Naruto finally understood.
He understood why he could control everything in the Pure Land. It was because he had become its ruler.
The Summoning Realm, the Shinobi World, and the Pure Land each had their own supreme beings. And the ruler of the Pure Land had been sealed by the Sage of Six Paths. By that logic, he would also become a thorn in the Sage's side.
But the Sage of Six Paths was already dead.
"I want to know about... the Rinnegan," Naruto said after a moment of thought. The eyes possessed by the Deva Path Pain surpassed the Sharingan and had even made him feel a hint of pressure. If he were to fight the true user of the Rinnegan, he certainly wouldn't have won so easily. He had a premonition that the true power of those eyes had yet to be unleashed.
"The Rinnegan is the eye possessed by the Sage of Six Paths," the Great Toad Sage said in a deep voice. "And the one who possesses the Rinnegan is the Child of the Prophecy."
"The Child of the Prophecy?" Naruto nodded to himself. He had already heard the prophecy from Jiraiya and the two Sages. "There's more than one, isn't there?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
The Child of the Prophecy could change the fate of the shinobi world, bringing either peace or destruction. Pain, himself, and Sasuke were all likely Children of the Prophecy.
"That is correct," the Great Toad Sage nodded. "Now then, young one, is there anything else you wish to ask?" he asked patiently.
"Is the Sage of Six Paths... still alive?" Naruto asked after a moment of contemplation.
"He is dead," the Great Toad Sage shook his head. "But he is not completely gone."
Hearing this, Naruto understood immediately. It meant that the Sage of Six Paths might make an appearance in the coming great shinobi war.
"What is the relationship between the strange abilities within myself and Sasuke, and the Sage of Six Paths?" Naruto continued.
"You and Sasuke are the reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths' two sons."
The Great Toad Sage did not hide anything, generously sharing all the information he had about the Sage. The Sage's original name was Hagoromo Otsutsuki. His two sons, Indra and Asura, had a falling out due to their differing philosophies. Asura believed that peace could only be brought to the shinobi world through mutual love and understanding. Indra, on the other hand, believed that any obstacle could be overcome with individual strength, that power was everything. Their conflict had lasted for a thousand years, passed down to Sasuke and Naruto.
But it had all ended with Naruto. He had completely erased the existences of Asura and Indra. From another perspective, Naruto was the one who had killed the sons of the Sage of Six Paths. Looked at that way, he and the Sage had an irreconcilable blood feud.
This meant that in the future, the Seireitei would have to face the Sage of Six Paths, the entire shinobi world, and possibly even the Summoning Realm. The thought of it was actually quite thrilling.
Naruto gave the Great Toad Sage a deep look. The toad before him was ancient and benevolent, but he was no simpleton. The Great Toad Sage was at least a thousand years old, had been involved in the fated conflict of Asura and Indra, and had made various prophecies that had driven Jiraiya for his entire life.
No matter how the shinobi world changed, no matter how the sons of the Sage of Six Paths were reincarnated, these toads were always there, forming contracts with humans and maintaining good relationships. It was like watching tigers fight from a safe distance, quietly observing everything in the shinobi world.
It was the same this time. They wouldn't participate in the war, but their relationships with both the Seireitei and Konoha were not bad. No matter which side won, Mount Myoboku would not be greatly affected. It would continue to prosper, and they could still use their prophecies to win the adoration of the ignorant.
This was the master of playing both sides, Mount Myoboku.
Having gotten the answers he wanted, Naruto nodded and turned to leave. As he neared the entrance, he paused, looked back, and said playfully, "By the way, Great Toad Sage, do you know where the White Snake's territory is? I'd like to pay a visit."
At his words, the Great Toad Sage's eyes instantly turned cold. Ryuchi Cave and Mount Myoboku had always been rivals. For years, they had been searching for suitable contractors, partly to maintain contact with the shinobi world, and partly to add reliable combat power to their own territories. Many of the Kage-level ninja in the shinobi world were considered rare powerhouses even in Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave.
