Inherited Title: Ororchi Yashiro

Bai Cangshu emerged from the white mist, carrying Ororchi Yashiro, who had been struck by the Thunder Arrow of Destiny. Smoke was still rising from him.

The Thunder Arrow of Destiny was an extraordinarily terrifying ability, known as Heaven’s Will’s judgment. Yet its user merely summoned the lightning of the nine heavens. The target of the descending thunder, however, was chosen by destiny—or rather, by the Earth’s will.

"How could this be…"

Ororchi Yashiro still could not believe it. Destiny had favored this human more than him, a member of the Orochi Clan.

The Orochi Clan had in fact been created by the Earth’s will. Since the dawn of creation, they had protected humanity. But as humans gradually broke away from nature, the Orochi Clan’s role in human eyes had changed from sacred guardians into symbols of evil.

They sought to use the planet’s power to completely cleanse humanity and restore the world to its most primordial, natural state.

Ororchi Yashiro, one of the Hakkesshu of the Orochi Clan, who had reincarnated endlessly for that mission and also commanded the power of lightning among the Four Heavenly Kings, had actually lost to a human in such a choice.

To him, it was utterly absurd.

Bai Cangshu’s hand crackled. The power of the lightning sent waves of stinging pain through his arm, yet it only made him happier.

You have passed the Special Trial: Ororchi Yashiro

You have obtained the Inherited Title: Ororchi Yashiro

Inherited Title: Ororchi Yashiro

Type: Special, Unique

Effect 1: When equipped, Martial Arts and Combat Mastery +1

Effect 2: When equipped, gain Advanced Lightning Affinity

Effect 3: When equipped, gain the ability to summon lightning. This ability is positively correlated with the Spirit attribute. When the Spirit attribute reaches 30, 60, 90, and 120, the power of lightning will each rise by one tier.

Effect 4: When Ororchi Yashiro is on a planet recognized as Earth, gain the Planet's Will's recognition and may use the inherited ability, Thunder Arrow of Destiny

Bai Cangshu threw Ororchi Yashiro into the Yellow Springs. The murky yellow water was clearly shallow, yet it instantly swallowed the heroic soul of this Hakkesshu, who had reincarnated for eighteen hundred years.

He glanced at Satoru Gojo and Uchiha Madara. Both powerful souls were radiating chilling fighting spirit, their auras beginning to collide.

Bai Cangshu suddenly raised a hand and pointed at the sky.

Buzzz~

That terrifying sensation of the entire sky crashing down returned.

Within Bai Cangshu’s Consciousness Space, using this ability consumed nothing. The space immediately began crackling as massive amounts of static charge appeared, arcs of electricity flickering in the pure white space.

Bai Cangshu smiled wildly. Though he looked rather battered, with one hand pointing at the sky, the unrestrained madness he exuded was no less than that of Satoru Gojo or Uchiha Madara.

In fact, because his soul body was far more solid than theirs, his presence at that moment began to overwhelmingly surpass both of them.

"Satoru Gojo, Uchiha Madara, interested in gambling with me on destiny?"

Feeling the terrifying pressure in the air, the Death God unconsciously began descending back into the Yellow Springs. It seemed to be searching for the Hakkesshu’s soul.

Satoru Gojo and Uchiha Madara’s smiles did not change. Neither was the sort to change expression even if the sky collapsed. Still, recalling the terror of that last strike, as well as the bizarre sight of heavenly lightning falling upon their master while Bai Cangshu merely stood there…

In the end, Satoru Gojo lazily waved a hand, pulled down his blindfold, and teleported into a corner to lie down.

"Tch. I don’t want to bet against that freakish Strong Luck of yours."

Seeing Satoru Gojo’s attitude, Uchiha Madara frowned. He merely looked at Bai Cangshu’s charred state with distaste.

"When you’re in better condition next time, I’ll be interested in letting you witness the full strength of…"

Whoosh.

Bai Cangshu instantly vanished. His lightning-wreathed soul body smashed apart the newly rebuilt Yin Spirit Tower, then he sat upon the Throne of the Heart. Uchiha Madara, who had been about to say something deep and imposing in a low voice, stiffened.

Then, with a dark expression, he sat down in the Yellow Springs.

He decided to take back his assessment. This King of the Heart was extremely irritating.

