The White Snake Sage looked relaxed.
It waited to follow five Kage-level powerhouses as they steamrolled the research institute.
The next second...
[Intruders detected]
The institute's broadcast echoed, [Danger level assessment… medium.]
[Activating automated defense systems. All research personnel, please evacuate the central plaza.]
The walls of the research institute popped open. One small chakra laser gun after another emerged, crimson infrared beams locking onto the chests and foreheads of the five Kage-level powerhouses.
[Within three seconds, squat down and give up resistance, otherwise...]
Before the warning tone in the broadcast could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi, under the White Snake Sage's control, made the first move.
His hands formed seals rapidly, and he raised his hand to unleash a composite ninjutsu; "Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!"
A water dragon wrapped in lightning roared as it smashed toward the institute's main gate.
BOOM!
A massive steel plate rose from the ground. The lightning dragon slammed into it, leaving only a crack without shattering it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow slightly.
Even though he was being controlled, his professionalism was still there.
Throwing out a composite ninjutsu, yet not even breaking through a steel plate…
He noticed that at the center of the crack, flesh and blood were constantly regenerating.
This was a defensive barrier made of Hidan's flesh reinforced with Steel Release.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Steel plates, each two meters wide and five meters tall, rose one after another from the ground. A mobile underground sealing barrier activated, surrounding the five Kage-level attackers.
The broadcast voice turned sharp and cold.
[Intrusion intent confirmed. Attack authorized.]
Hundreds of laser beams shot out.
The five Kage-level powerhouses were still using their own methods to dodge.
Suddenly, the White Snake Sage heard a rumbling from high above and looked up, a sky battleship tore through the clouds, the laser cannon ports beneath it glowing with a dazzling crimson light.
BOOM!!
The crimson beam fell with pinpoint accuracy, striking the sealed area encircled by steel plates.
When the flames dispersed, there was no one left on the ground, only debris flying everywhere.
"Target lost."
Hiss…
The steel plates slowly lowered, revealing the White Snake Sage standing not far away, a cigarette in its mouth.
Clatter!
The cigarette fell from its mouth onto the ground.
'Huh?'
'What the hell is this?'
Otsutsuki, Ten-Tails jinchuriki, Ryosuke, those kinds of people who don't need hand seals and can summon anything just by shouting are already terrifying enough.
This research institute was terrifying on another level entirely.
But thinking about it… it also felt completely reasonable.
Orochimaru is impressive, right?
Calling him a once-in-a-century genius wouldn't be an exaggeration.
And the research institute had gathered the most elite and outstanding researchers from all over the world. Researchers on Orochimaru's level… were indeed very rare, but not nonexistent.
Genius was merely the entry requirement to join the institute.
On top of that, there were the research resources Ryosuke had brought in, as well as mature technological concepts from Earth.
Perhaps the current research institute still didn't have the ability to participate in a war on the Otsutsuki level.
But it was definitely not the "soft persimmon" the White Snake Sage had imagined.
Click! Click! Click!
The sound of high heels stepping on stone rang out. Samui stood more than ten meters away, coldly staring at the White Snake Sage, about to raise her hand to order it eliminated.
"Don't shoot! It's me!"
The White Snake Sage shouted, "I'm Number Eighteen, I was kidnapped by them!"
Everyone paused for half a second.
Samui pressed her communication earpiece.
"Go check if Number Eighteen is in the lounge."
The White Snake Sage quietly swallowed, glancing at the dust filling the air, feeling slightly reassured.
To confirm it, no matter what, it would take two or three minutes, right?
Waiting for the five Edo Tensei Kage-levels to recover would only take a few seconds.
Once they recovered, the White Snake Sage planned to have them immediately unleash large-scale ninjutsu to muddy the waters, "Don't believe it!"
Number Eighteen stuck her head out from a window and shouted, "It's Number One!"
The White Snake Sage's heart skipped a beat.
"Damn it!"
