Within the secret chamber, the golden spiritual light generated by Shiraishi's Heavenly Curse of the Five Phantoms hovered in mid-air.
As with the previous iterations, it split into two spheres—one large and one small—representing a clean severance of Shiraishi's own soul.
Utilizing the "Curse" skill from his collection, the energy radiated outward. The violent golden lightning of his "Thunderbolt" ability merged with the severed soul fragment, which began to greedily devour the massive reservoir of resentment sealed within the scroll.
To grow, this new soul required the potent hatred of the fallen Hagoromo clansmen. As the golden lightning intertwined with the dark energy of the Hagoromo's past, the soul sphere gradually transitioned from a pure gold to a sinister, dark gold hue.
Is the power of resentment trying to taint my soul? Shiraishi mused.
The Hagoromo clan's spirits were indeed far more powerful than ordinary ninja souls; their obsession and hatred for the Uchiha and Senju clans ran bone-deep.
It was no wonder Kinkaku and Ginkaku were so hell-bent on killing Senju Tobirama; the feud between the Hagoromo and Konoha was a river of blood.
The dark-gold sphere of spiritual energy shot forth, vanishing into the unknown world outside.
In a remote corner of the Land of Water, a silver-white coffin slowly rose from the earth. Eerie runes and a peculiar summoning force swirled around it, lending the casket an aura of mystery.
Inside lay the perfectly preserved body of a Hagoromo youth, encased in specialized Ice Style preservation. Beside him, the Staff of the Sage—left to Shiraishi by Ashura—began to glow.
Although Shiraishi had inherited part of the Ninshu legacy from Ashura, including the Sage's Blade, he had never been able to effectively use this staff.
It was likely because he lacked the Hagoromo bloodline. After obtaining Amanonuhoko through the Core Punisher, he had little need for this "lesser" version of the staff.
However, this staff shared the same origin as the Amanonuhoko—both were products of Yin-Yang Release and could trigger the powerful Sage Arts of the Six Paths.
By using the Heavenly Curse: Five Elements to bypass natural laws, Shiraishi was preparing to let this Hagoromo youth become a new legend for the Hidden Cloud.
The soul light merged into the youth's body. Under the brilliance of the golden light, six distinct whisker-like marks appeared on his handsome face. With a sudden burst of power, the coffin shattered into dust!
Holding the Sage's Staff and dressed in ancient Ninshu robes with a string of prayer beads in hand, the youth's expression was one of serene peace, radiating pure natural energy.
Yet, beneath that calm exterior, a violent surge of high-intensity Lightning Style chakra enveloped him.
The reappearance of the Hagoromo clan in this world sent ripples through the sea, as if some unseen force in the universe was observing this resurrection with curiosity.
The youth gripped his prayer beads. His pure, boundless Six Paths Chakra fused with his unique lightning light, slicing a path of clarity through the chaotic sky.
"Heart, follow my footsteps."
Elsewhere in a remote region of the Land of Water, a Hidden Cloud battalion had been split into three separate units due to the Sand's fierce assault.
One of these small squads had the misfortune of running into a Hidden Mist ANBU team.
Though negotiations were underway, the Mist didn't mind thinning out the Cloud's forces. After all, the Cloud had bullied the Mist for quite some time.
The Mist ANBU quickly surrounded the Cloud squad. However, this particular unit was unique: they were the descendants of the legendary Kinkaku and Ginkaku Force.
As the descendants of "sinners," they hadn't been overtly oppressed, but their squad was composed entirely of the dwindling Hagoromo bloodline.
Over the years, their numbers had withered from a battalion to a platoon, and now to a mere squad.
The Cloud leadership hadn't suppressed them; rather, they lamented that the Hagoromo line produced so few heirs. Since the days of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the clan had failed to produce a single powerhouse.
Faced with the Mist's encirclement, the Cloud squad fought back tenaciously. Amidst the exchange of kunai and senbon, a brilliant flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the sea. A figure appeared, walking calmly across the water.
It was a youth holding a six-pronged staff.
"This boy..."
The Cloud squad leader's eyes immediately fell on the six golden whiskers on the youth's face. In that moment of eye contact, no words were needed. The blood flowing through the youth was the purest Hagoromo lineage!
And the staff in his hand... was it not the legendary Amanonuhoko from the main family's history?
"Who are you?"
"I am the last descendant of the Hagoromo main branch from the south," the youth said calmly. "My ancestors fled to the Land of Water to escape the Uchiha's pursuit..."
Without another word, he swept the Sage's Staff. A massive wave of chakra erupted, instantly pulverizing the incoming senbon and kunai. The Mist ANBU team stared in shock.
"Retreat!"
The Mist ninja fled without hesitation.
In the mental space, Hozuki Haigetsu watched the whisker-faced youth with amazement. "What an aura of power. He scared my Mist ninja off just by showing up."
Ignoring Haigetsu, the Hagoromo youth turned his gaze toward Uchiha Kaede.
"That foul, evil aura of the Uchiha... It's as repulsive as ever."
Kaede's expression was equally cold. "Heh, I could say the same to you."
Their bloodlines seemed naturally antagonistic. Even as mere consciousnesses, they felt an instinctive loathing for one another.
Lightning and blue flames suddenly clashed. Kaede flickered toward the Hagoromo youth. "What is your name?"
"Hagoromo Mato!"
Mato gripped the Sage's Staff, golden electricity condensing at its tip. Kaede's blue flames flared in response. Just as they were about to come to blows, Shiraishi entered the mental space with a massive headache.
Two invisible dragon claws manifested, crushing the flames and lightning instantly. Shiraishi sighed. "I'm beginning to wonder if the Sage of the Six Paths planned this, making my two split personalities hate each other this much."
"The Sage's vigilance probably started decades ago when you crossed over," Haigetsu quipped. "But you chose this yourself."
Like Orochimaru, Shiraishi didn't care for ordinary bloodlines. He wanted the best: Uchiha, Hagoromo, Uzumaki.
Haigetsu narrowed his eyes at Shiraishi, who had just recovered from the strain of the ritual. "By the way, has your Sage Art reached this level already?"
Shiraishi's casual dismissal of the blue flames and lightning with those dragon claws was chilling. The original's strength had reached a terrifying height.
Furthermore, during the first split, Shiraishi had been left incredibly weak. The second had been better, but still left him mentally exhausted. This time... he seemed to have recovered almost instantly.
The combined effects of Sage Arts and Inorganic Reincarnation had boosted Shiraishi's recovery to a whole new tier, allowing him to bypass the debilitating side effects of his own forbidden jutsu.
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