In White Space, with Michel's help, Hinata showed them—Takama, Kaito, Misuse and Kuro the events that took place during her fight against the Shinigami, including what happened in the final moment of that terrible battle...
Once again, I gathered my energy—this time condensing the densest spiritual thread I had ever created. Not to strike a nameless island or mountain or fortress… but a single soul, now suspended in the air, disoriented.
The Shinigami felt it—my undeniable killing intent. Something he couldn't comprehend, not truly. But some part of him recognized it. He knew… he was about to die.
"Goodbye, Shinigami."
And just as I took the final step… a voice echoed across the world:
"STOP."
Time froze.
Reality unraveled itself, an authority greater than the Shinigami manifested itself, and the Pure Lands responded to its will.
I was no longer in the Pure Lands. The Shinigami stood beside me now… in a world of black and white. Black water beneath our feet. A white sky above.
And floating in the lotus position before us… was an old man. His eyes held the Rinnegan. And upon his forehead… the symbol of the third eye in red.
In front of me stood none other than Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. His face was marked with unmistakable fury. Once again, my bloodline screamed, adapting to the rules of this foreign plane—one of which left me frozen, just like the Shinigami beside me. Neither of us could do anything but observe and listen. This paralysis was due to the inviolable rules imposed by the irresistible will of the Sage of Six Paths, who now controlled this plane to enforce his law.
Hagoromo's gaze fell first upon the Shinigami. "Can you explain to me how and why you two children were engaging in a battle that endangered the very stability of the Pure Lands?"
The Shinigami thawed first, and to my disbelief, he displayed raw emotion—like a child trying to justify himself to an angry parent.
"This aberration," he said, pointing at me with an accusatory glare, "is actively working to destabilize the world, the soul cycle, and the Pure Lands… Father, she must be stopped."
At that moment, I felt the constraints of this reality unraveling around me. To the surprise of my host, I replied to the unjust accusations.
I moved with the grace expected of someone in my station, even if I knew it meant little to him. "My name is Hinata Gin, Princess of the Land of Iron and the Voice of Yumegakure no Kai—until I find another who may speak for it by their own will."
I could see it: Hagoromo's soul reacted with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. My liberation without his permission shocked him just as much as it had the Shinigami.
"The Shinigami attacked me relentlessly, offering no explanation for his actions. He tried to kill me and destroy everything I love on multiple occasions. I offered numerous peaceful alternatives—opportunities to deescalate and find common ground. In the end, I had no choice but to confront him here, the only place where I could end his rampage. He had been sending armies of the dead, misled by lies, to wage war on a land that had known only peace."
Hagoromo turned his gaze gently back toward the Shinigami. "Explain your reasoning, young one. I believe we are both curious to hear it."
The Shinigami's spirit raged above me, full of hatred and anticipation, as if yearning for Hagoromo to strike me down. Yet, he obeyed his father's voice, forcing himself into a cold monotone.
"The irregularities began with a temporary disappearance of Sacred Soul #7, followed by the loss of half of Sacred Soul #9 and a defective, missing Shinigami unit. Two out of the eleven sacred souls compromised—this triggered my awakening. Upon review, I discovered an anomaly in the world's natural energy. Something was draining it, and if the trend continued, the consequences would be catastrophic. Reports then came in of Shinigami returning without the souls they were tasked to ferry. The flow of the Pure Lands was disrupted. The entity known as 'Hinata Gin' was traced back to the source: a spiritual plane designated 'Yumegakure.' This plane was identified as a parasitic anomaly upon reality. The unit 'Hinata Gin' was deemed a controller of this parasite—and had to be exterminated alongside it."
Each word struck like thunder. Was that truly how the world saw me? Was Yumegakure perceived as a leech upon reality? Even so, these Pure Lands lay beyond what Michel had taught me. The world, I was learning, was far more complex than any tale told in the storybook of 'Naruto.' We had long since diverged from that predetermined path—if it had ever truly existed. Maybe destiny was just the illusion Shikashi wanted repeated endlessly.
Then I felt it. Amid my distress, the subtle embrace of Mitsue's spirit—a silent readiness to summon me back if this turned hopeless.
Hagoromo turned slightly toward me, his voice composed but heavy. "The accusations made are grave, and indeed, they threaten the essence of the Pure Lands and their irreplaceable function in this world… Can you explain yourself, young lady?"
I nodded, bowing slightly before speaking with a stern voice laced with hurt. "From its very inception, Yumegakure no Kai was acknowledged by the real world. I felt the world nourishing it with its own energy—giving life to something new. To call Yumegakure a parasite is frankly insulting. Would you call a child in its mother's womb a parasite?"
I took a breath, calming myself, then continued more steadily. "Regarding the natural energy disruption—I did meet with representatives of the Sage Lands. Though our encounter was tense, they made clear their concerns about Yumegakure's unconscious consumption of the world's energy. I worked with Yumegakure to teach it how to harmonize with all energy—vital, spiritual, and natural. It now nourishes and returns that energy. As for the souls of the dead—those who arrive in dreams live meaningful lives there. Their presence fosters growth and understanding that they carry back to the real world. Those who die in reality and have a connection to Yumegakure are given a choice—to pass on, or to stay, if they do so they are welcomed as full citizens of Yumegakure no Kai."
I felt the Shinigami's fury burning. To him, this was nothing short of a confession. I could sense his hope that Hagoromo would now obliterate me with a mere gesture. But Hagoromo… he sought understanding. He was curious, thinking deeply, seeking truth.
"I understand this plane—Yumegakure no Kai—is young, yes? How long has it existed?" he asked gently.
