Black Zetsu's sudden outburst left Madara Uchiha, Obito, and the others stunned.
Even Hashirama Senju and the others looked over in confusion.
Kitagawa Minamoto, too, found himself momentarily dumbfounded.
"Is this... self-destruction?"
Kitagawa Minamoto's expression turned peculiar. Although Black Zetsu's tendency to self-destruct wasn't all that surprising, he hadn't expected it to happen at such an inappropriate moment. After all, there were still many unresolved matters. Self-destructing now would be a disaster, wouldn't it?
"What do you mean by this?"
Madara Uchiha furrowed his brows, his gaze dark and piercing as he looked at Black Zetsu.
"Are you doubting the will I've seen and experienced?"
"No, no, it's not like that!"
Black Zetsu broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he had made a foolish mistake. But he couldn't help it. His elder brother, the Sage of Six Paths, was far too ruthless. It turned out his suspicions were correct—this "final battle" was just a ploy to eliminate their mother once and for all!
"Even without Ōtsutsuki Minamoto, they've probably already guessed that other Ōtsutsuki will descend. And releasing Mother now..."
His mother would undoubtedly fight the Ōtsutsuki to protect herself, which would indeed save the ninja world. But his mother likely wouldn't survive the ordeal, and the ultimate outcome would surely be her death.
"No, I can't expose myself now. I must stop Mother from being released. I have to ensure her seal remains intact!"
Black Zetsu roared internally, but he worked hard to appear calm on the surface.
"The Sage of Six Paths aimed to create a peaceful world. How could he have caused such a war? He doesn't seem like that kind of person..."
"I don't want to believe it either."
Madara Uchiha frowned. He felt that Black Zetsu wasn't addressing the core issue, but he couldn't pinpoint the problem either. Still, he harbored a faint suspicion that his own consciousness seemed off, though he wouldn't voice it now.
After all, he still needed Black Zetsu, and the actions of the Sage of Six Paths were indeed difficult to comprehend.
"But the facts are right before us. I have no right to criticize whether the Sage of Six Paths was too cold-hearted. Yet he undeniably created something unique for this world, and we..."
Madara kept his doubts to himself, then turned his gaze toward Nagato and Obito.
"Everything we've done is likely exactly what he wanted to see. We are truly retracing the Six Paths, following in his footsteps. And this war, perhaps..."
"It's also what the Sage of Six Paths wanted to see. After all, only through constant battle can willpower be forged, can strength be improved, and can..."
Nagato, still uneasy, seemed to grasp something at that moment. Obito raised his head and gazed at the sky, speaking softly.
"Achieve 'evolution,' face the Ōtsutsuki directly, and finally use his plan to restore peace to this world full of destruction and hatred!"
Their words echoed across the battlefield, each harboring their own thoughts. Nagato, though still struggling to accept such cruelty, recalled Ōtsutsuki Minamoto's terrifying power and looked at Kitagawa Minamoto's overwhelming combat strength. In that instant, he seemed to understand something.
The Sage of Six Paths' plan, though cold and ruthless, had forged warriors like Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, and now the strongest of all—Kitagawa Minamoto!
"Not only did he inherit the power of the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother, but he also embodies the crystallization of a thousand years of ninja conflict and unwavering will. So..."
As the bearer of the Rinnegan, and as the Sage of Six Paths' representative in the mortal realm, Nagato felt he should better understand the Sage of Six Paths.
"Humanity and divinity are different. Humanity is too complex, while divinity only considers the world itself."
Nagato's gaze grew resolute. If he were to walk the Six Paths, he must comprehend the "divinity" of the Sage of Six Paths!
"Moreover, the Sage of Six Paths left behind tools to restore peace..."
Nagato murmured to himself, and Obito shared similar thoughts.
Obito's mind was less complicated. He simply knew that the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother advocated the use of the "Eye of the Moon."
"No matter what secrets the 'Eye of the Moon' holds, it aligns with my vision!"
After all, as long as the "Eye of the Moon" existed, once the war ended and the Ōtsutsuki were dealt with, all hatred and conflict in this world could be resolved.
"Then tragedies like mine and Rin's, the sorrowful cycle of this world, will end with me!"
With this thought, Obito's aura darkened further.
"Although I'd like to gather everyone's strength to face the Ōtsutsuki, it seems they haven't revealed themselves yet."
Originally, he had intended to pause, but now he had new plans. His voice, icy and chilling, echoed across the battlefield.
"So, in that case, let's follow the Sage of Six Paths' will. After all, only the strong can face the Ōtsutsuki directly. The weak..."
"Might as well, as the Sage of Six Paths intended, become souls resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation and continue fighting!"
With a furious roar, Obito charged toward the crowd. Nagato, after a brief pause, followed suit. The previously silent battlefield was reignited in an instant.
