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"Still unwilling to accept it, Obito?"
The face of the Great King Enma, identical to that of Kaito, radiated cold indifference as his black eyes slowly shifted to a deep purple.
As the ruler of the Yellow Spring Hell, it was only natural that he possessed the absolute power to suppress all the dead.
At this moment, Obito found himself completely immobilized, unable to move even a fraction.
"It doesn't matter if you're unwilling. No amount of screaming or struggling will change anything."
After uttering these words, the Great King Enma lowered his head and resumed his work, simultaneously releasing the pressure that had been bearing down on Obito.
"..."
Obito trembled violently as he stared at the Great King Enma and Madara, the suffocating resentment in his chest swelling to the point of explosion.
"Hey!"
Madara frowned as he observed the thick, swirling black energy emanating from Obito's body.
"Are you turning into a vengeful spirit, Obito?"
Obito paid no heed, the hatred within him continuing to condense. Even the whites of his eyes turned as crimson as the Sharingan.
"It makes no difference."
The Great King Enma's indifferent voice echoed through the hall.
"Even if he becomes a vengeful spirit, he can simply be cast into the Hell."
"Wait!!"
Rin, her face filled with anxiety, rushed up the steps and knelt before the desk.
"Your Majesty, please forgive Obito's transgression!"
The Great King Enma did not even glance up from the documents in his hands.
"Obito!"
Rin crawled on her knees to Obito's side, grasping his hand—now adorned with sharp, blackened nails.
"Look at me."
Obito lowered his head, as if finally recognizing Rin's face, and the swirling resentment around him momentarily stilled.
"Rin..."
His voice was even more hoarse now, like gravel grinding against stone.
"Obito, it's me." Rin looked up at his twisted, monstrous face. "Control yourself, Obito! Don't forget—I've always been watching over you."
"Rin..."
The black miasma of hatred around Obito began to dissipate.
"..."
At last, the Great King Enma lifted his gaze from the documents, glancing at the two of them.
Noticing his attention, Rin tensed immediately.
"Your Majesty!"
"Leave."
With an impassive flick of his wide sleeve, the Great King Enma caused Obito and Rin's spirits to vanish from the spot.
Rubbing his temples, he surveyed the chaotic state of the Enma Hall and declared in a low voice, "Order must be established as soon as possible. Many souls must be sent to their rightful places. Otherwise, anyone will think they can barge in here and challenge me!"
"Then let us expedite the selection process for jailers and administrative personnel."
Uchiha Chiri placed a folder on the Great King Enma's desk.
"I've already organized the procedures."
"You've worked hard."
The Great King Enma opened the folder, skimmed its contents, signed it swiftly, and handed it back.
"For now, I'll leave this matter in your hands. If you need assistants, feel free to recruit them yourself."
Chiri accepted the folder, cradling it against her chest as she smiled and replied, "Understood, Your Majesty."
She bowed slightly before descending the steps with the folder in hand.
"As for the two of you..."
The Great King Enma turned his gaze to Madara and Izuna.
"Kaito is currently in seclusion. Would you be willing to stay and assist me a while longer?"
Madara and Izuna exchanged glances before reluctantly nodding.
"Very well."
The Great King Enma seemed pleased. He picked up another stack of documents from his desk and handed them to Madara.
"Since you must be bored here, why not inspect the Eight Hot Hells and the Eight Cold Hells on my behalf? The current number of jailers is insufficient, and we must prevent any uprisings among the tormented souls."
"Fine."
Madara took the documents and began flipping through them.
Izuna leaned in to take a look and asked, "The number of souls undergoing punishment isn't small. How is it determined who gets punished? If we judge solely by the act of killing, shouldn't we shinobi bear the heaviest sins?"
"Indeed."
The Great King Enma's voice remained cold.
"But I am not the true Great King Enma. At present, I cannot act with the impartiality of a true deity."
Izuna chuckled teasingly. "So this counts as favoritism?"
"It's also about establishing order in the Yellow Spring as quickly as possible." The Great King Enma straightened. "I cannot handle everything personally."
Madara suddenly spoke up. "The Ten Kings of the Ten Courts are the most crucial positions. If selection is based on strength, do you intend to let shinobi occupy all nine remaining thrones?"
The Great King Enma raised his head with a mysterious smile. "As long as they are strong, it doesn't matter if they are shinobi or yōkai. Once appointed by me and seated upon the throne, they will no longer be shinobi or yōkai—they will become gods of the Yellow Spring."
Madara's eyes sharpened as he discerned the hidden implication. "In other words, during their transformation into gods, they will be stripped of their former selves?"
The Great King Enma shook his head, still smiling. "Not entirely. Their memories will remain—though only their memories."
Izuna lowered his voice. "Your Majesty means that the emotions tied to those memories will vanish?"
The Great King Enma smiled wordlessly and returned to his work.
"No wonder Kaito didn't take the throne of Enma himself." Izuna murmured. "It's not just because he'd be confined to the Yellow Spring Hell..."
"Let's go."
Madara had already stepped past him, descending the stairs.
"Wait for me."
Izuna quickly followed.
The Great King Enma watched their retreating figures, his lips curling into a faint, knowing smile.
---
Mount Ōeyama, Uchiha Residence, Secret Chamber
Kaito opened his eyes to find the Great King Enma lounging on the floor beside him, watching him with amusement.
"Why are you here again?"
The glow of spiritual power in his eyes gradually receded.
"Izuna asked an interesting question earlier."
The Great King Enma repeated Izuna's inquiry.
"Oh?"
Kaito smirked with interest.
"Defeat Kaguya, rebuild the Yellow Spring, and ensure the Uchiha clan reaps the greatest benefits—this was the plan from the beginning. I didn't expect Izuna to hesitate about it now."
The Great King Enma chuckled. "For this world, the Yellow Spring Hell bears an immense responsibility. Perhaps I should thank Izuna for considering things from my perspective."
Kaito mused, "Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
"The truth can be cold and harsh. Sometimes, warmer words are better for maintaining unity." The Great King Enma replied matter-of-factly.
"Fair point." Kaito nodded sagely.
The Great King Enma's expression turned solemn. "Only we know that the Yellow Spring Hell carries the duty of eradicating chakra."
Kaito continued, "The shinobi of this world, those most deeply affected by chakra, will either remain in the Yellow Spring Hell as officials or undergo countless reincarnations to purge chakra from their souls—until chakra vanishes entirely from the living world?"
"This was the revelation I received upon ascending as a true god." The Great King Enma said. "Perhaps, as you once speculated, the world itself is trying to communicate with us."