Even though Isshiki was concealing his presence, and the Sage of Six Paths was only here through a clone...
Ōtsutsuki could sense one another!
The Sage of Six Paths and Isshiki stared at each other without saying a word...
Because neither of them had known the other was still around. Or rather, there was an information gap between them.
When Isshiki was betrayed by Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths and Hamura had yet to be born.
Even later, when he lived alongside Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths had only ever heard a few extremely vague fragments about the matter.
As for Isshiki, before Kaguya was sealed away, his severe injuries had left him barely clinging to life in the shinobi world. Forget gathering intelligence—he spent most of his time dormant...
It was only over the past century or so that he had gradually become active again.
The two had essentially heard of each other, but knew little beyond that.
Since neither could confirm the other's true condition, neither had factored the other into his plans.
Yet through a bizarre twist of fate, the two had run into each other in Konoha because of Sarutobi Hiruzen...
"Sir..."
The Sage of Six Paths, a towel wrapped around his head, put on a welcoming smile.
"I haven't seen you here before. Are you hungry? Let me make you a bowl of ramen!"
Isshiki's thoughts stirred, and he smiled as well. "Sure..."
The distance between them closed. Isshiki took a seat at the counter, his eyes fixed intently on the Sage of Six Paths' back.
At the same time, the Sage of Six Paths was using his sensory abilities to examine Isshiki's chakra in extraordinary detail.
Both Ōtsutsuki were secretly alarmed.
'How could an Ōtsutsuki with chakra this pure still be hiding in the shinobi world?'
'His chakra resembles Kaguya's, but he feels even more dangerous than that woman...'
'That stupid woman actually produced a decent descendant! He's still alive even after ceasing to be the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki. Looks like that Pure Land really was his creation rather than something native to the shinobi world...'
Isshiki's expression remained unchanged, but alarm bells were blaring inside his head!
If he actually came to blows with the Sage of Six Paths, he would be in serious danger.
Isshiki was still in a reincarnated vessel. If he unleashed too much power and triggered his Kāma, then without a suitable replacement vessel lined up, he would truly die...
'Where did this dangerous bastard come from? His chakra is somewhat similar to Mother's...'
'He's definitely not one of Hamura's descendants. He's probably a powerful figure who came from the same place as Mother. So those clansmen she refused to talk about when I was young have actually been wandering the shinobi world all this time...'
'Should I fight him?'
'He doesn't seem to be in a normal state either. If I overdraw the Pure Land's power, I'll expose the trump card meant to deal with Mother. Besides, that would go against my intention not to interfere directly in the shinobi world...'
The Sage of Six Paths and Isshiki were in somewhat similar situations.
Both possessed tremendous power, but the number of times they could actually use it was strictly limited.
Unless absolutely necessary, neither would make a move...
The Sage of Six Paths rapidly weighed his options.
If Hiruzen didn't exist...
Then perhaps the Sage of Six Paths really would have exchanged a few moves with Isshiki. But after witnessing the Hokage's potential to continually surpass his limits, as well as the path Konoha was currently taking...
The Sage of Six Paths saw another possibility.
If Konoha continued down its current path, most shinobi in the future would possess Hashirama cells and cursed seals. Some would have stronger versions, while others would only have degraded ones that were barely better than nothing.
But if the plan succeeded, it would overturn one of the shinobi world's fundamental rules.
Once someone reached a certain level of existence—the power that gives rise to all things associated with the Rinnegan being a basic threshold, for example—the weak ordinarily ceased to possess any means of harming the strong.
But if natural energy could be mastered on a collective scale, combined with chakra's ability to link people together, then under the unifying force of the Will of Fire, perhaps even the weak could gain formidable combat power by joining together...
At the very least, they could lend their light to the Hokage!
Just as Asura once had when fighting Indra, receiving his companions' power through their chakra connection...
'If the shinobi world can even defeat someone who was once Mother's opponent...'