"I know the history is complex… but from what I understand, the seed was planted the moment I was born. It began to truly blossom around three years ago—when I lost hope of awakening my Byakugan," I answered thoughtfully.
"You are… a contradiction," Hagoromo said softly. "There is no trace of the Byakugan in you. Yet your words hold undeniable truth. You are the closest mortal I've seen to natural ascension—something I believed impossible. And… you knew who I was the moment you saw me."
His soul pulsed with intrigue. I was a paradox to him, something outside the order he had worked so hard to maintain. But I could sense his genuine desire to understand.
"I must know your story—and the story of Yumegakure—before I make a true decision. I must witness your past. It is not an easy request. You can refuse, and we will seek another path."
For a moment, I hesitated. But to earn his aid, I needed him to understand. Could I truly sway someone like him with words alone?
"I accept… you may see my past, Hagoromo-sama."
"Then look into my eyes, Hinata Gin," he said.
When our eyes met, an overwhelming force swept through my mind—and I let him in.
He saw everything.
The twin lives I once led—one in dreams, one in reality. The agony of losing my light to the clan's seal. My journey from Konoha to the Land of Iron. The birth of the Silver World. The revelations about Shikashi. The stories of Michel's world. The tales of 'Naruto.' My efforts to forge change. The war against the Pure Lands. The reawakening of my chakra. The rise of Yumegakure. And now, my meeting with the Sage of Six Paths himself.
When it ended, I collapsed inwardly, gathering myself. When I looked again, only Hagoromo remained.
I had to ask. "What happened to the Shinigami?"
"I sent him away—to halt his aggression toward Yumegakure. Now that I know what you know… it's only fair that I share with you the origin and purpose of the Pure Lands."
His words were like thunder. I couldn't sense his soul anymore.
"Don't worry. An interesting ability you have—reading the souls of others. But now that I know it, I can prevent it. Fair is fair, don't you think?"
I didn't. He had seen everything, and I could see nothing of him. But I nodded.
He offered a concealed smile and continued.
"My mother once used the God Tree to create the Ten-Tails and consume the world's chakra. It nearly killed the world. When I inherited its power and rose beyond mortal limits, I knew I had to restore balance. That's why I turned to something previously unmanaged: the souls of the dead. Originally, souls took great effort to be born, and upon death, their energy returned to the universe. I created a system that brought these souls into stasis in the Pure Lands. Their memories nourished the world, and the souls could reenter the cycle through reincarnation—reducing the burden of new soul creation."
"It wasn't perfect… but it was the best option I had."
I asked the next question instinctively. "What about the nine Tailed Beasts—and your sons, Indra and Asura?"
"To host the Pure Lands, I appropriated a nearby plane. I knew I had to withdraw from the world to oversee it. I split the Ten-Tails into nine, returned them to the world, and ensured their reincarnation through the Pure Lands. As for my sons… they could not resolve their conflict in life. In death, they asked for a chance to find peace. So, in each generation, I select two souls from their descendants to merge with the essence of Indra and Asura. It is a passive possession… hoping fate will one day bring resolution."
His explanation left me stunned. I could only respond, "I suppose that is an explanation of your actions at the end of your path... in the real world."
"Now that this is clarified," Hagoromo continued, "I must admit that Yumegakure, as a plane, shows signs of awareness… of willful, positive reciprocation toward those who interact with it. That is… transcendental. A solution I never imagined. And I believe the reason lies in a convergence of elements—beginning with the man you call grandfather, his resistance to becoming a victim of a force beyond his own… and even the influence of the same entity known as Shikashi, whose power originates from outside this world. It's possible that Yumegakure, and even your mutated bloodline, have been shaped as a reaction to this external force. I cannot say whether this is the world resisting manipulation… or simply a series of coincidences I have yet to understand. What I do know is that Yumegakure feels like an antithesis to what that entity represents."
His ability to weave things together into coherent ideas was unsettling, but that was to be expected from someone with his perspective. I agreed. Yumegakure's hostility toward Shikashi had always been instinctual.
Hagoromo went on, "I know what you intend to do with my mother… and I will help you. But I cannot abandon the Pure Lands—not yet. Doing so too soon would bring catastrophic consequences. Yumegakure offers a superior alternative, and I have already confirmed that it is rejuvenating the world, though it will take time for those effects to fully manifest. You may consider this war over."
His words struck me with immense force. When I opened my mouth to speak, he continued, anticipating my question. "Yes, I will give you the means to contact my brother's spirit. He is on the moon, and I will show you how to reach him."
It was mildly irritating how easily he predicted my thoughts. "Thank you… that will be of great help."
"There's one more thing you must understand," he said. "To truly persuade my mother, you must be able to confront her on equal terms—if only to make her listen. Unfortunately, the only way to get to her is to give her back her power. Using the current incarnations of my sons is an option, but I doubt you would wish for them to suffer the same pain they endured in Michel's tale."
"The method of existential ascension my mother and I used was artificial. It involved stealing energy from the world to break mortal limits. But using natural energy, it is possible to temporarily surpass those limits. As you've already seen, in your current Silver Stage—achieved through natural energy—is still an artificial leap. Yet… you now stand at the edge of reaching it naturally, something I believed impossible without replicating what my mother or I did with the Ten-Tails. If you manage to do this—and honestly, I don't know how it would be possible—I feel your transition to the next stage after that, the golden one will be much easier. You already have the favor of one world, perhaps two. My only advice now is: to try not to enter the Silver Stage again through natural energy unless absolutely necessary. Let your body and spirit evolve, as your bloodline clearly already has."
Unexpectedly, the path seemed clearer; she knew who the real enemies she would have to face were and she had reliable allies to get there.