Uchiha Katsu stood in the shadows of the library, his small body slightly stiff.
His mind was a complete mess.
He stared fixedly at the portrait labeled "Sage of Six Paths," then lowered his head and looked at the history book he had just opened. The record of the Shinobi Sect being disbanded by Sarutobi was clearly written on it.
What exactly was going on?
Had he really traveled back to the past, or... had he come to another parallel world?
Uchiha Katsu slowly closed his eyes.
Back in his previous life in the Pure Land, the Great Immortal had once mentioned a theory: the world was not unique.
Countless parallel worlds were intertwined like a spiderweb. Every choice and every deviation would give rise to completely different paths.
In some worlds, the Sage of Six Paths would forever be that beautiful young man holding the Six Paths Sword.
In some worlds, he might be someone else.
Perhaps... he was in one of those parallel worlds right now.
A world where a Shinobi Sect immortal became the Sage of Six Paths.
A world without Lord Arisu.
Silence lasted for several seconds.
Suddenly, the corners of Uchiha Katsu's mouth slowly and faintly curved upward.
No Arisu?
No "heavenly will" that stood high above everything and controlled it all?
Then wouldn't that mean...
He suddenly opened his eyes.
A blood-red light flashed deep within his pupils.
Mangekyo Sharingan...
His ability from his previous life was actually still there.
Uchiha Katsu confirmed this almost instantly. Those familiar powers belonging to his previous life were sleeping intact within this young body, ready to be awakened at any time.
He burst out laughing right there in the library.
His laughter was clear, yet filled with an uncontrollable madness, echoing between the silent bookshelves.
"The thousand-year pact between Indra and Asura..."
"Let me cut it off."
"The shinobi world will welcome peace a thousand years ahead of time."
Uchiha Katsu muttered to himself, his voice full of excitement and resolve.
After discovering that the Arisu he knew did not exist in this world, the ambition he had suppressed for so long suddenly burst into flame within Uchiha Katsu.
And with the Mangekyo still there, this excitement almost broke through his chest.
Katsu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Yes! I need to keep a low profile. Keep a low profile. Develop quietly."
Then Uchiha Katsu composed his expression and walked out of the library with an innocent yet steady stride, pretending that nothing had happened.
When the sunlight fell upon him again, his face had already regained the calm and intelligence befitting a "prodigy."
———
[Elsewhere]
Deep in the void, Arisu stood with his hands behind his back.
The main characters, Hagoromo, Asura, and Indra, had all died completely.
The course of this generation had remained almost entirely free of deviation, and Arisu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's about time I took a break."
Arisu muttered softly. Then his consciousness extended outward as his body flew through the universe at the same time.
He began exploring beyond the star system.
This time, he wanted to see if he could find the true lair of the Otsutsuki clan.
With his current strength, facing Otsutsuki Yame... should not be a problem.
It might even be much easier than he imagined.
Arisu's figure slowly disappeared into the deeper void, sinking completely into the unknown.
———
During the years when Arisu completely left the shinobi world and sank into the deeper void to explore, time quietly flowed through the mortal world.
Uchiha Katsu grew up day by day.
One day, just as in the memories of his previous life, Uchiha Katsu encountered that familiar figure on a forest path at the edge of the clan grounds, Senju Mio.
She was still so young, her hair a little messy, her eyes still the same.
Looking at her, complicated emotions welled up inside Uchiha Katsu. Relying on the understanding they had built over many years in his previous life, he won her heart almost effortlessly.
When Senju Mio finally learned that he was an Uchiha, she instinctively took half a step back. The rejection that came from her bloodline made her chest tighten.
But in the end, that rejection was suppressed by a stronger emotion. She still fell in love with him.
At the age of fourteen, Uchiha Katsu had already become recognized throughout the clan as its greatest genius.
His chakra reserves far exceeded those of his peers, his control over the Sharingan was astonishing, and his tactical mind had even won the secret admiration of those long-serving elders.
Uchiha Katsu merely smiled faintly.
After all, he had lived for a thousand years, so his experience and way of thinking were far beyond these people.
In the end, the clan made an exception and allowed him to become the youngest elder in its history.
That day, he stood at a high point within the clan grounds and looked toward the distant Senju territory, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan.
———
[Elsewhere]
Deep underground, in a dark and damp cave, Black Zetsu was lying against the stone wall out of boredom.
There was no light in the cave, only the occasional sound of water dripping through the cracks in the rock.
He had been lying here for he didn't know how many years, his body almost blending into the darkness.
"System..."
"How many years has it been since you gave me a mission? Give me a mission, will you? I still want to keep getting stronger."
Black Zetsu finally couldn't help speaking, complaining quietly toward the empty space.
His tone was full of helplessness and anxiety.
Ever since the system had issued the mission concerning Indra and Asura last time, he had never received another new mission.
Without missions, there were no rewards.
Without rewards, how was he supposed to obtain greater power?
He, Black Zetsu, needed power.
Just as he was lost in thought, a chakra fluctuation that was familiar down to his very bones suddenly came from above.
Black Zetsu's entire body suddenly stiffened.
That was... the chakra of Indra's reincarnation and Asura's reincarnation.
And they had actually appeared nearby at the same time?
Black Zetsu muttered in confusion, "Why are these two together? Could they be about to fight?"
The next second, he immediately used the Hiding in Surface Technique. His body turned black as he silently seeped upward.
When he finally poked his head out and saw the scene above through a crack in the rock...
He froze completely.
A clearing in the forest.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.
Uchiha Katsu was gently holding Senju Mio in his arms. The two were very close, their breaths mingling.
A faint blush colored Mio's cheeks, and her eyes were full of trust and dependence.
Uchiha Katsu's movements were natural and affectionate. They looked like a pair of lovers who were inseparable.
"I must have been up for too long..."
Black Zetsu's mind went completely blank.
'This... how was this possible?'
'They are clearly the reincarnations of Indra and Asura!'
'Although Asura's reincarnation was a woman this time, that didn't mean they had to... hug each other like this, did it?!'
The instant Black Zetsu poked his head out, Uchiha Katsu's body suddenly stiffened, as if he had noticed something.
The next second...
Katsu's figure appeared behind Black Zetsu almost as if he had teleported.
"..."
Black Zetsu's scalp instantly went numb.
'How could he be that fast?!'
He had not even had time to completely crawl out of the rock before he was locked onto at close range.
Uchiha Katsu lowered his head and looked at the strange black creature, half of whose body was still buried in the ground, his pupils narrowing slightly.
Memories from his previous life suddenly surged into his mind, and he blurted out instinctively, "Lord Black Zetsu?!"
Black Zetsu froze completely.
He didn't know why this little brat would call him an "immortal," but...
This little brat actually knew his name?
This had already gone far beyond the scope of "something is a little off."