Chapter 127: The Undead Clan

Orochimaru, Kabuto Yakushi, Kimimaro, and the others flew toward the Wraith Star.

As they approached the Wraith Star, the eerie green energy radiating from it coalesced into numerous green skulls that laughed mockingly at them.

Before Orochimaru and the others could react, strands of green energy lashes shot out, hooking onto them and pulling them into the Wraith Star.

None of them resisted; they allowed themselves to be drawn in.

Once inside the Wraith Star, they immediately encountered several wraiths. These wraiths were formed from members of the Serpent-Head Clan, their bodies similar in size to ordinary humans, except their necks extended about half a meter in length.

Since they were in a spectral state, their bodies emitted a green energy that burned like emerald flames.

Upon seeing Orochimaru and his companions, the wraiths roared and charged forward but were effortlessly slain by Kimimaro and the others.

Intrigued, Orochimaru approached the fallen wraiths, crouching to examine them closely. He noticed that their deaths were merely the dispersal of green energy.

Yet, this green energy continued to gather, slowly accumulating. He suspected that once it reached a certain threshold, they would revive.

Orochimaru reached out to touch the green energy and produced a specially crafted sealing scroll, using it to bind the energies.

He intended to replicate the time-traveling power of the Deep Pool Microcosm, which required strengthening the microcosm according to its foundational principles.

The Deep Pool Microcosm was created by the Three Great Sages in an attempt to recreate the “Source” power from Earth, a fusion of various energies.

And since it was called “Source,” it naturally encompassed all things. Orochimaru planned to incorporate every power in the universe into the Deep Pool Microcosm.

At that moment, a faint voice echoed softly: “Someone, please save me…”

Kabuto’s glasses glinted as he listened intently; Kimimaro did the same. Chōi and Suigetsu remained indifferent, while Karin trembled in fear, hiding behind Suigetsu.

Kabuto said, “There’s still a living person here.”

He looked toward Karin and asked, “Karin, your specialty is sensory perception. Can you sense the source of that voice?”

Suigetsu sipped water through a straw and leaned aside, exposing Karin who was hiding behind him.

Karin, terrified, glanced around and realized she had no cover. She crossed her arms and lowered her head.

Kabuto pushed up his glasses and called softly, “Karin.”

“Huh?” Karin finally responded, “I… understand.”

Why did they have to bring her along? She was so scared!

She nervously used her sensory ability and felt a scorching, warm, and bright energy—like the sun itself.

“I sense it underground!” Karin said.

Kabuto nodded. “Same direction as the star core.”

He turned to Orochimaru and respectfully asked, “Shall we proceed?”

Orochimaru smiled faintly. “Let’s go.”

The group began searching for an entrance leading underground.

In truth, Orochimaru could have found the star core and the woman emitting the faint voice on his own; his eyes combined all known ocular techniques from Earth, making them extraordinarily powerful.

This was linked to the secret training methods he had distributed.

Whenever a new ocular technique or eye power was developed on Earth, Orochimaru could instantly acquire it through the secret methods he disseminated.

To put it bluntly, as long as someone used his training methods, no matter what new skill or ability they developed, Orochimaru would master it in an instant.

This fulfilled his long-held desire to learn every technique in the world.

His reason for deliberately holding back and bringing Kabuto and the others to the Wraith Star was simple: to perform for the Six Paths Sage.

The Six Paths Sage could foresee his future—essentially watching him at all times.

So Orochimaru chose not to act immediately, intentionally hiding some of his strength to obscure his true purpose of strengthening the Deep Pool Microcosm.

That was the real reason.

The Six Paths Sage could only see the future before Orochimaru activated the Deep Pool Microcosm; perhaps in that future, he would fail.

But once the Deep Pool Microcosm was activated and this variable introduced, everything would become unpredictable. Thus, Orochimaru’s strategy was to conceal his true power until the microcosm was launched.

In effect, he was deliberately controlling his actions to craft a specific future for the Six Paths Sage to witness.

After some time, the group finally located an entrance leading underground—a cave opening. Following Karin’s lead, they began their descent.

Suddenly, Kabuto raised a question: “Has anyone noticed something strange?”

The others looked puzzled—why ask that?

Kimimaro thought for a moment and said, “The wraiths?”

Kabuto nodded. “Exactly. We’ve been walking for so long, but after encountering a few wraiths at the start, we haven’t seen a single one since. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? This is supposed to be a planet filled with wraiths.”

Kabuto’s words triggered realization among them. The chieftain of the Divine Clan had said that all the wraiths on this planet would protect the Wraith Star, but this clearly wasn’t the case.

Suddenly, Kabuto pointed at Kimimaro’s hand: “Look at your hand!”

Kimimaro looked down and saw that only his bones remained, wrapped in green energy, resembling the hands of the wraith clan members.

Everyone hurriedly examined their own bodies and discovered their hands had also transformed into those of the wraiths!

Moreover, it wasn’t just their hands; their feet, heads, and other parts were changing one after another.

Karin cried out in fear, “No wonder we haven’t seen any wraiths—because we are cursed by the wraiths! We’re becoming one of them!”

Her words acted like a signal; their bodies began to change widely, completely, even their minds altered.

“Lord Orochimaru…”

Kabuto, Kimimaro, and the others only managed to utter these words before they were fully transformed into wraiths.

As wraiths, they did not attack Orochimaru; it was as if he did not exist. Instead, they turned and formed a line, walking in orderly fashion toward the depths below.

“Everyone’s become wraiths, huh?”

Orochimaru glanced down at himself and noticed the beginnings of wraith transformation, though his body was too strong, forcibly halting the change.

After some thought, he followed behind the wraiths formed by Kabuto and the others, descending into the underground depths.

The entire energy source of the Wraith Star was likely contained in the star core. He intended to seize the star core and later integrate it into the Deep Pool Microcosm.

Originally, he had planned to keep a low profile, but now he had no choice but to act personally. Revealing some of his power would be beneficial, helping to dispel the Six Paths Sage’s suspicions.

He also wanted to uncover what kind of scheme lay at the heart of this place.

After descending for some time, they arrived at the star core—a vast underground chamber at the planet’s center. The massive core glowed green, and countless wraith clan members busied themselves above and below.

Nearby, a woman clad in metallic armor was bound to a black wooden post, softly calling out, “Someone, please save me…”

Upon seeing Orochimaru enter, her tone shifted to urgency: “Save me! Savior, save me!”

Orochimaru paid her no heed and instead turned his attention to the star core with an expression of interest.

As for the woman, she was probably the true objective behind the Wraith Star incident.

Was she meant to be a spy planted near him?

Nothing more than that.