Arisu only spoke quietly.
"What is it?" Hagoromo frowned slightly.
Arisu did not beat around the bush and spoke directly.
"Your younger brother... has already been possessed by an outsider's soul. He is no longer the original Hamura.
"Your mother, Kaguya, has been continuously sacrificing ordinary people to create the biological weapon known as White Zetsu. Now, only you can save this world and stop the tragedy from happening.", Arisu pointed at Hagoromo as he spoke.
"What nonsense are you talking about?", The moment Hagoromo heard those words, his brows drew tightly together.
The strange old man had immediately targeted his younger brother and mother, filling him with strong dissatisfaction and vigilance.
His younger brother Hamura had always been obedient and sensible over the years, although he had suddenly acted strangely today for some unknown reason.
His mother seemed to be hiding something, but she was still the one they relied on. What gave this old man the right to slander her like this?
"Who are you?", Hagoromo asked in a low voice, his tone full of obvious anger and caution.
He slowly clenched his fist as chakra surged through his body.
"Don't rush."
Arisu looked at Hagoromo without the slightest hint of anger.
He smiled faintly and did not answer Hagoromo's question.
"If you ever figure things out, come find me here. I'll be waiting."
As his voice fell, Arisu's figure gradually faded into particles of light, blending into the night until he disappeared without a trace, leaving only a breeze passing through the clearing.
Hagoromo's pupils shrank as he watched the strange scene, astonishment rising in his heart.
He had lived for many years and had long since concluded that, besides himself, Hamura, and their mother, no one else in this world possessed supernatural power.
Hagoromo stood where he was, his brows tightly furrowed, not leaving for a long time.
Although he insisted he did not believe it, his mother's actions and Hamura's strange behavior today kept making him feel that something was wrong.
The old stranger's words were like a thorn lodged in his heart, making it impossible for him to calm down.
His younger brother... his mother... what exactly was going on?
Hagoromo looked toward the distant Divine Tree, and a sudden urge to go and take a look rose in his heart.
Arisu floated high in the sky, hidden behind layer upon layer of spatial barriers, quietly looking down at Hagoromo as he turned and left below.
Arisu nodded slightly.
"Very good. The first step has already been planted."
While speaking with Hagoromo just now, Arisu had silently cast a hidden spell on him.
The spell would not show any effect immediately. It would only fully activate when Hagoromo awakened the Sharingan in the future.
At that time, Hagoromo would be able to clearly see the soul possessing Hamura's body.
Because it was a soul transmigration, Hagoromo would be able to tell at a glance that the soul inside that familiar body was not the younger brother who had grown up with him at all.
"When that time comes, you'll definitely hate that impostor completely in order to avenge your real younger brother.", Arisu muttered to himself.
He had already planned everything that would follow. Next, he would secretly bring about Haori's death, making that sacrifice the true fuse.
The woman Hagoromo loved would die a tragic death, and after learning of his mother Kaguya's "crimes," his anger and pain would completely ignite his hostility toward Kaguya.
When Hagoromo became suspicious, suffered in confusion, and came looking for him again...
Arisu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze passing through the void toward the main palace hall in the distance.
"At that time, I will personally teach you Sage Arts and the power of the Six Paths. I'll let you complete the sealing alone. Kaguya... and that troublesome transmigrator Hamura... will both be suppressed forever."
———
The next day was the day of the Divine Tree sacrifice.
The sacrificial procession had long been ready. With solemn expressions, the villagers and attendants escorted the chosen "sacrifice" toward the back mountain where the Divine Tree stood.
Hamura was still asleep in his room.
For some reason, Hagoromo was also sleeping unusually deeply. It was as if an invisible force had enveloped his consciousness, making it difficult for him to wake up.
Meanwhile, Hagoromo was patrolling alone around the village.
The mysterious old man's words from the previous night still echoed in his ears, leaving him unable to settle his thoughts.
He should have accompanied the sacrificial ceremony, but at this moment he wanted to be alone and sort out his thoughts.
During his patrol, Hagoromo suddenly saw the sacrificial procession moving slowly in the distance.
At a glance, he clearly spotted the familiar figure among the crowd.
Haori.
"Haori!? Why is she there!?"
Hagoromo's heart tightened. He hurried forward, passed through the line of attendants, and came to Haori's side.
"Haori... why are you here?", Hagoromo lowered his voice, his eyes full of anxiety.
Haori was dressed in pure white ceremonial robes, her features graceful and beautiful.
There was no fear of death on her face.
She looked up at the young man before her and smiled gently.
"It is God's command. We need to offer a sacrifice to the Divine Tree in exchange for a year of favorable weather. ...I'm glad I met you, Hagoromo."
The so-called command of God naturally referred to Kaguya.
And the claim that sacrificing to the Divine Tree would bring a year of favorable weather was naturally a lie Kaguya had told.
As she spoke, she removed a delicate pendant from around her neck and gently placed it around Hagoromo's neck.
The pendant was cool to the touch and carried her faint fragrance.
Hagoromo's heart was filled with pain.
He opened his mouth, yet did not know how to oppose his mother's decision.
All this time, he had been hesitant about whether he should disobey his mother. His mother's overwhelming strength and authority, his younger brother's strange behavior, and the old man's words from last night... everything had left him torn.
He could only look deeply at Haori as he made up his mind.
"Wait for me. Just keep going for now... I'll come save you!"
There were so many people taking part in the sacrifice that his mother probably would not notice if one person went missing.
A trace of surprise flashed through Haori's eyes, but the procession had already continued onward. She could only nod slightly as she gradually disappeared into the distance with the others.
Hagoromo stood where he was, gripping the pendant on his chest tightly.
———
[Meanwhile, Inside The Palace]
Hamura groggily sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes as he looked out the window.
The glaring sun had already begun to descend toward the west. He had actually slept until the afternoon.
"I actually slept that long..."
Hamura muttered to himself as he shook his still-heavy head.
"Looks like even an Otsutsuki body gets tired after overtraining..."
Hamura did not notice anything unusual. He simply assumed that his body was exhausted from secretly training so hard over the years in order to become stronger.
After all, ever since arriving in this world, he had worked relentlessly to grow stronger. As a transmigrator, he was deeply obsessed with gaining power.
Hamura got up and realized Hagoromo was gone. Then he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh no! Haori!"
Hamura shot to his feet, inwardly cursing.
He had actually forgotten something this important.
This was the crucial turning point for changing the plot.
Thinking of this, Hamura instantly leaped out the window and rushed straight toward the Divine Tree. Feeling that even that was not fast enough, he simply used the power of the Tenseigan to make himself fly.