Chapter 138: Sage of Six Paths
In the secret chamber of the Uchiha estate, candlelight flickered.
Yu sat quietly at the center of a complex ritual formation, ancient scrolls floating unfolded around him.
These tomes recording soul secret techniques emanated an ancient aura. Positioned most centrally was the forbidden scroll documenting Impure World Reincarnation.
"Impure World Reincarnation."
He formed the final seal, his low voice echoing through the chamber.
Dust-like fragments of light rose from the ritual's center as a blurred figure began coalescing—the features of his adoptive father, Uchiha Fugaku, from memory.
However, just as the form was about to solidify, the light trembled violently before extinguishing completely, leaving only scattered dust drifting down.
"Failed again."
Yu gazed at the dissipating light, brow furrowing slightly.
He'd lost count of how many attempts this was.
The summoned souls possessed form yet lacked the core "consciousness"—merely empty puppet shells unable to respond to the words accumulated in his heart.
"Where exactly is the problem..." His fingertip lightly touched the still-warm dust at the ritual's center. "The soul returns, yet consciousness lingers beyond."
He closed his eyes as vast mental power extended like a tide, attempting to trace backward along the soul's return trajectory, glimpsing the mysteries on the other side of life and death's boundary.
Just as his perception touched some ineffable border—
The surrounding scenery abruptly transformed.
Chamber, candlelight, scrolls—all vanished.
He found himself standing on an endless pale plain, beneath his feet a river flowing with gentle luminescence, distant peaceful chanting faintly audible. Here existed no direction, no time, only eternal-seeming silence.
"This place lies between life and death—not where you should tread."
A calm, aged voice sounded from behind.
Yu slowly turned. An elder clad in white magatama robes and wielding a sage's staff had appeared there at some unknown moment.
His features were ancient, his eyes the distinctive Rinnegan, twin horns growing from his forehead.
"Otsutsuki Hagoromo." Yu recognized the visitor.
"You may also call me the Sage of Six Paths." Hagoromo nodded slightly. "You carry too much obsession from 'beyond.' You're forcibly prying at the Pure Land's laws."
"I have people I must see, words I must speak." Yu's tone remained calm yet resolute.
"Delusion." Hagoromo shook his head gently. "I established the Ninja Sect hoping people could use it to connect with each other, understand life and death—not to violate natural order."
"What constitutes the proper path? Who defines it?" Yu's lips curved in a barely perceptible arc. "By 'natural order,' I should have died that desperate night years ago. Only by breaking so-called 'natural order' did I gain the qualification to stand here speaking with you."
Hagoromo released a light sigh. "I've seen too many souls fall into darkness through obsession, including... my mother, Otsutsuki Kaguya. She once walked toward extremes through 'love' for the world and 'fear' of loss. Your current obsession—how similar to my mother's."
"Don't compare me to her." Yu's voice cooled slightly. "My purpose has never been possession, but redemption."
"Precisely because you possess this heart that I've appeared to admonish you." Hagoromo's tone grew more earnest. "The departed are gone. Forcibly reversing life and death not only desecrates the deceased's peace but disrupts the present world's order. The young woman you care for, Uchiha Sasuko, walks her own ninja way. Should your obsession materialize as tangible darkness, she may be the first to suffer."
Sasuko's name made Yu's gaze flicker slightly, but he didn't yield.
"If this order means eternal regret, if this peace demands silent sacrifice as its price, then it's not worth protecting." Yu surveyed this border between life and death. "I pursue power precisely to shatter these seemingly immovable rules."
"Even at the cost of your essence?" Hagoromo's voice rang like a warning bell. "Reversing life and death creates tremendous imbalance. When you broke my mother's seal and easily defeated her, I knew that in terms of power, perhaps no one in this world can restrain you. But your obsession is eroding your essence."
"Continue this way, and you'll no longer be 'you.'"
Two transcendent beings confronted each other at the origin of philosophy, their wills silently colliding in this void.
After a long while, Yu slowly raised his hand, gazing at the light-composed patterns in his palm.
"Sage, you protect this world's 'order' and 'balance.'" He lifted his eyes. "While I simply wish to protect that small 'world' behind me. For that, even if I become an Asura and disrupt heaven and earth, I won't hesitate."
"What if your path ultimately brings calamity to the world?"
"Then I'll personally end everything—including myself."
The resolute words echoed through space, demonstrating unwavering will.
The Sage of Six Paths gazed at Yu, finally releasing a long sigh.
Hagoromo understood that for one who'd already transcended this world, words could no longer change his obsession.
"I've said my piece. I hope you'll take care. Life's weight is far heavier than you imagine..."
The elder's figure gradually faded with his words, ultimately transforming into scattered light, vanishing in this gap between life and death.
The surrounding scenery restored itself as Yu's consciousness returned to the chamber. Candlelight still flickered, scrolls lay quietly open.
He remained silent momentarily, his gaze falling back to the Impure World Reincarnation scroll.
"Consciousness's destination..."
He murmured.
Recalling these years of performing Impure World Reincarnation, the Sage of Six Paths had never appeared to interfere.
His appearance specifically now indicated Yu's research had truly touched the core of life and death's boundary.
That legendary Pure Land... he'd clearly sensed that the Sage of Six Paths also possessed powerful mental force.
The other's deliberate intervention to dissuade him precisely proved Yu's direction was correct—life and death's boundary could indeed be broken.
If so, why not push harder?
As one who cultivated through soul-based magnetic field power, if he employed even greater strength, could he directly tear through this boundary between life and death?
Once this thought sprouted, it spread like wildfire through his heart, impossible to calm.
He would find the Pure Land, break the boundary between life and death, bring them back, and make amends for his regrets and mistakes!
Those eternally indifferent eyes rarely kindled with fervent light, tinged with an indiscernible obsession.
Just then, he sensed Sasuko's biomagnetic field approaching Konoha.
The intensity in his eyes gradually receded, returning to habitual calm.
Seems today isn't the time to continue research...
Yu's figure twisted slightly, appearing in the courtyard the next second.
He sat calmly on the stone chair, withdrawing an ordinary book from the void.
Just like always.
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