'Wouldn't that prove beyond any doubt that I was right? Even if Mother escaped her seal, I could tell her with complete confidence that her attempt to turn the entire shinobi world into White Zetsu back then was wrong!'
'Our whole family could finally understand one another.'
The Sage of Six Paths' heart began pounding at the thought.
It was an enormous gamble...
But if he could actually make it happen, it would also perfectly resolve an obsession he had carried in his heart for all these years.
A true, genuine happy ending for the whole family!
The noodles went into the bowl, followed by boiling bone broth and a generous heap of toppings. The Sage of Six Paths placed the tonkotsu ramen in front of Isshiki.
"Please, enjoy..."
Isshiki nodded and began eating with considerable elegance. The two Ōtsutsuki remained silent across from each other.
Only after Isshiki finished did the Sage of Six Paths slowly speak.
"What brings you here, sir?"
Isshiki's heart sank.
The real confrontation was beginning!
But the fact that the Sage of Six Paths hadn't immediately attacked meant there was room for negotiation. After a moment's thought, Isshiki replied, "I came because of Hokage-sama..."
He really was interested in Hiruzen's unusual body.
From what Isshiki could sense, Hiruzen was using an extremely primitive and clumsy method to imitate the Kekkei Mōra possessed only by certain Ōtsutsuki, which had greatly piqued his interest.
But when Isshiki tried to examine him more carefully, the noble Ōtsutsuki was surprised to discover that he couldn't clearly see through Hiruzen's condition!
Isshiki knew he was nowhere near his prime, but compared to lowly creatures like shinobi, he should still exist on an entirely different level...
To use an analogy:
His eyes were like an X-ray machine. Even without operating at full power, they should theoretically have been able to see through any shinobi.
Yet the Fūinjutsu inside Hiruzen's body was like layer upon layer of tangled rubber. It wasn't a sheet of lead capable of completely blocking his vision, but it still severely interfered with Isshiki's perception.
Without drawing on more of his power, Isshiki could only catch intermittent glimpses of information.
That was also one of the reasons Isshiki had decided to come to Konoha and observe Hiruzen properly at close range...
"You came because of Hokage-sama?"
The Sage of Six Paths nodded thoughtfully, but a sharp glint flashed through his eyes as he looked at Isshiki.
"I opened this shop because of Hokage-sama too. What a coincidence..."
Isshiki keenly caught the change in his gaze, and his heart tightened.
'So the Hokage was already being watched by another Ōtsutsuki! Of course. Kaguya's son managed to turn on her and defeat her—he must be an incredibly devious bastard. Looks like he's been planning his resurrection for a long time...'
'Sarutobi Hiruzen is already a vessel claimed by another Ōtsutsuki!'
Isshiki steadied himself before slowly speaking.
"So that's how it is? Still, after tasting your cooking, I don't think I'd stand any chance of competing with you even if I opened the ramen shop I'd been considering..."
"I think I'll continue looking around the shinobi world instead. People with skills like ours can find a suitable place for themselves anywhere. There's no need for us to get in each other's way..."
"Wouldn't you agree?"
Isshiki stared directly at the Sage of Six Paths, his words clearly carrying another meaning.
The Sage of Six Paths narrowed his eyes. He had realized that the other man's condition was poor.
Combined with the information Kaguya had once left behind, he, as an Ōtsutsuki himself, could roughly deduce Isshiki's current state.
Isshiki might still be an existence overwhelmingly beyond anything in the shinobi world, but that didn't necessarily mean there was no way to deal with him.
For example...
'I can give Hiruzen a few more hints and help him grasp the next stage in constructing his Kekkei Mōra sooner...'
'I can also find some way to hint to the Nine-Tails that it should put the chakra-linking technique into practical use. And I can give Orochimaru a few pointers on the application of natural energy...'
'Then Konoha might genuinely develop the ability to fight him on its own...'
