Kurogiri flew through the air bubble with Rin and Karin, their destination set for the Land of Whirlpool. As he felt his clones return through their shadows merging with his own, he couldn't help but be surprised by the enhancement to his black quirk.
However, he was content with the new potential it offered. Realizing that the fusion of All for One with One for All had successfully brought about the evolution of all his connected quirks under All for One, Kurogiri was determined to explore the untapped possibilities within them during their time in the Land of Whirlpool.
Kurogiri understood the intricacies of the ninja world, thanks to his encounters with Orochimaru. He knew that his actions would likely provoke the ire of four out of the five great villages, with the Mist being the only exception.
Upon landing near a ruined village, Rin's reaction indicated that it was the Uzumaki Village. Keeping an eye on the village, Kurogiri's clones emerged from his shadows and handed over the compressed balls to him.
"Rin, I'll stay out here to take care of a few things. While I'm doing that, I'll send these six clones with you. If you need anything, just let them know," Kurogiri informed Rin as he ascended back into the air, heading towards a secluded area. Rin watched him leave, a part of her worrying that he might not return.
However, the presence of his clones brought her some comfort. She took her daughter Karin's hand and proceeded into the village, with the clones close behind them. Rin felt a mix of happiness and sadness upon witnessing the state of her home, but deep down, she knew that change for the better was on the horizon.
Kurogiri flew a considerable distance away from the village, landing on the ground with a focused gaze fixed upon the blue compress balls in his hands. He could sense the changes in his compress quirk, realizing that he now had the ability to further shrink the balls or combine them for shared containment. Moreover, the restrictions on size had increased, allowing for the confinement of larger and stronger individuals or objects.
Drawing out the captive Orochimaru, who glared at him from within the compress ball, Kurogiri smirked, utilizing his ethereal eyes to observe the evolution of Orochimaru's quirks. "Seems you were able to make that body your own, even evolving the gifts that I gave you," Kurogiri remarked, genuinely fascinated by Orochimaru's transformation. Breaking the ball, he released Orochimaru, who rapidly grew in size while still firmly held by Kurogiri. This was Kurogiri's intention all along; since Orochimaru had gone through the trouble of creating new quirks, Kurogiri felt compelled to reclaim them as his own.
Orochimaru tried and failed to break out of Kurogiri hold as he responded to Kurogiri statement form earlier. "Of course, you gave me this body even if you tried to kill me, I still lived and made what you gave me better with my own willpower" said Orochimaru as he continued to struggle in vain.
"As they say, Orochimaru, nothing in this world is free, especially things that came from me so what is yours will now be mine," Kurogiri stated, activating his newly evolved All for One quirk to absorb Orochimaru's quirk to Orochimaru's horror. However, Kurogiri underestimated the newfound power of All for One.
When the quirk activated, not only were the quirks absorbed, but Orochimaru himself was also assimilated into Kurogiri's body. A surge of invigorating sensation coursed through Kurogiri's being, while Orochimaru's soul was confined within his newly developed spiritual space, suppressed by Kurogiri's significantly heightened spiritual force surpassing its previous levels.
Orochimaru's soul found itself trapped in an empty space, tinted reddish-black, with no discernible surroundings except for a small area of blue liquid. Unbeknownst to Orochimaru, the liquid was actually the chakra that Kurogiri had stored, yet it paled in comparison to the vastness of the expanded spiritual space. But before Orochimaru could properly process his surroundings, a tremendous pressure descended upon him, rendering him immobile and feeling as if multiple individuals had cast him under an overwhelming genjutsu.
In the midst of this, Kurogiri materialized before Orochimaru within the spiritual space, looking around with curiosity before fixing his gaze on the captive. "Well, I wasn't expecting that reaction, but I must admit, I'm impressed. Considering the potential uses this could have, and your intelligence, keeping you around might not be a bad option," Kurogiri stated, a smirk forming on his face as he contemplated the newfound possibilities.
Though Orochimaru was under immense pressure, he couldn't speak, yet even if he could, he knew that there was nothing he could do to free himself. With the creature's newfound power, Orochimaru understood that his current circumstances were unchangeable. Helpless, he silently acknowledged his inability to alter the situation.
Kurogiri left the spiritual space, returning to his physical body, now possessing a deeper understanding of it. He contemplated the notion that he could potentially store Tailed Beasts within this spacious realm, intrigued by the possibilities that lay ahead.
With his attention on the compress balls, Kurogiri utilized Persuasive Manipulation to lull the current occupants into a deep slumber before releasing the Uzumaki boy first. However, before he could proceed further, Kurogiri's ethereal eyes allowed him to sense a distinct power and presence in the vicinity, almost as if it lingered in the air.
Investigating the area, he beheld the astral body of an elderly man, possessing the same distinctive eyes as Orochimaru's former rain hair companion in the Land of Rain. Strangely, there was also a red eye situated at the center of the man's forehead with horns.
"Hey, old man. What can I do for you, or do you think this is some kind of spectacle? Because it isn't," Kurogiri spoke to the ghost, a slight smirk playing upon his lips. He felt the energy emanating from the ghost, but it didn't concern him. He was only curious about the possibility of absorbing this spirit directly.
