"Aren't you familiar with the Great Toad Sage? It said that I am the Forbidden Child from the prophecy. Aren't you going to show some goodwill?"
Seiryū rubbed his hands and began negotiating.
"This space-time is different from Sasuke's. Those two grandsons haven't even been born here yet."
"You no longer need to give them the Six Paths Yin and Yang Powers. An inheritance doesn't necessarily have to go to the sons. It can also go to the father."
"?"
Even more question marks appeared in the Sage of Six Paths' mind.
However, once he understood the implication behind Seiryū's words, his expression darkened completely.
"I thought it was strange that you suddenly brought up the subject of my biological father."
"And yet, you actually have that kind of idea?"
"Blasphemy. This is simply blasphemy!"
So this boy was actually interested in his mother?
He wanted to become his father?
What kind of outrageous family joke was this?
Even if Seiryū's soul might have come from beyond the stars or another space-time, his physical body still carried the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan.
And the Uzumaki Clan were Hagoromo's descendants!
Such thoughts were simply blasphemous!
"You don't understand. Women are emotional beings, and goddesses are no exception."
Seiryū did not feel embarrassed. Instead, he spoke seriously.
"If I let her experience love, perhaps she will no longer want to destroy the shinobi world."
"I think the Rabbit Goddess wants to destroy the world because she never experienced its beauty and never developed any empathy!"
"Don't make those kinds of family jokes with me. Your soul and consciousness may come from somewhere unknown, but this body is still descended from my bloodline. How could that possibly be acceptable?"
The Sage of Six Paths' breathing grew heavier.
Faced with such blasphemy, even someone with his composure could lose his temper.
His own descendant wanted to become his father?
How had Seiryū even come up with such an idea?
"You're too old-fashioned!"
Seiryū reasoned with him.
"You just said that you have no biological father and that the Rabbit Goddess gave birth to you through special means. In other words, the relationship between you and the Rabbit Goddess is somewhat similar to the relationship between you and the Tailed Beasts, right?"
"There is no blood connection. Besides, times have changed. How many years and generations have passed? Even cousins within the Hyūga Clan can marry and have children, so what is there to worry about? Times have changed!"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
The Sage of Six Paths was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. The staff floating behind him rose and fell, revealing the unrest in his heart.
"The issue is not bloodline. Ethics, seniority, and morality do not allow it!"
"Furthermore, Mother was ascetic. She could not possibly possess those kinds of feelings. Once she breaks free, the consequences for the shinobi world will be impossible to predict!"
He had spoken vaguely before, but now he directly revealed his thoughts.
Did Seiryū really think Hagoromo's Six Paths staff was merely for decoration?
Was that what Hagoromo was worried about?
He was worried that once his mother escaped, she would bring disaster to the shinobi world.
Of course, he was also worried that Seiryū might truly become his father, even though the possibility was extremely small.
If that really happened, Hagoromo would be furious enough to die again!
"Look, you're getting anxious again. I only have the idea. It might not actually succeed."
Seiryū smiled happily.
"I'm mainly here to discuss the Six Paths Yin and Yang Powers with you. You're getting so worked up. Do you really think I can succeed?"
"It's not that I believe you can succeed. The thought itself is simply blasphemous!"
The Sage of Six Paths said solemnly, "Since we now know that Mother will escape in another space-time, the safest solution is to prevent that from happening and avoid further unpredictable consequences."
"I can give you the Six Paths Yin and Yang Powers to help you stop it. As for the rest, never mention it again!"
"Tsk, tsk. First you sealed your mother, and now you're willing to sacrifice your son for the greater good. You really have a talent for being both a son and a father."
Seiryū clicked his tongue in admiration before his expression became serious.
"But I refuse!"
"I admire the Rabbit Goddess very much. A single glance at her in the past made me long for her."
"Now that I have such an opportunity, I certainly can't let it pass!"
After a pause, Seiryū continued, "As I said, whether I can succeed is still unknown. Although I'm rather gentle, once I decide to do something, I'll find a way to accomplish it. I have obsessive-compulsive disorder!"
"Besides, you can't stop me now."
"I finally understand the meaning behind the Great Toad Sage's prophecy. The Forbidden Child whose destruction and rebirth depend upon a single thought. You are completely unrestrained and willful!"
Suppressing his restless thoughts, the Sage of Six Paths looked quietly at Seiryū and sighed.