'Hiruzen put it well: a nation without external threats will inevitably perish. The challenge posed by an Ōtsutsuki will certainly be difficult, but if the shinobi world can get over this mountain, it will undergo a qualitative transformation!'
As for the Sage of Six Paths saying that he wouldn't interfere in the shinobi world...
That had been under the previous circumstances!
Now that one of Kaguya's clansmen had suddenly appeared, the Sage of Six Paths felt that as long as he didn't directly mobilize the Six Paths Yin–Yang power of the Pure Land to suppress him and merely offered a few pointers in the right direction...
That was already perfectly fair!
Even if Kaguya herself were here, she would probably be astonished if she saw the shinobi world capable of suppressing Isshiki.
'Unfortunately, Mother probably won't get to see it. She's inside the moon...' The Sage of Six Paths suddenly felt a little regretful, but there was nothing he could do about it.
If Kaguya were released after being locked away for a thousand years, then regardless of the issue of her strength, the shinobi world would definitely descend into complete chaos...
No one would be able to control the situation anymore!
What the Sage of Six Paths didn't know was that Kaguya might actually have a chance of getting out of the moon—and his efforts to push Hiruzen forward would, objectively speaking, accelerate that process...
"You're right. Those of us with a craft should look out for one another."
The Sage of Six Paths looked at Isshiki and spoke softly.
"I may know the shinobi world a little better than you do. Where are you planning to go next? Tell me. Perhaps I can help you..."
Isshiki hesitated.
His other target was naturally Uchiha Madara.
Saying so outright would certainly reveal information.
But considering that the Sage of Six Paths had discovered Sarutobi Hiruzen before he had, Isshiki didn't believe the other man could possibly be unaware of the other vessel...
Madara might have hidden himself extremely well within the shinobi world, but they were Ōtsutsuki, after all.
If they truly wanted to find someone, they could always do so.
"I've heard that the Second Mizukage of the Land of Water has been resurrected and even fought Hokage-sama..."
"And that the Rinnegan—the legendary Sage's Eyes—appeared in his eyes. I intend to go there and follow the Sage's trail. Do you have any advice for me?"
Although Isshiki's tone remained every bit as polite as the Sage of Six Paths', his stance had hardened.
A suitable vessel for reincarnation was exceedingly difficult to find.
Isshiki felt that he had already made the Ōtsutsuki Clan's rules clear. He had yielded Sarutobi Hiruzen to the Sage of Six Paths on a first-come, first-served basis, so the one possessing the Rinnegan ought to belong to him!
Surely the man wasn't going to keep one in his bowl while reaching for another in the pot?
If he did, that would amount to obstructing Isshiki's very chance at rebirth. At that point, throwing all decorum aside and settling things with a fight would be entirely reasonable!
The Sage of Six Paths immediately understood...
He was talking about the reincarnation of his elder son, Uchiha Madara...
In an instant, thoughts raced through the Sage of Six Paths' mind.
His first reaction was resistance.
After all, Indra's reincarnation was, strictly speaking, also his son. It would be extremely troublesome if Isshiki took over his body or otherwise influenced him.
But then, just as suddenly, the Sage of Six Paths realized that this might actually work...
It might even solve the family problem that had troubled him for a thousand years!
During his time observing the shinobi world firsthand in Konoha, the Sage of Six Paths had also stopped putting on the airs of a sage.
He had studied the causes of war, attended analytical lectures in Konoha, and, being humble enough to learn, had picked up quite a lot.
Like Hi-kun, he had even learned how to apply ideas from one situation to another.
'Take the fundamental reason Kirigakure launched this war. When internal contradictions couldn't be resolved, they introduced an external conflict to break the deadlock. Isn't that exactly the model of the conflict between Indra and me?'
The conflict between father and son had remained unresolved for a thousand years...
And Isshiki was the perfect catalyst to serve as that external conflict.
'Madara possesses a body with the power that gives rise to all things. He really would make an excellent Ōtsutsuki vessel, but eroding him won't be easy.'
