Within Shinra Cave Heaven, Obito activated Yomotsu Hirasaka: Playback, reviewing the entire battle between Indra and Asura.
"So that's how it is… Using Susanoo to unleash Sage Techniques—what a terrifying power."
Obito gazed up at the suspended Chibaku Tensei in the sky.
"And to awaken the Rinnegan instantly after absorbing Asura's power… I have to admit, genius is an insurmountable wall. Indra's talent is on a whole different level from Madara and Sasuke."
With a flick, Susanoo appeared—Kamui Shuriken soared skyward!
Boom! The vortex exploded, swallowing up the fragments of the shattered satellite.
From the breach in the Chibaku Tensei, Asura plummeted to the ground, black rods still embedded in his body.
Obito strode forward.
Asura quickly warned, "Don't touch those black rods! They're forged from the power of the Truth-Seeking Orbs! If you touch them directly, you'll die!"
But Obito only hesitated a moment before reaching out.
Whoosh!
Kamui sucked the black rods away!
Rustle… Obito's right hand—reborn by Impure World Reincarnation—crumbled to dust from contact with the Truth-Seeking Orbs, but in moments, it regenerated.
Asura stared, astonished. "You too… this kind of body?"
Obito replied, "Indra hasn't become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki yet—he can't wield the Six Paths' Yin-Yang Release. So, I can still recover."
[Note: This is a common misconception—Truth-Seeking Orbs do not equal Yin-Yang Release. In canon, Obito used Truth-Seeking Orbs to kill the Edo Tensei Third Hokage before becoming a perfect Ten-Tails jinchūriki, but the Third still regenerated. Only when Truth-Seeking Orbs are fused with Yin-Yang Release by a perfect Ten-Tails host can they erase Edo Tensei bodies permanently.]
After rising, Asura sized up Obito. "Sharingan… You must be one of Indra's descendants. Why are you helping me?"
Obito answered, "I suppose I am, but I serve your reincarnation."
Asura smiled. "So it's true. I always thought my descendants and his would keep fighting forever. I never imagined there'd be a day of reconciliation."
Just as he felt relief, Asura's expression changed. "No… Indra is about to do something incredibly dangerous. I have to stop him!"
Obito said calmly, "Relax. Every move Indra makes is already within his expectations."
Asura was confused. "What do you mean? Whose expectations?"
Obito smiled faintly. "You can ask him yourself soon. I'll take you to meet him."
Asura looked at his hands. "This resurrection technique, binding my soul to a living sacrifice—what's it called?"
Obito replied, "Impure World Reincarnation."
Asura nodded. "With Impure World Reincarnation, the chakra Indra stole from me will regenerate. But the power my father—the Sage of Six Paths—once gave me, that Indra took… that's irreplaceable. I can't open the gates to Shinra Cave Heaven anymore."
Obito said, "No problem. My dojutsu can force open the dimensional barrier. But my chakra reserves alone aren't enough—I'll need some of your chakra. Can you lend me a bit?"
"Of course."
Asura formed a seal and pressed his palm to Obito's back.
—Secret Transmission: All for One, One for All!
Whoosh!
Asura channeled his chakra, connecting their spirits.
"Ninshū is founded on love. By linking chakra, we achieve the ideal—everyone for me, and I for everyone. In the golden age of Ninshū, conflicts between people and nations were eased as never before."
"But when Indra created the martial branch of Ninshū, he overemphasized the strength of jutsu and neglected the heart. That led to endless war and twisted the original purpose of Ninshū…"
Obito interrupted, "I'm not here for a sermon. Save that for him…"
Asura grinned, "Is that so? Then I'll just have to make sure he hears me out…"
Obito closed his eyes, thinking: Gotta keep this guy from getting on a roll, or he'll never stop—just like Madara…
Zzzzt!
He opened his eyes, focusing on the void.
—Kamui!!
Crack…!
The barrier between Shinra Cave Heaven and the real world shattered under Kamui, a portal opening before them and rapidly expanding as Obito poured in more power.
Asura marveled, "What incredible dojutsu! If you'd lived in our era, you'd have been a legend. With your help, Indra might've beaten me even at my strongest!"
Opening this portal was easier than expected.
Obito ignored the praise, glancing around.
"Those fruits on the trees… they look just like the 'pills' I saw in Naruto's memories. Might as well grab a few to take back…"
Whoosh!
With a sweep of his left eye, Obito used long-range Kamui to collect some exotic fruits, then led Asura out of Shinra Cave Heaven and back to the outside world.
In the swirling dust, Asura gazed at the familiar landscape. "This place… it hasn't changed since my time…"
Obito explained, "We're at the farthest edge of the ninja world. The harsh environment and lack of people kept it untouched."
Asura sighed, "It's true—humans are what change the world. Blindly pursuing ninjutsu only spreads conflict and leaves scars that never heal. Only by returning Ninshū to its essence—love—can true peace last. By the way, I never asked your name."
"Uchiha Obito."
"Obito, do you long for peace? For a world without conflict between people?"
Obito thought to himself: Now I see why he once defeated Indra, but why Ninshū, despite its focus on love, was still overtaken by the way of war.
Strong, kind, stubborn, unable to compromise—such people have a strange charisma that draws others in.
But they're rare, and their influence fades after their time is over.
Just like Hashirama once was. Just like Naruto in his past life.
White, or black—on rare occasions, someone like that can tip the world toward one extreme or the other. But with time, forces beyond any one person's will always return the world to its true color.
And that color… is gray.
Obito grew serious. "Asura, let me be blunt—your dream probably can't come true in today's ninja world. The Six Paths' Ninshū can't sway the tides of this era…"
…
Deep beneath Amegakure, before the Demonic Statue, Naruto stood alone.
Indra had already awakened the Rinnegan. The statue would likely be taken soon.
But that was all part of Naruto's plan.
He had to act now—gain the approval of all the Tailed Beasts sealed within the statue, and receive a portion of each of their power!
Only then… would Naruto be able to master the Six Paths Sage Art—the power he needed to face Indra, to face Kaguya!
But the closer he got, the more his heart raced. Naruto hesitated.
Kurama: "What's wrong? Afraid of getting rejected?"
Naruto: "Yeah… after all the trauma you put me through…"
Kurama: "Hmph! That's what you get for not coming clean with me sooner!"
Naruto: "Sorry, I'm just terrible at talking about this stuff…"
Kurama: "Hmph. Well, you're not alone this time. I'll stand with you. Go on—you have to face it sooner or later!"
Naruto managed a relieved smile, forming a two-finger seal. "Alright. I'll do it—just like you said…"
Whoosh! Naruto floated into the air, pressing his palm to the statue's head.
—Human Path: Mind Dive!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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