"The truth of the ninja world?"
Madara Uchiha's words left everyone with strange expressions. What did he mean by this?
Could it be that there were secrets about the ninja world that no one was aware of? Or was this somehow related to the reason behind the war initiated by this group?
The bizarre situation plunged everyone into silence, even Nagato and Kimimaro were utterly baffled.
"Have you seen what's inside?"
Only Obito spoke quietly, his tone tinged with irritation. He was clearly displeased, as this implied Madara Uchiha might disrupt his carefully laid plans.
"If you haven't looked inside, there's no need to embarrass yourself by bringing it out. Let's stick to our original plan!"
"Hmph, I know what you're thinking, Obito, but there are some things I need to verify."
Madara accepted the bookmark handed to him, then placed the bark on the ground.
"Hashirama, what you said earlier makes sense, but there are still questions I don't understand. So let's prove together whether what you said is true!"
"Huh?"
Kitagawa Minamoto found this statement odd as well. His gaze shifted to Hashirama Senju and the others.
"What did you say to him this time?"
"Hmph, just about the truth of this world. Who knows what kind of madness he's up to."
Tobirama Senju was visibly annoyed. Earlier, he had mentioned topics regarding the "truth of the Sage of Six Paths," but now Madara Uchiha seemed ready to act on them.
What's more, Madara had apparently obtained "the relic of the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother," making the situation even more complicated.
"I never imagined the Hyūga clan would conceal such history. Damn it..."
"Don't rush. Let's see what unfolds first."
Minato Namikaze couldn't help but interject, his gaze steady as he spoke softly.
"Things may not be as complicated as they seem, and we might understand what he's truly thinking."
The crowd on the battlefield was captivated by Madara Uchiha's words. Even the liaison officers at the command post found themselves bewildered.
"Madara Uchiha..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado all wore puzzled expressions. Originally, the Third Hokage had planned to retire, but Kitagawa Minamoto had dragged him back into action, and he had brought along his two companions. Now, however, the situation seemed to have grown increasingly convoluted.
"What exactly are they trying to do?"
"I suggest we listen first. However, the troops must remain operational and ready to attack at any moment."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged glances before replying, prompting Shikaku Nara to nod in agreement.
"Indeed, perhaps this will help us understand their true intentions. Inoichi, and everyone else, I'll leave this to you."
"No problem."
Inoichi Yamanaka and others nodded simultaneously, their curiosity piqued as they wondered what Madara Uchiha was planning to reveal.
On the battlefield, Madara stood with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before he spoke calmly.
"I know you're all confused, but the situation in the ninja world is not as simple as it seems. You probably don't even know the truth about the Uchiha and Senju clans, do you?"
"The Uchiha and Senju?"
"What secrets could there possibly be?"
"Weren't they just rival clans during the Warring States period, constantly at odds with each other?"
"But if not for the First Hokage, wouldn't the Uchiha have been—"
Many in the ninja world were familiar with some of the history, but Madara Uchiha's words left them bewildered.
Soon enough, Madara continued speaking.
"That's correct. It seems you do remember some of the events from back then. But do you think the relationship between the Uchiha and Senju clans was merely one of rivalry?"
"The Uchiha and Senju clans, their ancestors were named Indra and Asura."
"And these two..."
"Were the sons of the Sage of Six Paths!"
Madara Uchiha's voice resonated across the battlefield like a thunderclap, and his statement rendered the entire ninja world silent.
Indra and Asura... The sons of the Sage of Six Paths? These two clans were descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' sons?
What kind of joke was this?!
Every ninja present, even those from the Akatsuki and the Impure World Reincarnation, were left staring at Madara in disbelief.
Then their gaze shifted to Kitagawa Minamoto, their shock intensifying. This revelation was simply too astonishing!
"Yes, it's true."
Kitagawa Minamoto glanced at Hashirama Senju, who seemed reluctant to speak, while Tobirama Senju wore a look of disgust. Kitagawa nodded and began explaining.
"Madara Uchiha is correct. The Uchiha and Senju clans are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, and their ancestors were indeed brothers. Both clans possess relics left behind by the Sage of Six Paths."
"Relics left by the Sage of Six Paths?"
"Brothers?!"
At that moment, every ninja felt their minds reeling. Madara Uchiha's words might have been met with skepticism, but Kitagawa Minamoto's confirmation left no room for doubt.
Nobody had ever imagined that the once-rival clans, the Senju and Uchiha, were essentially brothers in origin.
"However, this happened over a thousand years ago. Something occurred that caused Indra and Asura to turn against each other."
Madara Uchiha observed the crowd's growing belief and smirked coldly as he continued.
"Of course, this is a story for another time. Actually, the Sage of Six Paths wasn't the only one who left behind relics. His younger brother also left behind relics."
