Chapter 140: Pseudo-Source of the Universe

The pseudo-source power of the universe is the gathering and fusion of all energy within the cosmos. Such power can be traced back to the very origin of the universe, representing the primordial force present at the moment of its birth.

Orochimaru infused the power of the final race into a scroll. The energy, resembling spilled ink, immediately began to swirl. The scroll became a kaleidoscope of color as the myriad powers rotated like a vortex—a bizarre, hypnotic sight that drew the eye. A faint smile touched Orochimaru’s lips. He touched the vortex with his finger, sending ripples across it like water. Suddenly, a suction force emerged from the vortex, attempting to draw him in. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, stabilizing himself and the surrounding space so that the vortex could not pull anything into its depths.

"Still missing something..." Orochimaru muttered to himself. Although the vortex had gathered the power of ten thousand races, it possessed only the power of assimilation. Any object that touched it would be assimilated and become a part of the vortex, rather than being harnessed or controlled. To truly tap into and utilize this power, he needed to develop a technique for manipulation. Orochimaru still required more time.

...

It was a settled fact that Earth would become the leader of the Allied Forces. When the Eight Kings and their subordinates returned from space, they offered no protest to Uchiha Madara; instead, they simply briefed him on the duties of a "leader." Earth’s top combatants were simply too powerful, and unable to suppress them, the others were forced to cede the leadership position entirely.

Shikamaru grew incredibly busy. As Earth’s representative and the strategist for this great war, the burden fell squarely on his shoulders. "What a drag..." he muttered, rubbing his temples. Yet, he felt a sense of satisfaction. By personally organizing the Allied Forces, he could better monitor Orochimaru’s plans and uncover a method to defeat the Otsutsuki clan and the Sage of Six Paths. He could not risk the safety of Earth; there were too many lives at stake, and he felt responsible for every one of them.

Shikamaru began mapping out battle plans and calculating when the Otsutsuki army would discover their location. According to estimates from various races, in three to four months, the million-strong Otsutsuki army would locate the Cosmic Black Market, at which point the grand battle would commence. "Then we shall make this place the battlefield," Shikamaru decided, studying the star charts.

While Shikamaru was preoccupied with his strategy, a small group of individuals gathered in secret. They were high-ranking officials from various races, including several kings, such as the King of the Starry Fish. They met in a pitch-black room where no lights were lit, and only their glowing eyes were visible to one another.

"The plan has begun," the King of the Starry Fish declared.

From the shadows, the Star Spirit King added, "Before the final plan is revealed, if anyone leaves a trail, they must not expose the truth, even at the cost of their own life!"

A high-ranking member of the Serpent-Head race chimed in, "Lord Itachi’s plan must succeed!"

These were the leaders and dignitaries who had previously been controlled by the genjutsu of Sasuke and Naruto. Why did the Star Spirit King hold Orochimaru in such high regard? Was it merely because of the images of Orochimaru in battle? In truth, those images had been provided by Sasuke later on specifically to persuade the other races. The reason he championed Orochimaru was that he was under the influence of Uchiha Itachi’s genjutsu—he was working for Uchiha Itachi, and by extension, for the Sage of Six Paths.

The war between the cosmic races and the Otsutsuki was inevitable. The Sage of Six Paths intended to use this conflict to eliminate Orochimaru while simultaneously weakening the Otsutsuki clan. Everything was unfolding exactly as the Sage had foreseen.

"Shikamaru of the Earth race is currently reviewing the star charts and deploying troops," the King of the Starry Fish noted. "As leaders of our respective races, we must secretly secure our positions to await Lord Itachi’s plan." The Star Spirit King nodded, adding, "The specific coordinates will be calculated by myself and the King of the Starry Fish, and then relayed to you."

To the Allied Forces, these individuals—controlled by Itachi or Sasuke—served as nodes in a grand web. Because they were all kings or high-ranking officials, these nodes were incredibly sturdy. Once the web was activated, it would be able to ensnare the entire Allied Force.

...

Shikamaru deployed the troops, ordering various races to ambush in designated locations, with the honeycomb-shaped planet serving as the primary battlefield. However, some races began to raise objections, requesting to swap positions. At first, Shikamaru thought little of it, as the strategy remained unchanged. He reasoned that given the unique capabilities of each race, minor adjustments might allow them to perform more effectively.

But the oddity lay in the frequency of these requests. Races kept asking to relocate, offering reasons so logical that they were impossible to refuse. This began to weigh on Shikamaru.

Three months passed. The armies were hidden, waiting for the Otsutsuki. Currently, only Earth and a portion of the Eight Cosmic Races remained near the honeycomb planet, serving as bait. In an office, Shikamaru sat cross-legged on his desk, eyes closed in meditation. He felt a nagging sense that something was wrong, though he couldn't pinpoint it.

Kabuto Yakushi was nearby, organizing documents. Kabuto seemed indifferent, acting with a detached, Zen-like calm now that he had little to worry about.

"Kabuto," Shikamaru said suddenly. "You feel it too, don't you? Something is off. Have you thought about it carefully?"

Kabuto smiled faintly, tucking a file into a folder. "I have. But I still cannot conceive of a way to defeat the Sage of Six Paths, so I can only follow Lord Orochimaru’s orders."

Shikamaru’s brow furrowed. "Lord Orochimaru? Lord Orochimaru’s order was for us to 'handle it as we see fit'!" This was something Shikamaru found intolerable; it felt as though Orochimaru had simply given up.

"Then let us handle it," Kabuto replied. "I think you’ve done a fine job."

Earth had become the leader, and Shikamaru had poured his heart and soul into the role. Had he not possessed the power of immortality, he likely would have collapsed from exhaustion by now. He had performed admirably. Yet, Shikamaru’s frown only deepened. He could not trust Orochimaru blindly as Kabuto did; he only trusted his own intellect.

"What exactly is wrong here?"

Suddenly, it clicked. He visualized an image in his mind: the positions of the cosmic races marked as red dots. He connected the lines of the races that had requested to move... The resulting pattern looked exactly like a web.

"No... even those who didn't ask to move could be nodes."

Shikamaru redrew the lines in his mind. This time, the picture was clear. He realized that this web spanned the entire Allied Force. Once activated, it would snare them all. In other words, he would be instantly usurped. The entire army was already taking orders from someone else.

"Retreat! We’ve been set up!" Shikamaru gasped, his eyes snapping open in terror. Because they were the bait, Earth was positioned right next to the honeycomb planet, effectively inside the encirclement of the cosmic races. The circle had left only one gap, and that gap was facing the Otsutsuki army. Once the Otsutsuki arrived, the gap would close, and Earth would be trapped in the middle, like a turtle in a jar.

Before Shikamaru could even exit the room, a member of the Hyuga clan rushed in to report that the Otsutsuki army had arrived. Shikamaru’s expression crumbled, his knees buckling until a nearby Hyuga soldier caught him.

His face ashen, he whispered, "We’ve lost. It’s over. This was all the Sage of Six Paths’ plan. He can see the future... we’ve lost."