Chapter 189: Indra
Inside Sasuke's consciousness space.
This was a deep, oppressive purple Void Realm, yet one where eternal flames faintly flickered.
Purple Chakra flowed like mist, occasionally coalescing into the shape of lightning and emitting crisp crackling sounds.
In the center of the space, a black-haired man dressed in a white robe, his long hair tied back, floated quietly with a gaze that was cold, arrogant, and obsessive.
He was none other than the eldest son of the Six Paths Sage, Indra.
Sasuke's consciousness stood in this unfamiliar space, looking at this seemingly powerful man with both vigilance and curiosity.
"You mean..."
Sasuke digested the information Indra had previously revealed, his brow furrowed.
"Naruto... he suddenly became so powerful, even able to use Wood Release on such a scale, because your brother Asura has awakened within him?"
"Correct."
Indra's voice carried a sense of indifference.
"This is your consciousness space."
"However, to prevent that fellow Asura from sensing my presence, I have set up a special barrier for isolation and camouflage."
He pointed to the flowing purple Chakra and the faint flashes of lightning around them; this was clearly the manifestation of his methods.
His gaze seemed to penetrate the barriers of the space, casting itself toward the earth-shattering destruction and creation that had just occurred in the "outside world."
"That black sphere that completely annihilated the Old Konoha in an instant was certainly not Asura's handiwork."
"But, that technique later on, the one that created an entire village out of thin air..."
Indra's tone carried a trace of familiarity with ancient arts and a faint, subtle mockery.
"...utilized a certain... special application technique of Chakra from our era."
He looked at Sasuke as if imparting knowledge: "In the era when our father first spread Chakra, it was not merely a tool for combat."
"It was used more for connection, communication, and creation."
"Asura, and those who followed his philosophy, were particularly adept at utilizing this characteristic of Chakra."
"As for now..."
Indra narrowed his eyes slightly, as if trying to fathom his brother's thoughts.
"Knowing Asura, he would likely give this power he guided Naruto to use some 'noble' name he came up with. For example... 'Power of the Masses,' or perhaps 'Collective Power.'"
The corners of his mouth curled into a sarcastic arc: "He always liked to emphasize words like 'everyone,' 'collective,' and 'bonds,' as if individual strength and wisdom were trivial. Because he was very foolish when he was young and achieved nothing, though he turned out to be quite a late bloomer."
Then, Indra changed the subject and began to analyze the Konoha Village Technique that had shocked the entire village:
"That technique looks intimidating, grand in scale, and amazing in effect, appearing like a miracle."
Indra's eyes grew sharp.
"But in reality, its principle of operation is precisely the utilization of that 'connection' characteristic Asura preaches."
He explained in detail: "That blonde boy named Naruto acts as the core and hub. He likely used techniques taught by Asura to connect and combine his own massive Chakra with the hope for a 'home,' the memories, and the naturally emitted Mental Energy within everyone below."
"Then, by mobilizing this mixed Chakra that aggregates the Power of the Masses and combining it with his own Wood Release—a power containing strong properties of life and creation—he finally achieved that miracle of 'creating a village out of thin air.'"
Indra concluded, his tone carrying a coldness that saw through the essence of things:
"Therefore, while it seems Naruto accomplished all this alone and the consumption must have been enormous..."
"...In truth, the actual Chakra consumption was dispersed among every connected individual. Didn't you feel exhausted at the time?"
"As for Naruto himself, as the guide and core constructor of the technique, his primary consumption was Mental Energy and the fine control over the technique; his own Chakra loss might be far less than you imagine."
Sasuke listened in silence, his expression shifting.
Indra's analysis pulled back a veil from Naruto's great power, but it also brought more questions: What exactly does Asura want to do?
Is Naruto completely under his control?
What risks and costs are hidden behind this "Power of the Masses"?
And he, Uchiha Sasuke, as the Reincarnation of Indra's Chakra, how should he conduct himself in this brotherly feud spanning thousands of years and this era of change?
"You don't need to worry about Asura and me taking over your bodies or that boy Naruto's."
Seemingly seeing the vigilance and doubt hidden behind Sasuke's silence, Indra spoke up.
In those deep, calm black eyes, there was no desire for "life," only a certain obsession.
"I have no interest in the act of living itself. And that fellow Asura wouldn't make a move against a child."
He emphasized a fundamental premise to prove his words.
"Long stretches of time, endless cycles of Reincarnation... I have grown somewhat weary. The physical body is but a fleeting vessel; consciousness is the eternal transcendence."
He looked at Sasuke, his gaze as sharp as a blade, pointing straight to the core:
"The only thing I am still interested in is one thing: defeating Asura."
"To prove that my path and my philosophy are more correct, more powerful, and closer to the essence of the world than his weak set of 'love' and 'collective.' That is survival of the fittest, where power is supreme."
To help Sasuke better understand his identity and position, Indra made a mental effort.
In an instant, his eyes, which were originally just deep black, underwent a sudden change.
Three pitch-black tomoe slowly emerged and began to rotate at a steady speed within his eyes.
It was the three-tomoe Sharingan.
Although it was only the most basic form, its unique pattern and the fluctuations of ocular power it contained were all too familiar to any Uchiha.
"This...!"
Sasuke's pupils shrank violently, and his face showed uncontrollable shock.
"You are also a member of the Uchiha Clan?"
He never expected that this figure, who claimed to be the eldest son of the Six Paths Sage and lived in the age of myth, would actually possess the Sharingan!
Could the Uchiha Bloodline truly be traced back that far?
Seeing Sasuke's shocked expression, Indra nodded slowly, confirming Sasuke's suspicion.
He seemed to be reminiscing: "I remember that in the era when my brother and I were active, surnames were rare. However, 'Uchiha' sounds quite nice."
He seemed to hold a transcendent, slightly curious approval for this later-arising Family name that shared his eye characteristics.
However, his next words caused Sasuke's understanding to be rocked once again.
"My grandmother was Kaguya."
Indra calmly stated the ancient myth as if speaking of ordinary Family matters.
"Her surname was Ōtsutsuki."
"Based on lineage and Legacy, logically speaking, my father, my uncle, myself, and my brother Asura should all have the surname 'Ōtsutsuki'."
"Then what about your grandfather?"
Sasuke couldn't help but press further.
If there was a grandmother, then who was the grandfather?
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