Chapter 533: Six Paths Immortal Artifact
The Pure Land, that eternal place where Souls rest and wander, was shrouded in a hazy and serene radiance as always.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo, known to the world as the Six Paths Sage, sat cross-legged, suspended in the void. Surrounded by faint Truth-Seeking Balls, he kept his eyes closed, sensing the situation in the Ninja World.
Regarding Uzumaki Naruto—the variable who had stirred up the Ninja World, ascended to the position of Hokage ahead of time, and even begun to touch the threshold of Kekkei Mora—the Six Paths Sage's attitude was quite subtle.
It was not that he was completely unconcerned; Naruto's growth speed, style of action, and even the potential contained within him made it impossible for Hagoromo to completely ignore him.
However, compared to Naruto, what he cared about more at this moment was another existence: Otsutsuki Isshiki.
"To think he could evade my observation for a millennium..."
The Six Paths Sage whispered internally, carrying a trace of gravity and bewilderment.
He believed that while his surveillance of the Ninja World was not exhaustive, he should have detected the lingering aura of the Otsutsuki Clan, as well as Chakra fluctuations as powerful as those of his mother, Kaguya.
Yet, Isshiki was like a venomous snake lurking in the deepest shadows; it was only recently, after speaking with his mother, that he learned of the existence of Otsutsuki Isshiki.
This ability to hide forced Hagoromo to re-evaluate the danger level of Isshiki.
As expected of an existence from that same clan as his mother; truly mysterious and unfathomable.
Hagoromo sighed with emotion, raising his vigilance toward Isshiki to the highest level.
This "compatriot" who had descended alongside his mother, Kaguya, but chosen a completely different path—his goals, strength, and the schemes hidden for a millennium were all huge unknowns, and potentially more troublesome than anticipated.
Pushing his thoughts about Isshiki aside for the moment, the Six Paths Sage swept his perception across the vast expanse of the Pure Land once again, attempting to find the Rinnegan-wielding boy who had once sparked his great interest: Yuji.
However, the result was still nothingness.
It was as if that boy had never appeared, having completely vanished from the perception range of the Pure Land, and even the memories of that encounter involving the Souls of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, who had had contact with him, seemed to have been wiped away.
If it were a Seal, the Six Paths Sage could have undone it with his mastery of Sealing Jutsu, but unfortunately, he did not possess the ability to restore lost memories.
Hagoromo clearly remembered that at that time, an extremely powerful and indescribable force had suddenly descended, instantly shielding his perception of that area.
By the time that force receded and he arrived, only emptiness remained; the mysterious Rinnegan-wielding boy, whose strength had been greatly reduced and who had been pursued by Uchiha Madara, was nowhere to be found.
This incident sounded an alarm for the Six Paths Sage.
He had originally thought that with his own power and understanding of the Pure Land, he had basically gained control over this final resting place for Souls.
But this event indicated that the Pure Land was far deeper and more mysterious than he knew, and it might hide ancient existences or unknown realms that even he had not yet perceived.
It was truly sigh-worthy; he had thought he was in control of everything, yet he was merely looking at the sky from the bottom of a well.
A trace of self-mockery arose in Hagoromo's heart, and at the same time, he became more cautious.
Was the existence that took the Rinnegan-wielding boy a friend or a foe?
What was the purpose?
All of this was shrouded in mist.
The unknown could not be eliminated, but if possible, the Six Paths Sage wanted to know more.
In order to deal with these potential threats, especially the clear threat of Otsutsuki Isshiki, the Six Paths Sage did not sit idly by.
Utilizing his ultimate understanding of Immortal Art and Yin-Yang Release, combined with the special environment and rules of the Pure Land, he expended considerable effort and finally created the world's first "Six Paths Immortal Artifact".
Compared to the treasured tools of the Otsutsuki, the Six Paths Immortal Artifact had its own strengths and weaknesses.
Unlike the Six Paths Ninja Tools left behind by the Six Paths Sage during his lifetime, the Six Paths Immortal Artifact incorporated the power of Immortal Art and also featured the amplification of talismans that Hamura had learned from Mount Myoboku.
In fact, this thing was originally prepared for the sealed Kaguya, just in case Kaguya ever escaped from the Seal and the Ninja World lacked the power to oppose her.
The Six Paths Sage had made two preparations.
One was the many powerful figures in the Pure Land and the Six Paths Immortal Artifact; the other was the Reincarnation of Asura and Indra's Chakra.
The Six Paths Sage had promised Hashirama that at the appropriate time, he would return their Souls to Hidden Leaf Village.
And these former powerhouses, once resurrected, might become an important force in opposing Isshiki.
This newly created Six Paths Immortal Artifact was named by Hagoromo as the Six Paths Life and Death Chess.
Its form was not a physical weapon, but rather resembled a set of Shogi boards.
Its core rule was: once the Six Paths Sage selected a specific opponent, he could activate this Immortal Artifact to directly construct a temporary special space—the Six Paths Life and Death Chess board—between the Ninja World and the Pure Land.
On the board, the rules were self-contained.
The Six Paths Sage and the selected opponent would serve as the Kings at either end of the board, while the Ninjas, Summoned Beasts, and even certain special existences under their respective commands would become the pieces on the board.
These pieces could be the living or the dead.
The battle would be conducted on this special "Life and Death Chessboard," with rules of victory similar to Shogi but far more complex and cruel, often directly relating to the changes in the situation of the real world, and potentially even determining the life or death of important figures.
After a piece was promoted, the corresponding Ninja would also be enhanced; for example, a Rook would become a Dragon King, and a Bishop would become a Dragon Horse.
This was equivalent to allowing the partial powers of the Yin and Yang realms to collide and compete in a highly rule-based form.
The Six Paths Sage's original intention in creating the "Life and Death Chess" was mainly to deal with his mother, but now it had become Isshiki.
He envisioned that when Isshiki truly bared his fangs and launched a full-scale invasion, he could activate the Life and Death Chess, pull Isshiki into this special battlefield, and use the rules and the power of his own pieces to oppose him.
However, Hagoromo's considerations went far beyond this.
His deep gaze seemed to pierce through the barrier of the Pure Land, casting toward the ambitious blonde boy in the real world—Uzumaki Naruto.
If this young Hokage who stirred up the wind and clouds ultimately posed an uncontrollable threat to the balance of the Ninja World and the future of the world, and went astray...
The Six Paths Sage thought silently, then this'Six Paths Life and Death Chess' might also have to be used on him.
The pieces were ready, and the board had been cast.
The chess player sat high in the Pure Land, watching the changes in the Ninja World, waiting for the moment when a move needed to be made.
Whether to deal with the Otsutsuki threat from the stars or to keep the potentially uncontrollable powers within the Ninja World in check, the Six Paths Sage Hagoromo was prepared to intervene.
It was just that this time, his method of intervention would no longer be simple dream-visiting or bestowing power, but a grand chess game that could sweep through both the realms of life and death, with the world as the stake.
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