'And I can help Madara maintain his own consciousness. Contacting him isn't difficult for me...'
'This Ōtsutsuki appears to want to reincarnate, but in reality, I can use Madara's body as a prison to trap him. That's far safer than fighting him directly...'
'Indra has reincarnated in Konoha now, while Madara, the reincarnation most similar to him, is being used by an Ōtsutsuki to attack the shinobi world. Wouldn't that prove that I was right all along?'
'As long as Hiruzen can lead the shinobi world to defeat this Ōtsutsuki...'
'Not only can I win my argument with Mother, I can make Indra understand that I was right, let Hiruzen—my successor—receive my true teachings, and give the shinobi world enough tempering in the process...'
'That's winning again and again. Not a win-win, not even a triple win, but a four-way win!'
The prerequisite, of course, was that the Sage of Six Paths could serve as the final safeguard.
Hiruzen also had to withstand the pressure.
There was clearly an element of gambling involved...
But the Sage of Six Paths felt it was worth trying!
He had played things safe for over a thousand years before finally encountering a shinobi who possessed both the talent and the ability to truly carry out the path of Ninshū...
The way Hiruzen had handled Kirigakure and the Land of Water—something unlike anything seen in any previous era of the shinobi world—had elevated his position in the Sage of Six Paths' heart to something rather like the relationship between Hyūga Tenzō and Nakamaro...
It was that peculiar shinobi-world phenomenon where the heir to one's Nindō mattered more than one's own biological son...
"That truly is a good place to go. The legends of the Sage are certainly worth investigating. I hope you find an opportunity there that belongs to you."
The Sage of Six Paths spoke with a beaming smile and extended a hand toward Isshiki.
"I can't help feeling that we hit it off the moment we met. It's a shame we won't be working in the same village in the future."
"I hope we'll have another chance to meet."
Isshiki paused, then extended his hand as well.
He had spent a long time in the shinobi world. Although his circumstances were far more miserable than they had been at his peak, he still maintained a certain dignity in his state of mind.
He would even drink red wine from time to time and adopt the habits of the local nobility, all to maintain his own sense of refinement.
The two Ōtsutsuki clasped hands firmly.
Each probed the other's power in his own distinctive way. Only after a long while did they finally release their grip.
"Goodbye."
Isshiki had now confirmed that the other man was absolutely not someone to be trifled with. Leaving Konoha—the territory the Sage of Six Paths had clearly claimed for himself—as quickly as possible was the intelligent choice.
Isshiki figured that the only reason they hadn't already reached the stage of Ōtsutsuki devouring one another was because the Sage of Six Paths, like himself, was in an abnormal state...
Once both of them successfully reincarnated, a violent clash over the tailed beasts would probably be unavoidable.
"Goodbye."
The Sage of Six Paths watched Isshiki leave.
He, too, had confirmed that his plan could work...
Compared with Mother at her peak, Isshiki was extremely weakened. If an extreme worst-case scenario occurred, mobilizing the full power of the Pure Land would be enough to contain the situation.
The Sage of Six Paths was willing to take this gamble for Sarutobi Hiruzen!
It was also a challenge that might finally resolve the thousand-year-old family problems involving his eldest son and his mother...
...
Once Konoha had settled on its overall course of action, the situation across the shinobi world rapidly shifted from full-scale war to a localized conflict along the borders of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth.
It served as a live-combat training ground for Konoha's shinobi.
Konoha, along with Amegakure, Kirigakure, and the Rōran region under its broader framework, had already seen civilian life return to stability. Only a portion of their shinobi and commanders were being rotated onto the battlefield in sequence...
For Iwagakure and Kumogakure, however, this meant their nerves had to remain constantly taut, leaving them in an extremely uncomfortable position.
They knew perfectly well that Konoha was using them as whetstones, but they could only endure it, having their own shinobi hold their positions as best they could while matching Konoha's level of intensity in return...