"As you said, I truly cannot stop you. I cannot even stop Indra's actions."
"I can only entrust the safety of the shinobi world to you."
Although he remained in the Pure Land, Hagoromo also knew something about the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
The Forbidden Child whose choice could bring either destruction or rebirth truly gave him a headache.
That old toad might have possessed some selfish motives, but its prophecies were trustworthy.
Since it had predicted the Forbidden Child's existence, then it was something that could truly happen.
A single choice could lead to two different outcomes, one good and one bad.
Hagoromo naturally understood which one he should choose.
Most importantly, he truly had no power to stop Seiryū.
Even someone who had once reached the same level as Hagoromo at his peak had been easily defeated by Seiryū.
The destruction or rebirth of the shinobi world rested with Seiryū.
It did not rest with the Ōtsutsuki Clan from another space-time, nor with Kaguya, who might eventually escape.
This explained many things.
The threat posed by Seiryū was even greater than either of them!
"That settles it, then. I don't want to destroy the shinobi world either. I'm bound by too many relationships. I could have destroyed it, but because I'm kindhearted, I have to worry about its safety instead."
Seiryū smiled happily.
"I'm truly a benevolent person. You don't want to see the shinobi world destroyed either, right?"
The Sage of Six Paths fell silent.
He did not want to look at Seiryū's face anymore.
This boy was not only strange, but his personality was also terrible and eccentric.
More importantly, Hagoromo might truly be unable to defeat him now.
And the cost of fighting would be far too great.
He could only choose not to look at Seiryū and hope that the boy would leave quickly.
'Hum.'
The Sage of Six Paths opened his hands.
A sphere emitting faint white light appeared in his left palm, while a sphere emitting faint black light appeared in his right.
White represented Yang Power, while black represented Yin Power!
Pushing the two spheres toward Seiryū, Hagoromo spoke without expression.
"White is Yang, and black is Yin. This is the last portion of power I condensed before my death."
"It is the Power of Six Paths. When combined, the two powers can activate a Sealing Jutsu containing the Power of Six Paths. I will entrust this power to you."
"I leave the safety of the shinobi world in your hands."
"This isn't weak."
After sensing the power, Seiryū could not help nodding.
"If you used it yourself, you might be able to recover some of your former strength."
"Perhaps not your full strength, but the difference shouldn't be too great, right?"
The Power of Six Paths.
Aside from stacking two transformations, Seiryū had not yet reached this level.
Even then, his strength had been forcibly increased rather than naturally reaching that realm. There was still a difference.
If the Sage of Six Paths used this power himself, he would not be weak.
At the very least, he should be able to display Six Paths-level power for a short time!
The Sage of Six Paths said calmly, "I am already dead. The dead should not interfere with the changes of the shinobi world."
"This is power I left behind before my death, just like the Tailed Beasts and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Calling it an inheritance would be appropriate."
An inheritance could naturally be given to someone else.
That did not violate the rules Hagoromo had established for himself.
As for using it personally, he was already dead and had no intention of interfering with the changes of the shinobi world.
The power he left behind before his death would only be used by others.
Seiryū smiled.
"You're certainly principled, but should I call you stubborn or something else? You clearly possess the ability to change certain things, yet you choose to stand by and watch."
Indra and Asura's reincarnations had fought one another repeatedly.
If the Sage of Six Paths truly wanted to interfere, could he really not have done so?
Yet Hagoromo had done nothing and watched everything happen.
Seiryū did not know how to judge that choice.
The Sage of Six Paths replied indifferently, "Since it is a rule I established for myself, I cannot break it. I firmly believe that they will eventually reconcile."
"Indra from another space-time is the best proof. He no longer carries such hostility and has already understood certain things. That is the best possible result."
Sasuke was the reincarnation of Indra's Chakra.
Through him, Hagoromo had witnessed the result he had always hoped for.
Even though Sasuke came from another space-time, it proved that Hagoromo's approach was not wrong.
Knowing that was enough.
He always remembered that he was already dead.
The dead should not interfere with the development and changes of the shinobi world.
"Amazing."
Seiryū gave him another thumbs-up.
He was too lazy to dwell on the matter.
It was Hagoromo's family affair. Since the father did not care, Seiryū naturally had no reason to interfere.
Besides, he was not yet the grandfather of those two grandsons.
