Perhaps it could be called the sky, but it was pitch black, so dark that one couldn't see their own hand in front of them. The ground was covered in stagnant water, deep enough to reach the calves, cool and still. The only thing disturbing the dead water, creating movement, was Masashi's actions.
He climbed up from the water, and as he moved, the previously motionless surface rippled outward in waves. This place wasn't unfamiliar to him.
In one aspect, Masashi agreed with Orochimaru's perspective.
Whether it was seeking the truth, uncovering the secrets of this world, or striving step by step to reach the pinnacle, all of it required time. But in the end, everyone was merely human, and time was limited. This world had televisions and refrigerators, but it had far more kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, ninjutsu bombardments, and Susanoo battles.
In such a messed-up place, who wouldn't feel empty? Without some kind of spiritual support, life would be unbearable. Seeking truth, knowing everything, following some grand ideology... At the core, it all stemmed from the simplest desire: Screw war!
In a fundamentally barbaric world, there weren't many ways to escape war. He had tried in his life as Muzo and failed. Now, in this life, he had chosen a different approach, but so far, the results weren't much better.
Ninjas were already some of the most… no, the most cultured people in this world. This group had long reached a consensus: simply being stronger than everyone else wouldn't eliminate extreme violence. The answer had to be sought on a higher level.
Since the moment the God Tree existed in this world, there had only ever been one remaining path toward truth, or rather, omniscience.
Chakra.
And ninjas were the ones closest to this path, the ones most likely to walk it. However, as a ninja, one had to spend most of their life learning how to kill and avoid being killed. If lucky, by around the age of thirty, they might no longer have to worry about being randomly taken out and could instead choose whether or not to kill others.
But by then, a person's prime was already down to the last ten years. So, researching ways to extend one's life, or simply developing reincarnation techniques, was perfectly logical.
Too reasonable, even.
As Muzo, he had also been to this place, but back then, everything had been unclear, like a dream where he could wake up at any moment.
This time, however, everything was crystal clear. He could directly feel the dampness of the water against his body, breathe in this space, and when he moved his hand, he could genuinely feel it slicing through the air. Maybe this was a case of accidental success.
The harder he had tried, the less he had grasped. Now that he wasn't forcing it, it was here, right in front of him.
He looked forward. There, he might find some answers.
A man sat with a ball beneath him. No, he was the very origin of everything.
The Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo.
Also known as the cheat-code grandpa who handed out overpowered abilities like candy. The number one filial son of the Ōtsutsuki clan... the very founder of this world's noble tradition of filial piety.
From a societal perspective, his devotion was exemplary, truly praiseworthy.
Otherwise, in his first life in the shinobi world, he would have ended up fused into the God Tree, turned into a White Zetsu.
He walked forward.
Now, about Hagoromo… Setting aside his posture and attire, his utterly unique facial features, the beard so long it reached his waist, and his unmistakable prominent horns, well, these alone made him incredibly recognizable.
This level of recognizability was immune to the passage of time and transcended all variations in art style across different dimensions. After all, his entire being radiated a singular message: I am badass. I have all the hacks. And they are free. Just take my candy!
As Masashi approached, he had to look up.
Hagoromo was floating, and he was huge.
Yes, he was tall. Considering people shrink as they age, he must have been a handsome giant in his youth.
Masashi didn't even bother trying to use ninjutsu. For one, if both of them could use techniques, he was definitely no match for this walking god-tier character. For another, when extracting benefits from someone, one had to show the right attitude, let them feel involved in the experience.
When he came to a stop, Hagoromo opened his eyes.
Those swirling eyes carried an overwhelming pressure.
Nice. He knows how to pull off these dramatic moves too. Masashi figured they would have a lot to talk about.
"Greetings, newcomer," Hagoromo spoke. "You are not the first to seek an audience with me, but you are the only one who has ever succeeded."
Masashi had the urge to rub his own eyes, as if to remind this figure in front of him: Hey, I've got a pair too. But mine needs a special unlock. How about you hook me up with an express pass?
"You are different from the other newcomers," Hagoromo continued. "You have no confusion about why you are here. That means you already understand what I have done. Perhaps…" He paused. "Perhaps the difference in our eras will not be an obstacle to our conversation."
Having said that, he continued to observe Masashi, who said nothing. He simply stared back at Hagoromo with a single expression: Keep talking. I like hearing you talk.
