Immortal Substance
"Shisui Uchiha... a genius who has risen to fame in Konoha in recent years? Konoha is truly decaying..." In the underground base of the Land of Rice Fields, Orochimaru also knew about the recent events in Konoha, and without even thinking too much, he already had a guess...
After all, he had worked with the Root leader before and knew his policies toward the Uchiha Clan.
"I think, Osamu-kun, would be very interested... What do you think, Kabuto...?"
Kabuto Yakushi conjured Chakra Scalpel in his hand and cleanly and efficiently disposed of the corpse Chunin an Akimichi. He had already meticulously recorded the changes in Yang Release during the entire Expansion Jutsu. Kabuto looked at the completed test subject on the experimental table, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"The muscle tissue appears to have undergone some kind of change... further analysis is needed..."
Nodding, Kabuto Yakushi slowly raised his head to look at Orochimaru.
"Lord Orochimaru... Teacher Xu should have already received news from Konoha..."
"Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan's restlessness is already being detected even by us, far away in the Land of Rice Fields. If something were to happen, such as a coup, it would likely fail..."
Perhaps thinking of something Orochimaru had been busy with lately, Kabuto Yakushi suddenly smiled. He naturally knew about a certain project that had been sealed away in the underground laboratory of Hidden Spirit Village, a project that had been stalled for a long time—the evolution of the Sharingan...
"Furthermore, if Lord Orochimaru wishes to implement a certain plan, perhaps Professor Osamu would be quite interested..."
"If the Uchiha Clan truly possesses such ambition, I'd be quite interested in adding fuel to the fire..." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with a hint of malice, as if he already had an idea in mind. He said no more, turning to look at the experimental records in his hand, and couldn't help but frown.
During this time, he and Kabuto analyzed the secret techniques of the Konoha Ino–Shika–Cho clan in detail. They rarely touched on the deeper aspects of Yin–Yang Release, and most of the Ino–Shika–Cho members learned the techniques by following the principles recorded in the manuals.
This secret technique involving Yin–Yang Release has been passed down among the Ino-Shika-Cho Three Clans over the years, gradually altering their physical constitution and making it almost exclusively available within their families.
While it's not entirely impossible for outsiders to cultivate the secret techniques once they obtain the scrolls, the probability of successfully cultivating them is extremely low, and it's incredibly difficult...
"It is very similar to Xu Jun's Spirit Transformation Technique. It seems to be just a secret technique that does not involve Kekkei Genkai, but in fact it is similar to an alternative 'Kekkei Genkai'. The influence of the technique has penetrated deep into their physique..."
"However, it's not entirely useless. I can learn a little about the application of Yin–Yang Release ..." As he spoke, a faint light appeared in Orochimaru's hand, and a large snake suddenly emerged from his arm, then landed on the ground. It instantly grew several times its original size, becoming as thick as a bucket. Orochimaru's gaze fell into the snake's eyes, and within its head, a spiritual light almost identical to Orochimaru's emanated...
With a slight smile on his face, Orochimaru moved his hands slightly. The giant snake that had been crawling on the ground twisted its neck in a human-like manner, and its body suddenly shrank, becoming like a newborn snake in an instant.
At the same time, his entire figure seemed to have been two-dimensionalized, turning pitch black at some point, clinging to the ground like a shadow, and then slithering into the darkness, disappearing completely without a trace.
"Only in this way can the name 'Hidden Shadow Snake Hands' be truly fitting..."
Just as Kabuto had expected, Kato Osamu had already obtained information about Konoha. However, at this moment, he was still immersed in the training of Yin-Yang Release Technique. Since returning from Ryūchi Cave, a new question had arisen in Kato Osamu's mind: what exactly is the relationship between Yin–Yang Release and Natural Energy...?
Although Yin–Yang Release appears to be a type of Chakra release technique, seemingly no different from wind, lightning, fire, or earth release techniques, Kato Osamu could clearly sense that Yin–Yang Release possessed a power significantly superior to ordinary release techniques. Even common blood-based release techniques Ice Release, Storm Release, and Boil Release were completely inferior to Yin–Yang Release...
"If Natural Energy is transformed into Chakra through some form of degradation, then Yin–Yang Release seems to be a higher-level energy that evolved from Chakra in another direction... This energy's level should be consistent with that of Natural Energy..."
"Therefore, to counter Yin-Yang Release Technique, one can only use Natural Energy... Ordinary Chakra energy is a low-level energy, Ninjutsu it generates is almost completely incomparable to Yin-Yang Release Technique or even Senjutsu..."
Kato Osamu was already aware of Kaguya Otsutsuki's existence, but the most important thing was how to kill her.
According to the Sage of Six Paths, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki could only be sealed away, and the Sage of Six Paths' research into Yin-Yang Release Technique had reached a level of unparalleled mastery after a thousand years.
If he couldn't kill Kaguya Ōtsutsuki using Yin–Yang Release and could only seal her, then in Kato Osamu's mind, the only possible way for her to exist was through Natural Energy —an indigenous energy independent of the Chakra system that had always existed in the Shinobi World...
"So how did Kaguya Otsutsuki achieve 'immortality'?"
"The legendary God Tree Fruit? What exactly is the God Tree Fruit?" Kaguya Ōtsutsuki planted the God Tree, absorbing and transforming Natural Energy into the God Tree Fruit. After eating the God Tree Fruit, she gained the most powerful strength in the world...
But is this 'immortality' truly brought about by the God Tree Fruit...? If so, it means that during the process of the God Tree transforming Natural Energy into the God Tree Fruit, some kind of change occurs, giving birth to this 'Immortal Substance' that can grant 'immortality'. However, in Kato Osamu's understanding, the role of the God Tree seems to be merely to absorb the widespread and violent Natural Energy between heaven and earth, and then transform it into the God Tree Fruit is easier to absorb...
Kato Osamu absolutely refused to believe that the God Tree could conjure such 'Immortal Substance' out of thin air; more likely...
"The God Tree Fruit possesses the ability to grant immortality because it extracts large quantities of this 'Immortal Substance' from Natural Energy..."
Considering the Snake Sage who cultivated Natural Energy and remained immortal for a thousand years, and the Three Great Sage Lands of the Shinobi World that have existed for nearly a thousand years, the answer seems obvious...
"Therefore, this 'Immortal Substance' was originally contained within Natural Energy..."
"Then, the reason why Kaguya Ōtsutsuki is immortal—the effect of the God Tree, the effect of Natural Energy, the events that happened a thousand years ago... everything can be explained..."
A glint of light flashed in Kato Osamu's eyes, and a path that seemed to offer hope was quietly beginning to emerge within her...