Another two years passed. After Indra had settled himself for two years.
He fought Ashura again.
This time, it was no longer a fight for the Ninja Sect, but a contest of force.
In the end, Ashura narrowly defeated Indra.
———
[Mount Myoboku]
Inside the pavilion, the fragrance of tea drifted through the air.
"Sigh!"
Indra lowered his eyes and sat on the stone bench. His black hair was slightly messy, and the warmth of chakra from the fierce battle still lingered around him.
In the duel with Ashura just now, he had used everything he had learned, yet the other side still won by a single move.
Indra had already burned himself out...
Frustration and gloom wrapped with hostility pressed heavily between Indra's brows, and his whole person carried a cold feeling of being lost and defeated.
At the center of the lake pavilion, the three people sat facing each other.
"Indra~ you are still too young. Stop fighting anymore."
Fukasaku Sage held a clay teacup, took a light sip of tea, and slowly spoke. His tone carried the comfort of an elder.
"Instead of putting all your mind into finding that guy and fighting him, it's better to honestly stay at Mount Myoboku and live your own life well."
Black Zetsu also drank tea and followed along.
"No! I want to fight again!"
Indra suddenly clenched his fist. His knuckles turned pale, his face flushed red, and he let out a deep low shout.
His voice was full of unwillingness that he could not suppress. "You don't understand! That guy Ashura has already become my obsession!!"
"If Ashura is so amazing, then why isn't Ashura's portrait hanging in the Six Paths temple?" Black Zetsu complained in his heart.
"Sigh..."
Black Zetsu and Fukasaku heard this and exchanged a look of understanding. The meaning flashed through their eyes.
It seemed that Indra's persistence had already turned into an attachment. He was trapped in this competition with Ashura and could not walk out of it.
"What's even more annoying is!"
Indra suddenly raised his eyes. An emotion that could not be clearly explained surged in them.
"That kid Ashura actually got married! Why does he get to control the Ninja Sect and also marry and start a family?!"
This feeling was like having a foolish friend beside you who was worse than you in every way.
His talent and ability were clearly far below yours, yet his life turned out smoother than anyone else's.
Not to mention that he and Ashura shared the same bloodline, had opposing identities, and their relationship was already complicated.
This unwillingness was endlessly magnified and wrapped around his heart until it felt suffocating.
Pa!
Indra suddenly stood up and deeply bowed toward the two of them.
"Sage Fukasaku, Sage Black Zetsu, both of you seniors have unfathomable strength. Could you help me? With the strength of you two, you can definitely help me defeat Ashura!"
Indra asked sincerely.
As soon as the words fell, the expressions of Fukasaku and Black Zetsu immediately stiffened.
"Ahem, you and Ashura are both Hagoromo's sons, and Hagoromo is also the disciple of the Great Sage."
"If we count it that way, both of you are disciples and grand-disciples of Mount Myoboku. In our eyes there is no difference."
Black Zetsu picked up the teacup and coughed lightly before speaking seriously. "Mount Myoboku will only remain neutral."
Fukasaku also nodded heavily and said in a deep voice, "Mm, Black Zetsu is right. Neutrality is Mount Myoboku's major strategy."
Indra's hand hanging at his side loosened slightly, and the urgency in his eyes gradually dimmed.
He was not someone who did not understand reason. Naturally he knew he could not drag the entire Mount Myoboku into becoming enemies with the Ninja Sect just because of his own obsession.
Whether it was him or Ashura, both of them were ultimately part of the Six Paths lineage. Mount Myoboku would never favor either side.
Seeing Indra's lonely expression
Fukasaku Sage's eyes suddenly turned.
"Indra, you don't need to get stuck in a dead end! Ashura got married, then you can get married too! If he has one child, you have five! Wouldn't that also count as winning against him?"
Fukasaku suddenly slapped the stone table and said with a flash of inspiration.
Black Zetsu's eyes lit up when he heard it, and he immediately clapped his hands and praised, "Wonderful! This method is amazing. You even found a way to win like this!"
"Build a power..."
Indra suddenly froze. The gloom in his eyes instantly faded a little, and light gradually appeared.
Thinking carefully about it, this method actually made some sense.
He was not talking about having children, but about building a family and a power, competing with the Ninja Sect.
Thinking of this, Indra suddenly stood up.
Ah, why did he only think of this now...
Indra swept away the previous depression. He cupped his hands and bowed to the two of them, his tone respectful yet light, "The two senior sages truly have great wisdom!"
"I still have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first. Another day I will definitely prepare a banquet to personally thank the two of you!"
After saying this, Indra turned around and strode away. His posture was straight, and there was no trace of the earlier dejection.
Watching his leaving back, Fukasaku and Black Zetsu looked at each other and both saw smiles in each other's eyes.
'Heh, this kid really isn't stupid. He understands as soon as he is told.'
———
[The Next Day At Mount Myoboku]
Indra walked steadily into the hall.
"Ancestor, I want to leave Mount Myoboku and go out into the world."
Indra half knelt on the ground and spoke respectfully.
"Oh?"
Arisu sat upright in the main seat of the hall. He lowered his eyes and looked at Indra in front of him.
With one glance he saw the sharpness and obsession hidden deep in his eyes, and he had already guessed most of what was on his mind.
This descendant of the Otsutsuki was not simply going outside to explore. Clearly he could not let go of the competition with Ashura and wanted to go out into the world to start a foundation and build his own power.
And this lineage would later become the Uchiha clan that shook the ninja world.
Arisu did not point it out.
There was no need for him to interfere in such matters.
Nor did he need to interfere.
"Since that is the case, then go as you wish. Just remember to come home often and chop wood...", Arisu simply spoke slowly.
Hearing this, Indra bowed and saluted. His tone was full of respect and seriousness. "Great Ancestor, after I establish my family, I will definitely have my descendants worship you for generations."
"I will let my children and grandchildren respect you and make offerings to you for generation after generation, and never dare to forget the kindness of Mount Myoboku."
"The kindness of Great Ancestor can never be repaid in a lifetime!"
Arisu gently waved his hand. His expression was gentle as he earnestly advised, "Alright, after you go out, adapt more to the life of the ordinary world. Do not always be immersed in the obsession of fighting and killing."
Indra lowered his head and agreed. He bowed deeply toward Arisu once more, completing the final farewell.
Then he straightened up, turned around, and walked step by step out of the Sage Hall. He left this immortal mountain where he had cultivated for a long time and walked toward the world outside.
Arisu looked at Indra's back thoughtfully.
"Building a power..."
A trace of contemplation flashed through Arisu's eyes.
At this moment, the manager of the toad intelligence department, Shima Toad, hurriedly hopped over.
"Report to the Great Sage, we have received urgent intelligence!"
"An orphan left behind by Hagoromo has been discovered among the common people!"
Sage Shima came to report.
Arisu's hand holding the brush trembled, and a look of confusion appeared on his face. "What? Hagoromo's orphan? Hagoromo has other bloodlines?"
Arisu thought in his heart. 'Didn't Hagoromo only have Indra and Ashura?'
Did the original story ever show other people who possessed the Six Paths bloodline?
A trace of brightness and speculation appeared in Arisu's eyes.
'Could it be their ancestor?'
'If we talk about descendants with Hagoromo's bloodline, there are indeed two in the original story...', Arisu thought in his heart, then looked at Shima.
"Let me go and take a look."