"The younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths?"
Nagato's eyes lit up instantly, while Obito remained silent, deep in thought. Orochimaru licked his lips, his expression full of amusement. The other ninjas, however, were utterly dumbfounded. They realized how unfamiliar they were with the ninja world.
"And the descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother have continued to this day. They are..."
Madara Uchiha continued speaking, his gaze sweeping toward Kitagawa Minamoto. Observing Minamoto's white eyes in Sage Mode, Madara sighed and continued.
"They are the Hyūga clan."
"What?!"
The crowd hadn't even processed this information yet, but the Hyūga clan members participating in the battle were already stunned. Neji and Hinata exchanged incredulous glances, while Hiashi Hyūga in the Allied Forces couldn't hide his astonishment.
Even the resurrected Hyūga clan members from the Impure World Reincarnation were filled with disbelief, including Hizashi Hyūga, who looked utterly shocked.
"The Hyūga clan... descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother?"
"Yes, though I've always looked down on the Hyūga, they do share similarities with us."
Madara Uchiha sneered indifferently, though Nagato appeared visibly confused. Kitagawa Minamoto didn't seem like a descendant of the Hyūga clan at all.
"And now that all these relics are in hand, we can finally discuss the key points."
"I've always wondered how the ninja world could achieve peace, especially given the immense suffering we've endured."
"Even after founding the village, Hashirama refused to let me pacify the chaos plaguing the world. This left me feeling lost and angry."
"I foresaw long ago that the establishment of ninja villages would only lead to greater chaos."
"Which is why I've always yearned to personally destroy the source of evil I helped create!"
Madara's voice grew icy, his words stirring unease among the ninjas.
Madara's aura was already overwhelming, and his words carried a powerful allure.
No one could deny that the establishment of ninja villages had indeed escalated the intensity of wars, nor could anyone deny the countless lives lost in these conflicts.
But... this seemed to be veering off-topic?
"However, during my most confused moments, I discovered the relic left by the Sage of Six Paths for Indra's descendants."
Madara Uchiha spoke again, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"This stone tablet revealed secrets long hidden from the ninja world, such as how the ninja world once faced collapse."
"For instance, how the Sage of Six Paths and his brother together rescued the world from the hands of a 'deity'!"
"And this 'deity,' the legendary 'Rabbit Goddess,' whose true name..."
"Was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki!"
Madara's words sounded like mythological tales, leaving many in the crowd bewildered.
But more people wore grave expressions, especially those from Konohagakure who had heard about "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto."
First at the Fire Temple, then outside Konoha, and now the Rabbit Goddess was also an "Ōtsutsuki." Did this mean...
"Damn it, is that guy a being similar to the 'Rabbit Goddess'?"
This revelation spread quickly through the Allied Shinobi Forces, especially when they realized their leaders didn't seem surprised at all.
This made them realize that the crisis facing the ninja world was far greater than they had imagined!
"The Sage of Six Paths was clearly concerned about the future of the ninja world."
Just as everyone was growing anxious, Madara Uchiha spoke again.
"Therefore, he left some methods in the Uchiha relic, while also leaving warnings in the Senju relic. However, to see all this, one needs the 'Power of All Creation.' I'm not wrong, am I, Hashirama?"
"That's right..."
Hashirama Senju smiled bitterly but nodded.
"There was indeed mention of the 'Power of All Creation,' but I didn't see what came after."
"That's because you were too rigid and stubborn, while I saw through it."
Madara Uchiha continued coldly, scanning the crowd with a sneer.
"You can rest assured, I wouldn't stoop to deceiving you. The Sage's relic for the Senju not only contained warnings but also messages urging reconciliation with the Uchiha."
"That's true."
Tobirama Senju snorted, his frustration evident.
"So, what exactly did you see?"
"I saw his concerns for the future of the ninja world, which undoubtedly stemmed from those Ōtsutsuki."
Madara's gaze grew intense as he looked at the bookmark in his hand.
"The method he left wasn't for dealing with the Ōtsutsuki, and he didn't face Kaguya Ōtsutsuki alone. So I had a theory..."
"Is it the Hyūga clan's relic?"
Suddenly, Hashirama Senju seemed to realize something and asked curiously.
"Did he leave information about dealing with the Ōtsutsuki in there?"
"To be precise, the descendants of the Sage's younger brother were also meant to bear the burden of confronting the Ōtsutsuki crisis."
Madara replied indifferently, shaking his head slightly.
"The normal reading sequence would be for the Senju or Uchiha to see their relics, reconcile, and obtain the Power of All Creation."
"Then, at the moment of fully awakening this power, they would seek information about the descendants of the Sage's younger brother, obtaining more detailed countermeasures."
