Warning! Unknown will detected. Maximum defense forcibly activated. Locking target…
"Is Ashura causing trouble again?"
Naruto's eyes flickered—and something uncanny happened.
Another Naruto stepped out of his body like a mirage.
"Where did he go?"
The second Naruto moved behind the original. This was a fragment of consciousness split off through the main body's consciousness-extension function, yet it saw nothing.
"Why can he still use ninjutsu?"
Sasuke froze in shock.
He had assumed Naruto was using a Shadow Clone, but during Naruto's conversation with the mysterious old man, Sasuke had thought through many possibilities and already concluded—
This was his own mental world.
Yet he couldn't control it at all.
It felt like he had fallen into a genjutsu ruled by someone else.
And in this space, aside from himself, there were only Naruto and that mysterious elder.
From the way the water beneath their feet had vanished earlier, Sasuke realized this space was under Naruto's control—but the old man had clearly interfered, otherwise the water beneath his feet should have disappeared as well.
With that realization, Sasuke immediately turned his gaze toward the elder floating on the water.
Only then did he notice the man's eyes.
"Those are—Rinnegan?!"
Naruto had once shown him Itachi's memories. Pain of the Akatsuki possessed the same eyes.
Target locked! Anomalous spiritual entity — Ōtsutsuki Indra. Initiating forced link…
"So it locked onto the wrong target."
Naruto shifted his gaze—and sure enough, behind Sasuke appeared a towering, hazy silhouette.
It was Indra.
"What are you staring at?!" Sasuke snarled.
Naruto chuckled lightly.
"I'm looking at a thousand-year-old ghost. Your ancestor. And the son of that old man over there."
"What did you say?!"
Sasuke's face darkened instantly—but then he caught something strange in Naruto's tone. Though mocking, Naruto had clearly acknowledged the elder's existence.
"Could that really be true…?"
Then—
"What is that?!"
Sasuke's thoughts raced as he suddenly saw another phantom outline emerge behind Naruto.
Naruto glanced back. Ashura's shadow had appeared as well—pressed tightly against his primary consciousness.
Forced link attempt #1001 successful. Data parsing… Complete.
Anomalous spiritual entity — Ōtsutsuki Indra. Independent soul with top-tier energy quality. Harvest?
Anomalous spiritual entity — Ōtsutsuki Ashura. Independent soul with top-tier energy quality. Harvest?
Naruto looked once at the Sage of Six Paths.
With a thought—
A pitch-black gate tore open behind Naruto's main consciousness.
At the same time, an identical gate opened behind Sasuke.
"What… is that?!"
Sasuke trembled violently. He didn't know why—but the moment that door appeared behind Naruto, an indescribable terror surged from the depths of his soul.
"Please, wait."
The Sage of Six Paths moved.
Floating to within a meter of Naruto, he spoke solemnly,
"Young man, I wish to speak with you."
"I'm honored," Naruto replied calmly.
"But I already know the story of the Ten-Tails from a thousand years ago, as well as the truth behind Indra and Ashura's chakra reincarnation. What further guidance do you have?"
Clang!
The Sage struck the water's surface with his black staff.
Ripples spread—and beneath them appeared an endless cosmic void. Within that darkness flowed a vast, winding river of light.
"This is the star domain where the ninja world's Earth currently resides," the Sage said.
"…Not the Milky Way?" Naruto murmured, focusing.
He noticed a faintly glowing tributary branching off from the river.
"That," the Sage continued, "is the star domain of the Ōtsutsuki clan."
This tributary shone brilliantly—very close to Earth's branch, yet Naruto knew that on a cosmic scale, the distance was immeasurable.
Naruto spoke evenly.
"If this is meant as a warning, I don't think there's any need to continue."
"I am warning you," the Sage said, frowning slightly.
"You should already know from Gamamaru—my mother was an Ōtsutsuki. That clan is born powerful, transcending life and death. To pursue eternal life and strength, they roam the cosmos, planting God Trees to devour planetary origins."
Naruto nodded.
"And?"
The Sage glanced at Sasuke.
"I used the Rinnegan to open the Pure Land, but it remains linked to Earth. If the Ōtsutsuki discover this planet, they will also discover the Pure Land."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"Then why not sever the connection between the two worlds?"
"Because my sons' chakra has continued reincarnating within the ninja world."
The Sage sighed.
"Indra and Ashura's chakra separated from me. In the era of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju—Madara, Indra's reincarnation—"
"I know," Naruto interrupted seriously.