Naruto's words now gave the Great Toad Sage a sense of crisis. If Naruto were to form a good relationship with Ryuchi Cave and then help them attack Mount Myoboku, they would be in deep trouble. Although the Great Toad Sage had not personally experienced Naruto's abilities, from his Reiatsu and aura, he was not much weaker than himself, and was likely infinitely close to the level of the Sage of Six Paths. If Ryuchi Cave were to gain such a powerful ally, the destruction of Mount Myoboku would not be far off.
"Ahem, Naruto, why are you going to Ryuchi Cave? If you want to increase the Seireitei's chances of winning the war, we at Mount Myoboku would be happy to help," the Great Toad Sage said in a deep voice. "After all, you are our contractor. If our contractor is in trouble, we will certainly help."
"Is that so? But Konoha is an enemy of the Seireitei," Naruto asked playfully.
"Jiraiya was a very fine contractor, and we are deeply saddened by what happened to him. We respect him and Konoha very much. But now, you and Sasuke are our only two contractors. We will definitely stand by you. We also do not wish for the shinobi world to be constantly shrouded in war. We, too, yearn for peace," the Great Toad Sage said with a smile.
"Is that so? I understand," Naruto said no more and turned to leave without hesitation.
No matter what role Mount Myoboku played in this war, for the future development of the shinobi world, its existence was unnecessary. The shinobi world needed absolute rules, not vague prophecies.
Having already thought everything through, Naruto's expression was icy. He had never been a merciful person. The current shinobi world was sick to its core. The various countries and great ninja villages were the root of the problem. At the same time, the interference of the various creatures in the Summoning Realm was also a major factor in the chaos.
To bring true peace to this world, the old must be destroyed to make way for the new! Only by destroying all existing rules and clearing away all interference could he create the shinobi world he truly wanted to see. The shinobi world was not as corrupt as the Soul Society, so the task would be easier. It was precisely because Aizen wanted to change that corrupt world that he, like Naruto, had chosen to stand against everything.
Naruto left without a backward glance. He didn't spare a look for the little toads or the two Sages, because his heart was resolute. Mount Myoboku was also his enemy. In the future, he might allow it to survive, but everything had to be under his control.
After leaving the Summoning Realm, Naruto calmly found Orochimaru. "When you have the chance, introduce me. I want to enter Ryuchi Cave."
In war, one could not fight alone. Even if the Seireitei was powerful, the big picture had to be considered. From the combat power Pain had displayed, without Naruto, the Seireitei would still be no match for a true powerhouse. Now, the Akatsuki had the super-Kage-level Pain, and Konoha had Itachi Uchiha, who had likely also reached that level. The other ninja villages also had some Kage who were close to that level. And then there was the freelancer, Sasuke. Given his talent and resolve, he had likely also reached the super-Kage level by now.
Thinking about it, the Seireitei had quite a few enemies in the future.
Naruto had only just copied Ryujin Jakka. The reason it was called the strongest fire-type Zanpakuto was partly because of the sword's own power, and partly because of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's mastery and training of its abilities. As he had seen before, a Shikai-wielding Aizen could easily defeat a Bankai-wielding Hitsugaya. Was it really because Hitsugaya's Zanpakuto was weak? Not necessarily. It was because Aizen's mastery and training of Kyoka Suigetsu was so superb that the Bankai-wielding Hitsugaya couldn't even stop him.
A Zanpakuto's potential had its limits, but whether one could reach that limit was determined by effort. So, although Naruto now possessed Ryujin Jakka, its power was far from Yamamoto's level. It only had the form, but not the essence.
Thinking carefully, Naruto's current strength was a combination of chakra, Reiatsu, Hollowfication, and his Zanpakuto. If he were to unleash it all, he could definitely step into the realm of the Sage of Six Paths. But this power was still somewhat chaotic; the individual systems were not yet strong enough. After this trip to the shinobi world, Naruto had gained some insight and needed a period of secluded training.