Until their core combat forces recovered from their injuries, there was little else they could do. The jinchūriki of both Kumogakure and Iwagakure had been severely wounded, and the Fourth A had even lost an arm...
Ōnoki and the Third Raikage didn't even dare launch a surprise attack on Konoha's forces. They feared provoking the other side and causing a now-freed-up Sarutobi Hiruzen to personally take the field, escalating the localized conflict to an uncontrollable level...
Both of them knew that once the war ended, Konoha would develop even more rapidly.
But under the current circumstances, fighting today's Konoha to the bitter end would bring utter disaster to either Iwagakure or Kumogakure. There would be no good outcome.
Better to hold steady. Only by surviving would they have the right to talk about the future.
What if something went wrong inside Konoha?
After all, even at Konoha's absolute peak, when it possessed two legendary shinobi in Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, everything had still fallen apart practically overnight...
And it wasn't impossible that Kumogakure or Iwagakure might develop some revolutionary new technique or technology!
There were already precedents in Kekkei Tōta and the Six Paths ninja tools...
The Third Raikage and Ōnoki reached a consensus.
For the time being, they would serve as Konoha's sparring partners—a punching bag that could only take hits without hitting back—at least until their villages' jinchūriki recovered.
The best-case scenario would be to deliberately expose an opening and lure an important Konoha shinobi deep into their territory. If they could capture that shinobi alive, they could use them as leverage in negotiations with Konoha and secure a long-term peace agreement...
The problem was that Konoha's various commanders were carrying out Hiruzen's orders quite faithfully.
Danzō was the only one harboring some strange ideas, but it hadn't been his turn to deploy to the battlefield lately.
Besides, the Flying Thunder God Technique existed...
And so the localized war continued.
Meanwhile, within Konoha itself, the dividends and resources brought by the war were being absorbed at tremendous speed.
The Sage of Six Paths also made his move.
He first made further adjustments to the stone tablet kept in Hiruzen's office, allowing it to reveal more information and clearly laying out the method of chakra fusion and the structure of a Kekkei Mōra...
For that, Hiruzen really had Isshiki to thank.
If Isshiki hadn't appeared and put pressure on him, the Sage of Six Paths probably wouldn't have passed down his knowledge so readily. He might still have been entertaining that bizarre idea of 'hinting at techniques through ramen'...
And that wasn't all. The Sage of Six Paths also took a stroll through Konoha's Research Department. Drawing on his astonishing understanding of natural energy and Sage Mode, he subtly adjusted some of Orochimaru's experimental data on cursed seals.
So much so that when Orochimaru arrived at the Research Department the next day, he was completely baffled.
How had that tangled mess of an advanced cursed-seal configuration suddenly started working on its own?
After all his years in research, Orochimaru had never encountered anything like this. The result had practically fallen out of the sky, leaving him with a strangely unpleasant feeling...
What about all his effort and sweat?
This made it look as though everything had simply been handed to him by luck...
Meanwhile, under the leadership of Nakamaro, Kisame, Terumī Mei, Snow, and Karatachi Yagura, Kirigakure shinobi traveled to the front lines in batches and were integrated into mixed units alongside the Amegakure forces led by Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, as well as Konoha shinobi.
The various Konoha Council Members also took turns serving as commanders, building experience across every aspect of warfare...
Hiruzen, meanwhile, continued training in silence.
Just like Orochimaru, he had been racking his brains over a difficult configuration when, for no apparent reason, the answer suddenly appeared right in front of him...
Unlike Orochimaru, however, Hiruzen didn't dwell on it.
After confirming that the logic behind the configuration worked, he immediately began training with it.
Dust Release, the Five Elements cycle within the Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal, and the advanced structure of the bloodline threads were more than enough to keep him busy...
The rest of Konoha's shinobi weren't idle either. Everyone was working to strengthen themselves.
Amid this atmosphere of development and training, a year passed in the blink of an eye.
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