreated using the equipment. Their power wasn't complete, and they were about as strong as the other seven tailed beasts.
"It should be powerful to be a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, but who could withstand the Ten-Tails' chakra?" Tobirama was curious.
Jinchuriki themselves were already geniuses, possessing incredible talent and bodies to withstand the tailed beast's rampages. The Ten-Tails was more than just the sum of nine tailed beasts.
"As far as I know, there's probably no one. If someone has the Wood Release cells, their bodies should be able to handle the Ten-Tails' chakra." The Nine-Tails contemplated for a moment. "There's one person who could potentially become a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, but he's already dead."
A detestable figure appeared in the Nine-Tails' mind, the one who effortlessly captured him and said, "Nine-Tails, you're too dangerous, so you need to be sealed."
That sentence still filled him with resentment to this day. He hoped that person would reappear so he could beat him up and mockingly say, "Hashirama, you're too damn weak, so you need to be eaten by me."
Yes, that would be a beautiful sight.
"Don't worry about these things. Everything is part of the plan." Orochimaru revealed a sinister smile and hoarsely said, "Naruto has already calculated everything perfectly. There will be a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, and everything will happen as he has planned."
Perhaps Naruto's overwhelming strength had made everyone forget that he was also a master of strategy. He was constantly making plans, connecting everything, and working toward his ultimate goal.
Being an enemy of such a person was truly unfortunate for the ninja world. They might as well have handed themselves over to be sold.
With the absorption of the nine tailed beasts, a rudimentary form of the Ten-Tails gradually took shape in the container.
"This is the initial form of the Ten-Tails. Due to the incomplete power of the Nine-Tails and the Ten-Tails, it will need some time to grow," Orochimaru removed his gloves.
"Let's wait for the good news."
The Ten-Tails had succeeded. The next step was to wait for the appearance of the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.