"Finally, they would see the warnings in the Senju clan's relic, as well as the Uchiha's method for bringing peace to the world after the great battle. This was the intended sequence!"
Madara's words once again plunged everyone into silence, especially the Hyūga clan members who exchanged bewildered glances.
They had witnessed the battles with "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto," and now they were expected to bear such a responsibility?
Had their ancestors truly been so powerful?
Could they, in their current state, fulfill this duty?
"And such matters?"
The other ninjas' minds were buzzing with confusion. Even without all the details revealed, what they had learned was enough to overturn their understanding of the world.
"Quite lively, isn't it?"
In a place invisible to them, the Sage of Six Paths and Hamura had silently appeared.
Both wore strange expressions. The Sage of Six Paths was understandably troubled—his information had been tampered with and falsified, causing him considerable distress.
Hamura was similarly confused, especially since he too had been implicated.
"What do you think my 'relic' might be?"
Hamura blinked, curiosity getting the better of him. The Sage of Six Paths shook his head.
"I'm not sure. Let's see, and hope the situation doesn't deteriorate further..."
Despite his words, he couldn't shake the feeling that events were spiraling in an uncontrollable direction.
"So, can you see the Hyūga clan's relic?"
Hashirama Senju couldn't help but ask, and Madara Uchiha chuckled, raising his hand. A wooden branch instantly broke through the earth.
"Wood Release?"
Everyone who witnessed this couldn't help but murmur in surprise, while Madara smiled.
"This is one manifestation of the 'Power of All Creation.' You can see for yourselves whether what I'm saying is true."
"Especially the Hyūga clan members, and you, Kitagawa Minamoto!"
As his words fell, the "bookmark" was raised to a sufficient height. The Hyūga clan members immediately activated their Byakugan.
Kitagawa Minamoto also obligingly looked up, but after a quick glance, he confirmed that the information was exactly what he had left behind.
"Indeed, the beginning is the same, describing how the Sage of Six Paths and his brother defeated Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."
Madara Uchiha glanced at it and spoke, but soon his expression turned strange.
"Hmm? The Sage's brother took his clan to the moon? But, as I suspected, the Sage established the ninja sect because he foresaw the Ōtsutsuki's arrival!"
"What?!"
This statement made the Hyūga clan's expressions even more peculiar.
They had already seen this information but had never known about this part!
This could be explained—perhaps they had come down to protect the ninja world—but why was there no record of this in their history?
Black Zetsu's face grew even darker. He looked up at the accursed "bookmark" in bewilderment, feeling his blood run cold!
"Wait, this isn't the information I left behind! How was it changed again?! Who did this?!"
Black Zetsu couldn't understand what was happening. The last time it was altered, he could blame the moon people.
But this time...
Who was it?
Who could have done this?!
"Ninja sect?"
Tobirama Senju caught the key point and suddenly realized something.
"Could it be that the conflict between Indra and Asura was because of this ninja sect?"
"You truly are as cunning and shrewd as ever, but this time you're absolutely right. Your judgment is spot on."
Madara Uchiha nodded, turning to Kitagawa Minamoto and asking softly.
"You can see it all too, can't you? After all, you've already reached this level."
"I can see it."
Kitagawa Minamoto nodded awkwardly, and Madara continued.
"Though I've always despised Tobirama Senju, I must admit he's correct about one thing: the conflict between Indra and Asura was indeed because of the ninja sect."
"Or more precisely, it was all part of the Sage of Six Paths' grand scheme..."
"What?!"
The ninjas, whose minds were already reeling, now felt even more confused. They couldn't comprehend what was happening.
The Sage of Six Paths... had orchestrated a war between his own children?
What kind of twisted logic was this?!
"In fact, it wasn't just Indra and Asura and their clans, but the entire ninja world was part of the Sage of Six Paths' calculations."
Madara Uchiha, upon seeing this part of the content, couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.
Fortunately, Tobirama Senju's earlier groundwork had prepared him, so his thoughts didn't fluctuate too much. Instead, he became more certain about the kind of person the Sage of Six Paths truly was.
"He deliberately entrusted the ninja sect to the relatively mediocre Asura, angering the more talented Indra, which led to war between them."
"Hmph, no wonder the Senju relic specifically mentioned that Asura should take the initiative to reconcile with Indra!"
"You bastard, you—"
Tobirama Senju couldn't contain himself. Although this wasn't exactly what he had thought, it was even worse than the Sage favoring Indra!
Even if Asura was relatively mediocre, didn't this just confirm that Asura was inferior and Indra was stronger?
He turned his gaze toward the Hyūga clan members, making them uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
"Calm down, Tobirama."
Hashirama Senju was more composed, though even he found the situation awkward.
"This is something left by the Sage's younger brother. Times have changed."
"Hmph!"
