Chapter 124: Things That Evade Prediction

The only way to break the technique of predicting the future is through an equivalent technique of time; time cannot predict time.

Orochimaru reached this conclusion and thought of the Deep Pool Micro-world. This micro-world on Earth possessed the ability to travel back into the past.

"It seems I must make a trip there," Orochimaru thought to himself.

Previously, he had sent Uchiha Madara to the Deep Pool Micro-world. Although the purity of the energy within remained as high as before, the ability to traverse back through time had been lost. It appeared that such a capability was a one-time phenomenon. Orochimaru now prepared to recreate that power.

The Sage of Six Paths could indeed predict the future; he had foreseen Orochimaru’s failure, but he could not foresee the future that would result from Orochimaru changing the past. This was the key to victory.

Earth traveled rapidly through space. With the addition of the Shin-Go clan, the planet gained access to vast amounts of information on a cosmic scale. For instance, they learned of the Otsutsuki clan’s defense mechanisms and that the clan would likely dispatch an army of one hundred to eradicate Earth.

However, that was under normal circumstances. Since the Sage of Six Paths had previously reported Earth’s information from the perspective of the Otsutsuki, it would surely draw their serious attention. The number of soldiers in the army would likely be multiplied by ten. Furthermore, to avoid any unexpected complications, the count would likely be increased even further, perhaps exceeding a thousand. Earth had to prepare to face an Otsutsuki army of ten thousand.

Fortunately, the universe is vast and boundless, with travel times often measured in years. There was still some time before the real war began. This was time for Earth to develop. Given Earth’s current strength, facing an army of ten thousand Otsutsuki was not an insurmountable task.

But after those ten thousand, they would likely face an army of a million. It might even draw out the high-ranking members of the Otsutsuki clan. The Otsutsuki were not mere experience points for leveling up; the future the Sage of Six Paths had witnessed likely reached its limit at that point. Facing an Otsutsuki army of a million, Earth would fall, and Orochimaru would be defeated.

They truly did not have much time left.

***

In a conference room within the War Fortress, Shikamaru sat at the head of the table, flanked by high-ranking officials including Yakushi Kabuto, Uchiha Madara, and Jiraiya.

With a toothpick dangling from his mouth and his signature deadpan expression, Shikamaru said, "First item: Uchiha Itachi has defected."

Once Uchiha Itachi had thoroughly obtained the "cosmic information," he had simply vanished. It could be called a defection, or perhaps not, as he was undoubtedly off to find Sasuke. Sasuke and Naruto had been abducted by the Sage of Six Paths, and the Earth side was desperate to retrieve them, especially the faction led by Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi. They did not want anything to happen to Naruto.

Uchiha Itachi’s ability to escape without obstruction was due to their inaction or even deliberate concealment. As expected, everyone present knew the reason behind Itachi’s defection, and when Shikamaru spoke, a heavy silence filled the room.

Shikamaru tapped his finger on the table. "Good. Since everyone understands the situation, we shall move on. As for how to handle Uchiha Itachi, we will discuss that when he returns."

Shikamaru’s gaze suddenly sharpened, shedding his lazy, deadpan demeanor to reveal a cutting intensity. "Second item: the crisis facing Earth."

At the mention of the second item, everyone sat up straight. As the leadership of Earth, they understood the consequences of offending the Otsutsuki clan. Whether Earth could survive this ordeal was heavily dependent on them.

Shikamaru stated, "We will encounter an Otsutsuki army of ten thousand in the coming years. Once we wipe them out, the next wave will likely be an army of a million. That will be the true moment of life or death for Earth. Our only path to victory is to seek reinforcements."

When the Otsutsuki mobilized a million-strong army, it would represent more than half of their total strength—the most powerful force in the universe. A developing Earth was nowhere near strong enough to oppose it. They needed reinforcements—massive amounts of them.

Shikamaru continued, "According to information provided by the leader of the Shin-Go clan, not all races in the universe have submitted to the Otsutsuki. There are many groups that resist them, either openly or from the shadows. We must unite with them to fight against the Otsutsuki clan."

They understood what Shikamaru was saying; they had been aware of it before the meeting. The purpose of this gathering was to finalize the plan.

Yakushi Kabuto asked, "Where do we begin?"

Shikamaru flipped through the documents in his hand and replied, "We must find the legendary Cosmic Trading Hub."

He explained, "The legendary Cosmic Trading Hub is a planet developed by races other than the Otsutsuki. Any race that rebels against the Otsutsuki appears there. Only by finding this place can we unite with all the other races."

Finding the legendary Cosmic Trading Hub was of paramount importance—it was their next goal.

***

Three months passed in a flash. Including the time Orochimaru had spent in contemplation, half a year had gone by, and Earth had traveled a great distance.

During these six months, many more people had developed their own unique ninjutsu using Orochimaru’s cultivation methods. People like Kakashi and Gaara, who did not follow the paths of the Sharingan or Jinchuriki, used cultivation serums to forge techniques of their own. They had now officially reached the Otsutsuki level of power. Moreover, because the techniques they developed were their own, their actual combat prowess exceeded that of a typical Otsutsuki-level being.

Today, there were over ten thousand individuals on Earth with Otsutsuki-level strength. The national leaders and corporate conglomerates, in particular, were producing such powerhouses at a terrifying rate. All of them would become part of Orochimaru’s fighting force.

Three more months passed. Nine months after the destruction of the Otsutsuki vanguard, Earth finally faced the siege of the Otsutsuki army of ten thousand.

Earth was well-prepared. Shikamaru commanded the battle personally. Uchiha Madara, leading Kimimaro, Jiraiya, Guren, Jugo, and others, acted as a spearhead, piercing into the ten-thousand-strong Otsutsuki army. Thousands of other Otsutsuki-level warriors launched a frontal assault.

Soon, the Otsutsuki army was utterly defeated. All their corpses were cast into the sun to strengthen the Genjutsu network. In this battle, Earth firmly established its reputation across the universe, and the Otsutsuki clan finally took them seriously.

***

The Otsutsuki star domain, known as the Samsara Star Domain, was the most peculiar in the universe. It was not composed of planets, but of a vast continent.

While all other races in the universe lived on spherical planets, the Otsutsuki were different. They had flattened their original spherical planets and moved many other life-bearing worlds from other star systems, flattening those as well and piecing them together to form an immensely vast and flat continent. This continent floated in the center of the star domain, serving as the living area for the Otsutsuki clan.

The continent was covered in endless green trees, and the Otsutsuki lived within them.

At this moment, in a certain part of the continent, an Otsutsuki with golden Rinnegan eyes opened them.