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The first fusion had been a resounding success.
Manji was thrilled—and the ambition burning inside him blazed hotter than ever.
A plan was taking shape.
Sure, he couldn't reach Six Paths tier directly.
But the System had said his power would approach it infinitely—always closing the gap, never quite arriving.
So what if he couldn't match a Six Paths fighter in raw power? He could compensate by mastering every Sage Art in existence—fusing them, refining them, stacking technique upon technique until his arsenal was so vast, so versatile, that even a peak Six Paths combatant would hesitate to engage him.
Jack of all trades, master of ALL.
If he learned every Sage Art available, integrated them into a single cohesive system, and became the ultimate Sage Art grandmaster—
The ultimate hybrid build.
—then his sheer variety of options would be enough to overwhelm anyone, regardless of their raw power level.
At that point, even a Six Paths-tier fighter wouldn't be able to put him down. Right?
And the best part?
Manji had time. Oceans of it. The main storyline wouldn't kick off for thousands of years.
He had millennia to train, experiment, and refine. After a few thousand years of dedicated practice, his Sage Arts would reach a level that defied imagination.
A whole new world of possibilities opened up before him.
'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!!'
The Chakra Fruit route had failed—that door was closed. Fine. He'd take the Sage Arts route instead.
"White Monkey King—I've got business to attend to. Later!"
Manji bid his farewell without delay.
The White Monkey King scratched his head. "Sure thing."
One silent command—and Manji teleported out of the Monkey Cavern.
Back in the outside world, Manji gazed into the distance at the colossal tree that pierced the sky like a primordial pillar holding up the heaven. A thousand emotions churned inside him.
"I wonder… has the Sage of Six Paths been born yet?"
The thought nagged at him. He desperately wanted to confirm—but Kaguya, having consumed the fruit, was an unknown variable now. There was no telling how far her sensory range extended.
If she detected him, the element of surprise would be gone.
After a moment's deliberation, Manji summoned a small toad, draped it in the Concealment Cloak, and sent it hopping toward Kaguya's dwelling as a scout.
.....
Inside an ancient, stately manor.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was in labor.
The cloaked toad crept close to the estate—and thanks to the concealment, slipped in completely undetected.
"Still works…"
The toad opened its mouth wide, and a hand slowly emerged from within—Manji, observing remotely.
He didn't dare get any closer. From this distance, he could just barely make out Kaguya's silhouette inside, in the midst of giving birth.
But even so—a sneak attack was out of the question.
Setting aside whether he even had a technique capable of threatening post-fruit Kaguya—even if an ambush succeeded, whether he could actually fight her was another matter entirely.
Soon enough, two infant cries pierced the air.
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Hamura Ōtsutsuki—born.
Kaguya gazed down at the two wailing babies, and a flicker of tenderness softened her features. "This land… shall be ruled by me and my children."
Manji caught her murmured declaration and raised an internal eyebrow. 'Well—I just witnessed the birth of Hagoromo and Hamura in real time.'
He studied the two newborns—each with tiny, budding horns on their heads—his eyes deep and unreadable.
"Perhaps… Hagoromo and Hamura could prove useful. All I need to do is drive a wedge between mother and sons. Once they turn on each other—Kaguya gets sealed."
Manji said nothing more. He withdrew in silence.
He was, after all, a man who never forgot a grudge. The betrayal was a thorn lodged in his spine—and it wasn't going anywhere.
.....
Back at Mount Myōboku.
Manji sought out White-Brow Toad—and asked for the exact location of the Ryūchi Cave.
White-Brow considered it briefly, then shared the coordinates without hesitation.
The Three Great Sage Regions maintained loose contact with one another—naturally, they knew where the others were located.
Manji's first destination: the Ryūchi Cave.
Thanks to having watched Boruto, he was already familiar with the Cave's three trials. In the Boruto series, the tests were challenging but far from impossible.
So he decided to tackle the Ryūchi Cave first.
.....
Fog, thick as milk, blanketed the jagged, twisted landscape.
A stone manor materialized through the white haze, its sweeping eaves and curved rooflines blurred into ghostly silhouettes.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Manji walked alone through the mist, his steps steady and unhurried, advancing toward the manor's great gates.
He was within arm's reach of the entrance when—
"HSSSSS—!"
A piercing shriek tore through the fog. A white serpent lunged from the mist—fangs gleaming, striking directly at Manji's throat!
Manji's Sage perception had detected the movement well in advance. A slight shift of his body—effortless, fluid—and the lethal bite sailed past harmlessly.
