"Gamamaru," the good incarnation said, his voice still gentle, though a faint tremor could be heard beneath it.
"The original body... was taken away by that bizarre fishing hook. Do you know what that thing was? Is there any way... to bring him back?"
A faint glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes, though he himself knew how fragile that hope was—like the last candle flickering in the wind.
Gamamaru's ancient frog eyes flickered slightly. The concern on his face appeared utterly genuine, yet instead of answering the good incarnation's question, he leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Can you... still sense the original body's presence?"
The question was like a needle, piercing straight through the composure the good incarnation had struggled to maintain.
His brow immediately furrowed deeper, the worry on his face becoming so heavy it seemed almost tangible.
Instinctively, he placed a hand over his chest. That was where the connection between his soul and the original body should have been—a bond so profound that distance, even across the stars, should not have been able to sever it.
"The original body and I share the same mind and origin."
The good incarnation's voice lowered, filled with confusion and a trace of unease.
"No matter how far apart we were, that connection was never broken. But now..."
He paused, as though trying desperately to grasp that faint and intangible connection. In the end, he shook his head helplessly.
"I can't feel anything. Nothing but emptiness and silence. It's as though... the original body has completely disappeared from this world, without even the slightest trace left behind."
He looked up at Gamamaru. Beyond the worry in his eyes was a strange clarity born from emptiness—or perhaps the helplessness of someone whose shackles had suddenly fallen away.
"And... I can feel that the original body's restraints on me—the connection rooted in my very soul, the rule that defined me as a 'clone'... has completely vanished as well."
He spoke softly, yet the implications of those words weighed heavily upon the air.
Gamamaru's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
In an instant, he understood what the good incarnation was implying.
The original body had most likely suffered some form of complete existential erasure or separation, something far beyond their understanding.
And the incarnation before him—this embodiment of "goodness" and "guidance"—had gained an unprecedented freedom.
Gamamaru steadied himself, quickly suppressing the complicated flicker in his eyes and returning to the calm demeanor of a wise elder.
Looking at the good incarnation, he asked evenly,
"Then... what do you intend to do?"
There was no advice. No attempt to guide him.
He simply placed the choice in the hands of this being who had just lost his anchor, yet possessed power and wisdom nearly equal to the original Sage of Six Paths.
The good incarnation fell silent.
A gentle breeze passed beneath the cliff, carrying the faint scent of newly sprouted vegetation and the distant sounds of survivors gathering together.
With his eyes lowered, he remained silent for a long time. It was as though he were bidding farewell to his former self—and confronting a future that had suddenly become vast and empty.
After a while, he slowly raised his head.
The confusion, worry, and emptiness in his eyes gradually faded like mist scattered by the wind.
In their place emerged a clarity and determination stronger than before.
Within that light remained his sense of responsibility toward this world, his compassion for the surviving people, and... a mission he had inherited from another.
When he spoke again, his voice was solemn. Every word was clear and resolute, like an oath sworn before heaven and earth.
"I will inherit the original body's will."
He rose to his feet, the radiance of senjutsu flowing around him. Though it was not as brilliant as it had been at the height of his power, it possessed a quiet and unyielding strength of its own.
"I will become... the Sage of Six Paths spoken of by mankind."
"I will lead the survivors."
His gaze turned toward the distance, as though he could see beyond the mountains to those struggling to survive among the ruins—the fear and hope reflected in their eyes.
"I will mend this shattered world, heal the wounds left by war, and spread wisdom and order..."
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Gamamaru once more, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
"I will make this world... a better place."
Silence fell beneath the cliff.
Only the clear, gentle radiance surrounding him—symbolizing "goodness" and "guidance"—continued to shine steadily, like a solitary lamp that had lit itself in the midst of sudden darkness and chaos, determined to illuminate the road ahead.
Gamamaru gazed silently at the figure before him. His temperament was gentle, his eyes resolute, yet the immense power emanating from him was nearly indistinguishable from that of the original Sage of Six Paths.
After a moment of silence, a complicated expression appeared on the old toad's wrinkled face. There was scrutiny and calculation in his gaze before, eventually, it settled into something resembling formal acceptance.
"If that is your decision," Gamamaru said slowly, his voice deep and solemn, as though confirming an identity of great importance, "then I shall call you... Hagoromo."
He deliberately omitted the title Sage of Six Paths and addressed him directly by his name. It was both an acknowledgment that brought them closer—and perhaps a sign of caution regarding the question of who would ultimately become the one and only Hagoromo.
The good incarnation—or perhaps he should now be called Hagoromo—smiled warmly and sincerely, like spring sunlight melting the ice.
He nodded gently, accepting the name and, perhaps, accepting his transformation from a mere incarnation into an independent heir.
However, Gamamaru's next words shattered that brief moment of warmth and mutual understanding.
No longer concealing his thoughts, he abruptly changed the subject. A sharp light flashed through his frog-like eyes as he said,
"Hagoromo, now that you have broken free of the original body's restrictions and can act and make decisions of your own accord..."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle.
"Then the evil incarnation must have gained the same freedom."
The gentle smile on Hagoromo's face froze instantly, like a lake suddenly seized by winter.
His expression stiffened. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, followed by the heavy realization of something he had overlooked.
Clearly, while he had been focused on inheriting the original body's will and pursuing his grand ambition of guiding the world, he had subconsciously forgotten about the other half born from the same origin—the being whose nature was completely opposed to his own.
"You wish to inherit the original body's will, become the true Sage of Six Paths, and guide this world," Gamamaru continued, his tone growing grave. "The evil incarnation will undoubtedly have similar ambitions. No—perhaps his desires are even simpler and more extreme."
"What he wants is to be the only one. To replace the original entirely."
Gamamaru watched Hagoromo's expression turn increasingly solemn and lowered his voice, as though describing an impending disaster.
"You know his nature better than anyone."
"Obsessive. Violent. He worships strength and conquest and despises compassion for the weak. Without the original body to restrain and balance him, I cannot imagine..."
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