Tobirama Senju clenched his fists, his thoughts unclear. Minato Namikaze couldn't help but ask curiously.
"But why would the Sage of Six Paths pit his own children against each other? Why would he allow his ninja sect to be torn apart? Could it really be—"
"Don't you already know the answer?"
Madara Uchiha looked coldly at Minato Namikaze, his voice growing even more solemn.
"Because this is exactly what he wanted. He used the conflict between Indra and Asura to drive the entire ninja world!"
"He didn't just want these two clans to fight; he wanted the entire ninja world to be engulfed in conflict. He wanted the whole ninja world to be in motion!"
"What he desired was an endless war spanning hundreds, even thousands of years!"
Madara's words grew increasingly sharp, his voice louder with each statement, piercing the hearts of everyone in the ninja world.
"What?"
"How is that possible?"
"This can't be the Sage of Six Paths, can it?"
"What's going on?!"
If the previous revelations had left the ninjas incredulous, this information completely shut down their ability to process.
All the wars were because of the Sage of Six Paths?
The thousand-year calamity of the ninja world was orchestrated by the Sage of Six Paths?
How could this be?
Wasn't the Sage of Six Paths supposed to be compassionate toward all living beings?
Didn't he save the world from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the Rabbit Goddess?
Why, in the records of the Sage's younger brother, had he become such a cold-blooded, cruel figure?
Where had things gone wrong?!
"How could it be like this?"
Nagato's eyes were unfocused. He had always yearned to walk the "Path of the Six Paths," always desired to save the world like the Sage of Six Paths.
How could it be that the world of suffering he sought to rescue was actually created by the Sage of Six Paths?
"How could it be like this..."
Obito Uchiha was dumbfounded. He stared blankly at the information on the "bookmark," feeling as if he had lost his purpose.
What happened to the peaceful world he was promised?
What happened to the method that would restore peace to the world?
How could it be that the true source of suffering was created by the Sage of Six Paths?
What was going on?
"The Sage of Six Paths... all of this was because of him?"
All the Impure World Reincarnations were also bewildered. Like the Allied Shinobi Forces, they collectively felt numb. The information they had received was simply too terrifying.
"But we can't blame the Sage of Six Paths for all this."
Just as everyone was lost in confusion and questioning their existence, Madara Uchiha spoke again.
"The Sage's actions also puzzled his younger brother, who wondered if his brother had gone too far."
"However, the answer he provided was very clear..."
These words pulled everyone back to reality, and Madara Uchiha looked deeply at Hashirama and Tobirama Senju before sighing and continuing.
"According to the Sage of Six Paths' own words: 'Only through such cruelty will the myriad beings of the ninja world develop strong wills and powerful abilities.'"
"'Even if countless lives are lost, for the sake of protecting this world, whether the battle lasts a thousand or ten thousand years, even if blood dyes the earth red and bones pile up, it is a necessary sacrifice.'"
"'Because compared to the entire world being destroyed by the Ōtsutsuki, the continuation of life in this world is more important!'"
The Ōtsutsuki...
At this moment, everyone began to understand.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki from the past, Ōtsutsuki Minamoto in the present—these were all deity-like beings.
Especially those ninjas who had witnessed the power of the Ōtsutsuki clan, they fell silent.
The casual summoning of meteorites, attacks that seemed to tear apart heaven and earth, figures floating in the air with divine majesty.
All of this was unforgettable.
Moreover, the destruction they caused was beyond ordinary imagination. Without strength...
"This world would only face extinction?"
Contemplating this outcome, everyone broke into a cold sweat. Madara Uchiha sighed at this moment.
"Therefore, the Sage of Six Paths made his plans, even though he didn't know how long the wars would last, how many lives would be buried, or how much hatred would accumulate."
"He didn't even know if Indra and Asura's descendants would eventually reconcile, but he still chose this path without hesitation."
"I think I understand him now. After all, life can continue, but without power, living beings cannot resist those Ōtsutsuki."
"The Sage of Six Paths was truly a cold-blooded and cruel man, yet also one who planned far ahead and cared deeply for all living beings..."
Madara's words caused everyone to fall silent once more.
Upon reflection, the ninja world did indeed need constant tempering to progress.
And the Sage of Six Paths truly loved this world; it was just that for the future of this world, he had to coldly sacrifice some people.
"So the Sage of Six Paths was the greatest mastermind behind the ninja world..."
"A man who established the ninja sect, yet was willing to sacrifice his own children..."
"He orchestrated a thousand years of bloodshed in the ninja world, reaching the height of cold-bloodedness, yet it was all for the future of this world..."
"Is this... the true Sage of Six Paths?"
At this moment, the entire ninja world fell into silence.
Only in a space unknown to anyone, a furious roar erupted.
"I didn't! That's not me!"
"..."
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