He went to the Pure Land and began his training in the most remote area. He sat in the yellow sand, not eating or drinking, meditating every day to sense the presence of his Zanpakuto, and practicing his swordsmanship. The aura he exuded terrified all the great Hollows, and they instinctively stayed away from his area.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails was also training hard. He locked away all his computers and games and trained alone in the desert, trying to connect with his Zanpakuto, hoping to one day awaken his Bankai. The next time he faced Pain, he would not be so pathetic.
As time went on, more Adjuchas joined Las Noches, forming a reliable core force for the Seireitei. And within the Seireitei, a steady stream of graduated Shinigami joined their ranks, and some even reached the level of captain.
One of them was the White Fang of Konoha.
Sakumo Hatake had been reborn as a Shinigami from the Pure Land. After becoming a Shinigami, he had been besieged by countless Hollows, but was rescued by Las Noches. Because Naruto had ordered the Adjuchas not to harm Shinigami, any newly awakened Shinigami would be recommended to the Seireitei.
At first, Sakumo was very confused and kept asking about Konoha. Then, he met Kakashi.
Father and son stared at each other, the atmosphere awkward. Kakashi felt a little guilty. He didn't know how to face his father, who had loved Konoha so much, nor did he know how to tell him that he had betrayed the village.
Sakumo was filled with excitement. He had never thought he would be able to see his grown-up son again. He had the same handsome white hair and face as before, but the current Kakashi no longer wore a mask, and his demeanor was more carefree, not as gloomy as before.
"How is Konoha?" was the first thing Sakumo asked. Although he had been condemned by the villagers of Konoha and had chosen to take his own life in pain, his feelings for the village had not faded. He loved Konoha and was willing to give his life for it! Those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. When faced with the accusations of the villagers, and even the comrade he had saved, he had chosen to defend his ideals with his life. He also firmly believed that his son, Kakashi Hatake, would carry on his will and become an outstanding ninja.
But to his shock, Kakashi said, "I have already defected from Konoha."
Impossible. That was the first thought that came to Sakumo's mind. He knew that although Kakashi was cold on the outside, he was actually warm on the inside. His loyalty to Konoha was no less than his own. How could such a person defect? Something must have gone wrong!
Seeing his father's disbelief, Kakashi sighed and began to slowly recount what had happened in Konoha after his death. From Orochimaru's defection to Naruto's, to the promise he had made with the Fourth Hokage, and finally, his own views on the entire shinobi world and Konoha.
"Father, Konoha has decayed. The times are changing, but Konoha is still stuck in the past. The various countries and ninja villages are destined to be eliminated by the changing times. Now, the Seireitei represents a new era, a new hope. I want to fight for freedom, for peace."
After hearing Kakashi's words, Sakumo was in a daze. The current Kakashi was calm and confident, his thoughts clear. He was completely different from the difficult, awkward child he remembered. This Kakashi was a world apart from the past, which showed that he had already made up his mind. Although he had only heard about it, Sakumo could feel the pain and struggle Kakashi had gone through before making his decision, and the relief and release he had felt after defecting.
As a father, how could he wish for his own flesh and blood to suffer? Sakumo chose to understand his son's choice. But that didn't mean he was willing to fight for the Seireitei.
"Perhaps Konoha is as dark and unbearable as you say. But it raised me, taught me ninjutsu. If you want me to betray it, I can never do it," Sakumo sighed.
The Seireitei's hold on its Shinigami and Arrancar was very strong, especially for renowned Kage-level shinobi like Sakumo. After becoming Shinigami, they would often quickly master their Shikai and become immediate combat assets. If a Shinigami was unwilling to serve the Seireitei, they had to die.
Kakashi looked at his father with a complicated expression, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He gave Sakumo a month to familiarize himself with the Seireitei, to learn more about it and experience its culture. That way, he would discover the biggest difference between the Seireitei and Konoha.
After his conversation with Kakashi, Sakumo's heart was also in turmoil. He wandered through the Seireitei and saw the free people and the beautiful life. There were no social classes, no monopoly on knowledge. As long as you had the talent for training, you could join the Shinigami Academy. Everything was as beautiful as a dream.
It made Sakumo's heart stir.