"I'm entrusting this power to you. I believe you will use it properly. I leave the shinobi world in your hands."
"Don't worry. Didn't I already say that I'm a benevolent person? If possible, I'll also take good care of your mother, although you might not be around to witness it."
The Sage of Six Paths fell silent.
"Speaking of which, after losing this power, will you truly die?"
"The cycle of life and death is a natural law. Although I am a Sage, my lifespan still came to an end."
"However, as long as the Pure Land exists, I am not truly gone. I will merely lose my self-awareness."
"So this place really is connected to you? The Rinnegan controls the Six Paths, including the cycle of reincarnation, but why haven't Great-grandfather, Second Great-grandfather, and the others reincarnated yet?"
"Their time has not arrived. They are still waiting. I only created this world a thousand years ago. During those thousand years, wars occurred constantly, and many people died."
"Before you created this world, where did the souls of the dead go?"
"They dispersed into the world and became natural energy, replenishing the planet."
Hearing this, the corner of Seiryū's mouth twitched.
"Is the reason only a small part of this planet is suitable for life connected to you?"
The Sage of Six Paths shook his head and explained, "Mother once planted the Divine Tree, which consumed an enormous amount of the planet's natural energy."
"Combined with that devastating war, more than ninety percent of the land became unsuitable for life."
"I created this world for two reasons. First, I wanted to establish the cycle of life and death and show mercy to those who died in war."
"Second, I wanted to preserve the environment of the remaining habitable land and establish a certain balance."
"With enough time, restoring the planet to its former condition may not be impossible. That is also my wish and a way to atone for the mistakes I made in the past."
The Divine Tree had drained the planet's life to produce its fruit.
Combined with the world-destroying war, more than ninety percent of the planet had once withered and become unsuitable for life.
To make up for Kaguya's past mistakes, the Sage of Six Paths had conducted his own research and experiments.
In the end, he created the Pure Land and established a certain balance.
Through it, he was slowly repairing the planet's environment.
Compared to a thousand years ago, the habitable area had expanded considerably.
Although it was still small compared to the entire planet, the Sage of Six Paths had already done everything he could.
It would simply require more time.
A million years or ten million years.
It did not matter.
As long as the Pure Land continued to exist, the planet would eventually recover completely.
Hearing this, Seiryū could not help sighing.
"You truly deserve respect for having such an intention. Even I can only call it amazing."
The Sage of Six Paths looked at Seiryū.
Hearing the sincerity in his words, Hagoromo smiled.
"I am merely atoning for my sins."
"One last question."
The system still had not issued a notification, and the mission had not been completed, so Seiryū could only take the initiative.
"Can you allow the souls of Great-grandfather and Second Great-grandfather to break free from control and return to the Pure Land? Or can you prevent something like this from happening again?"
"I also came here to investigate the anomaly in the Pure Land!"
"An anomaly in the Pure Land? The Pure Land is not a place from a storybook where souls are tortured!"
The Sage of Six Paths froze.
What nonsense was this boy talking about?
What did torture have to do with the Pure Land?
Too lazy to argue with the unreliable Seiryū, Hagoromo shook his head.
"I am already dead and do not interfere with the affairs of the shinobi world. Edo Tensei is a technique developed by shinobi. Its existence follows the rules of this world."
"I cannot break those rules."
"I."
Seiryū still wanted to say something.
However, at that moment, the system's notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Mission completed. Reward is being distributed.]
"?"
Seiryū tilted his head.
He had asked only one question, and the mission was completed?
'Investigate the anomaly in the Pure Land. Damn it, I only needed to investigate it clearly, not solve it, right? As expected of my wonderful system!'
Seiryū complained inwardly.
He planned to ask the system about its understanding of this mission later.
After all, the mission had been completed rather inexplicably.
"Since its existence follows the rules and you don't intend to interfere, I won't trouble you any further. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Seiryū had obtained the Six Paths Yin and Yang Powers, and the system mission had been completed.
He no longer wanted to continue chatting with the old man.
He prepared to say goodbye.
The Sage of Six Paths spoke solemnly once more.
"If you can truly convince Mother to change, I actually do not completely reject that possibility."
"After all, I owe Mother a great deal."
"I entrust the shinobi world to you."
The Sage of Six Paths looked deeply at Seiryū.
After saying those words, his figure gradually became translucent and disappeared.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)