In the courtyard of the Ninja Sect headquarters, cherry blossom petals fell gently with the wind, drifting through the open paper doors and landing on the tatami mats.
"Teacher!"
The scroll in Hagoromo's hand was still frozen midair as he looked back in surprise.
It was Arisu.
Hagoromo looked at the figure before him, dressed in green, standing with a sword on his back.
His brows and eyes were still the same as in his memory from a hundred years ago. Time seemed to have left no mark on Arisu at all….
Only the aura around him had grown deeper and calmer than before.
Hagoromo almost instinctively stood up. His movements were as respectful as when he had been taught at Mount Myoboku in the past, bowing deeply.
He was now truly powerful, his chakra vast like the sea, his perception able to cover a wide area.
Yet Arisu's arrival had gone completely unnoticed by him. That mysterious invisibility technique was still far beyond his reach.
Arisu nodded slightly, looking at Hagoromo with a hint of appreciation.
Hagoromo was not arrogant. Even though his strength had already surpassed Arisu's, he was still humble.
Seeing him bow, Arisu smiled faintly and waved his hand lightly. "No need for formalities."
Arisu walked slowly to the tatami opposite and sat down. The hem of his green robe swayed gently, the Six Paths Sword resting at his side.
"I came to ask about the matter of the Sage of Six Paths."
"To have all the Arisu temples in the world change their plaques and honor me as the Sage of Six Paths, looking across the world, only you could have done that.", Arisu asked directly.
Hearing this, Hagoromo straightened up. Clear apology appeared on his face. He placed his hands on his knees, his posture even more respectful.
"Teacher, this was indeed my decision alone. I hope you will forgive me."
"Your real name is Arisu. When the Ninja Sect was first established, I discussed it with the followers, and we all felt that calling the ancestor by his real name was too disrespectful. So we thought of giving you an honorable title."
"The words Six Paths, I remembered them in my heart ever since you named your sword the Six Paths Sword back then."
Hagoromo looked up, his eyes filled with memory.
He paused, his tone sincere, "But back then, I searched everywhere for your whereabouts and could never find you."
"I did not dare disturb you. I had no way to seek your approval, so I could only announce the title to the world first."
"I originally planned to explain and ask forgiveness face to face when you appeared again, but I did not expect that in the blink of an eye, a hundred years would pass.", As he spoke, Hagoromo bowed slightly again, his face full of guilt.
"I did not mean to offend you. I was simply deeply grateful for your teachings and protection."
"I wanted the world to always remember your kindness, and I also wanted to unite people's hearts under your name, so the Ninja Sect could carry on your will and protect peace in this world."
"If you do not like this title, I will immediately give the order to restore the name Immortal Arisu."
"So that's how it is…", Arisu listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the tatami. He truly did not know whether to laugh or cry.
He had never imagined that the name he casually gave his sword back then would, a hundred years later, become an honored title known throughout the world.
Even more unexpected, he had somehow replaced the Sage of Six Paths.
Thinking of this, Arisu could hardly hold it in.
'This is hard to accept…'
When he named the Six Paths Sword back then, it was because he wanted to break through to the Six Paths level himself.
Yet now the title Sage of Six Paths had fallen onto his head.
So the Sage of Six Paths was actually himself?
He had reached the Six Paths level, but not completely Six Paths…
When he thought about it, a Sage of Six Paths at Super Kage level really sounded a bit awkward.
'Eh!? There's a way!'
Arisu suddenly thought of a good idea.
An idea to break through the Six Paths level.
The system had said he could never reach the Six Paths level.
But what if he renamed the Super Kage level as Six Paths level…
Wouldn't that mean he had reached Six Paths level?
Arisu looked up at Hagoromo. Seeing him still standing there with lowered eyes and a respectful posture, he gently shook his head.
"Forget it. It's already been a hundred years. The world has long been used to the title Sage of Six Paths. There's no need to change it.", Arisu spoke softly.
"Alright, as you say, Teacher.", Hearing this, Hagoromo smiled and nodded.
Hagoromo personally handed Arisu a cup of hot tea.
The two began talking about the years that had passed.
Hagoromo was full of excitement. He told Arisu many things, about what he planned to do in the future, how he would make the human world better and better.
At this moment, Hagoromo seemed immersed in a dream of saving the world.
He imagined that with his own strength, he could change the world and create an ideal future.
"Hehehe… good… good…", Arisu smiled without saying much. All he could say was that Hagoromo was still too young.
'Is human society really that easy to change?'
Besides, Hagoromo would have the day he died too.
"Hagoromo, when will you get married?", Arisu asked with a faint smile.
Hearing this, Hagoromo froze for a moment and scratched his head awkwardly. "I don't have that idea for now."
Hagoromo was not someone without feelings. From the way he cared about his followers, he was clearly a man with emotions.
"Teacher, by the way, how long can you actually live? I feel like you haven't changed at all. It's like looking back at yesterday, like it was just yesterday.", Hagoromo looked at Arisu's face and could not help asking.
"Hehe…", Arisu only smiled and did not answer.
Seeing that his teacher did not want to answer, and having lived so many years himself with high emotional intelligence, Hagoromo chose not to ask further.
After all, he was confident he would outlive his teacher.
His teacher was, after all, native to this planet. Even practicing immortal arts did not necessarily mean he could live longer than him.
Maybe by the time he reached middle age, his teacher would already be gone.
Besides, even after a hundred years had passed, he himself did not feel much change.
"Alright, I should go."
After finishing the last sip of tea, Arisu stood up with the Six Paths Sword on his back, preparing to leave.
"Teacher, won't you meet the members of the Ninja Sect?" Hagoromo asked.
After all, the Ninja Sect had been founded in Arisu's name.
As the founding ancestor, he should show himself at least once.
"No. Your Ninja Sect is very good. I hope it develops better and better.", Arisu stood and said.
Although the whole world worshiped him as a god, Arisu himself was rather indifferent to fame and gain.
It was just a reputation. He cultivated immortal arts, not faith and incense.
At that moment, one of Hagoromo's followers walked in.
"Reporting to Lord Hagoromo, today we once again helped… ah! My heavens! Ancestor!?", The follower began reporting, but when he saw Arisu beside Hagoromo, he suddenly cried out in shock.
"A disciple of the Ninja Sect pays respects to the Ancestor!", The follower knelt down excitedly.
It was his first time seeing the Ancestor in person.
"Mm, rise. No need for formalities.", Arisu smiled slightly. Thinking of the scene where people in temples saw this very face and instantly knelt before him, he could not help finding it amusing.
Hagoromo smiled awkwardly.
"I'm leaving. No need to see me off.", Arisu raised his hand slightly, then activated immortal arts. With a light mist, he disappeared…
After leaving the Ninja Sect, Arisu walked through several places in the human world.
He also took the chance to visit the Tailed Beasts.
These Tailed Beasts were living fairly freely. Since ninjas had not yet appeared on a large scale and the powerful ones were all within the Ninja Sect, ordinary people without strength did not dare approach the Nine-Tails.
On top of that, the system was still backward, and no nations had been established yet.
The Tailed Beasts were very at ease.