"Guided by a conspirator, Madara awakened the Rinnegan and summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Could you tell me something I don't already know?"
Then Naruto pressed on.
"What I don't understand is this: given the way we're meeting now, why didn't you speak to Madara and Hashirama back then?"
"Don't tell me you couldn't enter their mental worlds. And I want to confirm something—if I erase Indra and Ashura's chakra now, would the Pure Land be completely severed from Earth?"
The Sage froze.
After a long pause, he said,
"All of this… is because of you. You broke the original destiny of the ninja world."
"I'm sorry," Naruto replied slowly.
"I don't understand."
The Sage rested his staff across his knees and smiled faintly.
"I was the one who spread chakra and the method to refine it. Aside from Hamura's bloodline, every living being in the ninja world carries a trace of my chakra."
"That trace is insignificant—merely a trigger. Through it, I could observe everything in the ninja world. That is why the dead return to the Pure Land."
"But you are different."
"When you were four years old, you devoured my chakra trigger. From that moment on, I could no longer observe you."
"Soon after, most people who came into contact with you also fell beyond my perception. A few months ago, even this generation's Indra reincarnation escaped my observation."
"And you have collected many souls."
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"And this relates to my question? Speaking of souls—I almost forgot. Why didn't you stop my Edo Tensei? Or the use of Samsara of Heavenly Life?"
"You are not a good listener," the Sage frowned.
"I did not interfere because you achieved what no reincarnate before you ever could."
Naruto's eyes sharpened.
"…Kurama?"
"Yes."
The Sage nodded.
"Though I cannot observe you directly, I have seen fragments of a future where you release the Tailed Beasts."
"You acknowledged them as independent beings—and they…"
"Stop."
Naruto cut him off again, waving a hand.
"You're drifting off topic. Please answer why you didn't meet the previous reincarnates."
"What are you two even talking about?!" Sasuke finally snapped. He had listened for ages and understood nothing.
The Sage glanced at him, then spoke calmly.
"In the original flow of destiny, Madara would revive, become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, and obtain my power. You and Ashura's reincarnation would stop him, reconcile, and the Ten-Tails would be sealed into a dimension only my mother could enter."
"That was a good outcome. That dimension is special—neither the Rinnegan nor summoning techniques can reach it."
"But after you became a ninja, everything changed."
"Madara failed to revive. The God Tree resurrected in an aberrant form. The Nine Tailed Beasts would assist you in devouring Earth's origin—to create a new world."
Naruto's eyes flickered.
"There's something I want to confirm," he said lightly.
"Kurama told me that each Tailed Beast carries a fragment of the Ten-Tails' power. Whoever becomes the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki ultimately becomes a vessel for Kaguya's resurrection."
"But you just said that if Madara became the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, he would obtain your power."
"So tell me—could a Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki also serve as your vessel for resurrection?"
The Sage fell silent.
After a long pause, he nodded.
"Yes. If the timing were right, I could indeed resurrect through a Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki."
Everything clicked.
Naruto finally understood why the forms of Six Paths Madara and Obito resembled the Sage rather than Kaguya—and why the Sage emerged from Madara's lower body after Black Zetsu's betrayal.
After a moment of thought, Naruto spoke again.
"I should tell you this: my relationship with the Tailed Beasts has always been one of equal cooperation. But from the moment we began this conversation, that cooperation has ended."
"Soon, I'll reassess my future relationship with them."
"They know I intend to destroy this world. They want to know your stance on that."
"But you yourself just said they would help me devour Earth's origin."
"So—if there's anything you still haven't said—"
"Hamura once sent a message through a girl named Feng," the Sage interrupted with a sigh.
"He wanted you to meet us on the Moon."
"But now, with no new variables, the future is already set."
"Therefore… I ask you to return Indra and Ashura's souls to me."
"I'm sorry. I refuse."
Naruto shook his head.
"They possess something I need."
The Sage's expression changed.
"I can grant you complete Sage Arts and Yin–Yang Release."
"I can obtain those from them—and from the Moon as well."
Naruto shook his head again, then said calmly,
"But if you answer one question, I might consider a trade."
The Sage's gaze sharpened.
"Ask."
Naruto looked at him steadily.
"If Indra's reincarnation had not escaped your surveillance—
If Kurama were still inside me—"
"Would you really be speaking to me this calmly right now?"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/FinalArcHero789