Hagoromo Otsutsuki, widely known as the Sage of the Six Paths, had always been content observing the events within the ninja world. However, since the appearance of this creature over three years ago, he had kept a watchful eye upon it. The recent transformation of the creature had sparked Hagoromo's concern, reminiscent of his own mother's power but somehow even stronger. And now, something unprecedented had occurred: the creature could see his spirit, even in its separate realm.
Hagoromo couldn't help but be captivated by the creature's rainbow-hued eyes, realizing that they were the source of its ability to perceive him through some peculiar power. Resolute in his pursuit of peace, Hagoromo chose to engage in conversation with the creature, aiming to discern its goals or perhaps guide it towards a more righteous path.
"Hello, young one. I am Hagoromo Otsutsuki, known as the Sage of Six Paths. I have been observing you ever since you appeared in this realm three years ago," Hagoromo introduced himself to the creature, noting a raised eyebrow in response.
Kurogiri was genuinely surprised when he learned about the sage of the six paths from Orochimaru, recalling the times Orochimaru used to educate him about the history of the ninja world. "So you're saying that you're the father of ninjutsu, the sage who brought peace and chakra to the world over a thousand years ago, and you've been observing me all this time?" Kurogiri mused, grateful for his own evolution that led him to this encounter with the sage.
"Yes, Kurogiri, that is the name you've chosen. I am the one and the same. However, I introduced ninshu and spread chakra to enable people to understand one another and bring peace to the world," responded the sage, still scrutinizing Kurogiri's eyes in an attempt to decipher their mysteries.
"Well, considering the warring state period and the three ninja wars, if peace were water, this place would be a barren desert," Kurogiri remarked, unintentionally shaming the sage. But he didn't stop there and continued, "Now that we have the 'who' out of the way, let's try to figure out why you've been keeping an eye on me," he questioned the sage, his skepticism evident.
"At first, it was curiosity. But now that you possess the tailed beast I created and one of the reincarnations of my son, I had to get a closer look to understand your motives," the sage explained, causing Kurogiri to turn and glance at the sleeping blonde boy beside him. Concentrating his ethereal eyes on the boy, Kurogiri could discern three distinct chakras within his body, ranging from red, green, and blue.
"I assume the smaller, green chakra must be part of your son's own chakra, the red belonging to the tailed beast, and the blue being the usual color of people's chakra is the boys," Kurogiri deduced, surprising the sage with the capabilities of his eyes.
"Hmmm, your eyes possess a remarkable doujutsu. However, I've never seen one like it in this world yet," the sage commented, while Kurogiri simply shrugged and replied, "I'm just built different," chuckling as the sage nodded in agreement, acknowledging his uniqueness.
"Now, young one, can you tell me your intentions for this world?" the sage inquired, his face displaying a serious expression. "Well, if you've been observing me as closely as you claim, then you should already know, correct?" Kurogiri pressed, eager to learn what the sage knew about him.
"Peace seems to be your mission, but I wonder what your plan is and why you involved the tailed beasts," the sage inquired, attempting to unravel Kurogiri's intentions.
"Well, before meeting you, I was planning to bring down the larger villages and empower the non-ninja population. But after our conversation, I've changed my mind," Kurogiri revealed, shocking the sage with his shift in perspective.
"Are you no longer working towards peace?" the worried sage questioned, aware of the potential destruction Kurogiri could unleash upon the world.
I am still working towards peace, but now I intend to reclaim all the chakra. It seems that's where the problem lies. There may still be wars, but at least they won't involve superpowers," Kurogiri explained, leaving the sage astonished. The sage had considered a similar approach but refrained from executing it, as his time had passed, and he wished to see what the new generation would do.
"I will absorb all the tailed beasts and chakra in this world, leaving only people with basic human abilities. Meanwhile, I will utilize the collected chakra to venture into other worlds," Kurogiri elaborated to the sage. This idea wasn't bad, the sage realized. By doing this, the world would be free from the threat of his mother and his sons would no longer engage in continuous fights throughout generations.
Although this plan seemed promising, the sage felt compelled to inquire about the treatment of the tailed beasts, as they were like his own children. "Will you treat them fairly, or will you view them as mere tools like the current world?" the sage asked, a stern expression born out of concern for his children.
"I despise being used, so I have no intention of using them. My plan is for them to be my companions. Leaving them with me will open doors to new worlds," Kurogiri declared, meeting the sage's gaze with unwavering determination.
Kurogiri appreciated the sage's care for what essentially were his children, and his commitment to treating them with respect. However, Kurogiri couldn't help but feel like the sage was a hypocrite due to his lack of involvement in allowing the tailed beasts to be sealed by the ninja villages.
Hearing Kurogiri's plan and sensing the creature's disdain for being used, as well as his unwavering determination to be companions with the tailed beasts, the sage finally smiled, feeling that the world might experience a true transformation with this creature's plan.
"Alright, I will observe and see how you bring about peace. I will also assist you in connecting with my children by revealing their names to you," the sage, known as Hagoromo, declared. He understood that if this creature succeeded, his mother would never regain her freedom, yet he decided to keep that part a secret.
"Thank you, Hagoromo. I promise to treat each of your children with respect while showing them worlds beyond this one," Kurogiri replied, filled with excitement at the prospect of receiving help from the father of this world.
With their conversation concluded, Kurogiri and Hagoromo paused, allowing Kurogiri to focus on the sleeping blonde boy beside him, preparing to communicate with his first tailed beast. And what better tailed beast to start with than the strongest one.