Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Zixu sighed as he listened to Gekkō Hayate judgment. "You don't have the talent for learning swordsmanship. You are more suited to wielding a staff. Change direction." After extensive discussion, Gekkō Hayate had reached a conclusion regarding Zixu's abilities.

He struggled to articulate Zixu's talent in swordsmanship. If talent points were a thing, with a total of ten points distributed among various skills, a swordsmanship genius would have seven allocated to the craft, while the remaining three would support related abilities.

Zixu, however, was different. While he too had ten total talent points, Gekko felt that his skill with a staff should be at thirty points, leaving the rest at zero, and his talent for swordsmanship was an abysmal negative twenty. He could wield other weapons just fine, but when it came to a blade, his techniques were laughably awkward—his movements resembling staff techniques more than anything else. It was unfathomable how he managed to leave blunt marks on a target while wielding the renowned blade, Yubashiri. Ultimately, Gekko Hayate concluded that he could not train Zixu and sent him away.

Zixu made his way back to his dwelling—a modest, earth-style structure. He turned back to glance at Gekko Hayate, who remained at his post, guarding the entrance. A sigh escaped him.

"The Impure World Reincarnation (Edo Tensei) is truly a remarkable technique. An immortal body, accelerated chakra recovery, and virtually no drawbacks other than the inability to grow stronger—it's the perfect labor force and experimental subject. No wonder Orochimaru is so confident..."

Zixu found himself intrigued by this broken technique. Wasn't this essentially resurrection? Not only that, but it also granted an undying body and incredible chakra regeneration. It was like a twisted version of eternal life.

"Now that I think about it, Orochimaru is truly dangerous. Impure World Reincarnation… is indeed a forbidden technique. Luckily, sealing techniques can counter it. The Uzumaki clan is renowned for their prowess in sealing. Without them..."

Zixu finally reached his so-called "home," a simple mud-brick shelter made with Earth Release (Doton), containing only a bed. He lay down and noticed the black snake he had lent to Orochimaru earlier slithering toward him, nudging at the hem of his clothing affectionately.

For a moment, Zixu held the little snake in his hands before releasing it. Then, he turned his focus inward, peering into his own spiritual space. A vast mass of deep blue, highly refined soul energy occupied the area. Once pristine white, his spiritual domain was now a brilliant azure, pulsating like the depths of the ocean.

At the very center of this sea of energy, a familiar figure was suspended in midair—Sarutobi Hiruzen. The old Hokage's eyes were shut, his fists clenched in an expression of deep regret.

As Zixu manifested in his own spiritual space, the once-still waters began to ripple. Like a black hole, he drew in the surrounding soul energy, steadily increasing in size as the waves of energy receded.

It was an exhilarating sensation—a comfort that resonated within his very soul. The fatigue from transforming into a Divine Dragon (Shinryu) dissipated, and the strain from awakening Armament Haki (Busoshoku no Haki) gradually faded. A feeling of transcendence coursed through him, as if he had been reborn. He felt as though some unseen barrier had finally shattered.

[Due to the sublimation of your soul, your Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku no Haki) has been enhanced...] 

[Due to the sublimation of your soul, your Armament Haki (Busoshoku no Haki) has been enhanced...] 

[Due to the sublimation of your soul, your Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku no Haki) has been enhanced...] 

[System restrictions have been lifted. The system will now integrate various functions. Based on the host's unique traits, the lottery draw will yield even richer rewards...]

Zixu ignored the system notifications, suppressing the joy that welled up inside him. Now standing at an imposing three to four meters in his spiritual space, his gaze fixated on the soul of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sensing the danger, the Third Hokage's tightly shut eyes snapped open. His gaze darted around in wariness and confusion.

"Where is this? The Reaper Death Seal (Shiki Fūjin)... This should be the belly of the Shinigami... Is that figure... Orochimaru? Has he become like this?"

Even in death, Sarutobi Hiruzen was not one to sit idly by. If he was indeed in the belly of the Death God, he would not let Orochimaru off so easily.

"Hmph!" The old Hokage lunged at Zixu, his mouth opening wide as if to devour his soul.

Zixu had no intention of letting the old man get close. He kicked Sarutobi Hiruzen away, grabbed his ankle, and slammed him into the ground.

"Gah!" The aged Hokage let out a painful groan as a burst of light-blue energy escaped his mouth. Before long, his soul could no longer withstand Zixu's assault, and he dissolved into countless glowing fragments, merging into Zixu's soul.

Even in his final moments, Sarutobi Hiruzen was perplexed—when had his so-called disciple become so spiritually powerful?

"Dong... Dong... Dong..." A thunderous pounding, as though a sledgehammer was striking his mind, sent waves of agony through Zixu's soul. He clutched his head, the pain unbearable.

Not only was his soul wracked with torment, but even his physical body trembled involuntarily. This was not something that could be endured with sheer willpower—this was the excruciating pain of the soul itself.

Suddenly, a flood of foreign memories surged into his consciousness. The sensation was bizarre. It was not like watching a film, where one remains detached from the events unfolding on-screen. No, these memories felt as if Zixu himself had lived them.

He remembered training under the First and Second Hokage as a youth, witnessing the ever-changing tides of the ninja world—cycles of war and peace.

He recalled meeting lifelong comrades: Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu...

He relived the pride he felt in teaching his greatest students—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—who would later be known as the Legendary Sannin.

He saw the Fourth Hokage and his wife perish at the hands of the Nine-Tails, Danzo and Orochimaru's dark experiments, his broken promise to care for Naruto, and the brutal extermination of the Uchiha clan.

A lifetime of studying countless ninjutsu, yet never stepping onto the battlefield. A life spent intoxicated by power, making mistake after mistake, blinded by his greed for control.

Only at the very end, as he faced death at the hands of his beloved student, did he feel an odd sense of relief.

Zixu opened his eyes, his gaze steady and resolute, the confusion in his mind fading.

"Hah... Sarutobi Hiruzen... your sins cannot be absolved... just rest in hell..." He shook his head, determined to shake off the lingering memories. Though some residual fragments remained, Sarutobi Hiruzen's soul had been completely devoured.

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