"The Sage of Six Paths?"
Meanwhile, within the consciousness of Obito, Nagato, and Madara, three Ōtsutsuki exchanged glances. They were astonished by the so-called Sage of Six Paths' schemes and methods.
"I didn't expect such a figure to emerge on a planet filled with inferior creatures."
Momoshiki spoke with great admiration, seeming genuinely intrigued by the Sage of Six Paths.
"I'd really like to meet this guy. To think he prepared so much just to deal with us."
"Tsk tsk, impressive indeed. I'd like to meet him too, but..."
Urashiki raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting toward Isshiki, before speaking with a sly grin.
"Didn't someone say that this so-called 'Sage of Six Paths' is the son of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya?"
"..."
Isshiki frowned, feeling unsettled by Urashiki's words.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Oh, I just remembered something."
Momoshiki tilted his head, as if recalling a detail. He looked at Isshiki with suspicion.
"So, what's the deal here? Could it be..."
Momoshiki and Urashiki abruptly fell silent, both gasping in realization.
"Wait, could it really be true..."
For them, trust among their kind was non-existent. Especially with Isshiki, who had unleashed the demon in Momoshiki's heart, trust was impossible.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was dead, and Isshiki had chosen to hide. While this might evade the Ōtsutsuki's pursuit, what if...?
"So, he must have made other preparations. Like..."
"Fabricating a so-called Sage of Six Paths, then using this identity to manipulate the ninja world, creating a thousand years of bloodshed to forge weapons against us?"
Hiss!
The thought sent chills down their spines. And thinking about it further, such cold and ruthless tactics were indeed characteristic of the Ōtsutsuki!
After all, the Ōtsutsuki lacked humanity. They embodied pure divinity...
Suddenly, the two became more vigilant, their gazes reflecting caution. They weren't sure what else Isshiki had planned, but they realized this man might be far more dangerous than they had imagined!
"What's wrong with you two? Are you accusing me of something again?"
Isshiki couldn't understand what was wrong with them, but he no longer cared whether they accused him of anything.
"Stop overthinking. The 'Wedge' is almost thawed. We should prepare to move soon."
"Mm."
Momoshiki and Urashiki nodded, but their gazes remained wary.
"Indeed, we should get moving. This current state is too precarious..."
Without returning to their Ōtsutsuki form, they felt no sense of security at all!
"Oh, the ninja world is in motion again?"
Meanwhile, as chaos erupted in the outside world, Kitagawa Minamoto within the "Divine Center" raised an eyebrow. His expression was peculiar, and after a moment, he spoke:
"By the way, it seems your dear son has finally chosen to 'betray' you..."
"..."
Kaguya was still panicking, worried that Kitagawa Minamoto might use her to forge the "Ascension Stairway" if his energy ran low. But hearing these words, she paused, instinctively responding:
"Hasn't Hagoromo, that cold-blooded man, betrayed me long ago?"
"...the black one."
"Zetsu?"
"Yes, he reacted quite violently when he heard about releasing you."
Kitagawa Minamoto's face bore a half-smile. He hadn't expected events to unfold beyond his expectations. Stroking his chin, he couldn't help but ask curiously:
"Is there something wrong with how you raise your children? One after another, they choose to betray you. Could this be a consequence of creating life through chakra?"
"..."
Kaguya fell silent, unsure how to answer this question. Her fists clenched tightly. After a long while, she finally spoke in an icy tone:
"Are we done here? I want to go back and see what he's planning to do!"
"We're done, and we should indeed return."
Kitagawa Minamoto stood up, stretching lazily.
"The 'Wedges' of those Ōtsutsuki are almost thawed, and they'll likely be able to move soon. Plus, my Ten-Tails should be ready to emerge..."
"In such a bountiful season, I truly have no reason to miss out!"
Kitagawa Minamoto was already savoring what was to come, while Kaguya's heart remained troubled.
Though she hadn't witnessed it, she believed what Kitagawa Minamoto had said. Had her other son truly "betrayed" her?
"Are lives created through chakra so unreliable? Whether it's Zetsu, or..."
Suddenly, Kaguya thought of something—what about Kitagawa Minamoto, this Ōtsutsuki born in the ninja world? What was his story?
The Ōtsutsuki had various methods for creating offspring, which wasn't difficult. But the key question was:
"Whose power was used to create him?"
Abruptly, Kaguya seemed to realize something. Her gaze involuntarily turned toward the silhouette of the black-robed man placed at the crown of the great tree.
In that moment, she felt a wave of terror.
"Could it be that he..."
"Kitagawa Minamoto, Ōtsutsuki Minamoto, is actually the child of Ōtsutsuki Shigai?!"
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