Malphegor
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IUTT: Ch. 270
🕑 Added 2025-10-09 01:46:35 +0000 UTCUnderground Research Facility.
Orochimaru immediately began research related to the super-ancient ruins.
Shin, on the other hand, started working on Madara's evolution experiment.
At the same time, Minato, Tsunade, Sakumo, and Fukuyama, among others, were once again undergoing rounds of evolution. By now, Konoha's strength had already surpassed that of any point in its history. However, no one relaxed because of this, everyone knew their enemies were no longer within the shinobi world, but out in the universe.
So their seemingly invincible power was still, in truth, not quite enough.
While Konoha was pushing hard to improve everyone's strength, there was also someone else who had not been idle.
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Far away in the Land of Demons, Jigen had recently been feeling a lingering sense of unease from time to time.
He didn't know where this unease came from, but it made him feel increasingly pressed to accelerate his plans.
"Jigen-sama!"
A figure suddenly appeared and respectfully bowed to him.
"Mm." Hearing his subordinate's report, Jigen rested his left hand against his face, held a glass of red wine in his right hand, and swirled it slowly. His voice was calm as he asked, "How is it?"
"We've already tracked down the locations of the research personnel from each village. With your order, we can move immediately to bring them all back. It's just that..."
Jigen's expression remained calm, as though nothing could shake him, and he asked softly, "Just what?"
"It's just that our people can't infiltrate Konoha, nor do we attempt to attack it directly." The speaker bowed his head low, sounding somewhat guilty.
Jigen slowly rose to his feet and paced around the hall. "I have a feeling Konoha has been hiding its true strength. Orochimaru's talents are definitely not as simple as we've seen. The other researchers are just extras, Orochimaru is the real prize. But Konoha's strength is indeed beyond what you all can handle. So, forget about Konoha. Just follow the plan and bring back the researchers from the other villages. As for Konoha, I will act personally."
"Yes!" The subordinate quickly bowed again and then retreated.
After putting down his wine glass, Jigen stretched his body, tested his physical condition, and frowned slightly.
But the unease in his heart left him no time to wait. Besides, he had a feeling Orochimaru would definitely bring him a surprise.
As long as he could find the perfect vessel, he could return to his peak, and when that happened, the so-called shinobi world would be nothing more than something in his pocket.
He was Jigen, yet he was not Jigen.
To be exact, his real name was Isshiki, a member of the Ōtsutsuki clan. Jigen was nothing more than his host body, a vessel.
In a sense, Isshiki was one of the founders of the shinobi world.
A thousand years ago, he and Kaguya had descended upon Earth together, sent by the Ōtsutsuki clan to plant the God Tree and harvest its chakra fruit.
Among them, Isshiki was the celestial guardian, while Kaguya was the guardian attendant.
The Ōtsutsuki clan's hierarchy was extremely strict, the celestial guardian's status was far above that of the attendant.
A celestial guardian could order an attendant to do anything, even give up their life.
However, although Kaguya appeared gentle and submissive, deep down she was filled with resentment and anger at being ordered around by Isshiki and at the prospect of being sacrificed alive to the Ten-Tails to complete the planting of the God Tree.
So, taking advantage of a moment when Isshiki was off guard, Kaguya suddenly launched a fierce sneak attack on him.
Caught completely by surprise, Isshiki was gravely injured and, worse yet, was made into a sacrifice for the Ten-Tails by Kaguya, becoming part of the chakra fruit's energy, which she then consumed.
It could only be said that Isshiki's fate was not yet sealed, though he lost the vast majority of his power, he managed to use special means to hide from Kaguya's perception and survive.
But even though he lived, Isshiki remained in a near-death state.
While hovering on the brink of death, he encountered a passing monk, Jigen.
Too weak at that time to even inscribe a Kāma, Isshiki used the power of Sukunahikona to shrink himself and enter Jigen's ear.
Like a parasite, he sustained his life by absorbing the energy within Jigen's body while slowly recovering.
This process ended up lasting nearly a thousand years.
During his recovery, Isshiki gradually took control of Jigen, and after regaining some strength, he successfully implanted a Kāma into him, making Jigen his vessel.
However, because Jigen was merely a host chosen at random, Isshiki realized during the Kāma's unsealing process that Jigen was an imperfect vessel, unable to withstand the full power of an Ōtsutsuki.
Thus, Jigen had always been searching for a new, perfect vessel to complete his rebirth.
Once that perfect vessel was found, Isshiki would immediately sacrifice Jigen, the old vessel, to the Ten-Tails, complete the replanting of the God Tree, and then use the new vessel to resurrect perfectly.
The so-called Kāma was a unique reincarnation technique of the Ōtsutsuki clan, allowing one to digitize themselves and implant that data into another person without their knowledge.
The person marked with a Kāma was called a vessel. The palm of their hand would bear a black diamond-shaped mark. The Kāma could absorb ninjutsu and greatly boost the vessel's power.
When using the Kāma's power, black markings would spread across the vessel's body.
Over time, and with the vessel's repeated use of the Kāma, the seal would gradually "unfreeze."
When the Kāma was fully unfrozen, the digitized data would completely overwrite the vessel's body and consciousness, completing the perfect resurrection.
To put it more plainly: it's like placing a body-snatching seal on someone.
The one performing the possession parasitizes that seal, gradually eating away at the target's body.
When the time is right, the owner of the seal seizes the target's body entirely, achieving resurrection.
The terms "Kāma," "vessel," "digitization," and "unfreezing" are just different names, at their core, they're the same thing.
In his search for a perfect vessel, Isshiki had been experimenting on Earth for a thousand years. Yet even now, he still hadn't found a truly satisfactory candidate.
Originally, he wasn't in a hurry.
In his thousand years on Earth, Isshiki not only recovered his strength but also learned human scheming and patience.
After waiting for a millennium, another decade or century didn't seem like much.
But lately, an unshakable unease had been rising in his heart, making him unwilling to keep enduring.
He needed to take an unconventional, risky path.
And before he ever met Amado, the person he had set his sights on as an ally, was Orochimaru.