---
Hagoromo wasn't quite sure what to make of this descendant. Not that he ever really connected with any of the reincarnations he had encountered before. From his perspective, what a reincarnate thought wasn't important. He had become a legend, what they saw in him wasn't his true self.
What mattered was what they sought to do.
By understanding their goals, he could determine whether or not to loan them power. But in the grand scope of time, any power he gave would eventually return to the Pure Land. Thus, he never truly granted power, he merely loaned it.
However, this reincarnate in front of him was special. Past reincarnates arrived here lost and ignorant. Just recognizing who he was took them time. And not just any reincarnate could reach this place, it only happened if their chakra happened to resonate with his.
Only Asura's and Indra's descendants had this potential, as their chakra came from the same source as his.
The previous reincarnate of Indra's chakra had not only connected with him but even triggered a reverse flow of his power, thus awakening the Rinnegan.
There should never have been another Rinnegan.
Each time one appeared, it meant his or his mother's power was leaking, making the world's balance more unstable, the future more uncertain. Because of this, he had chosen not to meet that reincarnate.
But this one? He was even more unique.
The last Indra reincarnate had drawn out his power. But this one had gained a similar power not through lineage, but from the remnants of the God Tree, though faint, it had still crossed the threshold. And in doing so, a new balance had been established.
That was reason enough for Hagoromo to meet him.
"You are quite special," he finally said. "You are Asura's descendant, yet without inheriting the chakra of my two sons, you have still reached this point through your own power." His gaze sharpened. "What drives you?"
"In the shinobi world, you are a myth," Masashi said. "But myths are just fragments of history. No myth appears without an origin. I want to find a path within it."
"I see. That is… quite ambitious." Hagoromo nodded slightly. "So, pursuing the power of chakra, this is the path you have chosen?"
"This world is far more brutal than you might think," Masashi said. "Including myself, all reincarnates who have met you, because of who you are, never show you that side of the world. Even the Senju has perished in my time. Without enough power, forget searching for answers, just surviving is difficult."
"…Perhaps even after reincarnation, I can never truly understand my children's struggles," Hagoromo murmured. "Time is merciless. Even I can only persist in this form." He looked at Masashi again. "Then, having obtained the Rinnegan, have you found your path?"
"Haven't even seen the door yet," Masashi replied. "Forget the door, I don't even know what the road is supposed to look like. But I'll keep moving. As long as I'm alive, I'll find it."
"…That's quite the carefree approach." Hagoromo found this mindset rather… casual.
"The future is unpredictable, but that unpredictability is what makes it limitless," Masashi said. "There is no absolute certainty in anything. Not even for a god."
"It seems I don't need to tell you about my sons after all." Hagoromo decided to end the conversation.
As for this unique child, he would continue to observe him. Whether his uniqueness would bring fortune or disaster to the world, he could not yet say.
"No, actually, I do want to know," Masashi quickly interjected. "And also, why did you let your sons fight?"
This was something he simply couldn't understand. With Hagoromo's abilities, there was no way he couldn't have thought of a solution. The fact that he foresaw someone would eventually obtain both Asura's and Indra's chakra, thus triggering his power and awakening the Rinnegan, meant he clearly had foresight.
So why hadn't he stopped it at the source?
Masashi didn't believe for a second that he hadn't tried.
"Of course, I tried," Hagoromo said. "But in the end, everything still unfolded in the worst possible way." He sighed. "Some things… cannot be changed, no matter how hard you try."
"…Then I have another question," Masashi said. "Does the soul truly exist?"
"That depends on how you define it." Hagoromo shook his head. "I was born with chakra. In my memories, people's understanding of the 'soul' was merely a passed-down story. Whether souls existed in that era, and in what form, I cannot answer."
"What about after your era?"
"Well… it's not quite my era," Hagoromo mused. He briefly considered, perhaps this child sought immortality. It was not an unreasonable desire. If his uniqueness could be harnessed for something good, that would be ideal.
"When I died, I used chakra to maintain what people now call the Pure Land. There are even ninjutsu in the modern world that can draw power from the Pure Land. If you interpret the chakra left behind by the dead as 'souls'… then it's not impossible."
"…Hearing you say that, I think I get it now." Masashi nodded.
"Then our meeting ends here," Hagoromo said. "After all… your world needs you more."
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