"Second, aside from internal factors, external threats cannot be ignored either."
"Do you mean, sir, the threat from the Ōtsutsuki clan from outer space? Like that one before, what was his name, Urashiki?"
"That's still far off. Typically, it takes another twenty years before a new Ōtsutsuki arrives on Earth. For now, we don't need to worry about it."
"Then, what do you mean, sir?"
"There are two aspects. First, on the Moon, there is a mixed-blood Ōtsutsuki clan living there."
"The mixed-blood Ōtsutsuki descendants on the Moon are the offspring of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths, and they share a lineage with the Hyuga clan. However, over thousands of years, they've bred through inbreeding, so their bloodline is purer than the mixed-blood Hyuga clan."
"So that's how it is, there are distant relatives of the Hyuga clan on the Moon?"
"Wait... Will they threaten the ninja world?"
Lux continued his explanation: "Actually, no. The Ōtsutsuki clan on the Moon is divided into the main family and the branch family. The main family has always adhered to Hagoromo's will, guarding the Moon and observing Earth, and they won't casually interfere with the affairs of the ninja world."
"However... If we're counting, the main Ōtsutsuki family on the Moon should have been wiped out by the branch family."
"And that branch family harbors a deep hatred for Earth and its ninjas. Their ultimate goal is to destroy Earth's ecosystem, kill everyone, and then build a new world. So, when they learn that the ninja world has been unified, they might not let go of this obsession."
"In fact, they might even accelerate their plans to destroy the ninja world. This is what I want to remind you of."
Orochimaru listened with great admiration.
He wasn't too afraid, but rather, he was curious about the Ōtsutsuki clan on the Moon.
He really wanted to fly to the Moon right now, capture a few Moon Ōtsutsuki, and conduct further research on them.
Unfortunately, his strength wasn't sufficient yet!
To fly to the Moon on his own, even with the help of ninjutsu, Orochimaru would still need to develop the necessary technology for a few more years.
"These Ōtsutsuki are really troublesome! Sir, how strong are they?"
"Overall, their strength is comparable to the ninja world. However, they might be able to control the Moon and crash it into the ninja world. If that happens, you'll definitely lose!"
"Hah! That is indeed quite troublesome... How long do we have before they launch their attack?"
"It's uncertain, it could be a year, or maybe over a decade. I just want to remind you, so you're not caught off guard when it happens."
"I see, thank you for the warning, sir! I'll make sure to pay attention to it!"
Orochimaru nodded gratefully, and in his mind, he had already come up with a few plans to monitor and deal with the threat from the Moon, just waiting for the next steps.
The ninja world fears a lack of information the most.
As long as the information is known early and preparations are made, the chances of winning increase drastically.
And trying to defeat a prepared Orochimaru is like committing suicide, akin to fighting Batman.
"By the way, what's the other threat?"
"That would be the real Ōtsutsuki."
"There's still an Ōtsutsuki in the ninja world?"
"His real name is Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. He arrived on Earth a thousand years ago, and since then, he has lived as a parasite, merging with a wandering monk named Jigen, up to this day."
"He can live for thousands of years, you say?!!"
Orochimaru was shocked but also filled with excitement.
Living for thousands of years, that was his dream of achieving immortality!
This is a huge treasure!
He really wanted to capture that Isshiki Ōtsutsuki and lock him up in his laboratory right now!
"He does possess the eternal life you desire. However, don't underestimate him, he's extremely strong, surpassing the limits of ninja strength."
"Hmm... Hashirama and Madara were both defeated by him..."
Orochimaru finally took a deep breath.
The overwhelming strength of Hashirama and Madara already made him feel a sense of dread.
But to think both of them were defeated by Isshiki.
Is this the true power of a god?
"Sir, if an enemy like that attacks, wouldn't we be destroyed in an instant?"
"Although the threat is greater, the likelihood of him actively attacking is lower compared to the Ōtsutsuki on the Moon. For now, we just need to be vigilant."
"Then, what abilities does he have? Is there a way to defeat him?"
"For the details, let your other self explain it to you."
"Do you remember our initial transaction?"
"Of course! Wait... Does that mean I can finally go to another world and meet my other self?"
Orochimaru was overjoyed, unable to contain his excitement.
"This is my promise. Since you've unified the ninja world, it's time to fulfill it. And your other self has fought Isshiki directly, so he has a good understanding of that enemy. After you meet, you can share information, discuss strategies together, and accelerate research..."
"Good, good, good! I really want to meet my other self!"
"Do you need to prepare?"
"No need, no need, can we go now?"
Orochimaru was extremely excited, even more so than Lux himself.
Lux smiled faintly, not wasting any time, and used world teleportation, taking Orochimaru from Parallel 3 and disappearing from the spot.
The two appeared in Parallel World 4, twelve years in the past.
Orochimaru looked at the familiar yet slightly different Konoha Village and immediately asked.
"Twelve years ago, shortly after the night of the Nine-Tails attack."
"The past world? Twelve years ago? Wasn't I about to defect at that time?"
"No. In this world, the timeline has changed. Your self here didn't defect, instead, he became a high-ranking member of Konoha and has gathered a lot of valuable research materials."
"Really? I didn't defect?"
"Alright, you can talk to each other after meeting. Come on, I'll take you directly to meet your other self."
Lux used teleportation again, this time directly entering the laboratory of Orochimaru from Parallel 4.
At this moment, Orochimaru, who was 'torturing' the already despairing Obito from Parallel 4, immediately sensed Lux's arrival.
Orochimaru was delighted but quickly noticed another figure beside Lux, a figure who looked exactly like himself!
"Wait... You're Orochimaru?!"
"You're also Orochimaru?!"
The two Orochimaru met, unlike the angry encounter between Tobirama and Tobirama, or the hate-filled meeting between Madara and Madara.
Instead, they were very happy, as if they had discovered something new.
It was as if they had found a new continent that excited them greatly.
"You're my past self?"
"You're my future self?"
"Yes, I'm your future self!"
"Wait... You're a bit strange... Your body? Why are you female?"
Orochimaru from Parallel 4 felt something was off and immediately asked.