The lowered gun barrels were raised again, and beams of laser fire poured out.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation"
The ground bulged under the White Snake Sage's control. It hurriedly burrowed underground, darting toward the research institute, and at the same time used a special telepathic technique to call for help from Kabuto Yakushi, who was on standby at the battlefield, "I need more Edo Tensei!"
Kabuto Yakushi, hidden near the central battlefield, was stunned. "You still need more?! How many?"
The White Snake Sage glanced at the open hatches of the sky battleship and at the figures clad in pitch-black armor, three meters tall, wielding giant blades, dropping straight down from the sky as the Annihilation Army. It swallowed hard.
"As many as possible!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The newly reformed Gengetsu Hozuki, under Kabuto Yakushi's control, performed a summoning technique and called forth twenty coffins in succession. Numerous famous deceased figures from history stepped out and clashed with the Annihilation Army.
With reinforcements joining, the one-sided situation finally turned into a stalemate.
The Second Tsuchikage, Mu, seized the opportunity to fly forward and blasted open the institute's main gate with a Dust Release, Atomic Dismantling Technique, escorting the White Snake Sage as they charged inside.
"Not enough! Not enough!"
The White Snake Sage shouted while running, "Send more!"
Kabuto Yakushi in the rear was dumbfounded.
'What?'
'Isn't the battlefield over here?'
'Why does it sound like the fighting over there with the White Snake Sage is even fiercer?'
Another round of bangs followed.
Aside from keeping a few core combatants, all remaining Edo Tensei were sent to the research institute. The pressure on the White Snake Sage dropped sharply. It didn't dare waste time, and under the protection of Deidara, Kakuzu, and Sasori, it first grabbed Orochimaru's disc, then smashed open a glass container and rescued Hidan.
Finally, the group reached the central machine room.
The Mangekyo of Amenotajikarao was soaking in nutrient fluid, connected to numerous computers, providing immense computing power to the institute.
"Got it!"
"The final piece of the puzzle to victory."
The White Snake Sage swallowed Hidan, Orochimaru's disc, and Amenotajikarao whole. Just as it was about to have Kabuto Yakushi summon it back, it suddenly smelled a familiar scent.
'"My" scent.'
The White Snake Sage turned around and met Number Eighteen's gaze.
"I didn't expect you'd still dare to appear before me."
The White Snake Sage stared coldly at Number Eighteen. "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
"Would you kill me?"
The White Snake Sage fell silent.
Obito had prepared himself for death; it was the same for it.
No one knew whether they would survive today. If it died, then Number Eighteen would be the last White Snake Sage.
Number Eighteen said, "I came to say goodbye to you, the final 'me.'"
"You think I'll lose? That I'll die in this battle?"
"I just think Ryosuke will win," Number Eighteen said.
The White Snake Sage didn't continue. It took one last deep look at Number Eighteen and said, "Don't worry, this won't be the last time we meet."
"I will win."
"Then I'll come back on the winds of victory and kill you, becoming the last, and the only, White Snake Sage."
As it finished speaking, a cloud of smoke flashed by.
The White Snake Sage returned.
It slowly opened its eyes and spat out Hidan, the disc, and Amenotajikarao.
At this point, the Evil God Great White Snake had truly assembled all members.
Kabuto Yakushi picked up Amenotajikarao and handed it to the person behind him.
"Then let's see it, where true destiny is actually pointing us."
A pale hand took the eye, and a flippant voice said,
"Human bowel urges are the desire to expel waste, right? Then if I install this Sharingan, will I be able to experience the urge in reverse?"
The White Snake Sage and Kabuto Yakushi looked speechlessly at Swirl White Zetsu.
"Hurry it up."
"If we don't know the answer soon, Obito's going to catch a cold from standing there."
He shrugged and installed Amenotajikarao into its empty right eye.
It was a special lifeform created by Kaguya, and also the last remaining White Zetsu. Having it bear the causal burden of this all-knowing deduction was the safest choice.
The White Snake Sage took a deep breath.
"Question."
"To achieve the beautiful ending of Infinite Tsukuyomi, what should we do?"