Satoru Gojo’s lips curled upward at the sight. In a sense, all three of them represented madness. But the more arrogant and wild someone was, the less willing they were to see anyone else flaunt that same madness before them.

That was true of him, Bai Cangshu, and Uchiha Madara alike.

Uchiha Shisui frowned tightly. The collapsed Daimyo’s Estate in the capital of the Land of Lightning, along with the thick stench of blood, had already let him foresee what had happened here.

Even on the way over, he had heard that the Land of Fire’s daimyo had been killed and its Daimyo’s Estate destroyed, while more than half of the Land of Fire’s capital had been shattered by terrifying ninjas.

The surviving great nobles of the Land of Fire had now declared their submission to someone called Akatsuki.

The Land of Lightning would likely submit completely soon as well.

These princes and nobles were far less resilient than ninjas. Though a decision to submit due to bloody violence would not earn much recognition and could easily collapse in the next uprising…

The submission of two great nations still shook Uchiha Shisui deeply.

Even the most brutal wars in the past had never accomplished such a thing.

Since the era of ninja villages began, Kage-level Ninjas had fallen in wars one after another, but daimyo and great nobles had never died in war.

The wars of the Five Great Nations had always been extremely "restrained."

Uchiha Shisui now began to question the logic behind such wars.

He quickly found Uchiha Itachi, who was slaughtering in the darkness. This younger brother, who had once followed behind him as they pondered how to bring peace to the Uchiha and Konoha, now held a bloodstained tachi. The Sharingan in his eyes held no emotion as he coldly swung the blade in his hand.

Sensing someone approach, Itachi turned around. Two pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan met.

"Itachi, where is that man?"

Uchiha Shisui shifted his gaze away. He was beginning to find himself unable to understand what this younger brother was thinking through his eyes.

Uchiha Itachi flicked his wrist, and the Shuriken in his hand accurately killed several fleeing samurai. This clan had attempted to contact the elders of Kumogakure, intending to reclaim control of order after Mercenary Tao left.

Though Uchiha Itachi did not think highly of the new daimyo Mercenary Tao had installed on a whim, he still chose to kill this clan and allow the possibility of unification to emerge.

Then Uchiha Itachi swiftly led Uchiha Shisui to the foot of the mountain where Mercenary Tao cultivated. There, they saw a married couple who had fallen into a strange Silence.

The golden rings in Hiranaka Minoru’s eyes were far more obvious than those of the people in Konoha.

Uchiha Shisui had originally come looking for Mercenary Tao to investigate his and that woman’s goals. They had crushed Konoha and sparked a war, only to attack the capital of the Land of Lightning and force the Raikage to retreat just as Konoha was about to fall.

But now, he realized he might have unexpectedly found the truth behind something else.

That Erdtree, and the inexplicable increase in the villagers’ strength.

Hiranaka Minoru raised his head and happened to meet Uchiha Shisui’s eyes.

The scarlet three tomoe slowly turned.

Hiranaka Minoru’s eyes went blank. His mind had already fallen.

Seeing Shisui’s action, Uchiha Itachi did not stop him. Instead, his ears twitched. He heard that the thunder within the clouds and mist had vanished.

The next moment, a figure fell from above the cliff.

Boom!

The ground exploded. The terrifying impact shattered the rocks underfoot, sending sharp fragments flying in every direction.

Uchiha Itachi instinctively held his blade across his body, blocking all the stones flying toward himself and Shisui.

Hiranaka Hana, however, had no time to react before the stone fragments were upon her.

Clang, clang, clang…

Hiranaka Minoru stepped forward and shielded his wife. The stone fragments were completely blocked by his armor. He clutched his head, feeling only intense exhaustion in his brain.

At the same time, Uchiha Shisui revealed a shocked expression.

"The Erdtree Era…"

"A future where no one dies…"

Uchiha Shisui was drawn in by the scenes he had seen, muttering to himself.

"That era will never come."

Bai Cangshu casually brushed the dust from his body. He was growing increasingly fond of this kind of free fall. He wanted to acclimate himself to the instincts of a Supernatural Being, so he could avoid thinking about useless combat logic during battle.

He casually denied the future Uchiha Shisui longed for.

He looked at Hiranaka Minoru and the golden ring in his eyes.

"This world is too small. It is only enough for me to roam freely and enjoy myself. It cannot contain the Greater Will…"

"Of course, the Otsutsuki are no different."