"Hm??"
The white snake, startled by the miss, coiled and launched itself again—jaws yawning wide, aiming straight at his face.
SNAP!!
This time, Manji didn't dodge. His hand shot out—five fingers clamping around the snake's vulnerable spot with iron precision, locking its neck rigid and its jaws shut.
Manji smiled down at the little serpent in his grip.
"Easy there, little one. These tricks won't work on me. I'm here to see your master—mind showing me the way?"
The white snake thrashed violently—then flashed with light and transformed into a girl who appeared roughly twelve years old. Twin buns in her hair, bright curious eyes that still carried a trace of serpentine sharpness.
She stared at him, wide-eyed with astonishment. "You—you're incredible! Every human who's come here before, not a single one dodged my ambush! And also… your aura feels really familiar somehow…"
"Heh…"
Manji allowed himself a quiet chuckle.
Previous visitors had likely all been ordinary humans—naturally, none of them could handle a snake spirit's surprise attack.
But he was a Beyond-Kage powerhouse. This level of offense was beneath his notice.
He'd reacted to Isshiki Ōtsutsuki's attacks. A little white snake was hardly going to give him trouble.
The girl narrowed her eyes, taking a wary half-step back. "You want to see our Grand Sage? What for?"
Before Manji could answer...
The massive gates of the Ryūchi Cave swung open behind him with a resounding crash.
RUMBLE…
The heavy stone doors ground against the floor, revealing a dark, fathomless interior.
"White Snake—bring him inside."
A deep, ethereal voice echoed from within—distant yet intimate, carrying the weight of ages.
"Yes, Grand Sage."
The white snake girl immediately dropped her guard, bowed respectfully, and led Manji through the gates.
They traversed a long, dim corridor—and then the space opened up into a vast stone hall.
Candlelight flickered across the chamber. Coiled atop an elevated stone throne sat a massive black serpent—its obsidian scales gleaming with a cold, dark luster in the low light. Its head was slightly lowered, regarding the visitor from above with ancient, half-lidded eyes.
"Grand Sage."
The white snake girl stepped forward and bowed.
Manji offered a respectful bow of his own—but before he could speak—
The Black Snake Sage cut him off, its voice a low rasp: "Save the formalities. White-Brow—that old toad—already sent word ahead. You wish to learn the Sage Arts of the Ryūchi Cave, correct?"
Its slitted pupils locked onto Manji with a gaze that was equal parts scrutiny and intrigue.
Manji smiled. 'Connections make everything easier.'
"That's correct."
He nodded, keeping his tone measured. "Since Grandpa White-Brow already informed you—would the Grand Sage be willing to grant my request?"
The Black Snake Sage inclined its great head slowly, its forked tongue tasting the air. "Someone willing to carry on the Ryūchi Cave's legacy… I have no reason to refuse."
Then its tone darkened. "However—you should understand that Mount Myōboku's and the Ryūchi Cave's Sage energies are fundamentally incompatible."
"Having already trained in Mount Myōboku's arts, attempting to force our techniques into the same body risks a catastrophic backlash—potentially fatal."
"And if that happens… those toads on Mount Myōboku won't take it lightly."
Manji felt nothing but calm.
Before, he might have hesitated. But now—with his resurrection ability—this kind of risk was essentially meaningless.
"Grand Sage—there's no need for concern."
Manji released a hint of his aura—and two distinctly different Sage energy signatures swirled around him in perfect harmony.
"If you sense carefully… you'll notice I carry more than just Mount Myōboku's energy."
"Oh?"
The Black Snake Sage's pupils contracted sharply. A flicker of genuine surprise passed through those ancient eyes. A long pause—then, slowly: "There's Monkey King Clan energy woven in as well…"
"Precisely. That's why I'm confident I can integrate the Ryūchi Cave's arts."
Manji's voice was steady and certain. "I respectfully ask the Grand Sage to teach me."
The Black Snake Sage fell silent—its gaze lingering on Manji for what felt like an eternity. Finally, it turned toward the white snake girl with a slow nod.
"White Snake—take him to the trials. If he passes… teach him our arts directly."
The girl was bursting with surprise—but she wouldn't dare question the Grand Sage's judgment. She bowed immediately. "Yes, Grand Sage!"
The three trials that followed went exactly as expected.
No surprises. No setbacks.
In the end, Manji cleared every test—and formally signed a contract with the Ryūchi Cave.
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