Hamura Ōtsutsuki let out a warm laugh. "Haha, get up, sit down."
"Yes."
Uchiha Gen took a seat, keeping his composure.
Hamura studied him closely. "How did you come to the Pure Land? Your soul still carries vitality, untouched by decay or death. You don't look like someone who died naturally or by accident."
Gen had already prepared his answer. "Uncle-Grandfather, I was practicing a ninjutsu related to the soul leaving the body. After my soul separated from my physical form and drifted into the void, I felt a strange pull. My curiosity got the better of me, and when I followed it… I ended up here."
"I see," Hamura nodded slightly. "Then I don't know whether to call you lucky or unfortunate, to reach the realm of the dead while still among the living."
"Uncle-Grandfather, can I still go back?" Gen asked, wearing a convincingly worried expression.
In truth, he wasn't worried at all. Even if he couldn't find a way out of the Pure Land, his physical body could simply summon his soul back using the Summoning Technique. He hadn't learned Edo Tensei in full, but he understood its theory well enough.
"Since you've met me, returning won't be difficult," Hamura said with a faint smile. "I can send you back."
"Then I must thank you, Uncle-Grandfather." Gen smiled brightly, feigning relief.
"By the way, Uncle-Grandfather, where's the Old Ancestor? I thought he'd be here as well."
Hamura chuckled. "Ah, my elder brother. He's not like me. He enjoys wandering the world of the living and can't bear to stay here in the Pure Land for long. Come, have some tea."
So the Sage of Six Paths is a restless traveler, while Hamura is the stay-at-home type.
That fits. In the original accounts, the Sage roamed far and wide, not only to spread Ninshū, but because he couldn't sit still. Meanwhile, Hamura exiled himself to the moon to watch over Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, probably enduring endless solitude.
"Thank you, Uncle-Grandfather."
Gen accepted the teacup with both hands. Inside, dozens of emerald leaves floated lazily atop dark liquid. A faint, refreshing fragrance filled the air.
He brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. The flavor was mellow, clean, vibrant, and pure, with a lingering sweetness that filled his entire soul.
"Good tea! Truly wonderful tea!" he exclaimed.
Hamura smiled faintly, savoring his own cup. "I'm glad you like it."
For a while, they drank in comfortable silence, the still air of the Pure Land carrying only the faint echo of their cups.
Eventually, Gen set his cup down and grew serious. "Uncle-Grandfather, I have some questions I'd like to ask."
"Go ahead," Hamura said. "I'll answer whatever I can."
"Thank you." Gen inclined his head respectfully. "First—how large is the Pure Land?"
"As vast as the living world," Hamura replied calmly.
"Is the terrain here the same as in the world of the living?"
"Not yet. The Pure Land still retains traces of the ancient world's landscape, but with time, it will gradually mirror the living world. The two are interlinked—the Pure Land is influenced by the world of the living."
Gen nodded thoughtfully. "Besides you and the Old Ancestor, are there no other conscious beings here? I mean, besides the countless dormant souls."
Hamura shook his head as he refilled their cups. "No. It's far more desolate here than in the world of the living. That's why my brother wanders so often—he can't stand the stillness. I, on the other hand, find peace in solitude."
Gen smiled, raising his cup in admiration. "Uncle-Grandfather truly has the heart of a recluse, calm, content, and self-sufficient even in this small world."
The words carried a trace of flattery, but he meant them sincerely. When Kaguya was unsealed, Hamura hadn't even appeared; clearly, he valued quiet above all else.
"Haha," Hamura chuckled softly. "My brother's travels aren't a bad thing. Every time he returns, we have much to discuss, and he brings back all sorts of curious trinkets."
Gen laughed. "What a close bond. I'm a bit envious, actually. I don't have any brothers myself."
He paused, then asked, "Uncle-Grandfather, how long do the souls resting here remain?"
"Basically, forever," Hamura answered.
"Forever?" Gen's eyes widened in mock surprise. "What does that mean exactly? Please, enlighten me."
It seems there truly is no reincarnation cycle in this world, once dead, the soul remains here eternally.
"They exist as long as this world exists," Hamura said quietly. "Until the world itself is destroyed."
"The world… destroyed?" Gen asked, feigning alarm. "How could such a thing happen? Is there a way to prevent it?"
Hamura smiled faintly, almost amused by his concern. "You needn't worry. Even my brother and I are unlikely to witness that day—let alone you. It's still thousands of years away."
He set his cup down gently. "As for how the world will end… if nothing interferes from outside, it will happen when the Pure Land can no longer contain souls."
Gen blinked. "When the Pure Land can no longer hold souls?"
"Exactly. The two realms affect each other. The living world feeds the Pure Land with souls, and the Pure Land stabilizes the living world in return. If that balance collapses, so too does existence."
Gen was stunned. The world would perish once the Pure Land overflowed with souls?
Then… didn't that mean his devouring of souls was actually helping the world last longer?
As long as the Pure Land could still absorb souls and no outside interference, like the Ōtsutsuki, disrupted it, the world would continue to survive.
In that case, his ability to cross dimensions and his acquisition of the Soul-Soul Fruit's power might not have been a coincidence at all.
Even the Sage of Six Paths or Kaguya wouldn't have been able to orchestrate something like this.
That meant the only possibility was… the will of the world itself.
Could it be that the world's own consciousness, or "Heavenly Will", had developed sentience?
It seemed plausible. And thinking back, his path so far had been surprisingly smooth. If the world itself had chosen him, then that was no curse, it was favor.
Child of destiny, huh?
A chosen one directly blessed by the world's will… that sounded about right.
His thoughts churned, but outwardly, Gen remained calm and smiled. "I see. Then I can rest easy."
"Good," Hamura said with a reassuring nod. "Live well, and don't dwell too much on such things."
"Understood, Uncle-Grandfather."
They moved on from heavy topics and spoke casually of the living world instead.
From their conversation, Gen realized something important: neither Hamura nor Hagoromo had any intention of interfering in mortal affairs. They preferred to watch the ninja world evolve on its own, believing in the potential of their descendants.
It wasn't detachment, it was faith. They trusted that their bloodline would guide the world toward peace.
Gen wasn't sure how to feel about that. Sometimes, elders trusting their descendants too much only made things worse.
If Kaguya hadn't broken free, Hagoromo probably wouldn't have stepped in at all. His "first son" and "second son" fought each other to the death, both dear to him. Then their descendants carried on that same conflict for generations.
Later, their uncle and grandmother conspired against them, and the two "grandsons" allied to seal those elders away.
An entire world shaken by family drama. Two major cataclysms all sparked by one clan's infighting, truly one for the record books.
It was no wonder the world itself eventually got fed up. Perhaps that endless chaos had given rise to a sentient will, one that decided enough was enough.
Maybe that's why it had chosen to summon an outsider like him, to break the Ōtsutsuki family's endless cycle of conflict and, at the same time, heal the world's sickness.
After all, what world wants to die before its time?
The thought amused him, and Gen couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Hamura raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"